Everything You Need To Know About Crufts – The Greatest Dog Show

This weekend, the event dubbed ‘the greatest dog show in the world’ rolls into town. Well, the outskirts of town. Junction 6 of the M42, to be exact. That’s right, Birmingham NEC, the eyes of the dog world are on you: Crufts is back.

Perhaps you’re new to Crufts. Perhaps your only experience of Crufts thus far is clicking ‘like’ on pictures of dogs with hair more fabulous than you. Perhaps you’re not really sure what Crufts is, and at this point, you’re too afraid to ask. Fear not, we’re here to answer your questions.

Why is Crufts called Crufts?

Despite ‘cruft’ sounding like the bark of a very posh dog, disappointingly Crufts is not a dog show that they let dogs name. Instead, it was started in 1891 by a guy called Charles Cruft who decided to eschew the family jewellery business and instead became office boy to a company that made ‘dog cakes’ and went on to become the world’s first large-scale manufacturer of dog biscuits. While travelling Europe promoting and selling Spratt’s dog biscuits, Charles was invited to run a number of dog shows and became secretary to several dog breed clubs. In 1891, his own event ‘Cruft‘s Greatest Dog Show‘ launched, running successfully until his death in 1938 when it was sold to The Kennel Club who continue to run it today.

Interestingly, Charles and his wife claimed they never owned a dog for fear of showing favouritism for a particular breed. “We were determined to own a pet, so we took the least line of resistance and kept a – CAT!” Emma Cruft wrote in her book. However, when Charles‘s memoirs were published posthumously, it emerged that he had owned at least one Saint Bernard and had lived in households with Alsatians and Borzois. Can’t keep a pet parent away from their pups.

What happens at Crufts?

What doesn’t happen at Crufts? Last year, over 24,000 dogs took part and the event this year boasts everything from the famed ‘Best In Show’ competition – where the top dog from each breed group competes to win best overall dog (even though they’re obviously all the best dog) – and there’s heelwork to music (some people like to refer to it as dog dancing and it’s incredible). There‘s also obedience, agility, Flyball, (a kind of team relay race) and plenty of other competitions. There are displays from dog groups, opportunities for young handlers to show off their skills and the heartwarming Kennel Club Hero Dog Awards, which recognises pups from around the UK who help their parents and handlers overcome big hurdles.

There are also over 200 different breeds of dog to meet at Discover Dogs (first-time potential pet parents, here’s your chance to get acquainted), hundreds of trade stalls to buy your pup new stuff and Scruffts, a competition for the best crossbreed dogs.

Utility dogs, pastoral dogs, toy dogs... what now?

These are the different categories that the dogs are judged by. For instance, utility dogs are dogs that have ‘fitness for a purpose’ and include Bulldogs, Vizslas, Retrievers and more. Pastoral dogs are defined as dogs that are used to working with livestock (think Sheepdogs, lots and lots of variants of Sheepdogs), and toy dogs are smaller breeds of dog. Other categories include gundogs, working, hound and terrier.

Who won Crufts 2023?

A Lagotto Romagnolo named Orca from Croatia. Orca was the first Lagotto Romagnolo to walk away with the top prize. Cocker Spaniels have walked away with Best in Show no less than seven times, more than any other breed. In second place, with four wins each, are the Irish Setter, Standard Poodle and Welsh Terrier.

How much is Crufts’ prize money?

What do you win if your dog wins Best in Show? Erm, prestige? Worldwide recognition? International fame and glory? What more could you want? Seriously though, don’t get into dog showing for the cash, Orca is reported to have walked away with £200 and a silver trophy. A spokesperson for The Kennel Club told Birmingham Live last year that “for the vast majority of breeders, it is about the prestige, not the money”. Hmm, wonder how many landlords accept prestige as rent?

Where can I watch Crufts?

These days Crufts is shown on Channel 4 where it is presented by the delightful Sophie Morgan and Clare Balding, who is putting in her 20th year at the helm. Here’s a handy schedule of what‘s being shown when. For the superfans, the Crufts YouTube channel will be showing the rest.