Crufts 2016: Dog Show Dates, Times, Live Stream, TV Schedule and Preview
The cream of the canine crop begin their battle for dominance anew on Thursday, as Crufts makes its return to Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre for the 2016 edition of the world-famous extravaganza.
Dogs from across the world will compete to be crowned Best in Show at the end of this four-day spectacular, and this year holds special significance, as Crufts will be celebrating its 125th anniversary.
Creatures great and small will come together to compete for the top prize on offer at Crufts 2016, but only one will walk away from Sunday's grand finale victorious.
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Read on for a full breakdown of this weekend's schedule, along with preview of the competition's format and what to expect at this year's event.
| Thursday, March 10 | 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. | More 4 |
| Friday, March 11 | 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. | More 4 |
| Friday, March 11 | 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. | Channel 4 |
| Saturday, March 12 | 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. | Channel 4 |
| Sunday, March 13 | 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. | Channel 4 |
Crufts 2016 will be live streamed via the organisation's official YouTube channel.
Preview
As was previously mentioned, this year's staging of the biggest dog show in the world is particularly prestigious due to the fact that Crufts is celebrating its 125th anniversary
Charles Cruft founded the competition in 1891, and its growth is evidenced by the fact that only 2,500 dogs took part in the inaugural event compared to the 25,000 that compete today:
As inclusive as the competition is, however, that's not to say that everyone is permitted to apply. The official Crufts website provides a full breakdown of every breed that's eligible to participate.
From hounds to heelers and sheepdogs to schnauzers, dogs will compete to be crowned the best in each of their respective groups—hound, gundog, terrier, toy, pastoral, utility and working. Those seven winners will then compete for the grandest prize of all—Best in Show:
Crufts 2016 will have a new attraction as social media is embraced to the fullest for the first time since its inception, with the "Dogs of Instagram" also set to take a portion of the spotlight.
Noodle, Winston, Ramsey and Mika will be just some of the famous pooches on show as spectators are given the chance to meet some of their favourite pups on a more personal level:
No dog has won Best in Show titles in consecutive years since English cocker spaniel Exquisite Model of Ware did so in 1938 and 1939 leading up to World War II. Tracey Witch of Ware did win the award in 1948 and 1950 once the competition resumed, although Crufts was not held in 1949.
McVan's to Russia with Love became just the second Scottish terrier to win Best in Show last year—the last time a Scottish terrier won was in 1929—and there's the chance for further history to be made in 2016.
Tyler Mears of WalesOnline provided a look at some Welsh entrants that may be expected to dazzle, and the English cocker spaniel will look to impose its grip as Crufts' most successful breed ever, having claimed a record seven Best in Show gongs.
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