This week we've heard about a brave dog who swam to safety after being caught in a boating accident and a skilled cat who beat his owner at a board game.

As well as viral pet videos, we love seeing readers' cats, dogs and other pets sent in for our weekly Newsweek Pet of the Week.

Read more: Compare the Best Rewards Credit Cards for Pet Owners

If you want your pet to be part of next week's lineup, follow the instructions at the end of this story to get involved.

Winner

Our winner this week is Arlie, a 3-year-old Bedlington terrier and whippet mix who has an unusual playmate.

Arlie lives in Kent, U.K, with his owner Mel Wilde and loves to play "catch me if you can" with a resident magpie. She shared a video of the unconventional playmates.

"Arlie is very fast but the magpie's ability to get out of reach just in time is amazing and will spend ages teasing Arlie," Wilde told Newsweek.

Arlie's owner watched on with a mixture of amusement and slight concern for the magpie.

"I just hope the Magpie doesn't slip up one day," she said.

Finalists

Our first finalist this week is Tuesday who lives with owner and dedicated animal welfare advocate Sherry Lopin from California.

"My family has always thought we needed to do our small part in the community about overpopulated animal shelters," Lopin told Newsweek.

For the last 40 years, the family have had at least two or three dogs at a time, and recently they decided to adopt another canine companion.

"We have a new adoption that we got on a Tuesday so that's her name—Tuesday," she said.

Next up this week is Kufu who was rescued by owner Doug after his granddaughter told him about the dog in need.

"I was informed by a granddaughter that a beautiful male Labrador and Weimaraner mix was to be euthanized since no one adopted him in the agency's time window," Doug told Newsweek.

Upon hearing the story, Doug intervened, contacting the shelter. Before long, Kufu was his.

Named for his majestic and sphinx-like posture, the dog soon faced another challenge when symptoms arose, prompting a visit to the vet's where he was diagnosed with heartworm.

After quick action from his new owners, Kufu has made a full recovery, and Doug has come to cherish his canine companion even more. "He is very sweet. [We] love him dearly," he said.

Last but not least is golden retriever Belle. Three years old, she lives in Michigan with owner Sandie Baarck.

"We were referred by a friend to someone they knew that was breeding their golden retriever," Baarck told Newsweek, reflecting on how Belle came into their lives.

Belle's favorite thing to do is play fetch with her favorite ball.

"We love Belle because she is a great companion. We have a daughter with a disability who loves Belle and Belle loves her. They love hanging out together," said Baarck.

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.