Get ready for Crufts!

Get ready for Crufts!

It’s Crufts time!  Read on for some fantastic tips from The Kennel Club about getting started in Dog Showing and meet our new Pet of The Month.
Crufts is the biggest dog show in the world.  This year, the show starts on Thursday, 5 March for four fun-packed days at the NEC in Birmingham.
To celebrate, our featured exclusive Crufts dog ID tags in 4 cool colours are discounted by 20% from now until midnight on 8 March.  Just go to our Official Crufts ID Tags page and enter the discount code CRUFTS15 at checkout.
Crufts Banner Tags tags only
Our Pet-Tags Pet of the Month for March features our yellow Crufts ID tag.  He is gorgeous Merlin McPherson.  Merlin is a 6 year old Bearded Collie who enjoys taking part in fun agility and Heelwork to music. Over the last few years, he has learned a variety of moves and he and his mum Janet have enjoyed putting together a Freestyle routine which they hope one day to perform in the ring.
Merlin is well on his way to success.  In 2013, he joined the Prospectors Canine team at the Manchester Dog Show under the experienced eye of Christine Stafford and her sister, Jean Tomkinson. Last year, Merlin gained the prestigious Kennel Club Bronze and Silver Good Citizen awards and he is now working towards the Gold. This year, Merlin will be going to his first ever Crufts as a member of the Crufts Silver Display Team 2015 - Midlands and taking part in the demonstrations on Thursday and Saturday. He is currently working hard to learn his moves with his fellow canine partners ready for the big event.
Apart from enjoying his training classes, he likes nothing better than to go for long walks and running off the lead in the park with his brother, Griffin, a Border Collie, and then crashing out on the sofa with a well-earned piggy ear.  Well done Merlin!
Merlin McPherson
Dog Showing is the most popular canine activity in the country and is a great way to show others why your dog is the best in the world. All pedigree dogs can take part in Dog Showing which takes place in different rings at a dog show.  Each pedigree dog is judged against the official Kennel Club Breed Standard.  The Breed Standard is a blueprint for the perfect characteristics for each breed and covers every aspect of the dog, including health and temperament. Click here to see an example of a the Kennel Club’s Breed Standard. The dogs which conform most closely to the Breed Standard will receive the top awards.
The Kennel Club have loads of advice about getting started in dog showing:
Getting Started in Dog Showing
Ensure your dog is registered with the Kennel Club on the Breed Register and is 6 months of age or over. (If you're not sure if your dog is registered or would like more information about how to get your dog registered on the Kennel Club's Breed Register, visit the Registrations section here.)
How can I prepare for a Dog Show?
Although you might just like to enter a show and see how you get on, there is some preparation you could do to ensure you and your dog get the best out of the day.
A great way to find out whether dog showing is for you is to visit a show or multiple shows and see what it's all about. You can find a list of Kennel Club licensed Shows in our Events Diary which is updated monthly. Alternatively, if you would like to visit a Show closer to your home or to see a specific breed, contact the Services Team via cat@thekennelclub.org.uk
Once you've been to a show, you might have an idea of what characteristics the judge is looking for in each dog. However to find out more specific details and learn more about what is expected at a Dog Show, you could attend a Ringcraft Class (a class for show training) and learn more about how to present your dog at a Show and also look at the Kennel Club Breed Standards which details the characteristics for every breed of dog that can be registered with the Kennel Club.
 
What types of show are best for me?
To find out about the different types of show and decide which would be most suitable for you and your dog, click here.
What classes can I enter?
Enter a show in a class that is suitable for your dog. You can find a list of the Kennel Club licensed Shows in our Events Diary which is updated monthly. You can also find details of upcoming shows on the following websites: www.highampress.co.uk and www.fossedata.co.uk,
The best way to see what classes would be suitable for your dog is to find a show and look at the show schedule. The show schedule includes information about the show and details all the classes that will take place at the show. You can find a suitable class for your dog by reading through the explanation of each class.

Things to consider


Health is of paramount importance, so before taking part in dog showing, make sure your dog is Fit For Function: Fit for Life. Click here for more information about health and welfare for show dogs.
Legally Compliant ID Tag
You're dog will also need legally compliant ID engraved on a tag or collar.  This should include owner's name and address.  We also recommend you include a phone number so that you can be contacted more quickly if your dog is lost.  Choose from our range of tags, including Official Crufts tags, at Pet-Tags.