ALL dogs great and small packed into Weymouth Pavilion for a Rotary fundraiser.
The companion dog show celebrated everything about man’s best friend with competitions ranging from pedigree classes to fastest sausage eater.
Organiser Alf Larkin, of Melcombe Regis Rotary Club, said the event went ‘brilliantly’.
He said: “Our aim is to raise enough to buy and train a dog for Canine Partners, which provides assistant dogs for people with disabilities.
“For a first-time event it has been so well received and we really are grateful to our sponsors and the stallholders who have helped make it such a success.”
The club has worked with the charity in the past, and donated £650 in August last year to purchase a yellow Labrador puppy called Toffee.
Malcolm Wells, a national speaker for Canine Partners, said: “We are very much a community charity, supporting people and helping them to be independent.
“The dogs are trained by volunteers for up to 16 months before doing advanced training at our national headquarters for another five months.
“They do everything from helping people to get dressed to picking things up and opening drawers and cupboards.”
Mr Wells added: “It’s great to come to events like this and be on the ground, meeting people.
“We support anyone with physical disabilities and there is a waiting list in Weymouth for our dogs.”
More than 80 pedigree dogs took part in the classes, with many owners entering their prized pooches in several competitions.
Even more took part in the open novelty classes, which included most awesome trick and fancy dress. Hundreds of animal lovers packed into the Ocean Room to watch the show.
Greta Coleby, 25, travelled from her home in Lymington, Hamp-shire, with partner Chris, to take part.
She said: “We have five dogs and we come to a lot of events like this.
“It’s been really good.
“Chris and one of our dogs, Bonnie, won the terrier competition and they also entered the open variety and best handler.”
For more information about the charity, visit caninepartners.org.uk
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