How to get to know your neighbours better? Make friends with their dogs, of course! So it was that on a fine Sunday afternoon in May, Hazelwood House in Glasgow opened its gates to local dogs and their owners for the first ever dog show at a DHEF centre.
12 local dogs accepted the invitation to display their skills and beauty, and their well-behaved owners were allowed to accompany them. The show also attracted an audience of around 20 people who settled down for an afternoon of canine fun.
First into the garden was Milo, a labradoodle puppy. Spying his name on a cone designating his spot , he picked it up in his mouth and ran around the garden. Well, give a dog a cone and that’s what he does with it!
Then came the beauty parade which was the opportunity to let all 12 dogs let everyone see what paragons of doggy perfection they were. Archie stood out as the dog with the most elegant trot. Maley’s best feature was definitely his hair; the curliest in the show. Bailey’s claim to fame was having the longest ears, while Buzz and Woody were distinguished by having the shortest hair of all the dogs.
They say that every dog has its day, and every dog had its own moment of glory at the Hazelwood show. Each dog paraded individually, showing the judges any tricks they felt inclined to perform.
Every personality type was carefully studied. Suzie was the most inquisitive of all the dogs while at the same time being the most laid-back: there are obviously some things a lady dog just can’t be asked to do. Rocko emerged as the most studious-looking dog.
If manners maketh dog, Quince and Skye were, respectively, the most gentlemanlike and the most ladylike dogs. Mott’s unique contribution was as the most veteran dog. And Milo was deemed the cuddliest dog, while also taking first (unofficial) place as the naughtiest.
Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for. Judge Ann McElhinney, ably assisted by Asun Gaytan de Ayala, stepped forward to make the big announcement: “Every dog’s a winner!”
That’s when the real fun started. Getting a dog to stand on a podium to receive a rosette is not, it seems, that easy. Some dogs tried to jump off, some almost fell off, some ate their rosette and most of them tried to lick Asun’s face, a form of canine affection she is not used to.
After all this exertion, it was time for dog owners and audience alike to enjoy a delicious dog-themed afternoon tea. By that time the dogs were all on first name terms and so were the humans, who quickly made friends with one another and with those who live in Hazelwood House.
Milo’s owner particularly enjoyed the dog-shaped biscuits and while she was attempting to take a picture of one, Milo succeeded in snatching it out of her hand and enjoyed it himself!
All in all, the Hazelwood dog show looks set to become a firm fixture in the canine social calendar. Summing up the afternoon, one human participant said: “Brilliant dog show. Eat your heart out Crufts!”
You can watch the dog show here:
