Crufts 2015: Top dogs take to the catwalk

The famous green carpet has been rolled out Oscars-style in Birmingham as canine competitors arrived for what is billed as The Greatest Dog Show on Earth - Crufts.

Almost 21,500 dogs will compete this year, with the number of dogs from overseas, external reaching 2,987, coming from 43 countries. There are 332 more dogs than last year, and for the first time, entrants from South Africa and South Korea.

dogs wearing coats — Image caption,
Fashions change - An Afghan Hound models a smart raincoat outside the Crufts Dog Show at the Olympia Stadium in the 1950s, while Reuben the Springer Spaniel waits outside the NEC in Birmingham in his rather more relaxed onesie on the first day of the 2015 show

Dog — Image caption,
A Cocker Spaniel peers out from his pen - it is the most successful breed to win Best in Show, with seven titles

The most represented breeds this year are Labrador Retrievers, with 549 entrants, and Golden Retrievers, with 532.

There is just one Hungarian Kuvasz, six Greenland Dogs, seven Turkish Kangal Dogs and nine Canaan Dogs.

The exhibition covers more than 25 acres of the NEC in Birmingham - the equivalent of about 14 football pitches.

Image caption,
Dogs arrive for day one of Crufts 2015 at the NEC, Birmingham

Hungarian Kuvaz and Canaan Dog — Image caption,
One Hungarian Kuvaz (l) will be shown at 2015 Crufts - the first time in five years, while there will be nine Canaan Dogs (r)

Crufts through the years: 1891 - 1938

1891 - The first Cruft's show in that name takes place at the Royal Agricultural Hall, Islington with 2,437 entries and 36 breeds.
1914 - Suspended for the duration of World War One
1928 - Best in Show award starts. The first winner is a Greyhound called Primley Sceptre
1936 - The show breaks the 10,000 entries mark for the first time
1938 - Charles Cruft dies. His widow, Emma Cruft takes over the running of the show

Image caption,
Golden retrievers Lady (left) and Yoda (right) wait outside before day one of Crufts 2015 at the NEC, Birmingham

The Kennel Club has an artist in residence who paints each year's Best in Show. The completed work is then presented at the following year's show to the Chairman of the Kennel Club Arts Foundation, before going on display at the Kennel Club in London.

Painter Paul Doyle described his rendition of the 2014 champion Afterglow Maverick Sabre (known as Ricky) as "capturing something of [the dog's] quiet yet commanding nature."

Small dog and a bigger one — Image caption,
About 21,500 dogs are due to compete at this year's Crufts, which lasts for four days and is streamed live on the internet

Crufts through the years: 1942 - 1961

1942-7 - Show is not held due to World War Two
1948 - Cruft's moves to Olympia
1950 - Cruft's first televised by the BBC
1954 - Electricians' strike action leads to the show being cancelled
1961 - Entries break the 15,000 mark for the first time

Charles Cruft painting — Image caption,
Charles Cruft became interested in dogs after getting a job as a dog-biscuit salesman

The man behind Crufts

Founder Charles Cruft left college in 1876 and, rather than join the family jewellery business, he became an office boy at Spratts - a new venture in London selling "dog cakes", now known as dog biscuits.

He worked his way up to become a travelling salesman, peddling his wares across Europe and helping promote the canine section of the Paris Exhibition.

Back in England in 1886 Cruft took up the management of the Allied Terrier Club Show at the Royal Aquarium in Westminster.

In 1891 the first Cruft's show was booked into the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington and it has evolved and grown ever since.

The show lost its apostrophe in 1974, becoming Crufts.

Dogs arriving in trolleys — Image caption,
Transport for dogs arriving at Crufts in 2015 bears a distinct similarity to that used in the 1930s

Crufts through the years: 1974 - 1987

1974 - Cruft's is rebranded to Crufts, as it is decided that the apostrophe is no longer needed
1974 - The show takes place under subdued lighting and with an abbreviated catalogue due to the three-day working week which had been enforced due to a power crisis
1982-1987 The show is extended to three, then four days to accommodate the increasing numbers of dogs and spectators

Image caption,
A little girl introduces her toy dog to a Pyrenean Mountain dog on the first day of Cruft's, 1937

The Kennel Club has run the competition since 1948, when it was held at the Olympia Stadium in London.

The annual event was suspended for both World War One and World War Two, while the death of King George VI on 6 February 1952 led to the cancellation of the beginning of the show - it went ahead two days later.