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Miro, a Polish lowland sheepdog, was raring to go (Jacob King/PA)
PA Wire/PA Images - Jacob King
Thousands of pooches will put their best paw forward this weekend as breeds of all shapes and sizes arrive in Birmingham for Crufts 2026.
The world’s greatest celebration of dogs is set to welcome more than 18,000 furry friends, showcasing the very best of dog breeding, training and handling.
A Dachshund arriving on the first day of the Crufts Dog Show (Jacob King/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jacob King
It is tiring work for owners and their pups, as Pete Anderton catches a brief snooze with his Hungarian puli Tilly before the action starts (Jacob King/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jacob King
Dog owners and dog lovers flock from around the world to attend (Jacob King/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jacob King
The Kennel Club says that more than 4,500 entries to the show come from overseas, with owners bringing dogs from as far as Peru and New Zealand in the hopes of landing the coveted best in show.
Last year, Miuccia, a four-year-old whippet from Venice, Italy, came out on top to land the top award.
Performing for the masses is hungry work for the dogs, who will take part in events showcasing agility, obedience and breed quality across the three-day weekend (Jacob King/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jacob King
The competition runs over three days, with best in show crowned on Sunday (Jacob King/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jacob King
Boxers on the first day of the Crufts Dog Show (Jacob King/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jacob King
Brushing up on style: A Shetland sheepdog will be among hundreds of dogs getting pampered to perfection (Jacob King/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jacob King
Day one will showcase the best working and pastoral pups, as well as displays of obedience, heelwork to music and energetic flyball races.
West Midlands Police will also display the best work of its dog unit, which has been preparing for the show for weeks.
Casper, a 15-month-old Malinois, is among the dogs from West Midlands Police Dog Training Centre in Coventry (Fabio De Paola Media Assignments/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Fabio De Paola Media Assignments
Siberian huskies are one of the most popular breeds this weekend, with more than 150 individual dogs entered to compete (Jacob King/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jacob King
A Dogue de Bordeaux has its eyes on the prize (Jacob King/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jacob King
With more than 200 different breeds, including Hungarian pulis, animal lovers can meet and pet dogs of all shapes, sizes, and personalities (Jacob King/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jacob King
The three-day competition runs from March 5 until March 8 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.
Dog fans at home can enjoy 17-and-a-half hours of Crufts coverage from the comfort of their sofa, as the competition’s best bits will be shown on Channel 4 and More4.
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