Scone Palace goes to the dogs as it hosts first canine festival

Perthshire attraction welcomes four-legged visitors and their owners to launch of Paws at the Palace

Perth welcomed hundreds of fourlegged friends to Scone Palace at the weekend for the first Paws at the Palace festival.

Organised in partnership with Dog Friendly Perthshire, the day was packed with competitions, parades of different breeds, agility demonstrations and try-out sessions.

Scone Palace also welcomed Crufts’ viral sensation, Kratu, the Romanian rescue dog.

Crowds watched Kratu wreak havoc around the Crufts agility course at the Birmingham NEC earlier this year.

Kratu’s owner and trainer, Tess Eagle Swan, used her skills to help judge the show activities.

Last summer, Scone Palace was named in the top seven of the UK’s most pet-friendly places and outranked several other famous Scottish locations, making it the animal lovers’ favourite in Scotland.

Paws at the Palace kicked off a busy summer schedule for the Scone Palace team, with the Scottish Game Fair, Rewind festival and Perth Highland Games all lined up to take place in the next six weeks.

Heather McArthur, the palace’s events manager, was delighted to welcome even more canine visitors than usual.

She said: “It’s clear from the number of four-legged visitors we get to Scone Palace, and from the success of Dog Friendly Perthshire, that we’re in a region that loves its dogs.

“This inspired us to dedicate a whole day especially to dogs and their owners.

“It is a chance for pets and their owners to mingle and take part in some fun activities whilst enjoying our beautiful grounds, and learn a thing or two as well.”

Katie McCandless Thomas, who launched co-organisers Dog Friendly Perthshire last year, attended with her lhasa apso, Baxter, who fronts her campaign.

She said: “I launched Dog Friendly Perthshire due to popular demand and it now has more than 7,000 followers on social media.

“I’m confident that Perthshire will become the dog-friendly capital of Scotland, and Paws at the Palace is another step towards that happening.”

Pictures: Angus Findlay. Some of the different breeds at the festival alongside their owners and, below, the busy scene in the grounds of Scone Palace.

Ariella Grant, 3, hugs her St Newfie, Everest.

Lola Collin, 10, shows off her schnauzer, Lottie.

Hamish Miller with his gordon setters, Wickham, Darcey, Lucas and Bingley.