Every dog has its day: Dylan the papillon is named Best in Show at Crufts

A papillon named Dylan has been crowned Best in Show at the 2019 Crufts dog show.

The champion dog beat six other finalists to claim the show’s top honour on Sunday.

Dylan, owned by Kathleen Roosens, was also named winner of the Toy group earlier in the four-day dog show.

The Crufts final was broadcast live on Channel 4 from the NEC in Birmingham and presided over by judge Dan Ericsson.

Mr Ericsson said: “I was spoilt for choice but my eyes were drawn to this beautiful dog that has everything you look for in the breed, plus personality.”

According to the Kennel Club the papillon’s name, which means butterfly in French, comes from its “well-feathered alert ears” which resemble the insect’s wings.

The breed is said to be highly intelligent and does well in terms of obedience and agility.

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Other Best in Show finalists included Dave, a six-year-old boxer from Banbury, Oxfordshire; Luther, a three-year-old Irish water spaniel from Thursby, Cumbria; and Charleen, a six-year-old samoyed from Portugal.

Also competing for the prestigious top prize were Mike, a three-year-old basset griffon vendeen from Wallingford, Oxfordshire; Eva, a three-year-old Scottish terrier from Russia; and Bearly, a shih tzu from Thailand.

About 27,000 dogs were expected to have attended the 2019 Crufts show, with more than 200 different breeds of dogs vying for a place in the Best in Show final.

This year’s four-day event, the 128th in the show’s history, also saw 3,611 dogs from overseas entered into the show.

Earlier on Sunday retired police dog Finn and his owner Pc Dave Wardell were honoured with the Kennel Club Friends for Life award.

Heroic Finn was stabbed several times and left fighting for his life after protecting the police officer from an attack in 2016.

Their experience led to a campaign to create a Finn’s Law and make it a criminal offence to attack a service animal. A new Bill is in its final stages in the House of Lords.

Speaking after their win, Mr Wardell said: “I can’t believe it. I feel so emotional. Just by being here we had won already.

“It has been a culmination of years of campaigning to get Finn’s story heard.”