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Crufts 2017: Little Girl Dog Handler And Her Australian Terrier Win Our Hearts (If Not The Show)

'She got really annoyed when mummy didn't win.'
By 

Parents & Style Editor at HuffPost UK

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Pups usually take centre stage at Crufts, but this year our attention has been stolen by a four-year-old dog handler. 

Jessica Allen, from Stafford, took to the ring at the world’s largest dog show on Thursday 9 March, with Australian Terrier Annie, who is five years old.

Jessica’s mum, Felicity Freer said: “Jessica has grown up with dogs and takes it all in her stride.

“She was actually annoyed that mummy took Annie in the Challenge at Windsor and didn’t win!”

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Penny Wallington
Jessica Allen, four, with Australian Terrier Annie at Crufts.

Annie qualified as Top Brood Bitch 2016, when Jessica was only three years old.

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Penny Wallington
Jessica Allen, four, with Australian Terrier Annie at Crufts.

Jessica’s family believe she might be the youngest person to walk in the main (not Junior Kennel Club) part of the competition.

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Penny Wallington
Jessica Allen, four, with Australian Terrier Annie at Crufts.

According to Chris Foskett, secretary of the Southern Counties Australian Terrier Club, the breed is well suited to being a family pet.

“They’re great with kids: you just have to see Jessica with the dogs,” he said.

“They are great characters, very loyal and always attract attention.”

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Penny Wallington
Jessica Allen, four, with Australian Terrier Annie at Crufts.
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Penny Wallington
Jessica Allen, four, with Australian Terrier Annie at Crufts.

So cute!

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Penny Wallington
Jessica Allen, four, with Australian Terrier Annie at Crufts.

You can find out more about the breed here.

The Huffington Post UK has contacted the Kennel Club for confirmation of whether Jessica is indeed the youngest dog handler to take to the ring at Crufts and will update this article upon their response.

Before You Go

Crufts
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Olympia. Tony Forester And A Saint Bernard Dog In London On 11Th Of February 1950. (credit:Keystone-France via Getty Images)
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Champion bloodhound Leo of Reynalton being cuddled by Dorothy Horder at the Crufts Dog Show in 1939. Leo has won Crufts six times. (credit:William Vanderson via Getty Images)
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Miss V. Clarke giving English mastiff Buster a sun ray treatment before he takes part in the Crufts dog show in London, 21st April 1929. Both are wearing protective eyewear. (credit:Archive Photos via Getty Images)
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March 1915: A British sailor bringing the bulldog Admiral Beatty to Crufts. (credit:Topical Press Agency via Getty Images)
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11th February 1914: Competitors wait outside the Agricultural Hall for Crufts Dog Show as the Cross sisters on the left, arrive with arms and baskets full of Pekinese. (credit:Topical Press Agency via Getty Images)
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10th February 1937: Baby John Hughes with his St Bernard, 'Moltie Mallone' at Cruft's dog show at the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington, London. (credit:Becker via Getty Images)
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February 1923: Author Radclyffe Hall, right, and Lady Una Trowbridge with their daschunds at Crufts dog show. (credit:Topical Press Agency via Getty Images)
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A Dalmatian sticks his head outside one of the judging pens, at Crufts Dog Show, London. (credit:Keystone via Getty Images)
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8th February 1939: Miss D Bush arriving with her Dalmatian at Islington for the Cruft's Dog Show at the Royal Agricultural Hall, London. (credit:J. A. Hampton via Getty Images)
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9th February 1938: A man, carrying two Dachshunds, arriving for Cruft's Dog Show at the Royal Agricultural Hall, Islington, London. (credit:Davis via Getty Images)
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February 1932: Two Golden Retrievers entered in a Crufts Dog Show, pose with their female owner, Mrs K Evers Swindell. (credit:Douglas Miller via Getty Images)
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9th February 1938: A cat joins an Irish Setter at the Cruft's Dog Show in the Royal Agricultural Hall, Islington, London. (credit:Topical Press Agency via Getty Images)
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13th February 1930: A merry party of prize winning Sealyham Terriers from the Eastfield Kennels at Bristol , seen here at Crufts Dog Show. (credit:Veale via Getty Images)
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1924: Ivy Lord's 2nd prize winning Pekinese at Crufts Dog Show. (credit:Topical Press Agency via Getty Images)
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9th February 1938: A general view of judging in progress at Crufts Dog Show in the Royal Agricultural Hall, Islington, London. (credit:Hulton Archive via Getty Images)
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Five West Highland Terriers arriving at Crufts in their travelling kennels balanced in a pram. (credit:Ian Showell via Getty Images)
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A photograph of Barbara Parsons introducing her toy dog to Kapile Carei, a Pyrenean Mountain dog, on the first day of Crufts, taken by Malindine for the Daily Herald newspaper on 10 February, 1937. (credit:Daily Herald Archive via Getty Images)
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A dog-owner with his clipped poodle at Cruft's Dog Show, London. (credit:Science & Society Picture Library via Getty Images)
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February 1924: Miss Vlasto stands with her Borzoi dogs in the exhibition ring, having entered them in the Crufts Dog Show at the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington, London. (credit:Topical Press Agency via Getty Images)

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