Bow wow!
Best In Show at Crufts goes to a papillon for the first time
THERE doesn’t look much to this tiny ball of fluff.
But Dylan the papillon has taken the coveted Best In Show crown at Crufts.
The dog beat six other finalists to claim the competition’s top honour yesterday – the first of his breed ever to win the award.
Dylan, owned by Kathleen Roosens, was earlier named winner of the Toy group.
He swept aside nearly 27,000 dogs who competed for a place in the Crufts final, broadcast live from the NEC in Birmingham.
Judge Dan Ericsson said: ‘I was spoilt for choice but my eyes were drawn to this beautiful dog that has everything you look for in the breed, plus personality.’
The papillon, which means butterfly in French, is socalled because its ears resemble the insect’s wings. They are tiny creatures, with an average height of just seven to 11 inches and weight of less than nine pounds.
The finale was a more civilised affair than last year, when the stage was invaded by animal rights protesters from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Three years ago an Irish setter that died after competing at Crufts was found to have ingested poison.