Utility group blog

So I've already talked about the toy group. The utility group contains dogs that the kennel group have problems putting into a group.

The Dalmatian was originally used to run along side horse drawn carriages but you don't see many of those around anymore.
They could always rename it the dogs from a over the world group.

The Keeshond.

Boston terrier

Japenese spitz.
Others include japenese Akita, Tibetan spaniel and terrier, Korean Jindo, The utility group does contain the great British Bulldog and it's French version.

Let's hope it's warm in the NEC as one poor dog - the Mexican Hairless will feel the cold!

As well as watching the breed judging there is also the arena with 6,000 seats showing - agility, heelwork to music, flyball and west midland police display team.
In the good citizen dog scheme ring is puppy foundation display, pets as therapy, dogs for the disabled.
In the young kennel club ring obedience and handling skills
In the dogs activity ring agility heelwork to music, bloodhounds and gundogs.

I hope the hoomans enjoy themselves we are looking forward to seeing our treats.

Crufts starts tomorrow blog

Where do you start talking about the greatest dog show in the world!

I will start by being selfish - what will they buy Star and I from the 400 trade stands ? Hoomans have been trying my cool coat on Star and realised I need the bigger size. The cool coats are fab soak them in water and keeps me cool for 4 hours whilst the sun evaporates the water.

That means a trip to the XtraDog stand hall 1 stand 125 plus more freshner pads for our dicky bags.

Thursday the first day means judging is toy and utility groups. The toy group has the smallest dogs in the competition. The ever popular king Charles spaniel.

But also some more unusual breeds such as the Cotten De Tulear, Pomeranian, Affenpinscher and the Pug.

Dad is a tall hooman 6.ft1 but out of the small dogs, he loves the Chihuahua. At Crufts they judge both the short and long haired versions. Having a size 10 foot he would probably tread on one.

Whereas as Mom will want to see the small version of me the Italian Greyhound.

You can still get tickets and under 8's get in free.

RGT collection Sutton Coldfield blog

Today Star and I went on our first greyhound awareness and collection in Sutton Coldfield. Sutton is only 4 miles away and where Dad did his A levels (that's learning without treats how silly is that!).

We parked in the main car park after a close shave where Dad accidentally drove up the down slope. Parking on level 5 meant the stairs brought us out by where the stand is. 5 floors is a long way so we got the lift !

As we got in 2 other greyhounds joined us. Oh no it was our reflection on the mirror but we both looked anyway.
The stand was under cover outside WH Smiths so it was very busy.

Every hour or so more dogs turned up . Zac below was with Heather who organised it so stayed all day.

We had lots of people stroking us and ask do we need much walking. So I decided to show my real nature and lie down.

After two hours and hopefully convincing some people to adopt a greyhound and donations we left.
Having stood in 1 place for a while went for a walk in Newhall park.
Until next time keep barking !

Sutton Park 2 dog walk blog

Today we were due to go on a RGT walk in Stratford. The light dusting of snow and the cold weather made the hoomans change their plans.

Instead of loads of grey there was just Star and I. Star got excited at 2 whippets running around.

The terrain was varied from mud to snow to grass.

We did stop and take some photos of Star to send to a friend.

We all won this morning- less travelling we got 1.5 hr walk the RGT walk was only 1hr. Plus we were promised pigs ears when we got home. Boy did we jump into the boot quickly!

Crufts ticket draw blog

Today was the big day I did the draw to decide who won the Crufts tickets.
To make it a fair chance for everyone Dad wrote down all the names down in number order of all the correct emails received. Dad downloaded a random number generator app for his phone.

This was Mom showing me the phone whilst out on our walk to prove it was all fair.
Mom pressed the phone at 12.15 and the first two numbers were 4 then 3.

This means the winners were;

Kryssy , Bedfordshire
And
Carol, Stoke on Trent

Congratulations guys hope you have a fantastic day!

Would love to see a photo of you having fun. My hoomans are going on Sunday so they may see you there or at the tweet up (blog will tell you where we are meeting)

3 weeks till Crufts starts blog

Hoomans getting excited as its only 21days until Crufts starts at the NEC Birmingham. Ticket information at

http://www.crufts.org.uk/ticket-office

But all under 8's get in free (hoomans only)

Not long until the greatest dog show on the world this year over 26,000 dogs are heading to the NEC in Birmingham. Of these dogs 1.388 from overseas countries (38 countries represented such as Germany, Latvia, Canada and USA and the first time from Chile)
I hope they don't walk there or there will be nothing left of them.
Doggie Passports please !

There is so much going on at Crufts ;

Breeders competition (49 teams 196 dogs)
Discover dogs (find out more about the dog breed that would be suited to your lifestyle)
Friends for life (heart warming stories that make the hoomans cry)
Good dog citizen dog scheme ring
Agility (I'm no good at that I walk round the tunnel not through it)
Obience (us greyhounds when we feel like it if it's not a cat or squirrel)

Of course 4 days of judging the individual breeds to get a grand champion.

This was years winner a flat coated retriever called Jet incidentally last year was the 120th time the kennel club had organised Crufts.

But you can't forget the huge variety of doggie things to buy from leads, collars , treats (nom nom!) toys (hope they get us another tuffie toy(the one from Christmas still has all its squeaks ) and much more.

I hope this has wet your appetite to go in the meantime

For other information about Crufts
Crufts is on facebook

http://www.facebook.com/crufts

Twitter -

#Crufts
http://twitter.com/KCLovesDogs

Waseley hills RGT walk 2 blog

Hoomans had a lovely cooked breakfast and saved Star and I a sausage for after our walk.

30 minutes in the car to Waseley Hills country park. £1.20 into the machine for all day parking and jackets on for our walk.
Stat received her new AK Creation jacket yesterday. I already have one we had loads of people on the walk saying they were smart and where to get them from.

As you can see we are a smart looking pair. Fortunately hoomans had the sense not to have jackets that clashed.
There was about 45 of us it was cold with some snow under our paws. The fog was covering the views. After a 40 minute walk around the park we descended the field back to the car.

Hoomans were lucky in the raffle last but 1 prize - biscuits or greyhound notebook. Had the notebook! We got a sausage nom nom !
Time for a trip back in the car and snooze time!