That's it- Discover Dogs 2016 is over. Weeks of preparation, practice and perfecting lead up to London's biggest dog show and now it's time to look forward to the next event.
I can confirm that my humans had a BRILLIANT time at Discover Dogs 2016. From the stalls for shopping to the rings for activities, every aspect of the show delivered.
The crowds start pouring into ExCeL London and, for many visitors, getting those Christmas gifts sorted takes priority.
The first ring event I watched was at the Kennel Club Training & Display Ring, where five dogs and handlers demonstrated the stages to learning agility. Agility is my absolute favourite doggie sport, so it was lovely to see other doggies enjoying it too.
The humans then headed to the Main Ring for the first of the various displays they saw- the Metropolitan Police Dogs Display Team! The group is made up of working dogs and police dog handlers, and they gave the (packed) audience a sample of what their roles entail. The two dogs shown below are different ages, with one a more experienced shepherd and the other newer to the role. It was fantastic to see the progress that the hounds make over the years and my humans are always taken aback by the skill of these dogs and their handlers. Bravo, the Met Police!
And then it was time. Oh, yes. The Southern Golden Retriever Display Team had taken to the ring. Performing a brand-new routine, the 16 Goldies and handlers executed their obedience tricks to music with infectious enthusiasm.
Of course, there were the dogs that would adorably 'alter' their formations to get back to their humums and dads and it was just as good as ever. We love you Goldies!
As we are now seasoned Discover Dogs-attendees, we now have an idea of what to expect in each display. This year, we caught Paws for Thought for the first time, which is a rescue dog display team. Their show featured a wealth of different sports, from heelwork to music to agility, all performed by dogs that may have not had the best of starts in life. This talented schnauzer below climbed along a ladder!
There was no shortage of audience participation in the display, with many, many children being asked to take to the ring to hold up the agility jumps for the dogs, whilst they (mainly) leaped over.
Paws for Thought also tried something I have never seen before. They asked audience members to line up in the centre of the ring and, bravely, a Spaniel wandered along their backs.
Yes, that did actually happen- successfully, may I add. Thankfully.
Then, the Queen of Heelwork to Music, Mary Ray, took to the Main Ring with her talented pooch. In a very dramatic, tango-esque number, the clever Collie and human performed a magnificent routine with props and dozens of truly incredible tricks.
Following the doggie dancing, the audience were treated to a bit of fast-paced Flyball.
What a wild sport.
Dogs were dashing up and down the course and you could hear very little above the barks that filled the air. It was so lovely to see so many wagging tails in the ring at once and the sport always promises to get the crowd going.
Discover Dogs attracts all types of breeds and hosts a Scruffts semi-final. Scruffts is the non-pedigree equivalent to Crufts' Best in Show, with the winner being selected at the world's biggest dog show next March. Channel 4 were filming parts of the competition when we visited, and here is the TV channel speaking to Wendy Morris and her dog Fleur, who later won the Best Rescue category and will be taking to the finals next year!
In addition to their performance in the Main Ring, the Metropolitan Police Dogs team had a stand at the show, where you could talk to the dog handlers about their work and meet the dogs that help to keep London safe. The humans even met a future police dog, who was only three months old! Scroll down for the picture...!
No trip to Discover Dogs is complete without a trip to the, er, Discover Dogs Zone. Of course, our first port of call was the English Springer Spaniels stand to meet my fellow Springers!
One of the great things about Kennel Club dog shows is the expertise that is on offer of all things dogs. There are KC activities' professionals to talk to about getting into dog sports and breed specialists to help you find your perfect puppy as well as ensuring you find a trustworthy breeder.
The Kennel Club's youth organisation, Young Kennel Club, had their own area at Discover Dogs. Members of all ages took part in grooming qualifiers to be in with a chance of competing in the finals at Crufts 2017 and Agility Dog of the Year competitions also took place.
My humans had such an amazing day at Discover Dogs and hope everyone else who visited the show did too.
Now, it's time to look forward to CRUFTS 2017!
Talk soon, Jasper x
For more information on Discover Dogs, visit http://discoverdogs.org.uk/
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| A 3-month-old potential Metropolitan Police puppy! |
