World's most famous dog show Crufts returns to Birmingham for first time in two years

PA Images Credit: A woman walks miniature poodles into the first day of the Crufts Dog Show at the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre

The world's most famous dog show, featuring more than 20,000 dogs, is underway at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

Over the next four days, tens of thousands of dogs of all shapes and sizes will compete at Crufts, which is back for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

As well as different categories, all of the dogs will be hoping to win the prestigious top award of 'Best in Show', which will be presented on Sunday, March 14.

From today onwards there is a schedule of events which visitors can attend.

Owners show their bernese mountain dogs during competition on the first day of Crufts Credit: PA Images

Some of these events include:

  • West Midlands police display

  • Freestyle heelwork to music competition

  • Rescue dog agility

  • Vulnerable breed competition

  • Medical detection dogs display and more.

Organised by The Kennel Club, the show exists to celebrate the role that dogs play in humans' lives.

The main objective of The Kennel Club is to achieve an aim of making a difference for dogs.

Two Bearded Collies arrive at the first day of the Crufts Dog Show at the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre Credit: PA Images

The show is named after Charles Cruft, who instigated the competition in 1891 at the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington, London, when 2,000 dogs took part.

This year, Russian dog owners and their animals have been banned from attending the event at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre (NEC) due to the invasion of Ukraine.

A donation of £50,000 is also being made to help breeders, owners and their dogs in Ukraine, Poland and Hungary.

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