MABEL, a German shorthaired pointer partnered with Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, has been crowned Holyrood’s dog of the year.

Dogs were put through their paces outside the Scottish Parliament today and judges from the Dogs Trust and the Kennel Club also put MSPs through theirs, quizzing them on key canine welfare issues.

Ms Grahame came out on top with her one-year-old hound Mabel, but the politician was humble in victory.

“There aren’t winners here today because I think the dogs are all wonderful,” said the former deputy presiding officer.

“I think the issue is about highlighting animal welfare, dog welfare, and the fact I’m bringing a Bill forward in Parliament to make sure when people acquire a puppy, just like Mabel, (they) do their homework first and they make sure they’ve got the right household, they can afford it, and have the right lifestyle.”

Border Telegraph: Christine Grahame MSP and Mabel are announced as winners of this year's Holyrood Dog of the Year competition organised jointly by Dogs Trust and The Kennel Club. Picture date: Monday May 9, 2022. Christine Grahame MSP and Mabel are announced as winners of this year's Holyrood Dog of the Year competition organised jointly by Dogs Trust and The Kennel Club. Picture date: Monday May 9, 2022.

“I want to stop people from buying online or from puppy factory farms. (Mabel) is a puppy that was in a super litter, was brought up properly, she’s in a happy household, all dogs should have that in their lives.”

Owen Sharp, the chief executive of the Dogs Trust, said it had been a “brilliant opportunity to celebrate dogs and to just make a great fuss of the great dogs in the lives of parliamentarians and staff around Holyrood”.

“It was an incredibly difficult decision, there were some fantastic dogs and some fantastic MSPs, but Mabel won for a couple of reasons,” he said.

“Firstly, (she) was very clearly a big part of the team in Christine’s office – it’s not just about MSPs dogs but about dogs which are part of the team but, also, Christine’s doing some really brilliant work to highlight many, many aspects of dog ownership in Scotland so we felt it was a really fitting winner of Holyrood dog of the year.”

It is the fourth dog of the year competition in Holyrood. Emma Harper, Maurice Golden, and Jeremy Balfour have been named victors in the past.