Not all animals are normal. Some have special powers separating them from the rest of their kind - e.g. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Thundercats, Sonic the Hedgehog.

One canine from Potters Bar can now be included in this prestigious bunch after being nominated as a finalist in the bitch category at this weekend's Kennel Club Superdog of the Year competition.

Perdie, a Japanese-breed shibu inu, has superpowers including jumping fantastically high', skateboarding really fast', and being able to soothe and relax everybody around her.

Her owner, Pam Cottam, will accompany her to the competition, being held at Earls Court, Kensington. Mrs Cottam said: "She goes to a lot of dog shows and I'm a member of the Companion Dog Club which gave me the information about the competition, so I wrote to the Kennel Club with her details and superpowers.

"I taught her to do the skateboarding; she is a very clever dog. I should be most grateful if readers could vote for her."

Other contenders in the competition include Kerry the labrador who puts the washing on; Mitzi, a terrier who can herd swans and geese, and trailhound Katie who yodels.

Shibu inu dogs cope well with mountainous terrain, apparently. Whether Perdie has learnt how to use her skateboard on a mountain is not yet clear.

To check out the shortlisted dogs and cast your vote, visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk and click on superdog competition voting.