Okay, all you canine backyard beauties, it's time to lick yourselves into shape and get ready for some fur-tive fun in the sun.

Forget about envying those pedigree pooches with their snooty ways at serious dog shows. Mrs. Deeanda Bannister has great news for you.

She's earmarked Saturday, October 15, as the day for you to strut your stuff, ham it up for the crowd, and nip home with a prize or two.

An ardent dog lover, the Somerset resident is back by popular demand following last year's Small Dog Show with another great opportunity for the mongrels and imperfect pedigree pooches to win friends and influence judges. And all in the name of charity.

There will be prizes for the waggiest tail, fanciest dressed, most obedient, best look-alike, best groomed, cutest, best overall, and even the cutest! So start primping, preening and performing.

Like any contest there are rules and restrictions, of course. You have to be over six months old, can't weigh over 35 lbs., and you must have proof of vaccination from a veterinarian.

Otherwise, the ears that don't stick up, the scraggly tail, the shaggy coat, and other imperfections won't matter a woof.

The advance entry fee for canines is $10, late entry at the gate is $15. $2 will admit humans to the show.

Mrs. Bannister first got the idea for her show after noticing how devoted owners were to their dogs. She watched them at the vets, she noticed the love and attention they lavished on their animals, and she remembered how much her own little Chihuahua cross, Heidi, meant to her.

She also felt that faithful, loving dogs who don't cut it in the canine glamour stakes needed a little public recognition from time to time to keep their tails up.

This, combined with her enjoyment of raising money for charity, resulted in last year's Small Dog Show at the Royal Naval Field in Somerset, the proceeds of which were donated to the St. James' Church organ restoration fund.

The event proved such a success that Mrs. Bannister has decided to do it all again on Saturday at the same location.

"This year, I hope to beef it up and raise even more for charity,'' she said.

Mrs. Bannister has already approached three organisations: The Women's Resource Centre, the Physical Abuse Centre, and Teen Services, and asked each of them to select an individual who could not otherwise afford to take a class at the Community Education and Development Programme.

"I want to send at least three, and hopefully more depending on how much money is raised, to the School. The choice of class and the location of the Community Education Centre (St. George's, Warwick, Somerset) will be left up to the individual concerned,'' she explained.

Mr. Reginald Outerbridge, vice-president of the Bermuda Kennel Club, will be the judge, and apart from the official category prizes, there will be consolation prizes for all participants.

"The merchants have been very generous, and we will have some nice prizes, including a winter wardrobe of sweaters, cases of dog food, and so forth.'' A personal assistant by day, Mrs. Bannister feels the Dog Show will allow doting owners to show off the family pet, and also "reward'' the dogs for their constant and unselfish devotion to duty.

"You'd be surprised how much love and care dog owners put into their animals,'' she said. "And dogs give of themselves so unstintingly. All they ask is to be loved and recognised.'' As for Heidi, she won't be in the line-up. That wouldn't be fair, Mrs.

Bannister said.

She'll just have to be thankful that, after she was adopted in Barbados, her Bermudian owners loved her enough to claw their way through a lot of red tape and bring her home - but that's a tail in itself! For further information on the Dog Show telephone Mrs. Bannister at 234-3316 evenings.

NOW EAR THIS! Chihuahua cross Heidi shows the form that her owner Mrs. Deeanda Bannister hopes other mongrels will follow in next weekend's charity Small Dog Show at the Royal Naval Field, Somerset.