They say it’s not the winning but the taking part that counts.
And for rescue dog Kratu, there’s truth to the saying – because Kratu is absolutely paw-ful at agility.
Not that he seemed to mind though. During his performance at Crufts, he was much more preoccupied in making sure he had a good time than anything else – and the crowd loved him for it.
He duly obliged when owner Tessa Eagle Swan asked him to leap over the first hurdle, but things went a bit pear-shaped from there.
After strolling straight past the second jump without a care in the world he looked momentarily baffled before launching himself enthusiastically around the course.
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It was the third year in a row Kratu had taken to the ring and he relished the attention as the crowd dissolved into fits of laughter.
Kratu was entered into the rescue dogs agility course, a non-competitive section of Crufts where the animals take as much time as they need to complete the course.
And boy, did Kratu take his time.
The tunnel seemed to be a big challenge for Kratu, who wasn’t too sure which end he was supposed to exit, and then decided it was a better place for a lie down.
Who can blame him? Why would a dog want to crawl through a plastic tunnel anyway?
It’s dark, it’s warm and a game of hide and seek only adds to the fun.
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But although he might be a bit rubbish at taking instructions in the ring, Kratu is a highly accomplished service dog.
Last year, he became one of very few service dogs allowed into the European Parliament and has now become an ambassador for support dog training.
Kratu was rescued from Romania five years ago and was trained at the Wood Green animal charity.
Tessa said: ‘As a teenager he was incredibly hard to train. He was so stubborn and determined to do what he wanted.
‘He makes me laugh with his antics. He loves to perform tricks and does them all the time. He is a natural clown which makes it interesting and fun.
‘If he doesn’t like something he won’t do it. He really loves to please me but mostly he pleases himself! He is such a big character who will try to do what he wants rather than what I am asking.’
He is a Carpathian-Mioritic cross, a guarding breed in Romania that is rarely seen in the UK.
When he’s not melting people’s hearts at international dogs shows, Kratu likes sitting on Tessa’s knee (or anyone else’s for that matter), playing with squeaky toys, and hiding under clothes while squealing.
