It's official - '˜Mulguy dug' is award winner

Two-year-old Brando, who belongs to proud owner Anne Leitch from Milngavie, was awarded the Star Trek Challenge Trophy from the Newfoundland Club Great Britain.

Brando also won the Newfoundland Open Working Group 1 at the Larkhall Open Show and he was ‘Reserve Best in Show’ at the event on Sunday, February 6.

He has also qualified to compete in Crufts for life, which he had to achieve before turning 18-months-old.

He will be up against 202 Newfoundlands in March this year at Crufts, when he takes part in the limit dog class - which is a high category for a dog of his age.

Anne and her ‘dugs’ are well known in the village and people may remember that she previously had four Newfoundlands.

Sadly Nereus, Kodi and Norten have passed away and now she only has two - recent addition Brando and Rannoch, who is eight-years-old.

The well known Mastermind presenter Magnus Magnusson and his wife Mamie were huge fans of Anne’s dogs when they were alive.

They regularly met up to enjoy a coffee and a chat outside Touch of Asia coffee shop on Douglas Street in Milngavie, which is now Costa, and Magnus asked if he could buy them their daily treats - a Milky Way.

Anne said: “Magnus and Mamie really loved seeing the dogs - they were both real animal lovers.

“Mamie enjoyed having big cuddles with them and she gave them scones.

“Magnus was interested to hear about how they were getting on in shows.

“Magnus also fed the pigeons in Milngavie and he always made sure that the one with a bumblefoot got plenty.”

Anne and friends raised funds to build a bench in Milngavie in memory of Magnus whichincorporates a pigeon who has a bumblefoot.Magnus died in 2007 at the age of 77 and Mamie passed away in 2012 aged 86.