A WIRRAL schoolgirl and her pet pooch stand to win a national title at Crufts dog show next month.

Siobhan Bingham, from Upton, will put her well-trained dog, Daisy, through her paces in front of thousands of people in an agility competition at the world-famous show.  

The talented duo will enter a televised arena to demonstrate Daisy’s agility and obedience, as well as 11-year-old Siobhan's ability as a trainer.

Daisy, a three-year-old pedigree Papillon, will be expected to navigate a course of obstacles which includes a tunnel and a seesaw with only her owner's voice commands to guide her.​

As members of the Young Kennel Club, Siobhan and Daisy sailed through early trials to join the UK top 20 in their class, the result of many months of training and facing tough competition from all over the country.

Now they stand to win the much-coveted Crufts rosette in the YKC Small ABC Dog Agility event in Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre on March 6​​.

Siobhan, a Year 7 student at St Mary’s Catholic College in Wallasey, started training Daisy as a 10 week old puppy.

She is a keen member of Wirral Alsatian Training Society, along with her mum and dad.

The family has three other dogs - a kelpie and two border collies - which started Siobhan off on the road of dog training.

Mum Jo said: “As a family, we have always kept dogs, and we all take part in dog agility trials, and compete in shows all over the country.

“It’s challenging, fun and a great way of combining our hobby and love of dogs. It’s something that suits all ages.”

Mrs Bingham added: “On Siobhan’s eighth birthday we decided she was old enough to have her own dog and train it from scratch.

“We decided on a papillon because they are a biddable breed, with plenty of attitude and small enough for a young person to cope with.

“It’s delightful to see how Siobhan has established such a strong bond with Daisy, and we are very proud of all that she’s achieved.”

Papillon means ‘butterfly’ in French. Papillons, or continental toy spaniels, are a breed known for their intelligence and confidence.

The fur on their faces and ears shows a characteristic ‘butterfly’ shape​.