Meols man and his dog chosen to appear at Crufts

Feb 25 2009 Heswall News

A MEOLS man and his dog have been chosen to appear at the world’s most prestigious dog show.

Jon O’Hare, 36, and six-year-old English Bull Terrier Philippa, known as Phil, have been selected for a display at Crufts demonstrating good dog behaviour.

Phil has been subjected to attacks by members of the public who believe she is a dangerous dog and Jon hopes her appearance at next month’s show will help change the perceptions of her breed.

He said: “Right from the start we’ve had funny looks and people feeling threatened by her because of that media image of Bull Terriers.

“We get it on a daily basis. I’ve had a woman literally pick up a pram because she was petrified of her and an elderly woman in West Kirby hit her with a stick.”

Jon has been taking Phil to training classes at Heswall since she was a puppy and has completed the Kennel Club’s Good Citizens’ Dog Scheme, which aims to promote responsible dog ownership.

Every year dogs who complete the bronze, silver or gold stages of the award are selected to appear in a special display at Crufts.

Jon, a high voltage electrician, said: “Never in a million years would I have thought I’d be able to take her to Crufts.

“But I got bitten by the bug when I started taking Phil to classes to get her socialised.

“I’ve carried on with it and now I take Phil back to the puppy class because she’s a good training aid for the pups.”

Jon says Philippa is adored by all members of the family – including his mother-in-law and wife Jane.

He said: “I had a hard time trying to persuade my wife but now she idolises her.

“My mother-in-law said I was only getting this type of dog so she didn’t come round. But now she absolutely loves Phil.”