Leatherhead care home hosts paw-some dog show

A care home in Leatherhead has announced the winners of its barking mad competition. 

Care UK’s Liberham Lodge, in Little Bookham, ‘raised the woof’ with its very own dog show.

As part of the contest, the care home team and residents’ relatives were invited to showcase their dogs’ skills and good looks to win a series of awards, including ‘most waggiest tail’, ‘prettiest pooch’, and ‘most like their owner’, up for grabs.

11 im-paw-sibly adorable dogs entered, with many winners receiving rosettes, including Stanley, an Irish Setter, who took home the ‘best dog in show’ award. It was Lochie who took second place, and Follie came in third, both Retrievers. 

Joining the judging panel were residents Erica Schwatz, Ron Barnes and Jackie Lamble. Commenting on the afternoon, Stanley’s owner Bea Beech said: “It was a lovely dog show, and everyone enjoyed it!”

Sue Crate, 56, said: “I absolutely loved the dog show, it was brilliant! It reminded me of when I had my own dogs, two Golden Retrievers and a Hungarian Vizsla, who all would have loved the dog show.”

Jagpal Singh, General Manager at Liberham Lodge, said: “We’re pleased to say our dog show was a resounding success. We loved seeing so many wonderful tails wagging into our home – they made it very hard to pick a winner!

“We know just how beneficial animal therapy can be for older people, especially for those living with dementia, as being close to animals can help lift a person’s mood and stimulate social interaction. Many residents had dogs as family pets in their younger years, so they were thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of our judging panel and to meet so many adorable pooches. 

“Congratulations to our winners – they certainly raised the woof at Liberham Lodge!”

Designed to enable residents to lead active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Liberham Lodge incorporates plenty of space for hobbies and leisure activities. The layout of the home has been configured to facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents.