Borders dogs hoping to have their day at Crufts at the double

Every dog has its day, according to the old saying, and a Borders family are hoping it holds true for their two this week.
Kath Lothian with her Border terriers Jimi and Duke.Kath Lothian with her Border terriers Jimi and Duke.
Kath Lothian with her Border terriers Jimi and Duke.

Two Border terriers owned by Lauder’s Peter and Kath Lothian, along with daughter Cheyenne, will be vying for prizes at the world’s biggest dog show on Friday, March 9.

They will be among more than 21,000 dogs competing at this year’s Crufts show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, beginning on Thursday, March 8, and running for four days.

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The Lothians’ contenders are four-year-old Jimi and two-year-old Duke.

The family have spent the last 10 weeks ensuring that both dogs are in the best possible shape, and Kath, a regular competitor at Crufts since the early 1990s, said that just to qualify is an honour, so if either pets placed in their respective categories she would be on “cloud nine”.

She added: “It is hugely competitive. There is definitely a buzz.

“We go for a great day out, but it is really something if one of your dogs gets placed at Crufts because it is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, dog show in the world. I’d be on cloud nine if that happens.”

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The family have enjoyed success at the Kennel Club-organised show, held annually since 1891, in the past.

Back in 2009, their Border terrier Ruby landed the top prize in a best puppy category.

This year’s event sees Jimi entered into the mid-limit category for the breed and Duke in the postgraduate class.

Peter has been paying particular attention to the dogs’ coats to ensure they will have grown through properly in time for the show, and they have been walked two miles a day to make sure they are in the best physical shape possible.

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The competition’s judges will be looking out not just for the quality of the dogs’ coats but also their movement, the way they stand, their expressions and how healthy and alert they are.

Kath added: “Jimi qualified for Crufts at the Scottish Border Terrier Show in Selkirk last November, and Duke qualified by being consistently placed over the UK at shows such as a Scottish Kennel Club event in Edinburgh in May and the Ladies’ Kennel Association Championship Show at the NEC in Birmingham in December.

“It is an honour to qualify for Crufts – being placed is a super bonus.”