Crufts dogs vie for Best in Show (From Salisbury Journal)
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Crufts dogs vie for Best in Show
9:55am Sunday 10th March 2013 in National News © Press Association 2013
Elizabeth, a Lhasa Apso, winner of the Best in Show title, with owner Margaret Anderson, at Crufts 2012
One canine is set to be crowned top dog tonight as this year's Crufts competition draws to a close.
Seven dogs will battle it out for the Best in Show crown at the NEC in Birmingham.
A dog from each of the groups - working, utility, hound, pastoral, toy, terrier and gundog - will take their place in the ring, having been awarded the Best of Breed and then Best in Group accolades in previous judging rounds.
Each animal will then be put through its paces as they go head-to-head in the final showdown, vying for the top title.
A Kennel Club-approved judge will watch the dogs take their lap of honour and mark them for their overall health and condition, coat, character, temperament, movement and how close they have come to the Kennel Club Breed Standard.
Last year, a Lhasa Apso called Elizabeth, owned by Margaret Anderson, was crowned Best in Show.
One dog will also take home the celebrated Friends for Life competition winner's rosette, which celebrates animals who dedicate their lives to helping humans.
This year's contenders include a Birmingham-based police dog called Janus which has been involved in more than 400 arrests and once sniffed out a £10,000 cache of stolen power tools.
The winner will be the animal that has received the most votes from the public.
Kennel Club secretary Caroline Kisko said: "Crufts really is a fantastic event. One of my favourite competitions is Friends for Life - each year we hear amazing stories of how dogs have helped people pull through illnesses, given those with disabilities a new lease of life or worked with search teams to rescue those in need."
