Thousands compete for coveted Best in Show on day one of Crufts 2016

IT IS banned as a kind of performance-enhancing product, but that doesn’t stop anyone using it as they fight for the coveted Best in Show title.

IT’S the open secret no one will admit — but a simple household product could be the key to success at the world’s biggest dog show.

Standard hairspray is banned as a kind of performance-enhancing product at Crufts, the iconic event celebrating its 125th year anniversary in Birmingham this weekend.

But despite the Sharapova-style scandal that could result, thick plumes can be seen throughout the draughty exhibition halls as dogs are meticulously groomed to showroom perfection in the quest for the coveted Best in Show title announced on Sunday.

“If you do, you don’t admit to it,” said Sarah O’Higgins, the owner of three-year-old Lewis, while combing his sizeable mane.

Rather than the “puppy pants” style, she’s opted for a “continental trim” based on the traditional duck-hunting look when dogs were required to swim so were groomed with a bare body and mane for buoyancy, plus thick feet for paddling and a tail to act as a rudder.

“People think it’s just a poncey cut, [but] we don’t just clip bits off for the sake of it,” she said, fluffing the strategically placed tufts on Lewis’ back to keep his kidneys warm.

The obsessive preening is par for the course at the prestigious show that takes up 100,000sq m of a National Exhibition Centre with nearly 22,000 entrants and 200 dog breeds from the Finnish Spitz to the Portuguese Podengo.

A poodle rocking the ‘puppy pants’ style, as one dog-owner called it. Picture: Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images

As owners, breeders and dog-lovers converge in the cavernous halls filled with stalls selling everything from diamante collars to deli-treats with “human-grade” fillings, the vibe is friendly and curious with an undercurrent of nervous energy — and that’s not just the cooped up dogs.

“This event itself is the equivalent of us winning the Olympics or winning Wimbledon,” said former champion Gavin Robertson, who won the Best in Show in 2013 with his petit Basset Griffon Vendeen named Jilly.

“You can’t explain how intense it is … The dog is like an athlete. You can be a good runner but the difference between a good runner and a great runner is the training and the time you put in, and the effort and the diet.”

“When I had Jilly, she was a lazy dog so I had to physically walk her every day. I walked her five miles every day religiously to keep her in top-top condition. Rain, wind or shine. I walked her Christmas Day, I walked her New Year’s Day in the snow.”

Now retired, Jilly has reverted to being “the laziest dog in the world” and Mr Robertson has focused on his kennel manufacturing business, but even when not competing he’s still hungry for more.

“It’s like the biggest show in the world, everyone wants to win it. Even though I’ve won it, I want to win it again. It’s not like that’s it, it’s a tick thing,” he said.

#blessed. Goda Sulcaite takes a selfie with her poodle Cristiano Ronaldo Picture: Joe Giddens/PA

FINDING THE PERFECT SPECIMEN

It’s a common sentiment throughout the show made famous by Queen Victoria when she opted to show her collie and three Pomeranians in 1891 despite bigger and more popular events existing at the time.

Despite suffering from a poisoning scandal last year which turned out to be unrelated to the event, this year’s show features dogs from a record 47 countries including Australia and Peru with entry limited by strict criteria.

Only award-winning pedigree dogs are allowed except for a separate “Scrufts” category open to crossbreeds. Dogs are judged on how closely they match a “blueprint” set by the UK Kennel Club that includes everything from bones to temperament, movement and health.

Once dogs have won their own class they can compete for a best of breed. From there, it goes to the best of seven groups; toy, hounds, utility, gun dogs, terriers, working and pastoral. The winners of each group will face off in a Sunday Superbowl-style event under spotlights and broadcast live to the nation.

It’s the moment miniature schnauzer owner Jayne Dursley is thinking about while trimming Wilson into the right shape to “show off his chest” as well as the coveted “cylindrical legs” and “brick shaped head” with eyebrows just the right length in proportion to the face.

Keeshonden breeder Sally Newman also has her eyes on the prize with Bolt, a handsome fluffy three-year-old with the requisite “spectacle” markings who is impeccably trained to prick up his ears on command.

Dogs being wheeled around in prams was a common site, with owners admitting they can spend up to $60 on a bottle of shampoo. Picture: Justin Tallis

Elsewhere, Shih tzu owner Gillian Gibson is brushing the gloriously conditioned hair of her two dogs, George and Sophie, and tying it into the regulated single ponytail on top of their head. At nine-and-a-half years old chow chow, Jude, has seen it all before and seems to be enjoying the attention his real-life teddy bear looks are gaining him.

Kennel Club secretary Caroline Kisko said the organisation want to use their national moment in the spotlight to ensure people are choosing the right dog for their lifestyle when they get a pet. They’re also trying to raise awareness about “vulnerable breeds” and reaching out to a younger generation with famous dogs of Instagram on hand for selfies with fans.

“Bruno the mini dachshund” owner Lindsay Sanders said she had been blown away by the support for her “weenteam” dog she bought with her partner Sarah Milner two years ago.

They started the Instagram account as a dumping ground for pictures to avoid spamming family and friends and now have nearly 70,000 people obsessed with watching Bruno rip boxes apart and are set to launch a new website.

The dog’s distinctive sparkly bow ties have also seen them “papped” on weekends which she served as a bit of a wake-up call for Bruno’s real life profile.

Want to see more? Follow Crufts online or Bruno on Instagram.

Originally published as Thousands compete for coveted Best in Show on day one of Crufts 2016