Are you going to Crufts this year but don’t know what to expect? Let me explain from someone who has been as an exhibitor AND a visitor / dog lover. Click Here if you still need tickets.

How Do I find my Way Around?

The NEC Arena in Birmingham is split into 5 halls for this event… but they are all joined in a horse-shoe shape (with Hall 3 at the top end) so there is no need to go out and come back in again… unless you want to go straight from Hall 1 to Hall 5 (and back again) and don’t want to traipse through everyone in Halls 2, 3 and 4 to watch a certain demo or dog show! Just make sure to get a wristband or hand stamp if you do this coz you are effectively leaving the arena. (This is also good at lunch-time coz there are some lovely café’s in the middle of the “horseshoe”)

Hall 1 is also where you can get access to the Main arena where you can watch the flyball, agility and other competitions or demo’s throughout each and every day. The “Best In Show” is also held here on the Sunday Night but you need to buy a separate ticket for this event.

I’ve known friends to spend 1 day in the Halls and then the rest of their time just sitting in the Arena which is also an option x

So what is in each Hall?

Halls 1, 2, 4 and 5 are each split into Shopping areas and Show areas. You have to walk through the exhibitors (shopping) stands to get to the outer edge of each hall where you will see the show rings. The programme will have details of who is showing where so you will always know what to expect with your favourite breed.

Hall 3 is the area where I get excited as this is Discover Dogs where there are hundreds of open pens containing information of every breed you ever thought of. Even i was flabbergasted when i first went, hall 3 just felt like it went on forever! This does not include cross-breeds, (sorry if you were after meeting a prize-winning Cockerpoo), but you CAN meet your pups’ ancestor lines to see which characteristics they have developed more than others!

Is It Expensive?

It depends on how much you buy 😉

The first year I went to Crufts (only after i became an accredited Canine massage Therapist), I was surprised at how many bargains were to be had. There are tons of special crufts offers at the hundreds of exhibition stands if you want to grab a bargain, be that a particular brand of harness, food, treat or supplement.

There are human clothing and gift stalls too… I got a bargain “Crazy Dog Lady” hoody for just £15 the first year I went and it always makes others laugh (and agree) when I wear it to networking events.

Can I get food and drink there

Yes, but it is quite expensive and the queues can get long sometimes.

There are the standard NEC places to eat/drink in Halls 1 and 5… and then occasional private stands around too. And as mentioned previously, there are café’s just outside of the halls and bigger restaurants about 15mins walk away but it’s advisable to book a table if you wish to go in the evenings.

I personally lived off the Cornish Pasties from one stand in Hall 2 the first year I went… I was gutted when they weren’t there the year afterwards but it taught me to take lunch and plenty of snacks.

So what day should I go?

So Crufts runs from the first Thursday to Sunday in March and has a different “theme” of dog each day.

This year (2025) the days are:

• Thursday: Terrier And Hound
• Friday: Utility and Toy
• Saturday: Gundog
• Sunday: Working and Pastoral

So if you would like to go see a particular breed show, e.g. rottweilers are my favourite so I would go on the Sunday this year so I can stand amongst a sea of them!

The days do change each year so next year will be Working and Pastoral on the Thursday and then the others all move over a day.

Can I “pet” the dogs?

You can in the Discover Dogs section in Hall 3, in fact this is encouraged x

As for the ones in show, no!

At least, not until they have shown at least.

A lot of time and energy (and often money) have been devoted to getting their dog looking PERFECT and the stress is often too much for the owner to even have a conversation whilst they are getting ready for their turn.

After they have shown, it depends upon whether their dog has won or not…

• the owners may be more forthcoming to conversation if they have won their round of judging,
• or they may just want to get home with their tail between their legs if they have not been placed at all,
• I have found that many owners are more open to a conversation and a fuss towards the end of the day when all the stress is off and they are doing their shopping too!

However, there are dogs around the Halls who will be or have been competing within the arena, as well as dogs from the Discover Dogs stand that need a comfort break so these may be ok to stroke… but still make sure you ask first because the dog (or owner) may be all-peopled out too if they have been working all day!

Never assume a dog is a certain breed! You will get head bitten off by the owner (more dangerous than the dog!) if you get it wrong. Always best to start with “oh what a beautiful dog, what breed are they?”

Where do the dogs stay when they are showing at Crufts?

There are specific areas that the dogs have to stay in next to their ring and they have to be on lead or crated at all times.

There are a few exits for comfort breaks for the dogs whilst they are waiting to be seen but generally it can be a very long day for the dogs and their owners.

This is one of the areas that I don’t agree with but many are used to it and sit so patiently, seeming to enjoy (or resign themselves to) sitting/lying and waiting in their particular stall with their owner.

What If I want to shop and stay away from the Dog Showing areas?

That is definitely possible. The show rings are on the outskirts of each hall so you can avoid them quite easily if you just want to go for the shopping.

The dog show world has had a bad reputation for many reasons in recent years (the way the lead is held, breed standards promoting unhealthy attributes etc) but that is not what this blog is about. I’m promoting the family / dog-loving aspects for visitors who have never been before.

If you are completely against showing dogs then maybe Crufts is not the place for you to be and you can get a shopping bargain elsewhere.

Can the public access everywhere?

Pretty much, yes. Apart from within the show rings themselves but you can sit in the seats around each smaller ring to watch. (I did this one year and accidentally got on the TV standing behind Clare Balding!)

Can I get advice about my dog at Crufts?

If it’s a behaviour question then there are usually stands with dog behaviourists on that you can chat to. But talking to your local dog behaviourist would be better because they can devote more time to you and your dog’s specific issues.

Did you know many behavioural issues can be relieved by feeding a different diet too? There are a wide variety of dog food brands at Crufts so they can help with these types of questions too. Although, again, it’s often good to support your local pet shop who can provide ongoing guidance as your dog progresses!

And obviously you can ask or swap stories on your particular breed at Discover Dogs in Hall 3 and the Kennel club and Young Kennel club have stands so that you can ask questions about getting into the Show world with your dog because let’s face it… every one of our dogs are the Best In Show in our eyes x

Any Tips for Neurodiverse peeps?

Yes! It can get quite noisy at times so if you are used to noise-cancelling headsets then you may find it useful to take those!

To avoid overwhelm, I advise making a plan for yourself. When I’m visiting, I always have a rough plan of what I want to see and when/where it is. I think you can download an advance programme from the Kennel Club Crufts website which should help with this and can give you more insights of what to expect.

But I always like to grab a copy of the official programme because it comes with beautiful photographs, great articles and also a goody bag if you get a VIP one which is very handy to pop other info in as you are visiting the stands.

Any other Survival tips?

Wear Comfortable shoes!

The Hall is mainly concrete throughout and some (but not all) is covered by only a thin carpet so it can be VERY hard wearing on your joints.

Take lots of breaks, keep yourself hydrated but most of all HAVE FUN!

Sign up to all the competitions/prize draws to get info or discounts sent to your email inbox if you don’t win the main prizes. You can always unsubscribe later 🙂

Oh yeah, remember your tickets… not just the email that you got them in but the actual tickets themselves. There should be a barcode on them somewhere. If you DO make this mistake then you should be able to get access via the Crufts Ticket Office if you show them your email. Can you tell i made this mistake once?

Hopefully you are a little less befuddled and now know what to expect at Crufts if you are visiting for the first time. Feel free to share this blog with your friends so they know what to expect too!

Lastly, make sure you come find me to say hi in Hall 1 on stand 1-127 where I will be demoing the Equine + Canine (E+C) professional massage gun by Pet Vertex (ask me for my special discount code too!) but i’ll also be answering any questions you may have about massage in general, be that for your dog or yourself. I would LOVE to meet you x

And if you can’t make it, enjoy watching the whole event on Channel 4 like i used to do with my Lola xxx