- By Clara Bullock & Sacha Bigwood
- BBC News
Seb Thomas adopted Buddy the border collie in 2018
A rescue canine that after struggled to sit down in the identical room as his proprietor might be competing at Crufts.
Seb Thomas, 41, from Bridgwater, Somerset, rescued Buddy in 2018 when he was about 10 months old.
“He had quite a few points and it took some time to work via them,” Mr Thomas mentioned.
“No one anticipated a thin, bitey, wonky rescue canine to turn out to be such a beautiful companion and pet, and nobody anticipated him to make it to Crufts.”
Buddy might be competing within the Large Novice Cup class at Crufts in Birmingham.
“I did not know what he had been via in his quick life,” Mr Thomas instructed BBC Radio Bristol.
“At the beginning he was reluctant to even sit in the identical room.”
Buddy certified for Crufts 2024 in August
Mr Thomas works 50 hours per week as a supervisor within the motor commerce and runs a inexperienced persons’ agility membership for dogs within the evenings.
He determined to coach Buddy, who he bought from Paws4Thought in Somerset, and mentioned the choice “turned out to be the very best factor that would have occurred”.
Last 12 months, Mr Thomas set himself the objective of qualifying for Crufts, with the Kennel Club (KC) Novice Cup being the principle purpose.
Seb mentioned Buddy is “the very best companion”
Then Mr Thomas’ first agility canine, Pixie, died on the age of 16 and some weeks later he additionally misplaced his different canine Bella, which brought about Buddy “misery and loneliness”.
They travelled to The Kennel Club International Agility Festival in Rutland with Buddy having hardly educated or competed in months, however he secured a place at Crufts.
“We could not consider it,” Mr Thomas mentioned.
Crufts is run by the Kennel Club and might be held on the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham from 7 to 10 March.
