Layla Duncan, aged 9 seasoned Crufts competitor

‘I take a notebook to plan everything’

Crufts week is an annual highlight for every handler, but for nine-year-old Layla Duncan this year will be extra exciting as she will show her own Tibetan Spaniel puppy, Sulley, for the first time.

Layla, who lives near Dumbarton, may be young but she’s been competing at Crufts since the age of six, following a family passion.

Layla’s family own and show Italian Spinonis, but her heart was captivated when she saw a Tibetan Spaniel at a show one day.

“At one of my first shows I saw Sulley’s granny and decided I’d really like a puppy from that dog or its daughter,” Layla explains.

“She had completely fallen in love with the dog," adds her mother Steph. “She told me, ‘I’ve just booked a puppy from this lady..!’ But she had to wait about three years to get one.”

Layla describes the breed as cuddly, cheeky, fast and fun. “They match very well, personality wise,” says Steph. Sulley is named after a Monster’s Inc character — “It would have to be something Disney related,” laughs Steph.  Layla’s goal, if she can, is to get placed in handling.

Though Sulley has been quite a cheeky puppy to train, Layla has taken him to championship and open shows, and he has won a junior warrant a Reserve Challenge Certificate and one Challenge Certificate. “She’s now the youngest in the Tibetan Spaniel breed to have won a CC…” says Steph proudly. 

For such a young handler, Layla will be extremely busy at Crufts 2026: “I’ve got to groom, plus the obedience, handling, the breed classes, YKC.. I take a notebook with me to plan out my time when I’m there,” she explains. 

Besides Sulley, Layla will also be showing a Spinone she co-owns with a friend, another friend’s daschund and a pug “because it won't behave for its owner”. Layla groom, and toilets the dogs besides showing them. - “I do everything.” They are long, busy and exciting days and we can’t wait to see what Layla achieves next.