Are you going to Crufts?

Crufts is coming up and being interested in dogs, many of our members are planning a day or two’s visit.

Many people who compete with their dogs aspire to compete at Crufts, whether this be in conformation shows, obedience, agility or the numerous other dog sports out there.

This year one of our club members has qualified to compete in the obedience at Crufts! Mel and Snoopy will be competing on the saturday in the Kennel Club’s Good Citizen special pre beginners class. If you are going to Crufts, please say Hi and support them! You can buy tickets here.

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Snoopy is what’s known as an ‘ABC’ Anything but a Collie. Although non-collies can enter any classes they like, they have their own classes too, just because Collies (that’s border collie/working sheepdogs, other type of collies, like the Rough collie, or bearded collie go in ABC’s too) dominate so many dog sports and the Kennel Club wants encourage owners  of other breeds and cross breeds to show that any dog can enter, compete, do well and have fun too!

We of course have lots of wonderful collies at the club. Having a collie doesn’t necessarily mean you instantly have the dog equivalent of a child genius and collie trainers have to work hard with their dogs too, working sheepdogs just usually have more ‘drive’ – that’s enthusiasm for working, than their non WSD counterparts, which can give them an advantage.

If you visit or watch Crufts on TV or the live stream you’ll find that there are ABC categories in other disciplines too and you can see all sorts of well known and unusual breeds competing.

One breed you will probably recognise is the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, which is Jilly, the winner of Best in show 2013’s breed. Jilly has also been showing off her active skills by doing sponsored walks for charity.

We have our own Basset Griffon, at the club, Louis! Here he is showing his active side.

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Here’s another lovely ABC, Daisy is a pyrenean sheepdog. Daisy comes under the pastoral group, you can see the pastoral and working breeds showing on the Thursday of Crufts.

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Crufts is wonderful because it highlights so many different versatile breeds!

Since we are in the countryside, some of our members have an interest in gun dog activities and will look forward to seeing the gun dog displays at Crufts. We have quite a lot of retrievers and spaniels at the club. Gun dog day is on the Sunday.

I’m sure Tilly the Working Cocker Spaniel will be watching!

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If any members, or non members are going please feel free to comment with which day and hopefully we will all see each other at Crufts! It’s on the 6th – 9th of March at Birmingham NEC.