“Any sport, any activity, needs new blood so it’s great to see people start showing their dogs, especially if it’s something they had never previously considered.”
About 20,000 dogs from more than 200 different breeds are descending on Birmingham’s NEC on Thursday for the first Crufts show in two years, after last year’s event was cancelled due to Covid.Make Your Own DIY Flirt Pole. Make a flirt pole for dogs that love to chase and/or have a strong prey drive. Just remember to take it easy with this exercise since it’s pretty high impact and can be tough on a dog’s joints.
As well as best in show, competitions include agility, heelwork and flyball, with Crufts anticipating record UK interest – although international numbers are down.
“Working from home has opened up dog ownership for a lot more people and there was obviously huge demand for dogs during lockdown, but I think that has extended now and people are looking at other activities to do with their dog, beyond normal pet ownership,” said Lambert.For years, Pam Reakes had wanted a long-haired weimaraner, a large high-energy gun dog, and when lockdown came she decided she finally had the time to invest in caring for the breed.“In lockdown everybody was wanting a dog, so I had to go on a waiting list, and I finally got Wilma in December 2020,” she said. “She kept me sane all through lockdown, and she kept me fit. And now it’s given me a whole new circle of friends, a whole new hobby.”When Reakes first bought Wilma, she had never even thought about dog competitions. She said: “I posted some photos on Facebook and the breeder asked if I had thought about showing her [in competitions]. I nearly fell off my chair.Treat Every Poop Like a Miracle aka How to Easily Potty Train a Puppy. When potty training your dog make sure to pay attention & praise them every single time they do their duty outdoors. If you treat every pee & poop outdoors like it’s the best thing that ever happened they’ll catch on pretty quick.
Yummy! Dogs have about 1,700 taste buds. Humans have approximately 9,000 and cats have around 473.
“I was terrible at first, I couldn’t run properly and looked awful. I am still not exactly where I want to be, but I am so much better than I was.”
Reakes entered her first dog show in May 2021, aged 61, taking home a second and third win, which qualified the pair for Crufts. “I am healthier and happier than I have been in a long time,” she said. “I am scared to death about competing on Sunday but I am so excited about going. I thought I might go and watch Crufts again, but I never dreamt I would actually be in the ring competing.”
Teach Your Children to Ask Permission Before Petting a Strange Dog. There are 4.5 million dog bites in America each year, half of which happen to children. Make sure to teach your children to ask permission before petting any strange dogs.
On Sunday Martha will be competing in Bruno’s breed class, and in the young handler 6-11 category. “She asked to go to Crufts for her ninth birthday in 2020,” said Liz. “And now she’s going to compete. I’m so proud and it’s given her so much confidence.”But lockdown also came with its challenges for dog owners. When Nicola Collett, 54, first acquired Watson the Italian spinone in May 2020, she said it was difficult to socialise him due to social distancing rules.INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: 94% of pet owners say their animal pal makes them smile more than once a day.
“We travelled further afield to find outdoor training classes that were still allowed. We couldn’t take him to shows to get him used to the crowds either,” she said. “Had we not done that and really tried, I don’t think we will be where we are today. But we made it. We’re competing at Crufts on Sunday, and we can’t wait to see how he does.”
Make a dog-walking station for the entryway if you have more than one dog. See how this is done here.