Puppies on parade

Held to thank those who open their homes and hearts to mischievous young hounds until they are mature enough to join the pack, puppy shows are a much-loved cornerstone of the rural summer

- Written by Tessa Waugh

SUMMERTIME in Britain is puppy show season. On any day through the months of June, July and sometimes August, hunts up and down the land will be displaying last year's puppies to a glorious multigenerational gathering of puppy walkers and hunting faithful. The main objective of these occasions is to thank the puppy walkers. It is also an open day of sorts for the kennels, requiring intense amounts of sweeping, painting and mowing beforehand. In the run-up, hunt staff will also be occupied with educating the puppies in the ways of showing: they must master the intense cock-headed stare at the proffered biscuit, the swift pursuit of a biscuit to the corner of the ring. The nervous, stern-clamped search for the exit will have to be overcome in favour of an insouciant gambol in front of the crowd.

On the day itself, all the work culminates in the time-honoured scene: hanging baskets erupting with blooms, freshly cut grass, judges in bowler hats and hunt staff in white kennel coats. With any luck the sun will shine as the first of last year's pups bound on to the flagstones. Guests will ignore the faint waft of decay emanating from the flesh house - that is all part of kennel life - and feel, for the next few hours, that all is right with the world.