MAD ABOUT DOGS?

THEN DON’T MISS CRUFTS ON MARCH 9TH-12TH

If ever you doubt that the British are a nation of dog lovers, then Crufts will set you straight. 20 000 top pedigree dogs will attend this year, along with around 150 000 spectators.

Named after its founder, Charles Cruft, the first dog show of that name was held in 1891 in Islington, London. It’s now officially recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the biggest dog show in the world!

My ‘must-see’ events are agility and obedience. I admit to watching these with an envious eye as my own pup, Archie, was at the back of the queue when brains were handed out and I can only dream of a dog who sits, stays and jumps through hoops, rather than races around like a loon, chasing his own tail until he crashes into the fridge!

Crufts accepts only the cream of the canine obedience corps, and it takes dedication to produce a champion.

There are regional selection days around the country and different levels of ability can enter. Top obedience champions need to perform well in many different skills including:

• Three different paces of heel work, including a sit, stand and down command.

• Retrieval of an object

• Send-away

• Distance control in six positions

• Scent discrimination

• A three-minute sit-stay

As Archie can’t stay still for a nanosecond I don’t think we’ll be troubling Crufts for a while. Agility was actually introduced as a filler item in 1978 and proved so popular it became a permanent fixture. Agility requires as much discipline as obedience though the skills are different. The dogs have to negotiate a complex series of obstacles without error, in the fastest time possible. If you’ve never watched it you’re missing a real treat.

Most dog owners can never hope to aspire to Crufts glory, but we can all make sure our dogs are trained properly; it’s responsible and it’s fun. And local training clubs are great places to make twolegged, as well as four-legged, friends.

Five Top Dog Training Tips

• Dogs are pack animals and need to know their place. Dominance is probably the biggest cause of poor behaviour in a dog.

• Dogs are creatures of habit so be consistent with commands.

• Socialise a dog with children, other dogs, and other animals. You’re less likely to have a nervous dog if it has encountered a variety of situations.

• Encourage your dog to play according to breed type. Terriers like Archie adore pulling games and Retrievers like to play fetch.

• Enrol in a good training club which uses gentle reward based methods and positive reinforcement.

Next month we are starting a new series Me and My Dog.

If you and your dog would like to be featured, please contact me, Kate Stewart, office@infocusmagazines.co.uk

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