There were dogs. Lots of dogs. All the dogs. So many different types of dogs, of all shapes and sizes. Lots of dogs that looked exactly the same, (am I seeing double? How are the owners recognizing their own dog?), lots of dogs that looked very different. The set-up at the NEC was absolutely huge, and with 22,000 dogs competing over the 4 days it was running, there was lots of noise.
So many beautiful breeds were there – from the fluffy smiling Sammys, to the tall, looking-more-like-a-poney Irish wolfhounds, to, of course the refined Papillons, one of which won Best in Show this year.
However, Crufts is not only about the purebreds and the beauty standards. Being the largest dog event in the world, it has a lot more to offer. Our team met with dedicated members of various animal welfare charities, including Battersea Dogs Home. We also had the pleasure of meeting with various charities that train dogs in service of people, including Therapy Dogs Nationwide, Guide Dogs UK, and Dogs for Good, to name a few.
Competitions ranged from agility (which the dogs seemed to have a fondness for), to flyball, to canine freestyling. Trainers shared the best training techniques for dog owners to adopt, with demonstrations to follow, and police officers showed the amazing tasks their dogs were trained to perform. Hundreds of stories were told, about the amazing bond between a soldier and his Labrador, about a disabled little girl and her Golden Retriever, about a Greyhound that donates his blood to sick dogs.
Crufts truly amazed us – in that it is really a celebration of the dog, in all its forms. It makes you want to go home and cuddle your furry friend just a little tighter. If you’re a dog-lover, its an event you can’t miss. Here’s a few of our favourite pictures detailing the highlights of our time there.