Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre hosts the return of its famous canine competition this week as about 16,000 dogs of all shapes and sizes arrive from across the world to compete for the coveted best in show award

• An old English sheepdog rests on a grooming table

  Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

  

• Standard poodles from the Pot Noodles team compete in the obedience contest

  Photograph: Jason Skarratt/Flick.digital/Rex/Shutterstock

  

• Six dogs arrive in matching coats ready for day two of the show

  Photograph: Katja Ogrin/Getty Images

  

• A bedlington terrier gets a trim before being it enters the show ring

  Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters

  

• An Afghan hound and its owner

  Photograph: James Gill-Danehouse/Getty Images

  

• A competitor in sequinned trousers takes her miniature long-haired dachshund into the ring

  Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters

  

• A chihuahua wears a scarf in the colours of the Ukrainian flag

  Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters

  

• A dog competing in the agility contest makes a giant leap

  Photograph: Katja Ogrin/Getty Images

  

• A woman carries her Russian toy dog in her dungarees

  Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

  

• Colourful outfits keep the dogs clean as they arrive for the show

  Photograph: Katja Ogrin/Getty Images

  

• An Irish wolfhound arrives at the exhibition centre

  Photograph: Katja Ogrin/Getty Images

  

• A dog jumps from a box during a magic performance in the heelwork-to-music round

  Photograph: Katja Ogrin/Getty Images

  

• A great dane waits at the bench with its owner before its turn in the ring

  Photograph: Jason Skarratt/Flick.digital/Rex/Shutterstock

  

• A woman cuddles her samoyed

  Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

  

• Bassett hounds wander in to the NEC

  Photograph: Katja Ogrin/Getty Images

  

• Bullmastiffs relax on the benches

  Photograph: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images

  

• A woman is embraced by her great dane after its turn in the show ring

  Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

  

• A pair of bichon frises pose for the camera as they arrive for the show

  Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA

  

• A dog competes in the heelwork-to-music competition

  Photograph: Katja Ogrin/Getty Images

  

• French bulldogs Vito, Verdi and Eric wearing scarves in the colours of the Ukraine flag

  Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA

  

• Four terriers arrive in a crate

  Photograph: Katja Ogrin/Getty Images

  

• A dog weaves through poles in the agility competition

  Photograph: Katja Ogrin/Getty Images

  

• French poodle owners wear berets ready for their performance

  Photograph: James Gill-Danehouse/Getty Images

  

• An Afghan hound arrives wearing a snood

  Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA

  

• Cedric the pomeranian gets around the centre in a pushchair

  Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA