A stray dog who escaped death is set to represent Wales at Crufts 2022.
Trevor, a Staffordshire bull terrier, was found alone and afraid outside Superdrug in Cardiff city centre.
He was taken in by Cardiff Dogs Home when he was just aged one - and adopted by dog trainer Kahla Delahay shortly after.
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Kahla, who owns Valleys Dog Behaviour and Training, has been working with him for eight years to get him Crufts ready.
He is set to represent Wales as a ‘level one dog’ in the interregional rally competition at Crufts 2022.
As part of the rally, Trevor will navigate a course of about 15 signs - marks will be lost for sitting crooked or not paying attention to his handler.
He will also be able to show off his tricks and obedience.
The event is set to take place at the NEC in Birmingham and will include seven Welsh dogs.
Owner Kahla says Trevor is a completely different dog to the stray found on the streets of Cardiff almost a decade ago.
She said: “When I first adopted him he was basically feral.
“He had no basic training and would chase his tail for about six hours a day and was diagnosed with canine OCD which can be common in very stressed dogs and in some bull breeds.
“Cardiff Dogs Home staff said he used to climb out of his 10ft high kennel to cause bedlam.
“He was pretty wild and far too much with other dogs too which eventually led him to being fearful of them.
“Basically, he couldn’t sit, went in circles for hours, barked at everything and pooped all over my house.”
It took Kahla a lot of grit to get Trevor to the dog he is now and she recalled being in floods of tears after failing their Good Citizens exam twice because she simply could not manage his exuberance.
The Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Scheme teaches the gold standard of behaviour for dogs.
She started trick training for fun to tire Trevor out and slowly he learned to trust her and the pair learned to communicate.
Kahla began to reward Trevor for good behaviour and Trevor’s spinning and OCD stopped.
Their first competition together was three years ago in Letterston in West Wales. They did not win anything but got an “excellent” qualification for their score.
Kahla said: “Our world got a lot bigger and brighter the more silly tricks we did.
“Now he is Mr Reliable. He is a sensitive soul and in day to day life quite a thoughtful dog but in training he is pure unbridled joy.
“I train using science based, force free methods and it brings out the absolute best in him.
“If he gets something wrong he just tries again and honestly our biggest challenge is channeling that sheer joy into productivity.
“At home he is a huge cuddle bug. He would climb inside my skin if he could and adores the other three dogs he lives with.”
On Kahla’s most recent count, she said Trevor knows 139 different tricks, his most impressive being a handstand on his front legs.
He can also unload the washing machine, which Kahla says “is great if you don’t mind dog dribble on your clean socks.”
Kahla says the most vital thing about training your dog, rescue or not, is to have fun.
She said: “Every dog is different but good training is based in one thing and that’s a good and positive relationship with their owner. You cannot expect your behaviour issues to resolve unless your dog trusts you and has a happy life.”
Trevor will compete in Crufts 2022 on Thursday, March 10 in the obedience ring at the NEC in Birmingham.
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