What makes a pedigree dog a winner?
Every dog which competes at Crufts is a pedigree dog registered with the Kennel Club and has previously qualified at a championship show. Around 200 experienced judges will be at the show. When making their decisions, the judges look for the dog closest to its breed standard – a written description of the ideal dog of that breed. The breed standards were reviewed by the Kennel Club in 1988 to protect the ways in which dogs are bred. Brian Leonard from the Kennel Club said: “Before we reviewed standards, it was accepted that in the case of a bull dog for example – the bigger the head the better. “Now standards say a bull dog’s head must be balanced with the body. The review was controversial because dog lovers are conservative, but it was important to review them so that exaggerations of features no longer take place.” Watch out for that happy dog Mr Leonard said judges will also be looking at the quality of a dog’s coat, movement and temperament when making their considerations. “Perso
