THE Royal Pier was a dog’s delight in 1946 when they used it as a catwalk to strut their stuff.

Swapping their usual sniffing spots of local lampposts and trees for the boards of Southampton’s Royal Pier, hundreds of tail-wagers took part in the Southampton and District Canine Association show.

The pavilion played host to Great Danes, Bull Terriers, Cairn Terriers, Chow Chows, Pekingese, Cocker Spaniels, bulldogs, whippets, elkhounds and poodles, as they all put their best paw forward.

Pampered pooches and their proud owners gathered from all over Hampshire as they strolled up and down the boardwalk, taking in the sea air and competing in the various heats of the competition.

The star of the dog show was a Fox Terrier called Aman Marlene, described by a Daily Echo reporter as “sprightly”.

The terrier, owned by Jack Blair, cleaned up in the competition – winning the Best in Show award, along with three trophies and three first place certificates.

In the background of the Daily Echo pictures taken at the event, the former Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth can be seen berthed at Western Dock. She had just undergone her refit after serving as a troopship during the Second World War.