New Liverpool dog show includes a pooch Pride fancy dress competition

Liverpool can look forward to its very own dog show this month.

Trotters Dog Fest is the brainwave of trainer and boarder Tony Smith who thought it was time the city had a major canine event.

There’ll be dog displays and demonstrations, live music, shopping stalls, food and drink – and even a Pride fancy dress competition for your pet pooch.

Tony smiles: “I was going to just have a dog talent show but then I noticed it was Pride weekend in Liverpool at the time of the event, so I thought I’d add a Pride fancy dress competition too.

“It’s hopefully going to be great, fun event.”

Tony, 55, from Old Swan, was a partner in a double-glazing company for more than 40 years before deciding to change his career and set up Trotters Dog Walking, Training and Boarding services in January last year.

“I just wanted to do something totally different,” he says. The business is going well but before Christmas the passionate animal lover decided he wanted to go a step further and organise a huge dog festival.

Trotters Dog Fest is taking place at Calderstones School in Allerton on Saturday, July 27.

He says: “The premise is that everybody loves their dogs and wants to get together with other dog owners and celebrate them.

“I know there are other dog shows around the region but I have checked and, as far as I can see, there isn’t one in Liverpool itself – and I thought it should have one.

“I needed a large area to hold the event and so I had meetings with Calderstones School who welcomed it there – and who will get 15% of ticket sales as well as sales from a bar that its PTA will run.

“And my brother-in-law organises the trainer festival Laces Out at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool so he has been really helpful and given me lots of good advice.”

Tony adds: “I hope it will be a success and that it will be the first of what will become an annual event that people will look forward to.”

Among the attractions on the day are:

• Live music from acts like Liverpool bands Dirty Bernard and Pocket Apocalypse, Cheery, Bonk, and solo singer Evie McDermott
• Talks from dog professionals
• Food and drink stalls including the Friends of Calderstones bar, and drink from Black Cat Liverpool
• Guide Dogs for The Blind NW
• More than 20 stalls selling doggie goods as well as cakes and skincare
• Arts and crafts stalls
• Kids entertainment

Last but not least there will be canine demonstrations from flyball team Only Fools and Pooches who competed at this year’s Crufts and will perform a relay race and more before getting the audience involved with their dogs. “It’s a great spectacle to watch,” says Tony.

And local doggy day care company Precious Paws from Speke will put on agility demos and more.

There will be a talent show with classes like Cutest Pup, Best Rescue, and Waggiest Tale, and that Pride fancy dress competition for dogs to take part in.

“I just hope it will be a great day out for families and dog lovers,” says Tony, “where people can come along, have fun, and maybe win some prizes.”

Trotters Dog Fest is taking place at Calderstones School in Harthill Road, Allerton, on Saturday, July 27. It will run from 11am to 6pm, and tickets are £7.50 per person (under 16s and dogs are free!) available here.

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