MALVERN Hills dog owners are celebrating success at Crufts in Birmingham, which finished last Sunday.

Carol Shouler, of Little Malvern, was showing her boxer, Ch Makeney's Magical Moments JW (Toby), and was staggered when he won best of breed as well as the Dog Challenge Certificate and came first in the open dog category.

"I'm still on cloud nine," she said. "He's my first show dog so to win best of breed at Crufts is unbelievable."

Toby, who is two years old, was runner-up last year. He will also be entered in the Three Counties Championship Dog Show, which runs from June 11-14 at Malvern's Three Counties Showground.

Mrs Shouler said the foot and mouth outbreak had made it hard to exercise her dogs.

"I suppose we've been luckier than some because we've got an enclosed kitchen garden where the dogs have been able to run free," she said. "I thought the Malvern dog show had been cancelled to be honest but I'm very pleased to see it going ahead. It'll be lovely to be on home territory."

Also taking part at the Three Counties is Elizabeth Lunn, whose dogs Bobenut Mr McGregor and Bobenut Jemima won the postgraduate classes for both dog and bitch in the griffon bruxellois section at Crufts.

Mrs Lunn, of Ledbury, said that the postponement of the event had presented a few problems.

"I was tidying up their coats for the previous week," she said. "I had them perfect for the original dates and then they postponed it!"

Mrs Lunn has been showing her griffons at the Malvern show since 1978 and she said she was looking forward to it this year.

"I haven't the faintest idea of how I'll do. I've learnt over the years not to try and predict the results but I suppose best in breed is what we're all after."

Sue Sanderson, of Malvern, enjoyed success with her Pomeranian, Warleggen Suburban Fox Among Sandchize, who was the top dog in the special puppy section.

Salegreen Nicholas, owned by Rosemary Eustace, of Birtsmorton, came second in a large field of postgraduate cavalier King Charles spaniels.

"The competition was very steep, so I was very happy with it," she said. "I'm very proud of him, but his best is yet to come."

Mrs Eustace is now preparing Nicholas for the Three Counties event. Contrary to some reports, the dog show is still going ahead despite the postponement of the Three Counties Show.

Traditionally, it sits alongside the society's flagship agricultural event but the foot and mouth crisis forced the society to replace it with a new event in August.

Dog show secretary Anne Bathurst said the confusion had resulted in a "noticeable fall in entries" this year.