Two dogs from Brackley, including one 95 per cent blind win awards at 2020 Crufts competition

Antonia Mellor hopes the story of her dog Rupert winning the Royal Canin Most Inspiring Dog Award at Crufts will encourage other people who have dogs with sight loss.
Antonia Mellor holding RupertAntonia Mellor holding Rupert
Antonia Mellor holding Rupert

Rupert, 7 years old and a working cocker spaniel, won the most inspiring dog award on Sunday March 8 the last day of the weekend-long Crufts competition held at the NEC in Birmingham.

Antonia, who lives in Brackley, said: "Rupert lost his eyesight very suddenly (over the space of less than a week) last August and after lots of tests and visits to specialists, it was decided it was due to an ingested toxin of unknown origin. He has been left with 5% vision in good light and no peripheral vision.

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"In the early days, I struggled to get him out of the house. So I decided to take him to our local dog training school, where one of my other spaniels was doing training, and see if we could get him more confident in a controlled environment.

RupertRupert
Rupert

"Before I knew it, he suddenly started to come out of his shell and was doing things none of us could imagine.

"In just a few weeks, Rupert was walking over poles, recalling, even going through the gate on his own. The weekly training classes are his safe haven, his time of fun and his confidence has soared enough that he is back to having walks off-lead through the woods.

"I’m a dog walker and he’s now also back to loving coming out on walks with my client dogs and meeting new dogs. I always get comments about how shocked people are to find out he can’t see as he doesn’t show it.

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"Rupert has overcome so much and I am so immensely proud of him. I’m so lucky to have such a happy, wonderful little dog in my life that shows me to live every day to the fullest."

Carlos, a15-month-old Shar-Pei, who belongs to Sandra Grimshaw from BrackleyCarlos, a15-month-old Shar-Pei, who belongs to Sandra Grimshaw from Brackley
Carlos, a15-month-old Shar-Pei, who belongs to Sandra Grimshaw from Brackley

But Rupert wasn't the only dog from Brackley to come away with a win at the Crufts competition.

Carlos, a 15-month-old Shar-Pei, belonging to Sandra Grimshaw, who runs a dog grooming parlour in Brackley also won. Carlos, won the Best in Breed at Crufts on Thursday March 5.

Sandra said: “When the judge walked over towards us I couldn’t believe it. Everyone was screaming – it was incredible."

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News spread fast of Sandra and Carlos’ win after they left the ring.

Sandra added: “All my clients are already putting it online. I can’t believe it."

At home Carlos is a “very nice chilled Spanish dog”, according to Sandra.

She said: “As a breed they have a very loyal, but also very stubborn nature. It takes a special person to have a Shar-Pei, but if you train them right you have a very good dog."

It sounded like Carlos was heading home to a special treat.

Sandra added: “All my bitches are on heat so he’ll be going home to have his first go with them."