HIDDEN away on the southern side of the Allora Showgrounds is a little slice of puppy paradise.

It's a spot that came to life through the dream and hard work of long-time local couple Keith and Marg Rackley.

Mrs Rackley has been running the Allora Dog Show for more than 20 years and this weekend it's all happening again.

"It's become one of the favourite and best-known shows in the country,” she said.

"And it's all because of the grounds.

"They're beautifully presented and looked after.”

The idea to build a special spot to show dogs came after the couple attended a dog show in Allora Showgrounds.

"It was so hot that day a bulldog fainted, and Keith formulated a vision right then that he wanted to make a nice, shady spot to hold the dog show,” Mrs Rackley said.

"So we approached the show society and asked if we could plant some trees.

"They agreed and even dug the holes for us.”

Mrs Rackley said the couple were both working in Warwick at the time.

"We'd sold out of our trucking business,” she said.

"I was working at a servo in Warwick and Keith was at the bacon factory.

"Every spare minute we had we'd be at the dog arena making it as perfect as we could.”

Twenty-eight years later, the couple have planted 98trees in the area.

Mrs Rackley said they had always been dog lovers.

"Keith and I were married in Ipswich and two days before someone gave us a boxer,” she said.

"That started a love affair that lasted 55 years.”

Years later, after the couple's three children had grown up and left home, MrsRackley finally fulfilled a dream of entering her boxer in a dog show.

"That was in Gatton,” she said.

"The next week we won a Best of Breed and that got us both hooked.

"We promptly went out and bought another boxer so we'd have two to show.”

Mrs Rackley said people loved the dog arena because it was so welcoming to dogs and handlers.

"You don't want long grass, or prickles,” she said.

"I'm really proud of how it all looks.”

The dog arena is officially known as the K & M Rackley Dog Arena.

Keith Rackley passed away 18 months ago and MrsRackley said soon after he died she received a letter from a woman who lived nearby.

"It read 'Keith has left a beautiful legacy for this little town' - and she was right,” she said.

"It's a beautiful spot and a beautiful legacy.”