The past few days at the NEC in Birmingham has seen some of the most well-cared-for dogs in the world gathered together for Crufts.
The Kennel Club's annual dog show has been running for over a century, and winning the title of Best in Show is the crowning achievement of the career of any dog breeder.
This year, the supreme champion was a Wire-Haired Dachshund named Maisie — the delight on the face of owner Kim McCalmont is plain to see... even if Maisie seems supremely chilled out about the whole thing.
As fascinating as what happens in the arena, however, are all the other things which you often don't see: the nuts and bolts of getting thousands of dogs in and out of the arena, the hours spent waiting backstage and the efforts that go in to grooming and preening to make sure everything is perfect.
Those efforts deserve to go on the record, so we've picked out some of our favourite pictures from the weekend.
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How the acrobatic buzzard survived persecution to become one of Britain's best avian huntersIt may appear lethargic, but no one could argue with the hunting prowess of the common buzzard when it transforms into a surging missile intent on an unsuspecting victim.
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Cats vs Dogs: Country Life's Quiz of the Day, August 14, 2025Thursday's quiz looks at an iconic album cover, the place most Britons want to visit in 2025, and Charles II's most famous moment.
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How the acrobatic buzzard survived persecution to become one of Britain's best avian hunters
It may appear lethargic, but no one could argue with the hunting prowess of the common buzzard when it transforms into a surging missile intent on an unsuspecting victim.
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From Lincoln to London, the crosses of Eleanor are a legacy of loveA grief-stricken Edward I built a legacy to love across the middle of England in memory of his adored Queen Consort, marked by 12 Eleanor Crosses. The historian Alice Loxton walks in the footsteps of the epic funerary procession.
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Pier today, gone tomorrow: Blackpool pleasure pier up for saleA product of Victorian entertainment, piers are synonymous with the British seaside. But they need our help to survive.
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Sophia Money-Coutts: Can my dog sit with me at the table when I’m eating out?'Admittedly, I did once offer Dennis a small piece of truffled arancini in a Mayfair restaurant, but I felt it was important that he try his first truffle.'
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A hoover for goose droppings, a tree-planting battle with the Hilton, and a disgusting banana: Inside Buckingham Palace and its gardensThe summer tours of The King’s residence this year include two new state rooms and a peep inside his private gardens.
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What everyone is talking about this week: Would you swim in the River Thames?Week in, week out, Will Hosie rounds up the hottest topics on everyone's lips, in London and beyond.
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'I really believe they increase productivity': If you want to get ahead, bring your dog to the officeEnhancing employee morale and increasing productivity is no longer reliant on outdated management techniques. The solution is simple, and on four legs.
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‘She’s absolutely everything to me. She’s my future, my hope, my light’: How Labrador retrievers went from catching fish to saving livesAs International Assistance Dog Awareness Week comes to an end, we celebrate the Labrador retriever, one of the most cherished and versatile dog breeds.
