Dogs are one of the world’s most popular pets. According to research from the American Veterinary Medical Association, over 43 million households in the United States own dogs. Of course, there are many different shows showing off man’s best friend. Crufts is considered to be one of the largest of these dog exhibitions.

Crufts 2018 took place from Mar. 8 to 11 at the National Exhibition Center in Birmingham, England. A total of 21,032 dogs participated in this year’s show. In addition to the primary showcase of the different breeds, dogs also competed in some more unique events. For example, in flyball, teams of four dogs raced against each other in a relay. During a flyball competition, the dogs jump over a line of hurdles, run to a box that releases a tennis ball to when the dogs press a spring-loaded pad, then jump back over the hurdles to the start/finish while carrying the ball.

Another interesting event was heelwork to music, in which dogs performed musical routines with their owners. The event is often compared to dancing, although many competitors will incorporate some sort of storyline into their performance. For example, Lucy Creek and Skiffle, who won for the third year in a row, based their performance on the classic story of Cinderella. Other events included obedience and probably the most notable event, agility.

There are also different displays to teach audiences about the different roles dogs play in our lives. There are performances by groups like the Southern Golden Retriever Display Team. In previous years, there have also been displays of police dogs, gundogs, military dogs, and more.

The show also extends past a simple dog exhibition. This event is special because it exemplifies a good relationship between a dog and their owner and focuses on the happiness of the dogs. In addition, after criticism in a 2008 documentary regarding poor health standards, new health plans were introduced, including requests that judges only choose healthy dogs and permission for staff to take actions against breeders who didn’t comply with health standards.

Crufts was started by Charles Cruft in 1981, making this year’s event the 127th anniversary. The event was hosted by the Kennel Club, and dog owners from all over the world could participate. In fact, there were 37 participants from the United States this year. In addition, the show is inclusive to non-purebred dogs as well. An informal competition called Scruffts was held for owners of crossbreeds. There was also a special agility category for rescue dogs.

For anyone who likes dogs, Crufts is a must-watch. If you missed this year’s show, the show takes place annually in early March and is usually posted on YouTube.