I was in Spain while Crufts was on and only read about the champion Lhasa Apso when I returned.  What a sad little dog.  Twice a week Zentarr Elizabeth undergoes a four hour "beauty" regime of shampooing, conditioning and blow drying.  Then the fur between her toes is trimmed and her nails clipped, her teeth cleaned and scraped and baby powder is dusted through the hair round her mouth, presumably to mop up the dribbles.  "She's far too precious to take out for walks," says her retired social worker owner.  Instead, she is allowed in the garden which has been paved so that it can be kept scrubbed and hygienic all the time.  If she is really, really lucky she can walk on short dry grass in the summer when there is no danger of a speck of mud in her coat.  If her owners are out or busy in the house, rather than risk her eating something she shouldn't or falling, she is kept crated.  

Is this a dog's life?  Perhaps there is an opening here for some enterprising entrepreneur to design something that looks, feels and barks like a dog - for all those who think they want a dog but really want a toy.