I've just come across these hot off the press images of some patient competitors being groomed and I couldn't not share them. All of the dogs that compete at Crufts must be in peak physical condition and judges will be on the look out for a healthy skin and coat.
However, new to Crufts this year is the Royal Kennel Club Dog Grooming Championship, which will focus on technical skill and artistry.
What was I just saying about topiary...?
Claudia Winkleman who is making her Crufts' hosting debut, has claimed that the famous dog show is better than her own wedding: 'I quite liked my wedding, this is better.'
Claudia joins Clare Balding who has presented coverage of Crufts on and off since 2004. Yesterday, a Canadian Inuit dog called Kuku got his paws on Clare's phone while she was busy interviewing double Olympic gold-winning skeleton racer Matt Weston, and made a run for it.
'The rarest of the land spaniels'
Meet Wilberforce, the nine-month-old Sussex spaniel. He's in his first year of showing and at Crufts to compete in Best Puppy in Breed. However, there are so few of them that he's competing against five of his own littermates!
According to the Royal Kennel Club, Sussex spaniels are the rarest of the land spaniels and were the most vulnerable breed in the UK in 2018 when only 34 puppies were registered. They have since experienced a boost in popularity, with 52 Sussex spaniel puppies registered in 2019.
In 2017, Tatler published a now famous article titled: 'Is it a dog toy or sex toy?' And before you roll your eyes at me and say 'don't be ridiculous, only an idiot wouldn't be able to tell them apart', you should know that I don't have a single friend who has got every single one right.
Anyway, in Monday's editorial meeting, I'm going to suggest that we steal the concept and publish a version called: 'Is it a poodle or topiary?'
Overheard at Crufts: 'Can you give him some dignity please?'
Are they talking about a dog, its owner, a judge? What is the dog/owner/judge doing? I need answers.
'I just watched a barefoot woman strip off to a hot pink showgirl outfit while a border collie runs through her legs'
Crufts hosts the finals of both heelwork to music and freestyle competitions. The competitors are the top 10 dogs that qualify at premier competitions annually.
Agnes and Flo just sent me a voice note of the live commentary: 'She's fast, she's crazy, she loves to dance'.
I'm planning to launch a petition calling on the powers that be to rename this part of proceedings: 'Strictly Come Dogging'.
The path to the final
I chose to take a lunch break at the wrong time because I've come back to a flurry of messages and updates. Apologies one and all.
Most importantly, Agnes has pinned down a Crufts expert to explain how Crufts goes about whittling down thousands of gorgeous dogs to just one triumphant winner.
Remember Vega, who came third in the saluki competition? Well the formal name for that specific competition is Junior Bitch Saluki Class (shall we call it JBSC for short?). The winning JBSC saluki, known technically as the 'Unbeaten' bitch, progresses to the 'Challenge'. And it's the same process for the dogs, and the 'Veteran' (Crufts' words, not mine) bitches and dogs.
Here's a quick — and hopefully clear — breakdown of how it all works:
- Step one: Dogs first compete against others of their same breed, split by age and gender
- Step two: The top male and female go head-to-head. The winner is named Best of Breed
- Step three: Each Best of Breed winner moves to one of seven Group Finals
- Step four: One winner is chosen from each of these seven groups to advance to the Best in Show final
And I thought the Olympic curling rules were hard to follow....
Breaking news: Flo and Agnes were ring-side to watch Vega take third place in the saluki competition. A fantastic result — and doesn't she know it!
What exactly are the judges looking for?
Agnes and Flo have been talking to the owners of two Bavarian mountain hounds, a breed of dog used in Germany since the early 20th century to trail wounded game.
Brothers Jock and Ludo are part of a rarefied club in the UK because only around 90 individuals are registered in angle single year.
'The best thing is about them is that they're really loving and very devoted to their family... they bark and they cuddle you when you come home,' say their human escorts.
So what does it take to win Best in Show in today's hound presentation? (A quick reminder that there are seven group presentations: gundog, hound, pastoral, terrier, toy, utility, and working. The winner from each one makes it to the Best in Show final on March 8.)
'The judges look for their conformation: so are they strong and athletic. They look for them to stand nicely and show nicely, but it all falls down to the judges personal judgement. Some are heavily built like these [Jock and Ludo] and some are finer built. Different judges will like different things.'
Consider us all brand new and enthusiastic Bavarian mountain hound fans.
Meet Vega the saluki and find out how she prepares for her star turn in the show ring
Vega with her owner Anna Freegard and Country Life's Agnes Stamp.
Agnes has been talking to Anna, who has 25 years showing experience, and her saluki Vega, who has been competing for six months.
Vega was bred by a friend of Anna's in Missouri, USA, and has been in the UK for a whole year.
'The best preparation is letting them see a bit of life,' says Anna. 'I take her out and about, she goes into town and meets people and other dogs and they get used to this kind of environment because the show ring is the easy bit. The environment is the tricky bit.'
She might look docile here, but Vega can be a bit of a menace. At home, she's called Vega-mouse, after cartoon character Danger Mouse, and recently 'annihilated' a doormat.
Whatever happens in the show ring, though, Anna says she's already won. 'We all take the best home.'
P.s The word saluki is derived from the Arabic word salūqī, which signifies a person or thing hailing from the ancient city of Saluq.
A reminder of what on earth is going on and who I am if you're just joining us...
On the ground, in the NEC in Birmingham, is Flo Allen, Country Life’s Social Media Editor, and Agnes Stamp, Acting Deputy Features Editor and the author of Country Life’s Book of Dogs.
Behind a laptop — fielding all of Flo and Agnes’s voice notes, emails, pictures and videos (and let me tell you, there's a lot of them) — is Rosie Paterson (that's me), Digital Content Director.
A love of dogs is essential if you want to work for Country Life. In fact, it's the first question we ask people in interviews (joking, sort of). You can meet some of the team and their beloved canine companions in the video, below.
And remember to get in touch with your thoughts and questions via Instagram.
This just in from West Sussex: Tiffin — quite literally shivering with excitement — picking up some agility skills.
The apricot-coloured miniature poodle belongs to Octavia Pollock, our Chief Sub Editor, who presumably is now getting no work done. I apologise in advance if next week's issue doesn't hit the shelves on time.
The agility heats are kicking off inside the NEC Birmingham and they're being live-streamed on YouTube.
I did a double take when I spotted a comment from a viewer that read: 'Interesting to see a collar. Isn't agility normally done naked?' Turns out, they're talking about the dogs... and not their human companions.
Well that's it. We've peaked early and can all pack up and go home. How on earth are we going to find anything cuter than Gino and Maisie the Jack Russells?
I audibly squealed when the picture came through.
In case you're wondering, Maisie is three and Gino is seven.
These fashionable hounds have just arrived at the NEC, and are giving the models at Paris Fashion Week — which is currently in full swing — a run for their money.
With the exception of what look like whippets in the second slide, these dogs are all Afghan hounds which originate in the cold mountains of Afghanistan. They're distinguished by their long, glamorous coats and long limbs.
I've just been informed by my much more cultured colleague James that there's a very famous scent-tracking dog called Toby in the Sherlock Holmes stories — which probably explains Rosie's get up (scroll down two posts if you don't know what I'm talking about).
Apparently, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle describes Toby as an 'ugly long-haired, lop-eared... half spaniel and half lurcher' which is a tad rude.
And this is why you should always read the books and not just watch the films.
Look who Agnes has just come across!
The Spinone Italiano — or Italian spinone — is a type of hunting dog. They were first seen in the UK in the early 1980s at the Game Fair. I'm told that they have lovely temperaments which somewhat makes up for the slobber (I suppose no one's perfect...).
I don't want to make this blog all about me, but I did just come across this picture (above) of Rosie the bloodhound wearing a duffel coat and deer-hunting hat, at Crufts 1964.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find out why my namesake is dressed like Sherlock Holmes.
The picture below is of Champion bloodhound Leo of Reynalton, at Crufts in 1935. He is being cuddled by a little girl called Dorothy Holder and won Best in Show SIX times. A bit greedy if you ask me.
From the biggest to the smallest: meet Mable the chihuahua (below). She is one, so this is her first-ever Crufts — and she doesn’t look entirely impressed. Perhaps she should go and have a chat with Caspar?
Mable sleeps in the bed with her human Mum. As she should. Records of dogs sleeping beside humans stretch back centuries (Mary, Queen of Scots was pro it), but the debate remains lively.
Country Life spoke to Devonshire author Callie Coles on this exact topic a few months ago, but if you’ve seen her viral Instagram videos of the children’s ponies plodding through her kitchen, you can probably guess which side of the divide she’s on…
‘At the moment, the whippets and dachshund sleep in the kitchen, the others in the boot room,’ says Callie. ‘But I love dogs in the bed — when it is cold, they are a hot-water bottle. Another heartbeat is always helpful for sleep, especially when Toby, my husband, is away.’ When asked who would be ejected from the bed first, Callie is unequivocal. ‘The children! There is no peace with that noisy rabble about.’
Trudie Styler at home with six Irish wolfhounds from her Dukesarum kennel. She often walks seven or eight dogs at a time.
There’s more: Caspar belongs to Trudie Styler, actress, director, and film producer, and wife of Sting. Country Life spoke to her in 2018 about her love of the breed and how she and Sting came to get their first puppy. You can read that piece here.
Other famous Irish wolfhounds include Seamus, the Irish Guards' regimental mascot. Flo went to meet him a few months ago and you'd be mad not to watch the footage. Click here to give it a watch — and don't forget to follow us on Instagram.
So we’re not saying that size is everything, but… Flo and Agnes did just meet Caspar who is a three-year-old Irish wolfhound — the world's tallest dog breed, originally bred for hunting wolves and elk.
And he’s rather handsome.
Shortly after having his picture taken with Agnes (below), I’m told that Caspar went rogue and escaped his pen in the direction of the otterhound stand. Given how long his legs are (me, jealous? Never), I can’t imagine it was that difficult. You’ll all be relieved to hear that Caspar has now been corralled.
Reporting LIVE: Agnes (left) and Flo (right).
I promise that there are plenty of pictures of dogs incoming, but until then, I thought you'd like to see one of your roving reporters, Agnes and Flo.
Their practical accessories include a copy of Country Life's Book of Dogs and one of our most recent issues, announcing our Britain's Naughtiest Dog competition.
My childhood companion was a Jack Russell called Rigsby who was best described as Satan incarnate. Rigsby ate the next door neighbour's chickens, cockerel and Guinea pigs, disappeared down a storm drain for more than 16 hours, and once stole a whole ham from the fridge.
If you've got your own Rigsby — my thoughts and prayers are with you — remember to enter the competition before by April 28. You'll find all the entry criteria and terms and conditions, here.
Are you at Crufts today?
Let us know by messaging us on Instagram.
And we want to hear from you, even if you’re not enjoying the show in person. Get in touch and tell us what you want to see, and what breed you think will win Best in Show.
You’re probably wondering who is going to be guiding you through this day of canine chaos. Well wonder no more.
On the ground, in the NEC in Birmingham, is Flo Allen, Country Life’s Social Media Editor, and Agnes Stamp, Acting Deputy Features Editor and the author of Country Life’s Book of Dogs — more on that later.
Behind a laptop — fielding all of Flo and Agnes’s voice notes, emails, pictures and videos — is Rosie Paterson (that's me), Digital Content Director.
They’re three of the most dog-obsessed members of the Country Life editorial team… which is saying something.
Throughout the day, we will also be bringing you insights from the wider Country Life team, canine-enthusiast friends and, if you’re lucky, Tiffin — our resident office dog. His owner is Octavia Pollock, Chief Sub Editor.