Celebrating Man’s Best Friend
Picture this; your long day is ending as you turn your door key, tired and in need of some rest from any stress or anxieties of the past few hours. You are making mental notes of future chores, when a joyful, sharp bark crosses out everything on that monotonous to-do list. Then, when you finally cross the threshold of your house, your dog bounds towards you in a fuzzy flash of welcoming excitement. This special moment would brighten your day as it does for many other canine owners worldwide.
The story of companionship between human and dog is an endless tale spanning over years of mankind’s history. Some of the oldest proof of this partnership was found in Bonn-Oberkassel, Germany, and dated to 14,500 years old.
Man’s best friend really has been the oldest animal to walk alongside us and continues to do so to this day; offering us adventure and unconditional love through mindful walks in the park, cuddles on the sofa and even crazy antics that could be caught on camera.
One way in which this bond is celebrated is through events like Crufts, an international dog show established in 1891 and held annually at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham and organised by The Kennel Club. Being recognised as the largest dog-based show in the world, Crufts welcomes over 13,000 visitors into its venue and this number doesn't even include the amount of dogs!
This year, from the 6th - 9th March 2025, over 18,000 dogs from around the world attended and those who couldn't be there physically were able to stream all the events on Channel 4 over the four days. Pedigree breeds of all kinds could be found taking part in the customary competitions such as dog agility, flyball (my personal favourite), obedience, heelwork to music and battling for the seven places per breed category to try out in Crufts 2025 Best in Show final.
This year, the Best in Show was awarded to ‘graceful and elegant’ Miuccia, the fourth Whippet to win the award and the first Italian dog to win, marking its territory on history. As a show dedicated to all pure-bred dogs, it is important to also recognise the reserve winner, Viking, a Romanian Tibetan Mastiff who also won the hearts of the audience with its ‘beautiful bond’ to his handler.
Crufts is a place that dog-lovers can meet, and future dog owners can get to know each canine breed to find the perfect match.
However, you do not have to be a purebred dog to attend. Scruffts, launched in 2000 is a national competition held within that allows dogs of any parentage to compete. This wider representation of dogs is sometimes overlooked and it's beautiful to see them stepping their paws into the spotlight.
Also, if you can't find the best breed for you from respectable breeders in Crufts, why not adopt a crossbreed; a mixture of dog lineage with the same love, loyalty and playfulness.
As the owner of a mixed breed dog myself, I couldn't think of any other canine to match my love for her and her fluffy companionship.
Having adopted her from the local hero rescue centre, Forest Dog Rescue, you aren't just getting a pet but you're giving another animal a chance at a better life. Just as their motto is, “All dogs deserve a second chance”. That happy second chance might just be you…
There are many other charities, locally and nationally, like Dogs Trust and the RSPCA, that follow this ethos of helping all our furry friends into finding the perfect home for them.
One dog owner said that charities like these were a great thing for people to investigate when wanting to adopt a dog as “You find a lovely character who lifts your spirits and has a mysterious backstory that you can continue to make better and more loving”.
Another said, “They give you an insight into this new world of bonding with strangers over talking whilst walking your dog”
One thing is for sure, dogs have a magical way reminding us to embrace friendship in our lives. They encourage us to go outside and make us feel important in looking after an animal with massive amounts of trust in you.
No wonder dogs have been walking beside us for so long.