Crufts 2026 roll call

And yet fell down the internet rabbit hole watching Crufts and deciding on fantasy dogs-there are several litters of long haired gsps around!

Delighted to see a Dandie Dinmont, I would definitely have chosen him (her? OH was asking why it had pigtails in the ears!) as an endangered breed, would be great to generate interest, plenty of breeders on Champdogs, no litters, tho.


My friend has 2 dandies , one is 7 and her new one is about 20 weeks now. She is going to breed the youngster when she is old enough so hopefully in a couple of years I will be cuddling some DDs
 
So pleased for the Clumber. I adore them.
Yes the lakeland handler was awful. Just gave nasty little man vibes.

Delighted the flattie was placed in the GD group too but was the lab and one other, can't remeber which, a bit on the porky side?
The black lab? I was open mouthed at him. No expert, but he looked positively tubby. I was admiring my sleek creatures pelting round yesterday, they both look great, reinforced by the vet nurse who dealt with M's broken claw the other day-nice 'tuck' apparently. I'm obviously keen to ensure pressure on joints shouldn't be an issue.
 
My labs said they’d love to be that fat! They want to start work on that belly immediately.
I think Clumbers are extremely ugly, but he looked cheery enough and the owner or handler was great fun.
My Lab is also campaigning to be allowed to get that fat. I didn’t watch it this year but I imagine there was the same commentary about how these are working breeds, bred to work all day in the field blah blah blah while an obese dog waddles around the ring.
 
This is the pic of the Clumber as posted on the BBC. I do my best to avoid Crufts news as my opinion of the Kennel Club is unprintable, but as this item popped up on my BBC feed I couldn’t avoid it.

Clumber spaniel named Bruin wins best in show at Crufts 2026 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crrxp4p8p77o

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Could also have won the Dog who looks most like its owner prize.

Yes the KC has a plethora of issues but at least some owner/breeders with genuine love for their dogs were rewarded rather than the pro handlers who showcase the canine equivalent of blue tongue and rollkur.

Whoever judged the labs should be banned putting that seriously overweight pooch in first place.
 
My Lab is also campaigning to be allowed to get that fat. I didn’t watch it this year but I imagine there was the same commentary about how these are working breeds, bred to work all day in the field blah blah blah while an obese dog waddles around the ring.

i watched last night and was shocked on how chubby the lab was.
As for the clumber, it was a a very happy little fella. My friends two are similar in temperament , just happy little spaniels. But a different build. They both could go all day, amazing stamina. They love nothing more than sniffing /running through the shrubs /bush etc. Amazing dogs. Happy and biddable
 
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Clumbers owner is fab .

I've just seen a post on FB that he was convicted of animal neglect 20 years ago, so maybe not that fab 🫤

I enjoyed watching Crufts, but there does seem to be controversial things every year. Nobody will convince with that German Shepherds are meant to look like they do, so I make a point of not watching that class, despite the fact I own one (who's probably a terrible example of the breed, because her back is straight and level!).
 
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I've just seen a post on FB that he was convicted of animal neglect 20 years ago, so maybe not that fab 🫤

I enjoyed watching Crufts, but there does seem to be controversial things every year. Nobody will convince with that German Shepherds are meant to look like they do, so I make a point of not watching that class, despite the fact I own one (who's probably a terrible example of the breed, because her back is straight and level!).
That’s not good re owner .
I didn’t want to enter into the GSd debate again , but was man trailing with my Gsd yesterday and Crufts was mentioned . As often happens the people there all said how lovely my girl was, “not like those show line dogs “ . So I put her in a show stance and explained she was 100% show line and their reaction was hilarious. Guess what my “straight backed “ dog wasn’t so straight .
 
I saw it pointed out on social media at the weekend that a lot of the same people who think show dogs are awful are the same ones who loudly campaign against dogs being worked.
I don't get too aerated about it any more, I base my opinion on my experience and my experience is that I have worked with some smashing show dogs over the years, the majority of which have lived out the end of their days sound and into double figures.
There are of course problems, as there will be in any numerically large breed, and responsible breeders are trying to fix them.

The biggest problems I see are in the backyard bred ones which people flocked to thanks to Pedigree Dogs Exposed, which have no health tests behind them and dodgy breeding and lots of unseen health and temperament issues, but it's OK because Straight Backs!
 
I saw it pointed out on social media at the weekend that a lot of the same people who think show dogs are awful are the same ones who loudly campaign against dogs being worked.
I don't get too aerated about it any more, I base my opinion on my experience and my experience is that I have worked with some smashing show dogs over the years, the majority of which have lived out the end of their days sound and into double figures.
There are of course problems, as there will be in any numerically large breed, and responsible breeders are trying to fix them.

The biggest problems I see are in the backyard bred ones which people flocked to thanks to Pedigree Dogs Exposed, which have no health tests behind them and dodgy breeding and lots of unseen health and temperament issues, but it's OK because Straight Backs!
Who campaigns loudly about dogs being worked ?
 
That’s not good re owner .
I didn’t want to enter into the GSd debate again , but was man trailing with my Gsd yesterday and Crufts was mentioned . As often happens the people there all said how lovely my girl was, “not like those show line dogs “ . So I put her in a show stance and explained she was 100% show line and their reaction was hilarious. Guess what my “straight backed “ dog wasn’t so straight .

Perhaps they should think about the way they are shown in that case, because it's really not doing the reputation of the breed any good.
 
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