TWO young dog lovers from Lifton are heading to Crufts to take part in the Young Kennel Club (YKC) Grooming Comp­etition.

Siblings Maria and Tieryn Clark will both be taking part in the Over 12 category. Maria will be competing with her Dandie Dinmont Terrier named Saredon Rainman, while Tieryn is competing with Peekaboo, a crossbreed.

The Grooming Competition requires competitors to present their dog as they would for the show ring. Grooming can mean anything from combing right through to clipping or stripping and this all depends on the type of coat the dog has.

All the competitors in the Grooming Competition will be given a maximum of two hours to groom their dog under the watchful eye of a judge, with marks awarded for a combination of good presentation and careful handling.

Open to all YKC members, the Grooming Competition will be split into three age groups; Under 12 years, 12 years and over, and Over 18 years. For the competition, it doesn't matter whether the dog is pedigree or crossbreed, long, short, rough or even incredibly curly coated!

Maria, aged 12, and 13-year-old Tieryn are both excited at the prospect of returning to Crufts. Last year they won Best of Breed with one of their dogs.

It will be a busy time for the girls — Maria will be showing Jester on Thursday and Tieryn has qualified with her foxhound Libel, then on Saturday they will take part in the grooming competition, and Maria will return on Sunday to take part in the Junior Kennel Club handling finals.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club spokesperson said: "The YKC Grooming competition is a great opportunity for young people to learn about a very important part of taking care of a dog and being a responsible dog owner. Some dogs need more maintenance than others — however, every dog requires grooming on some level.

"Grooming provides a fantastic opportunity for people to bond with their dog whist keeping them clean and healthy, and for changes to a dog's skin or fur to be checked. Beyond this, the YKC also provides the opportunity for young people to meet new friends."

Crufts, which is a unique celebration of happy, healthy dogs, is taking place from March 5 to 8, at the NEC, Birmingham.

The Young Kennel Club (YKC) is open for young people aged from 6 to 24 years old who love dogs. The Club encourages interest in the care, training and activities associated with dogs. Further information about the YKC can be found at http://www.ykc.org.uk">www.ykc.org.uk, or by contacting 020 75181030.