Marie Docherty resides in the Calderwood district of the town and the 52-year-old will be taking her sheepdog, called Erin, to compete for Team Scotland in this unusual event later in the year.
Dog dancing consists of a blend of dance, tricks and obedience training, showcasing a creative form of interaction between an owner and his or her pet. Docherty and the other members of the Scottish team take their dogs for fortnightly training sessions at College Milton’s Pet Emporium, and this has paid off with the opportunity to represent the country in Austria.
Speaking to the Daily Record, Docherty stated:
“We train together with Heather Smith, who is our team manager and has also won Crufts three times. Together we have been raising funds by holding various events such as a Dog Dancing Cabaret Night at the Strathaven Hotel.”
She went on to add that this was the very first occasion that a team from Scotland had made it into these championships, making it even more exciting for the competitors.
Friends and family of those who are competing in events like this can choose to make use of places in East Kilbride that offer banner printing and similar services.