Crufts hopeful Crash is already winner for owner battling MS
A GLASGOW woman has praised her champion pooch for helping her through her MS battle as he takes to the Crufts stage.
Linda Hill, who is from Knightw and Patterdale Terrier Crash will travel to Birmingham for his first attempt at the prestigious competition today.
However, it hasn’t been plain sailing for the duo after 34-yearold Linda was forced to learn how to walk again after a flare-up of what was soon to be diagnosed as multiple sclerosis saw her lose the use of her legs in 2012.
She said: “I couldn’t run or get to where I used to get to with his agility training so he had to re-learn it with me.
“Then in 2014, I relapsed again and lost the use of my left leg and was in hospital for 16 weeks so we had to start again.
“We missed a trip to Italy with the Scottish team but, amazingly, he was able to qualify the next year so we went to Holland. He’s brilliant.”
The eight-year-old dog has had to learn how to compete in the majority of his work alone due to Linda’s inability to determine how she’ll be able to manage the highly physical task of handling on the day of the competition.
The pooch, who, Linda jokes, is eager to learn but “not the brightest” of her three competition dogs, has had great success so far but has never taken on a task as large as Crufts.
He’ll be competing in the medium team relay final, the junior under-18 competition and the champion class.
But, no matter the result, he’ll always be a winner in the eyes of his proud owner.
“He helps me massively, all three dogs do,” Linda added.
“They keep me motivated when I’m struggling. When I’m exhausted or sore, I think ‘I need to get up because the dogs need fed or walked’. I’m lucky to have the support of my mum but, they give me something in my life that depends on me.”