For one Dublin couple, dog shows not only reflect the love they share for their four-legged friends, but also the love they have for each other. Marion and Tim Finney met for the first time at Crufts, the largest international dog show held in the UK. “I met my husband through a dog show, which is very unusual. I met him when he won and then I met him at other shows, that's how we got together,” Ms Finney told the Irish Examiner. The pair have owned Irish Wolfhounds for 60 years. This Thursday, they were accompanied by Troy and Piaf, who rested by their feet as they calmly waited for their turn to compete. “Hope, their mother came from France, during Covid – that’s why she was called Hope. She had seven puppies, and these are two of them. They’re three years old,” Ms Finney smiled. The pair have been taking part in dog shows for “most of our lives.” “I was always animal crazy. I went to a dog show as a child and I won, and I kind of always remembered it. As I got older, I started going to watch shows and then I started showing dogs because I really enjoyed it. It’s a sport and it has been my life for years,” she said. In her eyes, Wolfhounds are part of Irish history. “They’re part of the nine Irish Nature breeds, they're a very, very important part of our history. There’s a lot of fantasy stories about them, but a lot of true stories too. They’re a lovely breed to live with. “They're very good characters, they're very majestic and they love their owners, they’re very gentle.” There is one thing Ms Finney would like people who may not be familiar with dog shows to know. “It’s a sport, good fun. And it’s also nice having dogs and doing something with them. It's very important that pedigree dogs keep going in the world, they are part of our heritage.” Held annually by the Limerick and District Canine Club, the event gathered over 1,000 dogs, judged by breed, with over 300 varieties represented.