The UK Lancashire Heeler Club
Ever wondered what it might be like to show your Lancashire Heeler?
Audrey Bancroft took her first 'show steps' last year with Lancashire Heeler, Doddsline Buscuits. To date he has achieved:
- Darwen CS Open Show BOB Res Best in Show.
- Burnley CS Open Show BOB
- Blackburn & District CS Open Show BOB, Best in Show
- Deane & District CS BOB 2nd Group
- Wirral & District CS BOB
- LKA 1st Post Grad Dog
- Manchester 1st Post Grad Dog
Here, Audrey tells us about her first show year...
I decided to show him... by Audrey Bancroft
I have owned Lancashire Heelers since the early 1960's, the first one a black and tan dog named Ricky. In 1967 we got a bitch, Ginny, who I took all over the country with me in the course of my job. She lived to be 14. In 1984 I bought a lovely bitch with tipped ears from Clitheroe and the following year went back and bought a dog, Tyson, who was a real little character, they lived to be 17 and 19. I then had a rest for 18 months.
I collected Buscuits from his breeder, Norman Johnston, at the beginning of September 2004. He was 15 weeks old and quite a handful. In fact, very mischievously playful with loads of energy, he’s still the same. I decided to take him to obedience classes in Oswaldtwistle, 10 minutes from where I live. The classes are run by Kath, a lady who breeds Labradors , who I now see at dog shows and also ringcraft.
I then thought about showing Buscuits and went back to Mr Johnston to let him have a look at how he had progressed. It's a few months before you can be sure that a dog is 'show quality'. After much discussion I decided to ‘have a go’!
Kath had told me about the ringcraft classes in Brierfield near Burnley on Tuesday evenings so off we went. I had spent hours teaching Buscuits to sit and I now had to try and undo this! This is because the dogs have to stand in line waiting to go on the table. They then have to stand still for the judge to go over them and look at their teeth. Then they have to walk up and down on mats. It’s like a cat walk for dogs! No room for sitting here or sniffing the entire length of the mats!
Buscuits enjoyed it but the handler was near to breaking. The added bonus for Buscuits was the fact that there were quite a few Lancashire Heeler people attending with their dogs so he was like a kid in a toy store. The few Lancashire Heeler people I might add were people of vast experience and judges to boot. The interaction with other breeds is vital too.
Buscuits entered his first show at the beginning of November. He was placed first in his class and was awarded Best Puppy in Breed. I had the bug.
We have now spent the last 12 months competing at local Open Shows and the countrywide Championship Shows, where he has done very well considering we are both novices. Even though I have had Lancashire Heelers since the early sixties, due to work commitments, I could not show them. Last Summer we spent some very entertaining and lovely days at the shows, but I should point out that it is hard work and is not for the faint hearted.
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