It’s raining dogs…hallelujah! Unfortunately the advertising strapline of this year’s Discover Dogs show proved to be somewhat prophetic today as the rain fell on the masses of dog devotees waiting for the doors of London’s leading dog event to open. Happily, the elements failed to dampen the spirits of the thousands of visitors who have flocked to Earls Court to enjoy a wide range of cracking canine competitions and dazzling doggy displays.
Discover Dogs offers both existing and prospective dog owners the opportunity to meet and greet around 200 breeds of happy, healthy pedigree dog. Experienced owners man the beautifully decorated breed booths, providing a wealth of valuable information on how to look after a new puppy or adult dog to visitors, and helping them to find the perfect pedigree partner for their lifestyle.
The Main Ring at the show has played host to a variety of exciting events today, ranging from some fast and furious agility action to traditional crowd pleasers such as the Southern Golden Retriever Display Team and top training tips from Mary Ray. The semi finals of the Kennel Gazette Junior Warrant Winner of the Year took place this lunchtime and ten dogs have triumphed to win a place in the grand final which will be held at Crufts 2009.
As always, the event has offered all shapes and sizes of dogs, both pedigree and crossbreed alike, their chance to shine. The Kennel Club’s Companion Dog Club held the first half of its popular annual competition, with bitches taking centre stage today. Renowned behaviourist Annette Conn had the tricky task of picking the winners in five fun classes, which included a fabulous new category, The Hot Stepper, for the dog and owner with the best strut. At the end of the day the class winners enjoyed the spotlight of the Main Ring and a dog called Milly, owned by Debbie White from Benwick, Cambridgeshire, was chosen as the overall Best Bitch.
Celebrity vet, Marc Abraham had a busy day, helping to promote a variety of initiatives at the show. He lent his support to the Kennel Club’s Open For Dogs scheme, which helps to protect dog owners’ rights around the country before appearing on the Bella Moss stand as part of their campaign to educate the public about bacterial infections that can be spread from humans to animals, including MRSA.
Actress Jenny Seagrove also made an appearance at the show to help Pals4Pets celebrate their tenth anniversary of providing professional pet care services, such as house sitting, pet visiting and dog walking. Visitors to the event also had the chance to experience what it is like to have a guide dog as a companion courtesy of Guide Dogs for the Blind.
As the day draws to a close, there is still plenty to look forward to tomorrow, with the grand final of the Scruffts Crossbreed of the Year competition expected to be the highlight of another busy schedule taking place in the Main Ring. Summer Strallen, star of Hollyoaks and the West End hit, the Sound of Music will face the unenviable job of picking the most adorable crossbreed companion from around 60 finalists. And, if the weather forecast is to be believed, all being well it won’t be raining cats and dogs (hallelujah!) so why not come along and join in the fun?
