Bridgnorth mutt really is a super dog

Three-year-old Duke, from Highley, near Bridgnorth, made it through to the semi-finals of the UK Super Dogs Live competition.

The national pet show aims to find the most talented dogs in the UK and Duke managed to finish third, becoming the only dog in Shropshire to have ever made it that far in the competition.

The trick dog, who now has his own Facebook page with 2,845 followers, will also be making an appearance at the charitable Relay For Life at Woodlands School in Telford, on July 18.

Owner Hazel Flanigan, who has trained Duke with her husband, Nathan, said: "We adopted Duke when he was 10 weeks old.

"We have trained him using positive reinforcement and first started practising agility and trick training when he reached two years old, although he has always had a passion for it.

"We first got invited to a TV audition a couple of years ago and from then decided to advance on his training.

"In September he made it through to the live semi-finals of Super Dogs Live, a competition held at the National Pet Show in London to find the most talented dogs in the United Kingdom.

"Duke had to perform to a large live audience and a panel of judges, which included Noel Fitzpatrick, the "supervet" on TV, and presenter Ben Fogle.

"As far as we are aware Duke is the only dog in Shropshire to have ever made it into the semi-finals.

"He has just gained his first Official Trick Dog Title and has been registered through the Kennel Club under the name of Amazing Jumping Duke."

Duke now has a range of tricks but the Flanigans' personal favourite is his spin in the air because it was something he picked up naturally.

The trick that gets the audience baying for more, however, is the "dead to a gunshot".

"People often ask how they can teach their own dog that trick at home," said Hazel.

Duke has also been pictured at the top of Clee Hill and has previously been in the newspaper after Nathan raised £600 for a dog charity by cycling across the country.

He is an annual entrant in Scruffts, a Crufts-style competition for mixed breed dogs, at the London Pet Show, where the winners of each heat go forward to show at Crufts the following year.

"We enter as many local shows as we can and Duke is building up a collection of rosettes and certificates," said Hazel.

"The relay is for a fantastic cause and we are happy to help out.

"We hope people enjoy meeting Duke and seeing him show off some of his tricks."

Hazel and Nathan, who own a total of three Staffordshire bull terrier-type dogs, said one of the most rewarding aspects of training dogs was to seeing people's perceptions about the breed change and to show that in the right environment they can make fantastic family pets.

"Duke enjoys socialising with our family and their friends' children, whose ages range from two to eight," said Hazel.

"I had never trained dogs before and Duke was our first ever dog but once we had one we had to get more.

"I have studied a two year course in animal welfare and behaviour, and now I'm moving onto canine studies at degree level.

"Trick training is not only great fun for the entire family but makes for fantastic mental stimulation, which can help with certain behaviour issues.

"Dukes' success story has also been shared through social media by one of the world's top dog trainers, Victoria Stilwell, who is best known for her TV series, It's Me or the Dog.

"I also get a lot of guidance from friends who are some of the best dog trainers I have ever met, and are very passionate about what they do."