60-484: Crufts is an international dog show held annually in the United Kingdom, held since 1891, and organised by The Kennel Club . It is the largest show of its kind in the world. Crufts is primarily a championship conformation show for dogs , and includes a large trade show of mainly dog-related goods and services, as well as competitions in dog agility , obedience , flyball and heelwork to music . Winner of
120-588: A Kennel Club-affiliated Championship show where Challenge Certificates are awarded, or by achieving Best in Show, Reserve Best in Show or Best Puppy in Show at a Kennel Club-affiliated Open or General show. Dogs can become qualified for life upon attaining their Kennel Club Stud Book Number. Dogs begin by competing against others of the same breed , split by gender, age and previous class wins. These classes include Veteran , Special Puppy , Special Junior , Yearling , Post Graduate , Mid Limit , Limit , and Open . Each
180-453: A box, which is rigged to release a ball. The dog must then return the ball to the start of the course to tag one of its team, who then repeats this process until all the dogs have finished. Teams must qualify during the preceding year. Crufts also holds both freestyle and heelwork to music competitions, consisting of a choreographed routine, comprising elements of obedience, set to music. The gamekeepers classes at Crufts focus on judging
240-560: A competition for pedigree dogs aged between six and 18 months, and the National Junior Handling UK final, as well as agility competitions and displays by police and other dog teams. There are also a large number of trade stalls. It is popular, with the 2012 event drawing a crowd of over 30,000. From 2000 to 2012, Discover Dogs also hosted the finals of the Scruffts Family Crossbreed of
300-579: A dog from breathing, walking and seeing freely". "This will help to prevent the practice of exaggeration, where features that are perceived to be desirable, such as a short muzzle or loose skin, are made more prominent by breeders, and which can have detrimental effects on a dog’s health." In February 2009, the results of an independent scientific report commissioned by the RSPCA concluded that "exaggerated physical features and inherited diseases cause serious welfare problems in pedigree dogs". Quoting Arman (2007),
360-502: A large collection of canine artwork, including 130 oil paintings,100 works on paper, nearly 100 engravings and prints, and the same number of sculptures and trophies. The collection is still being added to. Various exhibitions are held covering a variety of breeds, such as English Setters , Gordon Setters , and Irish Setters . To gain more awareness of the collection available at the art gallery, it sometimes stages exhibitions at art and design fairs. Former Kennel Club chairman Ronnie Irving
420-691: A new health plan, breed standards for every breed went under review, and show judges were required to choose only healthy dogs. It has also requested regulatory powers from the Government, which would allow the club to take actions against breeders who do not comply with health standards. New breed standards for 209 dog breeds were announced in January 2009, and became effective immediately, but with breeders allowed until June to object. The new standards were said to "not include anything that could in any way be interpreted as encouraging features that might prevent
480-464: A range of other competitions, including agility, obedience and flyball. Agility is a fast-paced timed competition in which dogs manoeuvre, under guidance from their handlers, through, over, and around various obstacles. Any mistake made is penalised by adding faults to their score. Dogs must qualify during the preceding year to compete in individual or team events, although representative handlers and dogs from England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and
540-766: A response to the report. Pedigree Dogs Exposed producer Jemima Harrison condemned the Kennel Club's response, stating that they are downplaying the criticism of the Kennel Club in the report and misrepresenting the findings. In April 2013, it was announced that the ABS scheme had secured recognition by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). Various changes were made to the scheme to gain accreditation, which included ensuring inspections were made of all new members' premises and that those who were already members would be checked within
600-526: A small flat with only three rooms. All business was conducted from there until a move to Pall Mall in May 1877. It was decided they would be responsible for publishing a Stud Book and the first volume was published and ready to be distributed in December 1874. It listed pedigrees of dogs competing at shows from 1859 and also included a "Code of Rules for the guidance of Dog Shows and Field trials" Shirley
660-510: A three-year time period. In January 2010, Prof. Sir Patrick Bateson had advocated seeking UKAS accreditation in his Independent Inquiry into Dog Breeding. In February 2013, the Kennel Club launched a programme called "Get Fit With Fido", which encouraged dog owners to lose weight by exercising with their dogs. The organisation was criticised in an August 2008 BBC programme Pedigree Dogs Exposed for allowing breed standards, judging standards and breeding practices which are said to compromise
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#1732780301911720-544: A working farm), moorland, and woodland. A gamekeeper is employed, enabling gun dogs to engage in shooting parties, whilst the farm has a population of sheep, enabling sheepdog breeds to be trained and demonstrated. The Kennel Club registration system divides dogs into seven breed groups . The Kennel Club Groups are: Hound group, Working group, Terrier group, Gundog group, Pastoral group, Utility group and Toy group. As of 2021 , The Kennel Club recognised 222 breeds of dog. The Kennel Club licenses dog shows throughout
780-567: A £1.5 million interest free loan was granted to the AHT to enable it to complete the building and equipping of a new animal cancer treatment and research centre at its base in Suffolk . The AHT also regularly receives funding to enable work to continue at the Genetics Centre run in conjunction with the Kennel Club. The sum of £250,000 was donated to the Genetics Centre in 2010. During 2010,
840-593: Is also a section known as Discover Dogs where visitors can see almost every breed recognised by the Kennel Club on view, and discuss each breed with knowledgeable owners. Crufts also holds special shows and demonstrations, where specially trained dogs perform in front of an arena audience, including Police Dogs, Royal Air Force Dogs and Medical Detection Dogs. As the Kennel Club also registers crossbreeds , Crufts also hosts many competitions and displays for crossbreeds. They mainly compete in agility, obedience and heelwork to music competitions. The popularity of Crufts and
900-578: Is awarded once for dogs and once for bitches. The dog and bitch class winners then compete again for the Dog and Bitch Challenge Certificate (CC). The two CC winners then go head-to-head to determine the Best of Breed. After the best of each breed has been chosen, they then compete against the others in their Group (in the UK, there are seven Groups: Toys, Gundogs, Utility, Hounds, Working, Pastoral, and Terriers) to find
960-514: Is hotly contested by dogs and their owners from throughout the world. The Kennel Club was criticised on the BBC programme Pedigree Dogs Exposed for allowing breed standards, judging standards and breeding practices which are said to compromise the health of purebred dogs. The programme led various sponsors to withdraw. The BBC dropped Crufts 2009 from their coverage after being unable to agree to terms with The Kennel Club, with Channel 4 broadcasting
1020-520: Is located at the club's headquarters in Mayfair, London. The gallery is devoted to fine art about dogs and features themed exhibitions, as well as a permanent collection. Artists in the collection include Maud Earl , George Earl , Richard Ansdell , Arthur Wardle and Cecil Aldin . The gallery is open only by appointment. The art gallery opened in 2003 and was the idea of former Kennel Club Chairman John McDougall. The Kennel Club had accumulated quite
1080-710: Is quoted as saying "The great thing about the Kennel Club Art Gallery is that it's a way of encouraging those people interested in dogs to learn a bit more about art and those people interested in art to do likewise about dogs." The Accredited Breeder Scheme was launched in 2004 but was later renamed as the Assured Breeder scheme (ABS). As the ABS membership grew, a number of regional advisors were recruited to inspect breeders' premises and paperwork to ensure adequate standards were being met. Breed specific recommendations were added to some breeds for
1140-435: Is the official kennel club of the United Kingdom. It is the oldest recognised kennel club in the world. Its role is to oversee various canine activities including dog shows , dog agility and working trials. It also operates the national register of pedigree dogs in the United Kingdom and acts as a lobby group on issues involving dogs in the UK. To celebrate its 150th anniversary on 5 April 2023, King Charles III confirmed
1200-706: The Best in Group . The seven Group winners then compete to find the Best in Show and Reserve Best in Show . Best in Show winners receive a replica of the solid silver Keddall Memorial Trophy, and a small cash prize of £200. As of 2016 the English Cocker Spaniel had been the most successful breed at Crufts, awarded Best In Show seven times, and the Gundog Group is the most successful group, having produced twenty-three Best In Show winners. Crufts hosts
1260-581: The Charity Commission in May 1988. The Duchess of Cornwall became the first patron of the Trust in October 2007 when it celebrated its twentieth anniversary. The Kennel Club makes many donations to charitable causes, with grants totalling over £10 million between the club's foundation and 2020. The Animal Health Trust (AHT) has frequently received donations from the Kennel Club and, in 2012,
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#17327803019111320-609: The Fédération Cynologique Internationale . The Kennel Club was founded on 4 April 1873 after Sewallis E. Shirley became frustrated by trying to organise dog shows without a consistent set of rules. Since the first dog show in 1859, shows had become increasingly popular. Shirley is listed as an exhibitor of Fox Terriers at the Birmingham Dog Show Society show in 1865. Together with a group of other gentlemen, he organised
1380-646: The National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham , where it still takes place. From originally being a show for the exhibition of purebred dogs, it has expanded over the years and now incorporates most other canine disciplines such as Obedience , Agility , and Flyball . Initially the Discover Dogs event was staged as a part of Crufts dog show, but as its popularity increased it became a stand-alone event. Established in 1996, it gives
1440-585: The National Exhibition Centre , Solihull. At the Centenary celebrations in 1991 Crufts was officially recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest dog show, with 22,973 dogs being exhibited in conformation classes that year. Including agility and other events, it is estimated that an average 28,000 dogs take part in Crufts each year, with an estimated 160,000 human visitors attending
1500-611: The Royal Agricultural Hall , Islington , in 1891. It was the first at which all breeds were invited to compete, with around 2,000 dogs and almost 2,500 entries. With the close of the 19th century, entries had risen to over 3,000, including royal patronage from various European countries and Russia. Due to the First World War , the show was not held between 1918 and 1920. In 1928, the Best In Show class
1560-684: The BBC did not give the Kennel Club "a proper opportunity to respond" to allegations that the club was "eugenicist" and (per Ofcom's characterisation of the programme's allegations) that it "shared a common ideology with Nazi racial theory ", nor to an allegation that it covered up the nature of an operation carried out on a Crufts Best in Show winner. Due to the strong public response, the Kennel Club started rolling out new health plans. Breed standards for every breed went under review and show judges would be required to choose only healthy dogs. New breed standards were announced in January 2009 and close inbreeding
1620-560: The First Grand Exhibition of Sporting and Other Dogs held at Crystal Palace in June 1870. The show was not a financial success and the organisers had to make up the loss. This seems to have been the trigger for Shirley to call a meeting with 12 others who had an interest in judging and exhibiting pedigree dogs. The meeting, in 1873, agreed to set up the Kennel Club. It was held at 2 Albert Mansions, Victoria Street, London,
1680-598: The KC not just with the few that decide to join the Accredited Breeder Scheme (ABS)." The Inquiry believes that ultimately The Kennel Club can win back trust by showing that they are willing to take responsibility for dogs registered with them and that they are willing to lose members who do not meet high standards. The report warned that if the health measures implemented by the Kennel Club fails, government regulations might be necessary. The Kennel Club issued
1740-674: The Kennel Club Charitable Trust had provided almost £800,000 to help non-pedigree as well as pedigree organisations. The Kennel Club Charitable Trust also funded a new building at the National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh Park , Kenilworth , which was opened by Prince Michael of Kent in February 2009. The facilities are used for various canine related competitions, training, seminars and charity events. The Kennel Club Dog Art Gallery
1800-523: The Kennel Club. It was reported that Pedigree Petfoods withdrew from sponsorship of Crufts following this programme, but this announcement was made well in advance of the broadcast and for financial reasons. Kennel Club Chairman Ronnie Irving said that "If this programme teaches us anything, I hope it will teach the 'purists' in some breeds that they simply must get a move on and realise that in these politically correct and well informed days, some old attitudes are simply no longer sustainable." Maintaining that
1860-593: The Republic of Ireland are invited to compete in the International competitions. Obedience, held in the ‘Obedience Ring’ requires dogs to obey a set of commands given by their handlers, including off-lead heelwork at different paces, distance control, retrieve, send away, stays and scent discrimination. Dogs qualify by being successful at shows during the preceding year to compete in the Dog and Bitch UK Obedience Championships, UK Inter-Regional Team Competition and
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1920-503: The UK, but the only dog show it actually runs is Crufts . The show has been held since 1928 and attracts competitors from all over the world. It is held every March at the NEC , Birmingham, and includes the less formal Scruffts show for crossbreed and mixed-breed dogs. The Kennel Club also holds the Discover Dogs event in London every autumn. The Kennel Club is a non-member partner with
1980-469: The Year competition for mixed-breed dogs . Since 2013, this has been held in conjunction with the main Crufts show. The Kennel Club Charitable Trust is a dog charity that looks after the welfare and health of dogs. They fund a wide variety of work, including supporting research into canine diseases, dog welfare organisations and the promotion of service dogs . Set up in 1987, it was first registered with
2040-588: The Young Kennel Club was founded to promote dog handling among younger people. Flyball was introduced in 1990, and in 1992, the first Heelwork to Music demonstration was carried out by Mary Ray . In the early 1990s the Kennel Club started to campaign for responsible dog ownership, with emphasis on people choosing the right dog for them, and introduced Discover Dogs area to Crufts, where visitors can meet all currently recognised breeds and chat to breed experts about dog ownership. In 2000, Rescue Dog Agility
2100-644: The administrative offices, and charitable trust headquarters. The third site is Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, where the Kennel Club Building consists of a restaurant, an educational centre, and showground facilities. The fourth location is near Hexham , Northumberland, and is named the Emblehope and Burngrange Estate. It is the KC's centre of excellence for working dogs, and consists of 7,550 acres of assorted terrains including farmland (with
2160-464: The annual Friends for Life competition which celebrates unsung canine heroes is also announced, and Crufts also hosts the final of Scruffts, a crossbreed competition. It is held over four days (Thursday to Sunday) in early March at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Solihull , England. Crufts comprises a number of separate competitions. The main competition is for the Best in Show award, which
2220-526: The club with a 'royal' prefix. The Kennel Club has four principal physical locations. Its headquarters are on Clarges Street in Mayfair , London , incorporating a private members' club (with bar, lounge, and dining facilities), meeting and conference rooms, art gallery, library, picture library, and a residential apartment for the use of the Chairman. A second site at Aylesbury , Buckinghamshire, houses
2280-463: The creation of the library and the charitable trust. It was also under his stewardship that the registration system became computerised. The first successful annual all-breed dog show was produced by Charles Cruft in 1891. He produced the Crufts dog show for 45 years until his death in 1938. His widow, Emma, continued for four shows. She then sold it to the Kennel Club, as she felt unable to devote
2340-513: The crowd's favourite, the Obedience World Cup. The prizes are awarded to the most obedient dog according to the judges. Obreedience is a group version of the activity in which team of four dogs of the same breed compete against other teams in being the most obedient. Flyball is a relay -style race. Two teams of four dogs compete against each other in a knock-out competition. Each dog jumps a series of four hurdles, and then steps on
2400-411: The electricians' strike of 1954. The show was held on 10–13 March 2022, 9–12 March 2023, and 7-10 March 2024. The show will be held on 6-9 March 2025. Crufts is not an open competition; dogs must have qualified during the previous year. There are a number of ways of qualifying for the breed classes at Crufts, but dogs typically qualify by obtaining first, second or third place in the relevant class at
2460-489: The event since 2010. Crufts was named after its founder, Charles Cruft , who worked as general manager for a dog biscuit manufacturer, travelling to dog shows both in the United Kingdom and internationally, which allowed him to establish contacts and understand the need for higher standards for dog shows. In 1886, Cruft's first dog show, billed as the "First Great Terrier Show", had 57 classes and 600 entries. The first show named "Crufts"—"Cruft's Greatest Dog Show"—was held at
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2520-467: The first time in January 2010 after consultations with breed clubs. The scheme was meant to help potential dog owners identify responsible breeders, but has been described by the Dogs Trust as "full of pitfalls, the main one being that it's self-certificating". The Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare report indicated that the low breeding standards practiced by some in the ABS may allow
2580-528: The health of purebred dogs. The programme led various sponsors such as Hill's Pet Nutrition , Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Dogs Trust to withdraw from their participation in Crufts and other Kennel Club events. The RSPCA stated that it is "concerned about the unacceptably high levels of disability, deformity and disease affecting pedigree dogs". The BBC dropped Crufts 2009 from its coverage after being unable to agree terms with
2640-415: The health of purebred dogs. The programme led various sponsors to withdraw their participation in Crufts and the BBC eventually dropped Crufts 2009 from its coverage. The Kennel Club initially defended their practices, and criticised the programme as "highly biased". It also lodged a complaint to regulatory authority Ofcom . Ofcom rejected the Kennel Club's claim of unfair editing and deceit, but found that
2700-507: The interest of dog owners who do not own purebreeds convinced the Kennel Club to hold Scruffts , a show similar to Crufts for crossbreed dogs. Scruffts regularly attracts hundreds of entries and dozens of finalists compete for the top prize in a final at Crufts. The Kennel Club was criticised on the August 2008 BBC programme Pedigree Dogs Exposed for allowing breed standards, judging standards and breeding practices which are said to compromise
2760-504: The majority of dogs are healthy he said that "the roughly 90% of us who thankfully have healthy breeds must continue to guard against exaggeration and must bring pressure to bear on the laggards, otherwise we will – all of us – continue to be tarred with the same brush". The Kennel Club initially defended its practices, and criticised the programme as "highly biased". It also lodged a complaint to regulatory authority Ofcom claiming "unfair treatment and editing". The Kennel Club has introduced
2820-487: The preceding year. Crufts hosts the World Champion Junior Handling competition in which National Best Junior Handler winners from around the globe compete. The first World title competition, held in 1984, was judged by Ger Pederson. The winner of this premiere competition was US representative Tracie Laliberte who had won Westminster Kennel Club in 1983. A unique feature of this first competition
2880-685: The public an opportunity to meet representatives of all pedigree dog breeds and talk with breed experts about the suitability of the breed as a pet. Until 2014, this two-day annual event was held at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London in November. Since 2015, it has been held in October at the ExCeL Centre in East London. The event includes the semi-finals for the Kennel Gazette Junior Warrant competition,
2940-400: The public to be "falsely led into thinking a puppy they buy from an accredited breeder registered with the KC will have no health or welfare problems associated with its breeding history." It called for more random checks and robust enforcement of the scheme and states that "the use of the word ‘pedigree’ should be tied to a high standard of breeding (for health and welfare) across the board with
3000-469: The report "fails totally to recognise the real steady progress and advance of scientific knowledge that has already been made in the area of pedigree dog health". Poppy Holman's play A Dog's Tale , based on Crufts, was commissioned as one of Mikron Theatre Company 's two 2020 productions, was delayed by COVID-19, and premiered in Leeds on 5 June 2021. The Kennel Club The Royal Kennel Club ( KC )
3060-521: The report states that "Society and sections of the veterinary profession have become 'desensitised to the welfare issues to such an extent that the production of anatomically deformed dogs is neither shocking, nor considered abnormal'". It also states that "Breeding practices and efforts by breed societies and kennel clubs, to date, have been ineffective at protecting the welfare of many breeds of domestic dog" and that "changes in breeding and selection practices are urgently required". The Kennel Club states that
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#17327803019113120-543: The show for four years, until she felt unable to do so due to its high demands of time and effort. To ensure the future and reputation of the show (and, of course, her husband's work), she sold it to The Kennel Club in 1942. The show was again interrupted, by the Second World War , and consequently the 1948 show was the first to be held under the new owner, at Olympia in London. The show continued to gain popularity with each passing year. The BBC first televised
3180-467: The show in 1950. The 1954 competition was cancelled due to an electricians' strike. In 1959, despite an increase in entrance fees, the show set a new world record with 13,211 entrants. The first Obedience Championships were held in 1955, the same year working sheepdogs were first allowed to enter. In 1978, agility was introduced as a demonstration, to later become a competition in 1980, with an international invitational competition added in 2001. In 1985,
3240-513: The show. Crufts was formerly televised by the BBC; this ended after the 2008 event (see "Criticism" ) and the 2009 event was only shown via the Internet. Since 2010 the show has been broadcast on the commercial channels Channel 4 and More4 , attracting over 4.5 million viewers. In 2021, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic , Crufts was first postponed, then cancelled for the first time since
3300-603: The suitability of field-bred dogs for use in the field. Dogs entered are of the gundog group, but the conformation of these dogs differs significantly from that of gundogs from show-bred bloodlines, owing to the need for function as a working gundog, and they are judged accordingly. The Young Kennel Club (YKC) also has its own ring and stand where handlers aged between six and twenty-five compete in Agility, Obedience, Showing, Handling, Heelwork to Music, Flyball, and Grooming. Handlers and dogs must qualify in their discipline during
3360-446: The time to running such a large undertaking and she wanted to perpetuate her husband's legacy. No shows were held during the Second World War . The first Crufts show held by the Kennel Club was in 1948 at Olympia, London . The show was first televised by the BBC in 1950. The 1954 edition was cancelled due to the strike of electricians. The show moved to Earls Court in 1979, where it remained until staging its centenary show in 1991 at
3420-433: Was added to the programme. By 1979, the show had to move to Earls Court exhibition centre, as the increasing number of entries and spectators had outgrown the capacity of its previous venue. Soon, the show had to be changed again – the duration had to be increased to three days in 1982, then in 1987 to four days, as its popularity continued to increase. Since 1991, the show, previously always held in London, has been held in
3480-531: Was appointed as chairman at the first annual general meeting of the Kennel Club on 1 December 1874. The Kennel Club saw particular change under the chairmanship of John MacDougall during the period 1981 to 1996. Among the changes he helped introduce were the revamping of the Club's constitution, the development of the Junior Organisation to encourage youth participation in the sport of dog showing, and
3540-406: Was introduced and awarded to a Greyhound named Primley Sceptre , shown by Herbert Whitley , the founder of what is now Paignton Zoo . In 1934, the competition was sponsored by a cat food manufacturer. In 1936, "The Jubilee Show" had 10,650 entries with the number of breeds totalling 80. The show continued annually and gained popularity each year until Charles' death in 1938. His widow then ran
3600-566: Was the requirement of switching dogs mid-way through the competition. Crufts regularly attracts over 160,000 visitors to the NEC and more than 155,000 people visited Crufts in 2020. While the main purpose of the event is the search for the best dog in the show, many trade stands sell a wide range of dog-related merchandise or advertise dog-related charities. Many exhibitors include interactive displays in their stands and demonstration of their product and work, i.e. demonstration of canine first aid. There
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