Crufts 2019 - the best pictures

A papillon from Belgium has won the coveted Best in Show title at this year’s Crufts Dog Show.

Dylan the papillon beat six other finalists to claim the honour at the finale of the four-day event, at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. His victory on Sunday marks the first time that a dog of that breed, also known as a continental toy spaniel, has taken the top title.

Owned by Kathleen Roosens, Dylan was also named winner of the Toy group earlier in the show.

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The Crufts final was broadcast live on Channel 4 and presided over by judge Dan Ericsson, who said: “I was spoilt for choice but my eyes were drawn to this beautiful dog that has everything you look for in the breed, plus personality.”

According to The Kennel Club, the name papillon means butterfly in French and is a nod to the dogs’ “well-feathered alert ears”, which resemble the insect’s wings.

Crufts is the largest competition of its type in the world, with about 27,000 dogs and more than 200 different breeds taking part, says The Daily Telegraph.

More than 3,600 dogs from overseas entered this year’s event, the 128th in the show’s history, adds the BBC.