Discover Dogs 2014 Podcasts: Recent Episodes
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Discover Dogs 2014 takes place between 8 - 9 November 2014 at Earls Court 1, London
Meet and greet over 200 breeds of dog and find out about where to buy a dog, caring for your best friend and which breed is best suited to your lifestyle as well as great tips for training your canine buddy!
The event provides a fantastic opportunity for visitors to meet, greet and discover over 200 different breeds of dog, and learn all about the distinctive personalities, traits and looks of each breed, and how to buy the perfect canine partner.
Carolyn has most recently been seen on Animal Planet’s Top Dog programme as one of the judges - a sort of ‘canine Simon Cowell’. The second series of Top Dog (with two different co-judges) - which aimed to find Europe’s Top Dog is currently being shown.
Previously she was seen in unique programme as part of GMTV, along with friend and colleague Nina Bondarenko. Together they are known as ‘The Barking Babes’, and give advice to dog owners in their own unique style. Dog training like it’s never been seen before!
Carolyn has also been seen in many other programmes including The Money Programme, and on BBC1’s ‘Celebrity Dog School’. In CDS she trained Ronnie Corbett and his two dogs for a special series as part of the Children In Need Appeal. She was also seen on the Carlton Television series ‘What’s Up Dog?’ - along with legendary TV Presenter (and friend) Katie Boyle and TV Vet Joe Inglis - and not forgetting her dog Digby.
Other television appearances include:
‘Richard and Judy’ as dog expert ‘Wish You Were Here’, when Digby was one of the first dogs to cross the channel to France on the new Pet Travel Scheme ‘We Can Work It Out’ for Yorkshire Television ‘RI;SE’ ‘Loose Lips’ for Living TV
Carolyn works as a consultant for other television programmes about of involving dogs
http://www.dogtalk.co.uk/
Pup Aid has launched an e-petition to help ban the cruel practice of puppy and kitten farming in the UK!
Founded in 2010 by TV vet Marc Abraham, we have received huge support from a nation of animal lovers including celebrities Ricky Gervais, Liam Gallagher, Brian May, Joanna Page, Meg Mathews, and Sarah Harding to name a few and now we need your help to end puppy farming!
Every November, Discover Dogs attracts hundreds of different dog breeds and thousands of visitors. The annual event aims to bring almost forgotten breeds back to the public consciousness and enlighten people about the unique lifestyle requirements and characteristics of different dog breeds.
At a previous event, comedian Jimmy Carr paid a visit and fell in love with the English Toy Terrier, a breed native to this country but at risk of becoming extinct with worryingly low yearly puppy registrations. After finding out about the breed at Discover Dogs, Jimmy is now the loving owner of Ollie, a beautiful English Toy Terrier, a breed which generally only needs 30 minutes of exercise a day and thus fits well with his busy schedule.
Discover Dogs, sponsored by Eukanuba and Metro Bank is taking place at Earls Court on November 9th and 10th, featuring around 200 breeds, from the most popular to the vulnerable native breeds which are in danger of extinction, as well as interesting foreign breeds and everything in between.
Parkpups is thrilled to have been invited by The Young Kennel Club to appear at their brand new Activity Area for children at Discover Dogs at Earls Court, London on November 9th and 10th 2013.
We will be doing half hour story reading sessions at 12am and 2pm on Saturday 9th November and another two half hour sessions at 11am and 1pm on Sunday 10th November. Afterwards, there’s an opportunity to join us at the Young Kennel Club’s Imagination Station to find out more about our characters and stories.
http://www.parkpups.com/
The Bark & Read Foundation has been set up to support and promote the amazing work of charities that take dogs into schools as reading volunteers to help tackle the UK's literacy problems. Funded by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, the Bark & Read Foundation is working with Pets As Therapy, through their Read 2 Dogs project, and R.E.A.D (Reading Education Assistance Dogs) and Dogs Helping Kids (DHK), operating in schools around the country, helping children to read with their specially trained support dogs.
The Bark & Read Foundation has been set up to support and promote the amazing work of charities that take dogs into schools as reading volunteers to help tackle the UK's literacy problems. Funded by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, the Bark & Read Foundation is working with Pets As Therapy, through their Read 2 Dogs project, and R.E.A.D (Reading Education Assistance Dogs) and Dogs Helping Kids (DHK), operating in schools around the country, helping children to read with their specially trained support dogs.
Dog Photographer Of The Year 2013 - The winner of the sixteen and under category, 'I Love Dogs Because…', was nine year old Katie Davies with her unique, creative and comical photograph of her Miniature Schnauzer and Pomeranian hiding amongst a mountain of soft toys. Katie expressed an interest in photography at a young age and decided to spend her birthday money on a camera. Katie composed the image without any help and the results speak for themselves. Speaking about her win, Katie said: "I am happy and excited to have won the competition and when I grow up I would like to become a pet photographer. Katie is on her way towards a future in photography as her prize for winning the 'I Love Dogs Because…' category includes a personalised dog photography day with award winning professional photographer, Andy Biggar.
A Hero's Tail - book of short stories about the expolits of police dogs (exciting, funny, sad etc) on sale to raise money for the South Wales Police Dog Section to fund new kennels. The dog section provided the reports that John Gaye (Vice Chairman Dogs Trust) turned into stories. Wood Green paid for the printing of the book. Unfortunately, sales through Amazon and book shops produce little profit because they take such a large cut, but direct sales are more profitable. Thus, we are taking opportunities to get straight to the public. Charities and vets will be selling the book and taking a small profit for themselves, and Mike Townsend has agreed that The Kennel Club Charitable Trust will sell the book at Discover Dogs. The book costs £9.99 and the Trust will receive £2.50 for each book sold at Dogs.
Wood Green Stand - Discover Dogs - A Hero's Tail - book of short stories about the expolits of police dogs (exciting, funny, sad etc) on sale to raise money for the South Wales Police Dog Section to fund new kennels. The dog section provided the reports that John Gaye (Vice Chairman Dogs Trust) turned into stories. Wood Green paid for the printing of the book. Unfortunately, sales through Amazon and book shops produce little profit because they take such a large cut, but direct sales are more profitable. Thus, we are taking opportunities to get straight to the public. Charities and vets will be selling the book and taking a small profit for themselves, and Mike Townsend has agreed that The Kennel Club Charitable Trust will sell the book at Discover Dogs. The book costs £9.99 and the Trust will receive £2.50 for each book sold at Dogs.
A Hero's Tail - book of short stories about the expolits of police dogs (exciting, funny, sad etc) on sale to raise money for the South Wales Police Dog Section to fund new kennels. The dog section provided the reports that John Gaye (Vice Chairman Dogs Trust) turned into stories. Wood Green paid for the printing of the book. Unfortunately, sales through Amazon and book shops produce little profit because they take such a large cut, but direct sales are more profitable. Thus, we are taking opportunities to get straight to the public. Charities and vets will be selling the book and taking a small profit for themselves, and Mike Townsend has agreed that The Kennel Club Charitable Trust will sell the book at Discover Dogs. The book costs £9.99 and the Trust will receive £2.50 for each book sold at Dogs.
The shape of Britain’s favourite dogs is shifting dramatically as small dog breeds of foreign origin are dramatically rising in popularity, whilst native British breeds are rapidly declining, with some so unpopular that they could be at risk of disappearing from our street and parks.
New statistics released by the Kennel Club ahead of its Discover Dogs event which takes place at Earls Court on 9 and 10 November, has shown that the French Bulldog has made it into the top ten for the first time.
Meanwhile old favourites such as the West Highland White Terrier and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, which used to be in the top ten favourite breeds, have been pushed aside.
Some of the oldest native dog breeds have numbers so low that they are at risk of disappearing, with the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, owned by the Queen, looking likely to become a ‘vulnerable native breed’ by the end of the year, for the first time ever. Currently it is on the Kennel Club’s ‘at watch’ list, but with just 241 registrations so far this year it looks unlikely to reach the 300 registrations needed to stay off the vulnerable native breeds list.
Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “Small dogs are becoming much more popular and whilst in some cases this is because they may be a better fit for particular lifestyles, it is also because people are buying on impulse and going for the most obvious or fashionable choices.
“Discover Dogs is a unique event that lets people meet the wide spectrum of dog breeds, including those whose numbers are so low that they could be at risk of disappearing, so that they all get the chance of a look in. We particularly hope that people will take the time to consider the Pembroke Welsh Corgi as it looks set to become vulnerable by the end of the year.”
Research has revealed that children are wearing the trousers when it comes to decisions about dog ownership, as one in four dog owning households admit that pester power from their children made them decide to buy a dog .
Furthermore, one in ten says that their children chose the breed or crossbreed that they ended up buying. With more and more people turning to the internet to buy a dog, it seems that the tech-savvy younger generation are having a greater say than ever over our nation’s choice of dog and the Kennel Club is concerned that this will translate into hundreds of dogs being bought on a whim in the lead up to Christmas, particularly as the research found that one in ten people still buy dogs as presents.
The Kennel Club’s Discover Dogs survey, which has been conducted ahead of its Discover Dogs event taking place at Earls Court on 9 and 10 November, has also revealed that too many people are buying a dog without realising that there are great differences between the care needs of the different breeds and crossbreeds, which is why so many dogs end up in rescue homes when people cannot later cope with the dog they choose.
Hands-on Reiki for Animals
Animals, in many ways suffer from the illnesses as us humans and Reiki can be used treat these conditions just as with people.
Reiki is a bit like having a good friend who is there for their comfort. Animals respond very well to Reiki healing - they seem to sense that humans are helping them. Your pet is highly likely to be the same.
During Reiki healing sessions animals usually become calm and relaxed – leading the way for us humans to follow! It is quite unusual to find an animal that doesn''t welcome Reiki energy.
Reiki healing is suitable for domestic pets and professionally bred animals and so some hands-on Reiki could help your animal whether it is your beloved companion or if you work with animals and you are a professional breeder.
Pets and animals have been part of Peter's life since he was a lad - his first dog was a Spaniel named Rusty - and continue to play an important role.
At home today Peter's family includes three dogs, the oldest, Kent, a Newfoundland (6); and two Pekingese, Tilly and Holly, both soon to be 5. Peter's wife Kathryn had a Pekingese when he met her and he soon got used to the idea of living with these most un-macho dogs. Pekes are huge dogs in a tiny, furry body. They have hearts like lions and are as brave as they come. The smallest of the trio, Tilly, is the boss dog!
Scruffts Most Handsome Crossbreed Dog winners are: Neil & Zoe Stow & ALFIE, 2nd Camilla Amos & BRUNO, 3rd Alison Wright & BOLLINGER. Congratulations all and see you at Crufts 2013 for the Scruffts Grand Final!
The Crufts Factor heat at Discover Dogs has been won by Rachael Grylls from Exeter with Jack Russells, Jessica and Jacob performing a circus act. Congratulations Rachael and we'll see you in the Crufts Factor final at Crufts 2013!
The UK Junior Handler of the Year Finals - Judging and main presentation including Treetops Shield Winner presentation.
A greyhound whose story has been turned into a book visited Downing Street to raise awareness pf the benefits of children reading to dogs.
Danny Goes To London has been written about Danny the three-year-old reading dog from Wellingborough.
With his owner Tony Nevett, 53, the greyhound tours schools across the country to listen to young children read, with the aim of helping to build the child’s confidence in reading aloud.
Their work, which is sponsored by the Kennel Club’s Bark and Read Foundation, impressed MX Publishing which has published the new book for free. Author Judy Bee and illustrator Anna Kecskés also waived their fee to work on the book.
Eukanuba is proud to be Premier supporter of Discover Dogs and is excited to be attending for the First time. Come and visit them on stand 192 to find out more about Eukanuba and our exciting new development in dog food!
A greyhound whose story has been turned into a book visited Downing Street to raise awareness pf the benefits of children reading to dogs.
Danny Goes To London has been written about Danny the three-year-old reading dog from Wellingborough.
With his owner Tony Nevett, 53, the greyhound tours schools across the country to listen to young children read, with the aim of helping to build the child’s confidence in reading aloud.
Their work, which is sponsored by the Kennel Club’s Bark and Read Foundation, impressed MX Publishing which has published the new book for free. Author Judy Bee and illustrator Anna Kecskés also waived their fee to work on the book.
NarpsUK will be displaying at the Kennel Club's Discover Dogs show in November 2012. We welcome all NarpsUK members, pet sitters, dog walkers and pet owners to come and meet our team, say hello and find out all about our latest offers - we would love to meet you.
Nothing stands in the way of Joanne Elvin and her daughter fulfilling her lifelong dream of helping all the dogs she can - not even the demands of family life, multiple sclerosis or a rare and painful condition known as Behçets disease.
Joanne and Nina, from Norfolk, have loved dogs all of her life, in particular, Pomeranians. From a young age, Joanne has helped dogs in need and for years she has been re-homing Pomeranians and assisting owners with the care of their dogs. In January this year, Joanne set up Pomeranians for Life, which has been so well received she has now been invited by the Kennel Club to London’s biggest dog event, Discover Dogs, this November to promote her work and that of other breed rescues throughout the UK.
Alyson Fitzgerald will be on the Breed Rescue/Charitable Trust stand at Discover Dogs on Sunday 11th November with the Olympic torch, visitors can come and join them and have their photo taken with the torch for a donation to the Kennel Club Charitable Trust.
Sage and Alyson were were nominated because of their fundraising efforts – Alyson was told last October they had been short listed but never thought in a million years that they would actually get through & actually selected by a panel on the coca cola board.
One of Britain’s most iconic dog breeds, the Old English Sheepdog, has been put on an At Watch list by the Kennel Club because of concerns that the breed could risk extinction in the future.
The breed has numbered just 316 puppy registrations so far this year according to Kennel Club statistics revealed today. This is compared to 28,787 Labrador Retrievers, the UK’s most popular dog, 2,669 Chihuahuas and 5,496 Pugs which are both rapidly growing in popularity.
A breed is deemed to be vulnerable, and at risk of extinction, if it numbers less than 300 puppy registrations in a year. The Kennel Club has put the Old English Sheepdog on a new At Watch list, for those breeds between 301 and 450 annual registrations, to highlight their plight before they get to vulnerable levels.
The Kennel Club’s Discover Dogs event, held at Earls Court on 10th and 11th November, enables people to meet more than 200 breeds of dog, including native breeds at risk of extinction, so that they can find the right match for their lifestyle.
Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “The reason the majority of dogs end up in rescue is because people haven’t researched their breed before they buy. People often go for the most obvious or fashionable dog choice, which isn’t necessarily the right one for them. Our native vulnerable breeds, which are at risk of extinction, will be amongst the 200 dog breeds at our Discover Dogs event. We hope it will open people’s eyes to the diverse range of breeds, and their very different characters and needs, so that they pick the right dog for their lifestyle.”
Bill Lambert, Manager of the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme, said: “The decline of the Old English Sheepdog, which people can meet at our Discover Dogs event at Earls Court in November, can be partly explained by lifestyle changes as it takes a lot of grooming and exercise and so is not suitable for the fast paced urban lifestyles of many people.
“But it is also a lot to do with fashion. Despite the fact that Old English Sheepdogs have good temperaments and can make fantastic family pets their popularity is being eclipsed by more fashionable exotic breeds that can be much harder to train and care for. Of particular concern is the growth in popularity of the Siberian Husky, a beautiful dog which is notoriously willful and generally unsuitable for urban life.”
There are thirty vulnerable breeds in total and four on the At Watch list. Some native vulnerable breeds have fared well, with the Norwich Terrier seeing the largest increase in numbers in the first three quarters of this year, compared to the same period in 2011. It increased by 96 percent, from 108 to 202 registrations. The Otterhound has also increased by 57 percent, from 21 registrations to 33.
However, other breeds have not been so lucky with biggest declines being seen in the Clumber Spaniel, down by 37 percent to just 114 registrations and the Otterhound which has declined by 34 percent to just 73 registrations. The Foxhound has no registrations so far this year and the Cesky Terrier has just 25, making them the most vulnerable so far this year.
Outside of the vulnerable breeds lists so called ‘handbag dogs’ such as the Pug and Chihuahua continue to thrive. The smooth coat Chihuahua has increased by ten percent so far this year compared to the same period last yearm, to 2669 registrations. This is 615 percent increase in the breed in ten years. The Pug has increased by 19 percent so far this year, to 5496 registrations, which represents a 397 percent increase on the 1105 Pugs registered ten years ago.
Dog breeds from abroad that are doing well include the Siberian Husky, the Hungarian Puli and Obama’s breed of choice, the Portugese Water dog, which numbered 93 registrations compared to 51 in the same period last year and just 38 in the whole of 2002.
To meet and find out more about more than 200 dog breeds, including those at risk of extinction, visit the Discover Dogs event at Earls Court, London on 10th and 11th November www.discoverdogs.org.uk
The Crufts Factor Facebook competition has been launched to find four finalists to perform in a Crufts Factor heat at London’s leading dog event, Discover Dogs 2012 taking place at London’s Earls Court on 10-11th November. Strictly Come Dancing star Johnny Ball with be one of four Judges at this years event.
To take part people are being asked to upload a video of their dog’s special talent via the Discover Dogs Facebook page (www.facebook.com/DiscoverDogs).
Last year saw the first ever Crufts Factor with Elee, the Shiba Inu from Richmond, London winning the coveted title. To take part people are being asked to upload a video of their dog’s special talent via the Discover Dogs Facebook page (www.facebook.com/DiscoverDogs).
Discover Dogs, the family event, to which under 12s go free, enables visitors to meet almost 200 breeds of dog, including British endangered breeds, and breed experts to learn more about their unique characteristics and which lifestyles they are most suited to.
Pets As Therapy is a national charity and is unique in that it provides temperament assessed/vaccinated P.A.T. Dogs and P.A.T. Cats with registered volunteers to hospitals, hospices, residential care homes, day centres, special needs schools and many other establishments, providing comfort, companionship and therapy. There are approximately 4,500 P.A.T. Dogs and 108 P.A.T. Cats bringing benefit to more than 130,000 people of all ages every single week throughout the UK.
Established in 1860, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home aims never to turn away a dog or cat in need of our help. We reunite lost dogs and cats with their owners through our Lost Dogs & Cats Line or care for them until new homes can be found, giving them shelter and the highest standards of veterinary care.
The Companion Dog Club is once again holding this great competition and the selected winners of each category will not only be rewarded with our beautifully crafted rosettes but also get to participate in the final round of the contest to become the overall Bitch or Dog of the Day!
The competition is held in support of the Kennel Club Charitable Trust which looks after the health and welfare of all dogs. The Kennel Club Charitable Trust has been funding a wide variety of work ranging from supporting research into canine diseases, dog welfare organisations and the promotion of support dogs, all of which give dogs a healthier and happier life. Therefore with every each class there’s an entry fee £1 and we hope that together with every little help, we can make this world a better place for all dogs.
Crowds have been flocking into Earls Court since the doors opened at 10am on Saturday, with hundreds of dogs already in place to greet them. Visitors to the show can meet nearly 200 different pedigree dog breeds and find out about all of their unique characteristics, making it the perfect place to find the right type of dog for them.
Discover Dogs, sponsored by Royal Canin, is now in its 16th year and is the biggest dog event in London, welcoming over 26,000 visitors and 3,000 dogs over the two days of the show.
The family event, to which under 12s go free, enables visitors to meet almost 200 breeds of dog, including British endangered breeds, and breed experts to learn more about their unique characteristics and which lifestyles they are most suited to.
Open for Dogs competition – now in its fourth year – operates entirely on the views of the public and aims to break down barriers for man’s best friend by encouraging more businesses to be dog friendly. The value of an Open for Dogs policy is supported by research released today by the Kennel Club that shows that dog owners are more likely to splash the cash than cat owners and those who own neither, leading businesses to court the ‘hound pound’
Metro Bank – the dog-friendly high street bank – has proved it is top dog by winning the ‘High Street’ category this year, beating other well-known high street businesses to scoop this top award. The bank, which leads the way in its approach to welcoming dog-loving customers into its stores, received hundreds of nominations as its attitude to customers and their dogs impressed the voting public. One member of the public who nominated Metro Bank commented on its ‘refreshing way of doing business’.
The show also features a wide range of great canine competition, with today's highlight undoubtedly being the grand final of the hugely popular Scruffts Family Crossbreed of the Year competition. The competition was judged by a panel of celebrity judges made up of Merlin and Little Britain star, Anthony Head (though he'll always be Giles from Buffy to me), Sarah Hadland from Miranda and Waterloo Road, and BBC Radio London presenters Jo Good and Anna Webb.
Together they had the tricky task of choosing just one dog in each of the four heats held during the day before picking one overall winner. The panel heard many wonderful dog tales before finally settling on three year-old Milo, owned by Sarah Singleton from Yeovil, Somerset, who had earlier won the Most Handsome Crossbreed Dog category.
The Bath Spa University study carried out in association with the Kennel Club’s Discover Dogs event taking place on 12-13 November, found that a person’s choice of dog breed is likely to indicate how a person ranks in the five common personality traits – conscientiousness, intelligence and creativity, emotional stability, extroversion and agreeableness.
What do eminent scientist Sir Isaac Newton and socialite Paris Hilton have in common? They both own or owned toy dogs, and according to a new psychological study this means that they share similar personality traits, including ranking the most highly on the intelligence scale.
Forget celebrity perfume, dog collars are the new ‘it’ thing. Having starred as the Prime Minister in Little Britain, actor Anthony Head now joins a host of British celebrities, including Julian Clary and Kate Silverton who have each designed a dog collar in aid of the Kennel Club Charitable Trust.
Reiki, pronounced ''ray key'', is a Japanese word meaning Universal Life Energy. It is a natural, safe and simple hands-on healing method, which allows animals as well as people to absorb more valuable life force energy. Reiki involves no manipulation, is perfectly safe, non-addictive and non-invasive.
Reiki creates and promotes self-healing, balances energies and revitalizes. Reiki channels energy to your pet in a powerful and gentle way.
Stella, aged 8 months, will compete with Lily in the hope of collecting the coveted Scruffts Family Crossbreed Dog of the Year 2011 title.
Stella won the Child's Best Friend at the heat held at Hearing Dogs Summer Show earlier this year, and will compete against a number of other competitors from around the country in the final. The winners of each class in the final will then try to outshine one another as they battle it out to win the overall title.
Dogs from all walks of life will be at the event, from those that work as Pets as Therapy and assistance dogs, to Metropolitan Police dogs - all displaying their fantastic, often life saving talents.
“The event is packed full of fun displays, competitions and expert help and advice for anybody who owns or who would like to one day own a dog. This is a day out for the whole family to enjoy.”
Highlights will include the Scruffts Family Crossbreed of the Year competition, which will be judged by a soon to be announced celebrity, and the Rescue Dog agility competition. There will also be hundreds of trade stands selling products for dogs and dog lovers, and opportunities for children to try out different dog sports in the Young Kennel Club ring.
Discover Dogs, sponsored by Royal Canin, is now in its 16th year and is the biggest dog event in London, welcoming over 26,000 visitors and 3,000 dogs over the two days of the show.
Helping children to read and communicate. To improve the literacy skills of children by reading to a Pets As Therapy registered P.A.T. dog. Research shows that children can be nervous and stressed when reading to others in a group. However, when a P.A.T. dog enters the group the child becomes less stressed and less self conscious.
Before long the children are looking forward to the reading experience as they are going to read to their new friend, the P.A.T. dog. Throughout 2010 Pets As Therapy ran a pilot programme in Westfields Junior School in Yateley, Hampshire. The results were extremely positive.
Pets As Therapy an the Read 2 Dogs programme is active in more than 40 schools across the country but the Kennel Club wants to see even more children benefiting.
The project will be officially launched at the Kennel Club’s Discover Dogs event, taking place on 12-13 November at Earls Court. Children, who if under 12 go free to the event, will be able to read to dogs in a dedicated reading corner. The Kennel Club will also be hosting reading days at its library based in Piccadilly, which holds the largest collection of dog literature in Europe.
Metro Bank – the dog-friendly high street bank – has proved it is top dog by winning the ‘High Street’ category this year, beating other well-known high street businesses to scoop this top award. The bank, which leads the way in its approach to welcoming dog-loving customers into its stores, received hundreds of nominations as its attitude to customers and their dogs impressed the voting public. One member of the public who nominated Metro Bank commented on its ‘refreshing way of doing business
On Saturday 12th November, Stanley, aged 3 years, will compete with Jamie in the hope of collecting the coveted Scruffts Family Crossbreed Dog of the Year 2011 title.
Stanley won the Child's Best Friend at the heat held at the Battersea Reunion earlier this year, and will compete against a number of other competitors from around the country in the final. The winners of each class in the final will then try to outshine one another as they battle it out to win the overall title.
Stella, aged 8 months, will compete with Lily in the hope of collecting the coveted Scruffts Family Crossbreed Dog of the Year 2011 title.
Stella won the Child's Best Friend at the heat held at Hearing Dogs Summer Show earlier this year, and will compete against a number of other competitors from around the country in the final. The winners of each class in the final will then try to outshine one another as they battle it out to win the overall title.
The Kennel Club is launching a charitable foundation that will help to bring dogs to children as reading companions, in a bid to halt the staggering decline in child literacy.
Zoe Wanamaker is the first celebrity to support the Kennel Club’s new Bark & Read Foundation, which is being launched after figures revealed that one in five children leave school unable to read or to write.
This new project will help to support the network of dogs that can be taken in classrooms, libraries and other places of learning to help children develop confidence about reading out loud to a non-judgemental companion.
The project will be officially launched at the Kennel Club’s Discover Dogs event, taking place on 12-13 November at Earls Court. Children, who if under 12 go free to the event, will be able to read to dogs in a dedicated reading corner. The Kennel Club will also be hosting reading days at its library based in Piccadilly, which holds the largest collection of dog literature in Europe.
Many of the country’s Vulnerable Native Breeds will be amongst the 200 breeds of dog that visitors can meet at the Kennel Club’s Discover Dogs event next month. All breeds will be there with experts, who can give people all of the information that they need about their breed’s characteristics and needs, so that potential dog owners can find a dog that will be the perfect fit for their lifestyle.
Discover Dogs, sponsored by Royal Canin, is now in its 16th year and is the biggest dog event in London, welcoming over 26,000 visitors and 3,000 dogs over the two days of the show.
The family event, to which under 12s go free, enables visitors to meet almost 200 breeds of dog, including British endangered breeds, and breed experts to learn more about their unique characteristics and which lifestyles they are most suited to.
"Daisy Doodle has made it to the Scruffts Grand Final after undergoing a major operation to remove 5 stones and 20 pence piece from her tummy. She is a pleasure to live with constantly keeping Jill on her toes. Her favourite passtime at the moment is biting off the flowerheads and catching insects. Daisy Doodle is a huge hit with everyone with here cute looks, mischievousness and super personality."
"Ellie is a Shih-Tzu/Poodle X Border Collie. She was Hayles Grandmas little friend but Grandma sadly passed away in July. She is 3 years old now and may look small and fluffy but she thinks she is a big dog and has a big dogs courage and no problem at all keeping up with her big brothers".
"Sadie was thrown from a car, so the Dog Warden took her to the local pound and Valgrays rescue took her in. We saw her and fell in love with her so we adopted her. I compete in Agility so Sadie will be learning that very soon. She is a pleasure to own, such a good girl".