Young dog-enthusiast Laila Wells and her four legged best friends Dexter and Teddy have started their summer holidays with a week of activities at the Young Kennel Club summer camp.

Nine year old Laila, 9, of Ely joined 67 other children from across the UK, to train their dogs in handling, agility, flyball, obedience, the Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme and heelwork to music at the annual summer camp.

Laila started taking part in dog activities when she was given her dog Dexter. She said: “I really liked going to the camp for the first time and doing agility training. I enjoyed having fun with my dogs and making some new friends.”

The venue, Forest Oak Farm in Gloucestershire, was transformed for a week as the young dog lovers had fun whilst learning skills with their dogs and keeping them both healthy and active.

Gerald King, Chairman of the Young Kennel Club, said: “The annual camp is an important event in the development of young people. It encourages attendees to try different canine activities. The key is to enable everyone to work as a team and develop their skills and build self-confidence. With eight million dogs in the UK, it is the Kennel Club’s mission to encourage young people to develop a sense of responsibility in dog ownership from a young age.”