When it comes to canine royalty, no one beats His Majesty XX Wally Dedrick.

Wally, a golden doodle from Key West who turns 3 on March 11, served as king of the Mystic Krewe of Barkus over the weekend in New Orleans, leading what’s billed as the biggest dog parade in the world — 1,500 hounds marching through the French Quarter as part of Mardi Gras festivities. It was the event’s 20th year.

Wally’s owners, Warren and Brenda Dedrick, got him crowned top dog after he previously served as a krewe duke.

"You are a member of the krewe, you apply for the position, you do a donation" for animal-welfare groups, Brenda said. "It’s then a secret ballot from there. The officers of the club actually do the voting."

This is no small affair.

After flying into New Orleans on Thursday, Wally was picked up from the airport in a Rolls-Royce Phantom, then taken to his hotel, the luxury Windsor Court, a AAA Four Star Diamond Award property. He then met his queen Maggie, a New Orleans golden lab.

On Friday, the couple was saluted with a huge champagne lunch at Galatoire’s Bistro, built in 1905.

"The queen, a bit overweight, was not happy being asked to park herself in a small chair, and she totally disdained requests to pose for pictures," The Associated Press reported. "The king was more tolerant of the carnival festivities leading up to weekend parades...."

After more events where the royal couple was feted -- including making the rounds on all of New Orleans’ TV stations -- Sunday’s big parade came around. Wally, looking resplendent in a black and white tuxedo, led the way in a grand gold carriage, joined by Brenda Dedrick, bedecked in a beaded white satin dress.

The parade’s grand marshal was King, Budweiser’s official Dalmatian.

Brenda says Wally — a certified service dog — was born at McDoodles in Lithia, Fla., southwest of Lakeland. His training was at Milo’s Boot Camp in Fort Myers.

Like any good Keys dog, he loves the water. From his official Mystic Krewe of Barkus biography: "Wally loves the water and enjoys swimming in the ocean and pools ... he has a well-traveled passport: Summer of 2010, he spent five weeks in Mexico on a fishing trip."

That, of course, was with dad Warren, with Marlin Holdings, an investment holding company. The Dedricks’ primary home is on Washington Street in Key West but they also have two homes elsewhere.

While Wally has accomplished much in his life, being king of the Mystic Krewe of Barkus tops everything, organizers say: "Being crowned as the king of Barkus, the largest dog parade on Earth, could supercede everything."

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