If you are interested in the pet care sector and running your own dog walking and pet sitting franchise, you’ve probably already thought about visiting dog shows to access information on different breeds, dog behaviour and all the latest pet care equipment on offer from the market leaders, from leads, cages and methods of transporting pets safely.
Crufts Dog Show
A big bark goes out to Crufts – Britain’s biggest annual dog show for pedigree dogs at Birmingham’s NEC. A dog-lovers paradise, you can see every type of dog depending on the day you visit, and watch the nation’s best behaved sheep dogs put through their paces, sticking to the side of their owners legs as they perform impossibly challenging tasks. Watch your favourite breed of pooch weave in and out of obstacles or browse the pet product stalls or gaze at the thousand different carbon copies of the same dog on display before deciding on your best in show.
Scruffts Dog Show
Scruffts is no shaggy dog story. The alternative dog show which awards doggie rosettes to non-pedigree pooches is still snapping at the heels of its famous namesake to be the best dog show on the planet.
Certainly it wins paws down for comedy categories. Instead of Best in Show, there is Most Handsome Crossbreed, Prettiest Crossbreed Bitch, and Golden Oldie. The judges look for well behaved dogs with good character, health, personality and temperament. The winner of the coveted Most Handsome Dog is the dog with the most adorable and loveable face. For the category of Child’s Best Friend both the child and pet can wear fancy dress, and the Golden Oldie is the pooch with the best overall appearance for its age, in good health with a cheeky personality.
Heats for Scruffts take place in different venues around the country, but the big event returns to The National Arboretum, Westonbirt in February this year for the second time. Organised by the Kennel Club, Scruffts is the nation’s favourite annual cross-breed competition, and is one of many fun events for dogs and their owners at the National Arboretum’s Dog Days weekend on February 17 and 18, 2007. The final for Family Crossbreed of the Year continues to be held at Earls Court, at the Kennel Club’s November Discover Dogs event.
