The world’s finest dogs have descended on the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham for Crufts 2018.

(Aaron Chown/PA)
Dogs and their owner arrive for the first day of Crufts 2018 (Aaron Chown/PA)

The event was declared the world’s largest dog show in 1991 by Guinness World Records.

(Aaron Chown/PA)
A pair of St Bernards, time for the big dogs (Aaron Chown/PA)

Officials expect around 160,000 visitors to turn up over the course of four days, with more than 27,000 pooches on show.

(Aaron Chown/PA)
Some specimens needed help to keep the rain off (Aaron Chown/PA)
(Aaron Chown/PA)
Sartorial elegance ahead of the big show (Aaron Chown/PA)
(Aaron Chown/PA)
An old English sheepdog gets the full treatment (Aaron Chown/PA)
(Aaron Chown/PA)
Fatima Costa and her daughter from Luton sit with their Estrella mountain dogs (Aaron Chown/PA)
(Aaron Chown/PA)
A Komondor dog, also known as an Hungarian sheepdog (Aaron Chown/PA)
(Aaron Chown/PA)
Some of the pooches are getting familiar with the limelight (Aaron Chown/PA)
(Aaron Chown/PA)
Dog tired already (Aaron Chown/PA)
(Aaron Chown/PA)
Merlin an old English sheepdog (Aaron Chown/PA)
(Aaron Chown/PA)
Even Gromit gets a look in at the world’s biggest dog show (Aaron Chown/PA)
(Aaron Chown/PA)
A moment to relax before the judges arrive (Aaron Chown/PA)
(Aaron Chown/PA)
Two collies during the first day of Crufts 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham (Aaron Chown/PA)