Meet Fifi Jo, a greyhound bred for racing, who has become one of the most successful and record breaking award winning dogs in the country.

Fifi Jo, who lives with her owner Sheena Clarke in Croxley, has appeared at Crufts a remarkable nine times emerging as a star at the annual competition.

It is believed that Fifi Jo may have set a Crufts record for the most appearances.

Born in 2004, she was rehomed from Romford dog track in 2006 by Ms Clarke after originally being bred as a greyhound.

Watford Observer:

Ms Clarke worked on a military base and Fifi Jo has accompanied her ever since.

Now 13 years old, Fifi Jo has almost been an ever present at Crufts and represents the greyhound breed at the ‘Discover Dogs’ feature.

Over the years, on route to qualifying, she has won 25 Best in Show awards at regional shows and been placed first many times in her class at Crufts. Ms Clarke has also entered Fifi Jo into the Kennel Club Good Citizens Bronze Award scheme in 2012 which she passed with flying colours. She was awarded a first place in the Good Citizen Class this year.

Ms Clarke: “It’s an amazing achievement for a rescue dog considering she was bred for racing. She is a great ambassador for the breed.

“I took her to a few local shows when she was a lot younger and she did well so I thought why not enter her at Crufts?”

Watford Observer:

A pair of Crufts journalists, David and Jan Parr, were stunned to spot Ms Clarke and Fifi Jo in the arena this year. They immediately recognised the pair but could not work out from where until they realised they had seen them the very first time Fifi Jo appeared at Crufts.

Mr Parr believes that the greyhound may have set a record for number of appearances at Crufts, which celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2016.

Mr Parr, who has been covering Crufts for around 25 years, said he has looked into the record books as far back as 1911 and can find no dog with more appearances than Fifi Jo.

He has also acknowledged the work Ms Clarke has done to help rehome dogs.

He said: “I can only say I am humbled. Not only to see them at Crufts but to know Sheena and the tireless work she has done for the cause of rehoming all of these years. Fifi Jo and Sheena have become brilliant ambassadors for the breed.

"I don’t think people realise that 10,000 of these dogs need rehoming every year and Ms Clarke does amazing work delivering talks and speeches to raise awareness.”