IT'S SHOWTIME

THE WORLD'S GREATEST CELEBRATION OF DOGS AND DOG LOVERS IS BACK

- By WILL JENNINGS

FOUR days, 18,000 dogs but only one Best in Show - Crufts is back today and it's bigger than ever.

Thousands of dog-lovers will flock to the NEC Birmingham for a long weekend of thrills, spills and showstopping entertainment.

From showing to agility, flyball to obedience and Discover Dogs to Scruffts, the world's biggest dog show has it all - and the stage is set for another pulsating few days of action.

The curtain was raised at the Royal Kennel Club in London in February, where this year's Hero Dog finalists were invited to Green Park for a special photocall and once-in-a-life-time day at the hallowed home of the oldest recognised kennel club in the world.

It's been exactly 135 years since Charles Cruft staged the inaugural instalment of the now world-famous dog show at Islington's Royal Agricultural Hall - and it's fair to say it's only gone in one direction ever since.

From around 2,000 dogs in 1891 to a bumper 18,000 registered for this year's event, the profile of Crufts has grown exponentially with the show - which runs from Thursday to Sunday - now boasting a truly comprehensive global footprint.

Beloved canine companions will descend on Birmingham from the likes of New Zealand, Argentina and Peru, with a record-breaking number of international contestants - over 4,000 featuring this year.