3-Year-Old Set to Become One of the Youngest Dog Handlers to Ever Compete at the World's Largest Dog Show
A 3-year-old girl is set to become one of the youngest competitors the Crufts dog show has ever seen
Caitlyn Mellor and her Miniature Schnauzer Zeeva qualified for the prestigious competition after a ranking performance at the Three Counties Championship
Caitlyn went to her first dog show at just 8 weeks old, and her first word was "doggy"A toddler and her dog are making dog show history.
Caitlyn Mellor, 3, and her Miniature Schnauzer Zeeva, 8, recently qualified for the 2026 Crufts dog show — considered to be the world's largest dog show — after giving a ranking performance at the Three Counties Championship in June, per The Times. If she competes at Crufts, scheduled for March 2026, Caitlyn will become one of the youngest competitors in the event's history.
Though she's only 3, Caitlyn has spent her whole life surrounded by dogs and dog shows. Her first word was "doggy," her mother, Lydia Mellor, told The Times. Showing dogs runs in the family; Lydia began showing dogs herself at the age of 10.
Caitlyn still managed to be an early bloomer among her animal-loving family, attending her first dog show just 8 weeks after she was born. By age 2, she was saying she wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps.
"She decided she didn't want Mummy in the ring with her and has been competing by herself with people 20 or 30 years older," Lydia said of her daughter's fire solo showing efforts at age 3.
The toddler and her Miniature Schnauzer, who compete for the Lyzahro kennel, train for the dog shows — or "doggy clap," as Caitlyn calls them, referencing the frequent applause she gets at dog events — in a grassy area near their home in Groesffordd, Wales.
"I like running around with her," Caitlyn told BBC about her work with Zeeva.
Zeeva is one of four Miniature Schnauzers that belong to the Mellor family. She usually sleeps in Caitlyn's bed and attends a dog show with the toddler once a month.
Although the competitions are becoming bigger and more important, Lydia insists on keeping Caitlyn and Zeeva's training schedule light, so it remains enjoyable for everyone.
At shows, Caitlyn is confident, her mother said and is met with kindness and support from adult handlers. The older competitors "keep an eye on her" and guide Caitlyn around if she gets lost, her mother added.
is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more!
"Caitlyn is so excited and doesn't have any nerves. It's something she enjoys," Lydia said. "So many adults get wound up at shows worrying about being best in breed. She's happy coming second or third, she's just having fun with her dog."
Read the original article on People
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ellen DeGeneres Says She Permanently Moved to the U.K. Because of Donald Trump: 'Everything Here Is Just Better'
The comedian initially planned to live in England part-time, but said Trump's re-election inspired her and wife Portia de Rossi to stay year-roundNEED TO KNOW Ellen DeGeneres permanently relocated to the U.K. because of Donald Trump, she confirmed in a July 20 appearance DeGeneres and wife Portia de Rossi initially planned to live in the U.K. part-time, but decided to stay year-round after Trump was re-elected The comedian officially moved to the Cotswolds region of England in November 2024Ellen DeGeneres just confirmed that President Donald Trump inspired her permanent move to the United Kingdom. Last November, the comedian and former talk show host, 67, and her wife, Portia de Rossi, relocated from the U.S. to the English countryside. In DeGeneres' first public appearance since moving to the Cotswolds region, she confirmed reports that she and de Rossi, 52, decided to settle across the pond after Trump, 79, was re-elected, per the BBC. During a live conversation in the English town of Cheltenham on Sunday, July 20, English broadcaster Richard Bacon asked DeGeneres whether reports that Trump played a role in the move are correct, to which she replied, 'Yes,' per the BBC. Initially, the Ellen DeGeneres Show alum thought she and her wife would spend just a portion — three or four months — of the year at their 'part-time house' in the U.K., she explained to Bacon at Cheltenham's Everyman theater. Then, Trump was re-elected. The couple 'got here the day before the election,' DeGeneres recalled, 'and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, 'He got in.' … And we're like, 'We're staying here.' ' In the same appearance, the comedian also raved to Bacon about life in the U.K., according to the BBC. 'It's absolutely beautiful,' the star said, adding that she and de Rossi are 'just not used to seeing this kind of beauty. The villages and the towns and the architecture — everything you see is charming and it's just a simpler way of life.' "We moved here in November, which was not the ideal time, but I saw snow for the first time in my life,' the former California native recalled. 'We love it here. Portia flew her horses here, and I have chickens, and we had sheep for about two weeks.' But it's not just the natural beauty the couple loves. 'Everything here is just better — the way animals are treated, people are polite," DeGeneres said. "I just love it here." The comedian had relocated to the English countryside last November, after selling her and de Rossi's California estate in August for $96 million, a real estate insider told PEOPLE at the time. At the time, a source told PEOPLE that DeGeneres 'was in England house hunting in the beginning of October,' and 'ended up finding a house that she loved and purchased it shortly after.' Along with de Rossi, DeGeneres has shared glimpses into life since settling across the pond on social media, but did not officially confirm the couple's reason for moving until the July 20 appearance. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Rumors that it had to do with Trump and his presidency have long swirled online, however — and even inspired a reaction from one of DeGeneres' fellow comedians, Rosie O'Donnell, who relocated to Dublin in January. In April, the 63-year-old View alum — who has been vocal about leaving the U.S. as a result of the current Trump administration — told Us Weekly, 'I've never really known Ellen to say anything political in her life, so I was surprised to read that she left because of President Trump." "Like, that shocked me, actually," added O'Donnell. Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Bob Geldof takes Ryanair flight, tells passenger: 'I don't spend on luxury travel
Multi-millionaire Bob Geldof was spotted flying budget with Ryanair from Venice to the UK, saying he doesn't spend on luxury travel. Despite being worth an estimated £111m, Geldof queued with other passengers without using any fast-track or VIP services. A fellow traveller, Jay Curtis, took a selfie with him and later saw him quietly enjoying a coffee and croissant before the flight. Geldof mentioned he had recently played with the Boomtown Rats at a blues festival in Venice.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Drake Taps Lauryn Hill, 21 Savage, Rema, More Surprise Guests for London's Wireless Festival
Drake headlined the three-day Wireless Festival at Finsbury Park in London over the weekend and it was a star-studded, surprise guest-filled affair. Lauryn Hill, 21 Savage, Rema, Vanessa Carlton, and more joined the rapper throughout the weekend. On Friday, Drake set the theme for the night. 'This is the first time in my life that I've done three different shows on three different days,' Drake told the crowd, per Billboard. 'You came to a very special night. It's night one. It's a celebration of all things R&B. All things melodies. All classics.' Beyond his own classics, surprise guest Lauryn Hill also dropped one of her own. Her performance of 'Ex-Factor' transitioned into Drake's Hill-sampling 'Nice for What.' The night also included appearances by Bryson Tiller, Givēon, and PartyNextDoor. More from Rolling Stone Lauryn Hill Addresses 'Nonsense' Idea That She's 'Too Important to Care' About Being Late to Shows Ovrkast on Working With Drake, Dealing With Success, and His Supernatural Inspiration Drake's 'Iceman' Era Could Be a Misstep if It's Too Focused on Beef On Saturday, Drake switched gears. 'London, tonight is different,' Drake told the crowd. 'All that sweetheart, singing shit? That shit is over tonight. This is for my motherfucking dogs. I see my dogs came out tonight.' Rappers Skepta, Latto, Sexyy Redd, and 21 Savage were among the guests. He and 21 Savage performed 'Knife Talk' and 'Rich Flex' from their collaborative 2022 album, Her Loss. The second night also had the crowd chanting 'Fuck Kendrick.' Drake's response was to ask someone to pour him a shot, before he said, 'I'll drink to that.' The two rappers' monumental beef has continued to spark conversations even a year later, and so it's not surprising that their respective concerts (along with Drake's defamation lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us') touch on it, even if it's crowd-sourced. He capped off the rap-focused night with an unexpected surprise guest: He invited Vanessa Carlton out to perform her 2002 song, 'A Thousand Miles.' Sunday's set was a brief 40 minutes due to a strict curfew, per the BBC, but Drake still had some surprises in store. He teased an unreleased collaboration with British rapper Central Cee, and Rema drew cheers, as did Vybz Kartel. Earlier in the month, Drake dropped 'What Did I Miss?' ushering in his Iceman era. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked Solve the daily Crossword
