Your dog can be a world record holder!

(Along with 627 other dogs, that is!)

Leslie Gold is the Supporter Relations Officer at our centre in Salisbury. The team often do fantastic events that are a little bit out of the ordinary and their latest twist for the upcoming Open Day is no different! Here, Leslie explains about how your dog could be a record breaker:

"On Sunday 7th August, Dogs Trust Salisbury is holding a Guinness World Record attempt, trying to break the record for the World’s Largest Simultaneous Dog Stay – and you and your dogs are invited to take part!

The ‘Super Stay’ as we’re calling it, will be part of Dogs Trust Salisbury’s Open Day & Fun Dog Show, held at our centre in Newton Tony, eight miles north of Salisbury in Wiltshire (near Stonehenge). People and dogs come from far and wide every year to attend the dog show, and this year the Guinness World Record attempt is sure to make it the best year ever!

Dogs do NOT need to be obedience champions to take part; in fact, most dogs will be able to do this. Dogs will go into the ring with their owner, and will need to sit or lie down for two minutes. Owners can bribe their dogs with treats, speak to them, use hand signals – the only thing owners can’t do is touch their dog or force them to stay – because of course the dogs have to want to stay.

Even if a dog does move from his stay, they won’t let the side down. They’ll simply be subtracted from the total number of dogs taking part – and hopefully we’ll have enough successful stays to hit the magic number: To break the world record we need at least 628 dogs to stay for two minutes.

So come along on Sunday 7th August and be part of a Guinness World Record attempt while also having a great time raising money for a good cause in the process. Special thanks go to Animal Friends Insurance, for kindly sponsoring this very fun and hopefully record-breaking event!

The Open Day runs from 11am to 4pm, in the field opposite the centre in Newton Tony, Salisbury, Wilts, SP4 0HW. Admission to the event is just £1.50 per adult, with kids and OAPs entering for free. The Super Stay will take place at 1pm, and it’s free to enter.

For more information, please ring Dogs Trust on 01980 629634 or visit the website.

Rules of the Super Stay:
• All entrants must register on the day, and will receive a numbered runner’s tag which must be visible throughout the Super Stay attempt. This is theirs to keep.
• Dogs must sit or lie down in an alert position for two minutes, from the official start time.
• Dogs may switch from sitting to lying or lying to sitting, but cannot move from their location.
• Owners can talk to their dogs, use hand signals, and give treats to their dogs, but cannot touch their dogs or in any way force them to stay.
• Any dog who breaks his stay during the two-minute attempt will be noted by a supervisor but must NOT leave the ring, as this will distract the other participating dogs."

To find out more information, please come and join our Facebook page.