The return of the prestigious international competition is now just days away, with tickets on sale for the three-day event.

The highly-anticipated show, which is organised by The Kennel Club and has been held since 1891, will take place at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham between March 6 and March 9, with dog owners from around the world flocking to the city.

Organisers recommend buying your tickets in advance with cheaper tickets available for individual events.

However, daily tickets can be purchased from the box office at the following prices, though you may have to move fast to get your paws on them:

• Thursday & Friday - £27
• Saturday - £35
• Sunday - £29

Tickets provide access to the full event, thought a separate ticket is needed for the Best in Show programme on Sunday afternoon, as per . You can find out more about pricing .

More than 18,000 will be vying for the competition's most coveted prize, the Best in Show title.

Last year the gong was won by Viking, a three-year-old Australian Shepherd from Solihull, co-owned by Melanie Raymond, John Shaw and Kerry Kirtley.

His proud owners had previously seen him storm to victory in the pastoral group earlier in the competition, as per .

The pooch was chosen by top judge Ann Ingram and cheered on by the thousands packed into the NEC on March 10, 2024.

Other competitions the will be taking part in include Agility, Flyball, Freestyle Heelwork to Music.

The event also offers opportunities for owners to get tips from experts at The Good Citizen Dog Scheme Training Ring, run by the largest dog training programme in the nation.

There are also more than 500 trade stands with exclusive show offers, new products, grooming tools, accessories, treats, toys and more, according to Cruft's website.

The breed competitions will take place on the following days:

• March 6 - Terrier and Hound
• March 7 - Utility and Toy
• March 8 - Gundog
• March 9 - Working and Pastoral

You can find a full breakdown of all the events and timings .