An adorable rescue pooch who had a horrific start to her life – after being found flea-ridden, in a Torquay home with 96 other dogs – is now the pride and joy of her loving owner, and is taking part in Crufts.
Rhubarb – nicknamed Rhu – is thought to be a Shih-Tzu cross, and is a contender in ‘Scruffts’ – a sub-competition that is for crossbreeds only.
And Lauraine Maddox has spoken of her pride at the pup’s growth in confidence.
In 2022, little Rhu was matted, infested with worms and fleas, scolded from living in her own mess, and it was evident that her left eye was grossly enlarged.
Now, she has transformed completely, after being showered with love and affection by her family.
‘Rhu came home January 2023,’ Lauraine told FEMAIL. ‘The RSPCA had done an amazing job with her rehabilitation but she was still a very anxious little girl.
‘She was wary of the world as she missed out on a lot of socialisation that we take for granted.
‘She was a little bit smelly and her fur was uneven as she’d had very tight matts removed and various vet appointments.’
An adorable rescue pooch who had a horrific start to her life – after being found in a flea-ridden Torquay home with 96 other dogs – is now the pride and joy of her loving owner, and is taking part in Crufts
Rhubarb – nicknamed Rhu – is thought to be a Shih-Tzu cross, and is a contender in ‘Scruffts’ – a sub-competition that is for crossbreeds only
The pooch’s eye was treated but unfortunately determined to be unresponsive – so the decision was made to remove it for her own welfare. Because of this, she’s missing one eye.
But her tough start hasn’t stopped Rhu from wowing her owner.
‘I was blown away when she won her class at the final Scruffts heat in September and I cant wait for her to have her moment,’ she gushed.
‘Obviously I’d love for her to win but if after everything she’s been through, she can walk out into that arena in front of all those people and all those bright lights, then she’s already won in my eyes. I can’t ask her for anything more.’
Lauraine said Rhu has ‘taken over their entire lives with absolute chaos since she came home’.
‘She’s a little fire cracker and we love it!’ she said. ‘Between training, grooming, walks and play dates we don’t have much free time. We joke that she has a better social life than we do.
And Lauraine Maddox has spoken of her pride at the pup’s growth in confidence. In 2022, little Rhu was matted, infested with worms and fleas, scolded from living in her own mess, and it was evident that her left eye was grossly enlarged. Now, she has transformed completely, after being showered with love and affection by her family
Lauraine, pictured, said Rhu has ‘taken over their entire lives with absolute chaos since she came home’
Lauraine’s favourite thing about Rhu is ‘the look of peoples’ faces when she shows them what she can do’
‘We don’t have human children so our whole world revolves around her. My parents love having a grand-pup and spoil her rotten.’
Lauraine also has a seven-year-old Collie called Ty who Rhu ‘absolutely adores’.
‘He probably thinks of her as his annoying little sister but he also wont go anywhere without her,’ she said. ‘It’s very cute to watch. They make quite the pair.
‘People often comment that we’ve gone from one extreme to another but Rhu generally thinks that she’s a collie so if doesn’t feel any different to us.’
Lauraine’s favourite thing about Rhu is ‘the look of peoples’ faces when she shows them what she can do’.
‘When we’re out and about, people often comment “awww the puppy” and “awww she’s only got one eye”,’ she recounted.
‘They think she should be a broken little lap dog but when I put her on the start line of an agility course, she gives it everything she’s got and gives the collies a run for their money.
‘We often have a crowd of complete strangers cheering her on.’
Rhu was one of nearly 100 dogs which were rescued in Cornwall – which then became 150 as some were pregnant)
They were taken in by the RSPCA and split amongst various rehoming centers to give them the best possible chance of rehabilitation
And while she loves to see Rhu in action, Lauraine is just as content ‘just to watch her sleep’.
‘I could watch her sleep for hours, snuggled up in her fluffy blankets or on her back, belly in the air and I just think to myself how safe she must feel and how happy she is and I know I’ve done my job,’ she said.
‘It does affect her, she struggles with things like road walking as she has no peripheral vision on one side so vehicles which are especially loud or big, make her anxious.
‘But she never lets it stop her from doing anything. If she wants to go for a walk to the park and we need to cross the road, we’re still going to the park. You can see how hard she tries every single day.’
Rhu was one of nearly 100 dogs which were rescued in Cornwall – which then became 150 as some were pregnant).
They were taken in by the RSPCA and split amongst various rehoming centers to give them the best possible chance of rehabilitation.
