is anyone going to crufts this year and is it being telly-vised at all? i used to love watching it on telly- except the irritating presenters obviously! i wondered if i should go this year (4 hour drive!) last time my breed was on a sat and the place was heaving, took 20 mins to walk from one room to the next! this year would be a friday so maybe not so busy? does anyone think it may be quieter due to 'that' programme??

I'll be showing 3 dogs one day, doing Discover Dogs with 4 another, shopping a third, and of course watching BIS live. No it won't be on TV this year. However I can see a lot of newspapers appearing around certain breed rings for sure......

Well I've entered but unfortunately doubt that I'll be taking the dog entered sadly.  Oh well there's always next year.

yes I am going . my first time showing at crufts. cant wait :)

I'll be at the Dane ring spectating, and prob holding other peoples dogs, both mine are qualified, but judge doesnt suit!!

I'm supposed to be showing Friday & Saturday & I'll be there briefly on Sunday for a YKC event that a friend's doing. 

As for TV, who knows at the moment.  Sad for doglovers but it was getting a bit of a daytime tv show.  Also, more room for those of us attending ;-)

Friday may be quieter in relation to public attending, but not much, lots of people take a long weekend!

Will be there on the Saturday with one of my boys - I do like going to Crufts :)

I shall be going with one of mine, its the first time I've had one in Crufts for years (because of home circs) so I am totally delighted to be going there :-)

i'll be there on Sunday............................. dogless. decided to take the coach this year!

i am hoping not to be there with 1 of my girls, hubby and a friend will take the other 2 if i cannot,
have entered her just incase.

We are going.3 of ours have qualified but its a nightmare taking 3 so only taking the 2 younger Woos.Its such a busy day for dogs and humans,and we have a 3 4 hour drive as well.Also being a Sunday it will be packed to the rafters.

Showing mine on Sunday - BIS day so always very busy but hey ho, hopefully less of the big stands will give the dogs an ickle bit more space :-p 

I'll be there on Sunday, 1st time showing as well. - Thought it may be a little quieter, but from what others have said i don't think thats going to be the case at all...
Visited last year on the Saturday and it was heaving and i wasn't happy so pretty much stayed by the ring watching the dogs and catching up with people.

I have 2 going.

I have got 3 going we are Sunday too.  Got 2 in one breed and 1 in another different halls aswell, 4+5.  If you see someone running with a dog it may be me... lol
Yvonne 

> Thought it may be a little quieter, but from what others have said i don't think thats going to be the case at all...
>

I wonder whether it will be quieter? I never noticed the TV stuff taking up too much room but now it is not being televised, it could mean a  increase in visitors. BTW I have 2 dogs going on Saturday. It is also the first time OH will be there, working in education he can't make mid week and last time we were on the weekend, my old boy had retired!

I was hoping that with all that the programme has done i was hoping that some of the GP would stay away, especially that the BBC are not there. Now you have made me wonder thinking that the GP may feel the need to visit rather then stay away.. Perhaps more media from newspapers and anyone else wanting to jump on the bandwagon.. WHo knows.. Will be interesting though i'm sure.

I have 5 going which is going to be mad but one might not because hopefully she will be in whelp.  Shame as the judge loves her but such is life :)

My daughter has qualified for the YKC stakes and the YKC handling so it is going to be a nightmare.  At least we are not on Saturday which is the worst day in my opinion. ;)

Me & my OH there Sunday and dogless letting the train take the strain watching BIS as well.

Will be taking friends from Finland but won't be showing all qualified but won't enter under the judge.

Will also be covering Discover Dogs on breed day and for a while on saturday which is great coz it mean's I've not got to fight the public to get around too much I can stay in my little pen with the dogs lol.

I will be there Thurday shopping and showing on Saturday :)

well i'm not going which i'm gutted about, but just wanted to wish all of you and of course your wonderful dogs the very best of luck :)

We are going - after many years of 'just visiting' we are taking our first show dog! 

I have a dilemma though; we have 2 children aged 12 and 13 who would like to come and watch their dog BUT, as we will be there on the Sunday, it's going to be sooo busy.  I originally thought that as it will be a long day and a bit of a crush that they should spend the day being spoilt by the grandparents and just watch it on TV.  Now I shall have to think again... :)

at least if you are there with a dog you have a base, therefore they can wander off for a look around and they know where to find you.   I remember going to crufts when it was at Earls court when I was about 8, my dad used to stay at the Afghan ring and me and my cousin would wander off for a look around and always know where to find him.

We're going thursday as my brothers YKC handling, a handler we train handling and doing her obedience, another girl we JH train doing her obedience.  Friday is getting dogs and stuff ready, saturday we're showing and I'm YKC handling along with two other JH's we train and sunday....well no dogs, no classes, just just go and watch, shop and will be my day I spend watching the likes of agility etc :)

going to be a busy time again and back at work on the monday :(

But will be a great chance to see old friends and final decission on a stud dog maybe, can't beat seeing them all in one place!

well for the 1st year i can remember in many many years, I am not showing.....despite having 9 qualified!! :)  Ill be there though......Im the photographer on the Skinners Food stand all 4 days....so if anyone wants a free portrait (dogs that is...not you!!) come along and see me there :) :)

Wow Sam might just take you up on that :-)

Showing for the first time on the Sunday. Already nervous!!!!

> so if anyone wants a free portrait (dogs that is...not you!!) come along and see me there

Sam, with offers like that you will be inundated with CD's!!!! lol I think I might just have to hunt out the skinners stand on saturday!!! ;0)

We could have a CD meeting at the Skinners stand and put faces to names!!
I'll be showing 2 beasties on Saturday and doing Discover Dogs on Sunday.

i'll be there on the thursday, my first ever crufts, cant wait! getting a bit fed up of telling people im going, only for them to reply "oh.i'll watch out for you on tv" and then having to say, actually, it wont be on :( i know a lot of people are happy about it being camera free, but i always enjoyed watching it on the tv, and i know a lot of friends and family did as well.

Showing my Veteran girl on Saturday, my youngster is qualified but as she is a few inches short of a full tail she cannot attand :(    Will be traveling backto the NEC on Sunday to do the trade stands and take in main ring evening programme & BIS as we have guests from Canada for the show.  I feel tired just thinking about it ..!!!

K

All 3 of mine are qualified but just taking 2 :-)  the one not going gets very excited going to a show and screams blue murder in the car so she's staying and daughter is doggy sitting :)  It's the first time I've ever taken more than one dog to a show so that will be interesting :-D  Hoping that being Thursday and not on TV will mean a quieter show   Last year, Sunday, was a nightmare.

Sam i'm gonna have to hunt you down!!! As i've said i'll be there on sunday.. You know which hall you will be in yet? That will have an impact along with the crowds as to whether i can handle pushing my way through the crowds with my boy

> We could have a CD meeting at the Skinners stand and put faces to names!!

At this rate I may never get there at all!!  I said on an earlier post I was going to show on Sunday - wrong!  It's Saturday :)

First timers nerves are obviously setting in early - perhaps I should just camp out in a nearby car park?  At least that way I stand a reasonable chance of getting there on time, on the right day!  Now, if I can only remember my name...

I'm there on Sunday too - think its the only day I'm gonna go this year as with luck I will hopefully have a baby puppy at home! I did 3 days last year and boy was I tired by the end of it! I will be spectating round the Samoyed ring all day on Sunday but Teri, I WILL come over and say hi - was going to at Manchester but I went all shy!! I'll also be on the Northern Sam Society stand throughout the day if anyone wants to pop by and say hello. I would love to put some CD faces to names....

P.S. Sam, I wish I had a dog for you to photograph, that sounds like a fantastic offer !!

> Now, if I can only remember my name...

and of course remember to take the dog...

lol, you'll do fine :)

> I WILL come over and say hi - was going to at Manchester but I went all shy!!

That would be fab Alice!  It would be lovely to meet up :) :) :)  And please don't be shy (coz that'll make two of us LOL :-o)

I'm just going to do Discover Dogs on the Sunday, though 3 of my four old enough to show are qualified for life.

I'll be there on Thursday Friday and Saturday supporting my friend and her 2 dogs who have qualified for the Freestyle and HTM Finals the first two days. Also she is representing Scotland in the International on Saturday.

Will definitely come along to the Skinners stand Sam I've waited a long time to meet you :-D

I'm taking 4 on Friday and my OH is taking the day off to help me. I'll need it -juggling one ring with the boy and the other with the girlies.

Good luck everyone.

> I'm taking 4 on Friday

Aw, no family reunion then :(  Twas hoping ..... :(

Really Sam - oh yes please!!! :)  you are going to be very very busy now aren't you!

Oh dear dogsababe! LOL - am sure you will be fine :)

On the subject of kids - my 11 and 9yo daughters will be coming and at least one has come every year and they have never moaned about the day - they love it - even if we are a bit restricted on what we can do having a dog there!

I'm hoping to come with my girl.
It will be my first time showing my own dog at Crufts if we get to go..
She broke her pelvis and is still recovering and not moving right(yet).
She is also sporting a "lion cut"(naked bum and lovely mane :)) Goes well her being a Leo but I don't think the judge will appreciate it.
If her movement and coat is not back by then I shall leave her home and come and watch anyway like I have done for years.

Sorry to hear about your girl - hope she recovers soon.

We have entered one dog for this year , hopefully we will be there round the newfy ring.

Peanuts

And I could have sworn toy and working were on t'same day :-(
Never mind I'm doing both days at SKC in August..see you then hen?
I'll be staying at my Mum's in Glasgow.

Im the photographer on the Skinners Food stand all 4 days....so if anyone wants a free portrait (dogs that is...not you!!) come along and see me there :-) :-)

Oh I shall have to remember that's it you and come and say hello. :) As it happens we even feed Skinners now to most of the dogs.

I will be going on thursday for showing and sunday for watching BIS

I only live 20 mins away so easy enough for me but we now have people and dogs stopping in our 2 spare bedrooms and i think 3 camper vans stopping on the front garden/drive.  So should be fun this year.  I get my own back on one of them as I go and stop on the south coast with my dogs for the shows down there but the others will now owe me a favour :)

Emma