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Beware of the dogs
Non-stop barking, jumpy owners and some raised hackles, Ruth Addicott goes to Crufts
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t’s a British institution, the greatest dog show in the world and, as every journalist knows, you don’t have to look far for a lead. There was the KGB-style poisoning scandal (in 2015 in which an Irish setter mysteriously
ingested poisoned meat), a ring invasion by protesters (2018), a prosecution under the Dangerous Dogs Act (2013) and, in 2010, a streaker sporting a strategically placed cat mask. Crufts, which has been going since 1891, takes place at the Birmingham NEC every year, drawing more than 150,000 people, 500 journalists and 24,000 dogs (many of which are identical). As well as Best in Show, there’s a Hero award for lifetime service and the crossbreed competition Scruffts. Organised by the Kennel Club, it was first televised by the BBC in 1950, but was dropped in 2008 after a BBC Panorama investigation raised concerns about welfare and harmful breeding practices. The film prompted outrage, led to three separate inquiries and major reform. In 2010, the coverage was taken over by Channel 4 and is now hosted by Clare Balding. Spread over five halls with 500 trade stands, selling
everything from state-of-the-art treadmills to dog chews tested by humans, it requires stamina as well as planning.
How to fetch the best in show
Plan ahead Freelance journalist Jane Common says the Crufts space is huge, so plan which stands you want to visit and the heats you want to see. She also
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suggests visiting the Kennel Club’s Mayfair HQ to view their art gallery. “The collection, open by appointment only, is comprehensive and a real testament to the long-
standing relationship we enjoy with man’s best friend.”
Don’t hound the competitors Beverley Smith, editor of Dogs
Bruce Adams, staff photographer for the Daily Mail, has
covered Crufts for the past decade and learnt to expect the unexpected. He’s seen everything from protesters interrupting the live final to one finalist pausing half way through a routine ‘to answer the call of nature’. Snow in March 2023 provided pictures of thousands of competitors arriving in colourful coats and boots. “And that was just the dogs,” he says. Adams has developed a strategy, focusing on breeds that
make the best pictures for the paper and online. “Unusual breeds such as the Hungarian puli or komondor, which resemble dreadlocked sheepdogs, or the Chinese crested dog known for its naturally bare body except for the hair on its head and tail seem to go down well,” he says. “I normally concentrate on breeds that have personality and are visually unusual or attend judging of new breeds that are unknown to the UK readership. The show is so immense – you just have to get stuck in and drown yourself in the subject, chatting to owners while they groom their dogs, watching the judging rounds and witnessing the day’s events.” Photographer Simon Hadley has worked in the Birmingham area for 25 years and lost track of how many times he has been to Crufts.“I have to admit, it’s not one of my favourite jobs,” he says. “Thousands of barking dogs and their owners can get a bit much.” The challenge is finding a new angle. One year, when
Today, says wear comfortable shoes, take your own food and don’t touch the dogs. “The people showing the dogs are tremendously serious,” she says. “They don’t want you patting the dog in case you ruin the dog’s hair. Always ask permission – people are
very jumpy. Dog people generally are very phobic of the press and very suspicious of the public in case they steal their dog or give it something to eat.” Smith advises getting to know owners first and finding a friendly press person to take you around.
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