The Afghan Hound is a Hound distinguished by its thick, fine, silky coat, and a tail with a ring curl at the end. The breed is selectively bred for its unique features in the cold mountains of Afghanistan. Its local name is Tāžī Spay or Sag-e Tāzī. Other names for this breed are Tāzī, Balkh Hound, Baluchi Hound, Barakzai Hound, Shalgar Hound, Kabul Hound, Galanday Hound or sometimes incorrectly African Hound. As with other sighthounds, they have the ability to run fast and turn well.
The EnglishGreyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a breed of dog, a sighthound which has been bred for coursing, greyhound racing and hunting. Since the rise in large-scale adoption of retired racing Greyhounds, the breed has seen a resurgence in popularity as a family pet.
The Scottish Deerhound, or simply the Deerhound, is a large breed of sighthound, once bred to hunt the red deer by coursing. In outward appearance, the Scottish Deerhound is similar to the Greyhound, but larger and more heavily boned with a rough-coat.
The Whippet is a British breed of medium-sized dog of sighthound type. It is closely related to the Greyhound and – apart from its smaller size – closely resembles it. It has sometimes been described as "the poor man's greyhound". It is kept as a companion dog, and also for showing and for amateur racing and lure coursing. It has the highest running speed of any breed of its weight, and may have the fastest acceleration of any dog.
The English Setter is a medium-size breed of dog. It is part of the setter group, which includes the red Irish Setters, Irish Red and White Setters, and black-and-tan Gordon Setters. The mainly white body coat is of medium length with long silky fringes on the back of the legs, under the belly and on the tail. The coat features flecks of colour, and the different colour varieties are referred to as belton.
The Flat-coated Retriever is a gundog breed originating from England. It was developed as a retriever both on land and in the water.
The Royal Kennel Club (RKC) is the official kennel club of the United Kingdom. It is the oldest recognised kennel club in the world. Its role is to oversee various canine activities including dog shows, dog agility and working trials. It also operates the national register of pedigree dogs in the United Kingdom and acts as a lobby group on issues involving dogs in the UK. Its headquarters are on Clarges Street in Mayfair, London, with business offices in Aylesbury. To celebrate its 150th Anniversary on 5 April 2023, King Charles III confirmed the club with a 'royal' prefix, and so it became the Royal Kennel Club.
Fox Terriers are two different breeds of the terrier dog type: the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier. Both of these breeds originated in the 19th century from a handful of dogs who are descended from earlier varieties of British terriers, and are related to other modern white terrier breeds. In addition, a number of breeds have diverged from these two main types of fox terrier and have been recognised separately, including the Jack Russell Terrier, Miniature Fox Terrier and Rat Terrier. The Wire and Smooth Fox Terriers share similar characteristics, the main differences being in the coat and markings. They have been successful in conformation shows, more prominently in America than their homeland.
Crufts is an international dog show held annually in the United Kingdom, first held in 1891. Organised and hosted by The Kennel Club, it is the largest show of its kind in the world.
The setter is a type of gundog used most often for hunting game such as quail, pheasant, and grouse.
The Jagdterrier is a type of working terrier, originating in Germany, that is used for hunting quarry both above and underground. This breed of terrier is also called the German Hunt Terrier.
Paignton Zoo is a zoo in Paignton, Devon, England. The zoo was started as a private collection by avid animal collector and breeder, Herbert Whitley, in the grounds of his home Primley House. It was opened to the public on a number of occasions, and closed twice due to disputes with the tax authorities. On Whitley's death, the zoo was signed over to a trust, to be run as a public attraction. The zoo has a collection of about 2,000 animals representing nearly 300 species, and it also cultivates about 1,600 different species of plant.
Pedigree Dogs Exposed is a BBC One investigative documentary, produced by Jemima Harrison, which looks into health and welfare issues facing pedigree dogs in the United Kingdom. It was originally broadcast on 19 August 2008.
Herbert Whitley was a millionaire animal breeder who had a passion for breeding animals and plants, especially those blue in colour. His interests spanned livestock, pigeons, dogs, and exotic animals, many of which he kept in a collection at his house on the Primley Estate in Paignton, Devon.
Kathleen Florence May Pelham-Clinton, Duchess of Newcastle-under-Lyne OBE, was a well-known conformation show judge and dog breeder who influenced the Borzoi and Wire Fox Terrier breeds.
Ch. Fiacre's First and Foremost, also known as Fiona, is a Dalmatian bred to have low levels of uric acid. She is registered to the United Kennel Club Dalmatian Breed Club in America and was registered with the American Kennel Club in 2011, when LUA Dalmatians were granted entry into the AKC. She became the first low uric acid Dalmatian to compete at Crufts in the United Kingdom in 2011.
Ch. Soletrader Peek A Boo, also known as Jilly, is a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen show dog owned by Sara Robertson and Wendy Doherty and handled by Gavin Robertson, who won Best in Show at Crufts in 2013. Jilly's owners decided to retire her following her Crufts win.
Primley House is a large estate house in Paignton, Devon. Built in the 18th century by the Belfield family, it stayed in family hands until the early 20th century when it was sold to the Whitley family. Herbert Whitley spent considerable time and effort growing a collection of animals and plants in the extensive outbuildings of the house, before extending his collection onto estate land on the other side of the Totnes Road. That collection was eventually opened to the public and became Paignton Zoo.
United Kingdom 