CRUFTS, the world's biggest dog show, returns TODAY with a 4-day celebration of paw-some fun as dog fans indulge in all things canine.
Crufts has been running since 1891, and quickly became an annual highlight for dog lovers.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, Crufts was cancelled last year – but many fans of the event are expecting the biggest show yet for 2022.
The celebration of all things canine takes place over four days, with the Best in Show event, won last year by wirehair daschund Maisie, taking place on Sunday night as usual.
Crufts is shown live on Channel 4 and More4, with TV coverage kicking off at 3pm ton C4 his afternoon.
Read our Crufts 2022 live blog below for the latest updates and info…
- Milica Cosic
Over 200 pedigree dog breeds competing
Over 200 pedigree dog breeds will compete to take the title of Best in Show.
Crufts will also welcome breeds never before seen at the dog show – the Smooth Faced Pyrenean Sheepdog – with two competing in the Imported Breed Register classes.
Compared with 2020, this year has seen an increase of 40 per cent or more in the number of Irish water spaniel, sloughi, lowchen (little lion dog) and Canadian eskimo dog breeds entering competitions.
The dogs with the highest number in their breeds:
- Working – Bernese mountain dog (140)
- Utility – dalmatian (202)
- Toy – pug (223)
- Pastoral – border collie (253)
- Terrier – Staffordshire bull terrier (306)
- Hound – whippet (382)
- Gundog – golden retriever (458)
Channel 4's TV schedule
Take a look at the times to watch on Channel 4 and More4 below.
Thursday, March 10
- 3pm-4pm on Channel 4
- 6.30pm-8pm on More4
- 8pm-9pm on Channel 4
Friday, 11 March
- 3pm-4pm on Channel 4
- 6.30pm-7.45pm on More4
- 8pm-9pm on Channel 4
Saturday 12 March
- 3pm-6pm on Channel 4
- 7pm-9pm on Channel 4
Sunday 13 March
- 3pm-5.30pm on Channel 4
- 7pm-9pm on Channel 4 (Best In Show Live)
If you're watching Crufts from outside of the UK, you can catch the action from the main arena and the obedience ring on the Kennel Club's YouTube channel.
Explained: How many people attend Crufts?
Crufts is named after it's founder Charles Crufts, who travelled around other UK dog shows selling biscuits in the later 1800s.
In 1891, the first Cruft's Greatest Dog Show was held in Islington, London.
The Covid pandemic saw 2021's show cancelled for the first time since 1954.
Birmingham's' NEC regularly sees over 160,000 people attending Crufts, with a slight dip in 2020 at 155,000 attendees.
There were around 20,000 dogs entered in to the competition in 2020.
- Milica Cosic
How do I get tickets for Crufts?
The Kennel Club competition is broadcast from the Birmingham NEC but you can go and explore the event in person too.
Crufts 2022 runs from Thursday, March 10, to Sunday, March 13.
Tickets are available on the Crufts website and vary in price from £12 to £165.
A ticket to Sunday's famous Best in Show competition could set you back £55.
There are a variety of stands and lots of demonstrations as well as agility trials and other competitions.
- Joseph Gamp
Who won Crufts 2020 Best In Show?
This year's champion pooch was a wire-haired dachshund called Silvae Trademark.
The dachshund – known as Maisie – grabbed the title on the final day of Crufts 2020 on Sunday, March 8.
And she showed how relieved she was to run out the winner with a little deposit of her own in the arena.
Maisie beat seven finalists to claim her crown, including Pixie the Kerry Blue Terrier, Frankie the Miniature Poodle, Pablo the Bishon Frise, Elsie the Irish Setter, who was the oldest competitor, Drago the Bull Mastiff, and Zokni, the Old English Sheepdog.
She is also the first dachshund to win the coveted title.
- Milica Cosic
Afternoon! Milica Cosic logging on to cover the latest news and updates on Crufts 2022 until 10pm tonight.
- Joseph Gamp
Do Crufts allow mixed breeds?
Crufts is a competition for pedigree dogs.
However, cross and mixed breed dogs can compete in the Scrufts section of the show.
This part of competition was introduced in 2013.
- Joseph Gamp
Adorable pet pooch dons suit & tie to deliver rings at his owners’ wedding
THE best man was in the doghouse after this couple’s wedding — because he was their pet pooch.
Sophia Coleman and Josh Makela, both 32, wanted their faithful hound Rocky to play a central role in their big day and deliver their rings.
Dog walker Sophie even got the 13-year-old his own suit, tie and handkerchief so he looked the part.
Rehearsals went well in Virginia, US, but on the big day the pug and Pomeranian-mix got a little over-exited.
Sophie said: “When his big moment came he was quite distracted and hoped every guest would give him a treat.”
A friend of hers had to grab Rocky and guide him into place.
- Joseph Gamp
List: Which dogs have won Crufts?
- 2020 – Wire-Haired Dachshund Maisie
- 2019 – Papillon Dylan
- 2018 – Whippet Tease
- 2017 – American Spaniel Afterglow Miami Ink
- 2016 – West Highland White Terrier Devon
- 2015 – Scottish Terrier Russia With Love
- 2014 – Poodle Afterglow Maverick Sabre
- 2013 – Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen Soletrader Peek A Boo
- 2012 – Lhasa Apso Zentarr Elizabeth
- 2011 – Flat-Coated Retriever Vbos The Kentuckian
- 2010 – Hungarian Vizsla Hungargunn Bear It’n Mind
- Joseph Gamp
In pictures: Last year's Best In Show winner, Maisie
Maisie the Wire Haired Dachshund and owner Kim McCalmont from Gloucestershire celebrate after winning Best in Show on the last day of Crufts Dog Show on March 8, 2020.
First held in 1891, Crufts is said to be the largest show of its kind in the world.
The annual four-day event features thousands of dogs, with competitors travelling from countries across the globe to take part and vie for the coveted title of 'Best in Show'.
NINTCHDBPICT000588283386-1Credit: Getty - Joseph Gamp
Russian owners and digs BANNED from Crufts, says Kennel Club
But Russian dog owners and their animals have been banned from attending after organisers at The Kennel Club condemned Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
"In the light of rapidly evolving circumstances, it is with a heavy heart we have taken the decision not to allow exhibitors from Russia to compete at Crufts 2022," it said.
The decision affects about 30 Russian owners and breeders and 51 dogs that had been due to participate in the show, which was first held in 1891.
"Our friends in Ukraine, and their dogs, are fearing for their lives and we will do all that we can to support them wherever possible," The Kennel Club added.
- Joseph Gamp
How to watch Crufts 2022
You can watch live judging and highlights from the main arena TODAY (Thursday, March 10, 2022) on Channel 4 and More 4.
The action kicks off from 3pm on Channel 4.
If you're watching Crufts from outside of the UK, you can catch the action from the main arena and the obedience ring on the Kennel Club's YouTube channel.
- Joseph Gamp
The most unusual pet-related insurance claims
A dog flooded a kitchen by turning on a tap in one of the more unusual pet-related claims to have been dealt with by an insurance giant.
As Crufts returns this week, Aviva said it receives around 800 accidental damage claims in the UK each year where dogs play a part.
On average, claims from dog-related incidents are valued at around £1,100 each, it said.
In one case, a young Labradane (a Labrador/Great Dane Cross) named Whiskey turned on a cold tap in his kitchen, while his owners were out briefly.
The dog caused around £4,000 of damage by flooding the room, with the incident caught on the house's security camera.
Another claim dealt with by Aviva involved a customer cleaning out her fish tank and having buckets of water on the floor.
Her laptop was plugged in charging nearby on the arm of a chair. The customer's dog ran past, caught the charging cable and pulled the laptop into a bucket.
- Joseph Gamp
Do Crufts allow mixed breeds?
Crufts is a competition for pedigree dogs.
However, cross and mixed-breed dogs can compete in the Scrufts section of the show.
This part of competition was introduced in 2013.
- Joseph Gamp
Sunday is Gundog & Best In Show day – full schedule
First session
- 8.45am: Agility championship intermediate/large
- 9.50am: Good Citizen Dog Scheme display
- 10.10am: Lowland search and rescue
- 10.40am: Heelwork to music
- 10.45am: Dog activities display
- 11.15am: Southern Golden Retriever display team
- 12pm: Agility championship intermediate/large
- 1.05pm: Gundog display
- 1.25pm: Flyball team final
Second session
- 3pm: Doors open to ticket holders
- 4.15pm-9pm: Augusta Hebbert, soprano – Agility championship intermediate/large final – The Kennel Club Hero Dog – Guide Dogs demonstration – Young Kennel Club stakes final and presentation – Gamekeepers competition final – Group judging (Gundog) and presentation – HM the Queen's Gundogs – Presentation of the police dog team operational and humanitarian action of the year award – Best in Show and presentation
- Joseph Gamp
Saturday's full schedule
Saturday March 12 – Utility and Toy
- 8.45am: Crufts international invitation large jumping
- 9.30am: Scruffts semi-final
- 10.30am: Hearing dogs 40th anniversary
- 10.50am: Lowland search and rescue
- 11.20am: Southern Golden Retriever display team
- 11.40am: Medical detection dogs display
- 12.30pm: Heelwork to music freestyle international competition
- 1.55pm: West Midlands police display
- 2.25pm: Agility international invitation large (agility)
- 3.10pm: Young Kennel Club agility dog of the year finals
- 3.55pm: Flyball team semi-finals (including Young Kennel Club flyball)
- 5.15pm: Agility international invitation large agility finals
- 6pm: Heelwork to music freestyle international winner
- 6.05pm: Scruffts final
- 6.20pm: Obedience champion (dog) and reserve (dog) display
- 6.45pm: Group judging (utility) and presentation
- 7.35pm: Group judging (toy) and presentation
Full schedule for Friday
Friday, March 11 – Terrier and Hound
- 9am: Agility Crufts medium ABC and intermediate/large novice ABC final (jumping)
- 9.40am: Agility Crufts singles heat small/medium/intermediate/large (jumping)
- 10.35am: Good Citizen Dog Scheme display
- 11.05am: Heelwork to music competition
- 1.05pm: Rescue dog agility
- 1.35pm: Agility Crufts singles heat small/medium/intermediate/large (agility)
- 2.30pm: Agility Crufts medium ABC and intermediate/large novice ABC final (agility)
- 3.10pm: Flyball team quarter-finals
- 3.50pm: Vulnerable breed competition
- 4.20pm: Heelwork to music competition winner
- 4.45pm: Agility Crufts singles final small/medium/intermediate/large (agility)
- 5.30pm: Breeders competition final
- 6.10pm: Group judging (Terrier) and presentation, plus presentation of painting to Crufts 2020 Best in Show winner
- 7pm: Group judging (Hound) and presentation
Today's Crufts schedule in FULL
Thursday, March 10 – Working and Pastoral:
- 8.45am: Agility Kennel Club British open final (Jumping)
- 9.40am: Agility championship small/medium
- 10.45am: East Anglian Staffordshire Bull Terrier display team
- 11.15am: Freestyle heelwork to music competition
- 1.10pm: Agility Kennel Club British open final (Agility)
- 2.05pm: Agility championships small/medium
- 3.15pm: Flyball team quarter-finals
- 3.55pm: West Midlands police display
- 4.25pm: Freestyle heelwork to music competition winner
- 5.15pm: Agility championship small/medium final
- 6pm: Group judging (working) and presentation
- 6.50pm: Group judging (pastoral) and presentation
List of categories
- Working
- Utility
- Toy
- Pastoral
- Terrier
- Hound
- Gundog
There’s also action in the Young Kennel Club Ring, obedience competitions, individual breed judging, dog activities and the Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme.
What are the Crufts 2022 categories?
More than 20,000 dogs will take part in displays and competitions.
The pouches are split into seven groups.
Each winner from each group, gets to go on to compete for the ultimate prize, Best In Show.
The Crufts results will be announced on March 13, 2022.
We will then discover who has taken the Best in Show trophy from 2020's winner, wire-haired dachshund Maisie.
This prize has been awarded for 83 years – and 2020 was the first time a dog has pooped live on TV in the main arena during Best in Show.
Crufts: How to enter your pooch into the greatest dog show on earth
Entries for this year have closed but will open for next year's competition shortly.
There are certain criteria your dog must reach to be entered into the legendary Crufts.
The most important thing is that your dog is Kennel Club registered – that is a record of your puppy being born.
Owners receive Registration Certificate with micro chip number and DNA tests for the dog.
If you wanted to go one step further you can get a Pedigree Certificate which has all the details of the breed, a pedigree name and five generations of your dog's ancestors.
If you dog is not Kennel Club registered you can enter with an authority to compete number (ATC) but you need to apply for this by the December before Crufts begins.
- Joseph Gamp
How many people – and DOGS – attend Crufts?
Birmingham's' NEC regularly sees over 160,000 people attending Crufts, with a slight dip in 2020 at 155,000 attendees.
There were around 20,000 dogs entered in to the competition in 2020.
- Joseph Gamp
A short history of Crufts
Crufts is named after it's founder Charles Crufts, who travelled around other UK dog shows selling biscuits in the later 1800s.
In 1891, the first Cruft's Greatest Dog Show was held in Islington, London.
The Covid pandemic saw 2021's show cancelled for the first time since 1954.
- Joseph Gamp
Can you get tickets for Best in Show?
A ticket to Sunday's famous Best in Show competition could set you back £55.
There are a variety of stands and lots of demonstrations as well as agility trials and other competitions.
- Joseph Gamp
Crufts 2022: How to grab tickets
This year's Crufts competition is broadcast from the Birmingham NEC but you can go and explore the event in person too.
The dog show runs from Thursday, March 10, to Sunday, March 13.
Tickets are available on the Crufts website and vary in price from £12 to £165.
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