DOGS with jobs have been limbering up for the Dorset Echo’s ‘Has Your Dog Got Talent?’ contest finals which will be showcased at next month's Dorset County Show.
A cavalcade of canines, ranging from bulldogs and border collies to rottweilers and retrievers, descended on a charity dog show and fun day organised by the Margaret Green Animal Sanctuary in Church Knowle near Corfe Castle on Sunday.
Specially-trained dogs from the Purbeck Agility Group helped amateur dogs learn new tricks by showing them how to run through tunnels, leap over jumps and weave through agility poles in the scurry-racing ring.
Terry Amey, 73, of Bovington, who runs the group, said agility was a great way to practise for the talent contest .
Terry, the owner of Lucy, a three-year-old bichon frisé, said: “The dogs enjoy themselves so much. Agility keeps them active and fit as well as getting the owners moving around.
“This talent contest is great because there’s an awful lot of anti-dog people out there. We can change their minds because we can show you dogs being clever and eager to please their owners and delighting an audience.
“Some of the dogs are really clever – and some of their owners are too! So I think everyone should enter ‘Has Your Dog Got Talent?’ and show off to their heart’s content.”
Purbeck Agility Group has around 70 members involved with agility and 100 trainers also take their dogs to the group’s obedience classes.
* To enter visit dorsetecho.co.uk/dogtalent
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