Dog owners are getting ready for the biggest showing event of the year and Gazette reporters spoke to the owners of the pampered pooches to find out what taking part in Crufts really means.

ONCE again, county dog breeders will be making the trip to the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham for Crufts, the most prestigious dog show in the world.

Although Wiltshire has not produced a champion of champions for many years, locally bred dogs regularly take first prize in their classes and always produce good results.

Theresa Stockman's two six-year-old Rottweilers, Murphy and Chester, have qualified for life at Crufts and have appeared there every year for the past five years.

Murphy, otherwise known as Star of India at Tattenhoe, won his class in 2000.

Mrs Stockman, from Bourton, Bishops Cannings, will not be travelling to Birmingham herself, but will leave the handling of the two big dogs to her colleague, Bev Kimber.

Instead, Mrs Stockman will be manning the South West Rottweiler telephone helpline, which she set up a number of years ago.

She said: "We direct prospective owners to proper puppy breeders, rather than have them go to puppy farmers.

"We also give advice on how to train the dogs. People don't realise what they are taking on when they get a big guard dog like this."

The helpline can be reached on (01380) 862948.

Joan Chaplin from Anstie Close, Devizes, is hopeful, but not optimistic, about the chances for her Shetland Sheepdog Lizzie, alias Keltihope Prize N Joy, who qualified for the show last year.

She said: "There is an entry of 311 dogs, 157 of them bitches like Lizzie, so I am not too hopeful. But I am sure we will both enjoy our day."

Rosie Clifford, from Roundway Village, near Devizes, has had a lot of success over the years with her wire-haired Dachshunds, especially ten-year-old Monty, who won his veterans class last year.

This year Monty will be taking a back seat while his offspring, Hector (Winterstorm Symphony with Ablebody) and Papageno (Brockbane with Ablebody) try their luck in the special puppy class.

Mary Martin, from Chittoe, near Bromham, is another Crufts veteran, gaining great success with Pugs Pollyanna and Pendlebury Dorabella.

This year she is showing 22-month-old Augustus (Hattella Augustus of Nemorasa) who is already the proud possessor of one challenge certificate. He needs three to be a champion.

Christine Bodman, whose family runs Bodman's Coaches in Worton, is another frequent visitor to Crufts with her Newfoundland dogs.

Freya, who died last year at the age of 12 and a half, was placed in her class every year she took part.

This year Mrs Bodman is hopeful about the chances of 16-month-old Lobo (Sheridel Luciano of Acara) in the special junior class.

Gill and Gary Gray from Bromham are keen owners of German Shepherds. Their eight-year-old champion, Kane, won his class in 1997, 1998 and 1999.

This year their hopes rest on four-year-old Lottie (Lindella's Love Me Do at Slatehouse) and her two-year-old son Travis (Slatehouse Mannus).

Sandra Mistlin, from Urchfont, will be taking just one of her curly-coated retrievers to Crufts this year, but she hopes that Daisy will be the cream of the crop in her class.

Anara Hibberd is hoping her miniature dachshund Piper will scoop a Crufts prize and also a prospective new owner.

Mrs Hibberd, 72, of Callows Lane, Biddestone, explained: "Piper lives with my Border Terriers and although he is a beautiful and loyal dog, he really needs a new owner who will make him the centre of attention and shower him with affection.

"I have had him for about a year and this will be his first Crufts," she added.

"The breeder I bought him from is going to show him for me, as he already qualified for Crufts before I got him.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he did well he's a lovely dog. It would be great if a new owner could also be found after a story about him appeared in the Gazette.

"It would have to be someone who preferably was at home all day. He likes nothing better than following you about or sitting on your knee."

Displaying all the continental characteristics of a Swedish Dachschund, Piper pedigree name Nordach Pied Piper of Biddestone has relatively long legs for a dachschund.

He also has a very short, wiry coat, with cute whiskers.

"Because his coat is so short, he takes very little grooming," said Mrs Hibberd.

"He really is a very pretty little dog."

Anyone interested in applying to be his new owner should contact Mrs Hibberd on (01249) 701964.

From mini to massive, St Bernard Duncan short for Duncan Disorderly is only 15 months old, but already weighs 12 stone.

The family pet and potential Crufts champion of Linda and Roger Martin, this will be Duncan's first appearance at the canine 'Oscars'.

However, his proud owners are hoping he will follow in the footsteps of his ancestors and win big. "Duncan's grandmother Emma was a Crufts best of breed winner, his cousin Onja, who we will also be showing, is already a champion and Duncan already has a junior warrant," said Mrs Martin, 49.

Mr and Mrs Martin own Brinkworth Kennels and Cattery and have been showing dogs at Crufts for 30 years.

"My husband named him Duncan Disorderly," explained Mrs Martin, "possibly because of his own love of Guinness. "

"In the month before the competition, both he and Onja will be regularly groomed and trimmed and we'll give them an intensive half-day of grooming the day before the show.

"It takes two of us to lift them out of the bath and around three hours in all to bathe them, but they look lovely afterwards. Duncan has around another stone to gain before he's fully grown, but his size doesn't put off his owners.

"They're just big, soppy teddy bears really," said Mrs Martin.