British and Irish native dog breeds, including some very rare ones, will be among the 5,000 plus dogs which will descend on the Exhibition Hall, The Arena, East of England Showground, Peterborough from 5th-8th January for the popular Boston Championship Dog Show.
The show will see more than 100 breeds and their owners from all over the UK and beyond compete in a bid to qualify for the world’s biggest dog show, Crufts, which will be held at the NEC in Birmingham in March.
The pedigree dogs taking part will be judged on a number of factors in the ring, including temperament and that they are fit, healthy and happy dogs that are good examples of their breed, as they compete for the ultimate ‘Best in Show’ prize.
The show is one of the largest gatherings of dogs in the UK and will see rare British and Irish native breeds competing, such as the Manchester Terrier, Irish Wolfhound, King Charles Spaniel and Gordon Setter.
These breeds are bred in such small numbers today that they are considered by the Kennel Club to be at risk of disappearing from Britain’s streets and parks. Alongside these breeds will be some of the more well-known breeds such as the Irish Setter, Whippet, Labrador Retriever, Boxer, Poodle, Dachshund and Pug.
Pat Dufty, Secretary of the show, said: “Ours is a very popular show and naturally we are very proud of that fact. Being held a few miles from the centre of the vibrant and historic city of Peterborough, the show is very popular with visitors and brings thousands of dog lovers to the area each year. We are expecting this year’s show to be bigger and better than ever.”
Competition classes are held across the seven pedigree dog groups. Thursday 5th January will see the Working and Pastoral breeds competing, followed by the Gundog breeds on Friday 6th, the Hound and Utility breeds on Saturday 7th and the Toy and Terrier breeds on Sunday 8th. Sunday also sees the climax of the competition – Best in Show – followed by Best Puppy in Show.
The show is one of 37 group and general championship dog shows licensed by the Kennel Club throughout the year, which enable dogs to qualify for next year’s Crufts.
Only dogs entered in the show are allowed on the showground.
To find out more, visit http://www.bostondcs.co.uk/.