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Showing posts with label dog show. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog show. Show all posts

Friday, 16 March 2012

George is Best at Crufts 2012

Look who the Lady Of The House met at Crufts!

It is the very handsome George the Lad who was also reporting from Crufts (like the LOTH).

His report  is much more interesting than HER ramblings. He was also showing everybody what great dogs Welsh Terriers are in the Crufts Discover Dogs hall.

Discover Dogs has a stand for EVERY single UK recognised pedigree breed. So while the show dogs are being judged in the rings during the four days of the dog show, other dogs are specially chosen to represent their breed at Discover Dogs so that visitors can find out more about them and whether the breed is a good match for their family and lifestyle. All very important work, and George was a brilliant ambassador for Welsh Terriers on the final day of the show.

I think he should have his own TV programme.

I'd watch him.

Well, the LOTH said it was all very exciting at Crufts because of all the hoo-ha over independent judge checks being introduced for the first time and six dogs getting disqualified.   


But I was more interested to hear about all the other dogs and people that were there doing stuff apart from judging. There's about 800 companies and charities who have stands there and there's lots of other things happening in the main arena and other rings around the National Exhibition Centre like obedience, agility, heelwork to music, Flyball, Cani-X, and lots of demonstrations. So it's not just for pedigree dogs.

This is Alice, a nine-month-old Sealyham puppy with her friend Gail. They were telling people about the Save Our Sealyhams campaign. Sealyhams were once just about the most popular dog in the world but now they are an endangered breed. They are really friendly fun dogs who love their human pack and are very sensitive to peoples' moods.


This is Yomper, he's a cadet puppy in training to become an assistance dog for the Hounds for Heroes charity.


Holly and Lil make wonderful bespoke collars and leads for all breeds. They have a shop in London that is really popular with tourists (so do call in next time you're in the big city). Pictured above is the boss lady Elaine who designed a collar and lead for Uggie of The Artist fame, for the Oscars.


Rubbish photo here (well done, LOTH) of a lovely lady called Jodie Prenger who is a musical theatre actress and radio presenter. She shot to fame in a reality show to find an unknown to play Nancy in Oliver! She was promoting an important charity called Animal Health Trust which does great work for animals battling illness and injury.


This is TV vet Marc Abraham, pictured on the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home stand promoting their campaign that Staffies (Staffordshire Bull Terriers) are softer than many people think. He is holding 'Stitch' - a toy Staffie.

The LOTH had a good chat with the staff at Battersea. They were her first-ever charity of the year when she started her Lost and Fond website. A new TV documentary is currently being filmed at Battersea which will be going out in the UK at 7pm and introduced by Paul O'Grady. He was at Crufts too doing a spot of dog agility in the arena with a rescue Staffie. They have such a bad reputation in the UK and it's so unfair. There are more Staffies and Staffies crosses in UK rescues than any other type of dog.

Finally, I have saved my favourite until last.

This is a very talented sculptor called Joanne Cooke working on one of her one-off dog sculptures. They are wonderful pieces of work which really capture the personality of each dog. She can create them from pictures. Please pop over to her website Joanne Cooke Sculpture and enjoy some more of her wonderful work.

Look at this one - this is Rory, Joanne's own 12-year-old greyhound. His birthday was on the first day of Crufts. Isn't he beautiful!?!

Thursday, 8 March 2012

Crufts opens today

So the Lady Of The House left me at stupid 'o'clock this morning to go to the world's biggest and best dog show - Crufts.

This is all I have to say about it.


(P.S: I am not home alone. The Man Of The House is here. Thank goodness I still matter to SOMEONE in this house).

Thursday, 22 December 2011

Winnie's fourth Christmas carol

Today's festive song reflects on one of my most embarrassing moments of 2011.

It wasn't wise and it certainly wasn't clever and I hope the Lady Of The House never has a similarly silly idea again.

I didn't have to cross the desert - but I did have to cross the parade ring at the Sutton Greyhound Show.

Off we go, to the tune of We Three Kings (of Orient are...)




Me, one dog, from Burton-on-Trent.
I've got the hump. I wish that she'd spent
a bit more money
It isn't funny
My feelings I have to vent.

I am not a camel!
Not a goat!
Not a donkey in a coat.
Fancy dress!
It's just a mess!
Don't sit there and laugh and gloat.


I could've worn pink. I wish that I had
Looking at HER it made me so sad.
Tutu and hat
I could've worn that
This camel idea's so bad.

I am NOT a camel!
NOT a beast!
When will this dishonour cease?
I am a Queen
I think it's mean
Will somebody call the police!

Thursday, 28 October 2010

Christmas comes early

I'm a lucky old Winnie at the moment.

Today the Lady Of The House visited a dog show at the County Showground just outside Stafford - and she brought me a new duvet and a lovely fleecey blanket. I was so excited I stuck my whole head and neck in the bag as soon as she put it down in the hall.

I spent the rest of the afternoon all snuggled up comfy-cosy in the living room.

Tomorrow I'll hopefully have my new fleece coat that she's ordered for me too.

Till then, sweet dreams!!
It's a dog's life!

Sunday, 26 September 2010

Showing off

Well, another first for me today with my family - I entered my first class at a fun dog show.

The Lady Of The House and I entered the ring for class 4 - Best Rescue at the dog show at Derby's Markeaton Park.

We weren't placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd but there were some lovely rescue dogs with far sadder stories than mine.

The L O T H said she was just pleased that I didn't take off in pursuit of any of the park's squirrels - in which I had been showing a keen interest. And the Judge said I was a credit to my family - which was nice. AND I got some more lovely bone biscuits from The Dog Bakery stall! Hurray!!!
Entrants and onlookers at the Markeaton Park dog show
The Dog Bakery stall was also raising money for Derbyshire re-homing charity Just For Dogs which I thought was lovely. JFD do some great work on behalf of animals. Read the story of how they save the life of Casper the friendly dog. It's chilling that anyone could slit a dog's throat and leave him for dead. Thankfully there are decent people around who will try and put things right and in Casper's case there was a great happy ending.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday. I'm curling up for a sleep. See you tomorrow.

Saturday, 25 September 2010

What to do with the weekend?

Well, this morning's walk involved me coming to a standstill under the trees on the nature reserve that was once a clay pit as a squirrel frolicked overhead.

The Man Of The House thought it was quite funny as I watched the squirrel bob and weave through the branches and make gurgling growls under my breath.

So, what to do now with the rest of the weekend?

Top choice for tomorrow is the Fun Dog Show at Markeaton Park in Derby. It's on from 11am to 3pm and now that the Lady Of The House has her car back she's threatening to take me along and enter me in the class for the saddest eyes.

They were a bit sad when I realised I was never going to get close to that squirrel this morning.  (But not as sad as the eyes of the L O T H when she paid that car bill yesterday - yikes!!!)

Sunday, 12 September 2010

A treat of a day

The website for Burton's branch of the RSPCA

Today I took a stroll - on my lead of course - to the 6th annual companion dog show held by Derwent Valley Dog Club in aid of the RSPCA Burton Branch.

Dogs of all shapes and sizes and types were entering obedience and breed classes as well as novelty classes - like "The dog the judges would most like to take home".

The Nottingham branch of the Retired Greyhound Trust were among those who had stands at the show. Those RGT people never seem to stop! It's so great that people work so hard to show what great pets greyhounds make.

I didn't enter anything....but I might try next weekend at the Great Greyhound Gathering - but more of that later this week.

The Lady Of The House did buy me some treats from The Dog Bakery - home-baked with all natural ingredients, no preservatives, colouring, added salt or added sugar. Looking forward to giving them a try.