Dash does Crufts

For four days in March, the Birmingham NEC is home to the largest dog show on the planet. If you’ve been following the blog, you’ll know that Dash and I just happened to have a free ticket. I’d expected it might be a difficult day logistically, but the first challenge came sooner than I guessed – getting Dash out of the car park. There were so many puddles, spits, spots and trickles of wee to sample, it was like dragging an alcoholic past a winery. And don’t even mention the number of canine behinds that jogged invitingly in every direction. Eventually, however, we reached our destination and took our place at the stand of Tuffies dog beds (www.tuffies.co.uk) who’d invited us to make a guest appearance. Saturday was ‘Hound and terrier’ day, so I was hopeful that a fair percentage of people would be pleased to see a pretty greyhound in a red and gold coat. It turns out I was right. From the moment when Dash flopped onto one of the dog beds until we took our leave a few hours later, we were never short of company. The fact that it was also Crufts’ 120th anniversary meant that it felt extra-special to be part of it all. We even made it onto the official website with a couple of photos and a lovely little article entitled ‘A greyt read for dog-lovers at dfs Crufts’! As if I didn’t need reminding, it seems greyhounds really do inspire a particular affection and sympathy. With so much attention, Dash, of course, was in doggy heaven. It was also quite a commercial success since we ended up selling one copy of ‘Dash: Bitch of the Year’ every four minutes! ‘What now?’ I hear you ask. Well, next stop Broadcasting House! I’m due to appear on BBC Radio London’s ‘Barking at the Moon’ with Jo Good and Anna Webb. Tune in tomorrow (Thursday 16 March) from 22.00–24.00 for more Dash-related fun ...

Dash and Bristol DAWG

Last Saturday saw Dash and me heading west. We were the special guests of Bristol-based Dog Action Welfare Group (aka DAWG). The morning began with a mass walk and, with over 120 hounds in attendance, we made a very impressive spectacle. Some of the dogs who’d been brought from kennels for the day had coats advertising their availability, so let’s hope a few would-be adopters were swayed. After the walk, it was back to the local Pets At Home for a reading from ‘Dash: Bitch of the Year’. The original plan was to read in the store, but there were so many people (and hounds) in attendance that we blocked the entrance. The only alternative was to give the reading outside. Next stop Wembley Arena! This was followed by signing and selling of books, with Dash adding her much coveted pawprint sticker. As befitted the star of the show, Dash also showed off her customized red and gold coat. For more snaps of the event, go to: http://southwestdawg.wordpress.com/. In terms of how the figures stacked up, over £700 was raised to help greyhounds and lurchers less lucky than Dash. This was topped off when the store presented DAWG with a cheque for a mammoth £5,800 towards the cost of new kennels. All in all, I’d say the day was a ‘greyt’ success. The next event in the calendar promises to be just as exciting – Crufts! On Saturday 12th March (hound and terrier day), we’ll be making a guest appearance with Tuffies dog beds (Hall 5, stand 56) from 10.00–14.00. Hope to see you there!

Dash splash in Daily Mail!

Someone’s had their picture in the papers, I see. And not just a teeny one either, but a whopping double-page spread! Pages 40–41 of last Friday’s Daily Mail were adorned with a lovely picture of Dash sporting her ring bearer’s collar. There was also a very abridged version of the story itself. For those who missed the print edition, the online version can be seen here: http://bit.ly/eP8aXw. As a direct result, the book raced into the Top 500 Bestseller List on Amazon! It was also – for a short space of time – the Number 1 Bestseller in Amazon’s ‘Dogs’ list. That’s above Cesar Millan and Jan Fennell (the Dog Whisperer and Dog Listener respectively). Can you believe it? Exciting stuff! Dash seems to be taking her newfound stardom in her stride however. You could even be forgiven for thinking her outstretched paw in the above photo is the standard ‘No pictures’ response to paparazzi. So the fun continues … and so does this blog. 'What’s next?', I hear you ask. Well, if you’re in the vicinity of the Pets at Home store in Bradley Stoke, Bristol, on Saturday 5th, you can join Dash on a sponsored walk. All proceeds go to the ‘Dog Action Welfare Group’ (DAWG) and there’s a reading from the book afterwards (by me, not her). Hope to see all hound-lovers there at 10.45 a.m.