Pixie, a Miniature Australian Shepherd from Cardiff, South Glamorgan, has taken a top agility prize at Crufts on Thursday March 8th, winning the Kennel Club Novice Cup. Pixie (whose official Kennel Club name is Basileas Pixie Power) and owner, Susie Josty, won in the small category after competing in an exciting agility final at the world’s greatest dog show. The top ten large, eight medium and eight small dogs from the Novice Cup competition (Grades 3, 4 or 5) held…

The search is on to find the UK’s most dog-friendly places, as the Kennel Club launches its Be Dog Friendly Awards 2016. The competition, now in its tenth year, is part of the wider Be Dog Friendly campaign which aims to break down barriers for man’s best friend by encouraging more businesses and public spaces to welcome dogs. With around 8.5 million dogs in the UK, and around one in four households owning a dog, the great British public are…

With an estimated 122% increase in complaints received by the RSPCA over the last five years, a premium on pedigree animals could be behind the rise. Competitions such as Crufts showcase purebred dogs from a variety of breeds but a lack of awareness on the part of those looking to buy an animal may be helping to boost the trade in trafficking. Andrew Bucher, Chief Veterinary Officer at MedicAnimal, the UK’s leading online pet healthcare retailer, said: “While Crufts and…