FROM WINNING competitions to walking her owner down the aisle, Beccy Sinclair’s dog Chewiee has certainly achieved plenty in her short life to date.

Beccy, 36, made the four-year-old Chewiee her ring-bearer when she married in 2017, reward for becoming an essential part of her life since adopting her when she was only nine weeks.

The half cocker-spaniel, quarter yorkie, and quarter border-terrier has been a revelation since joining the home in Foxhill Court, Leeds.

Suffering from Chron’s disease, Beccy had often found it difficult to get outside, leading to isolation, loneliness and depression.

But that has all transformed thanks to Chewiee – prompting nomination but missing out on the final short-list for The Kennel Club’s Friends for Life award at Crufts from friend Tina Davies.

“She’s completely changed my life, which now revolves around her, taking her to classes and for walks,” said Beccy.

“Before I was quite isolated and quite depressed as well, Chron’s is not a pleasant thing to live with but now I maintain my weight better because I have to be more active so that I can go out with her.

“At first it was hard for me because I wasn’t used to having to go out all the time, but the motivation was there but having her really started to help me.

“I’m a completely different person, I don’t think I’ve suffered as much with depression or feeling lonely.

“If I got the dog I thought I needed – a lazier one that wanted to chill – my life wouldn’t have changed so much.

“Watching her face when she’s training or running an agility course, even if I’m feeling like death it makes me feel amazing, I push myself so much more than I did before, for her.”

A look similar to that of Star War’s Chewbacca in her younger days was the inspiration behind Chewiee’s name, she also loves food and was the perfect student in training – and frequently participates in agility courses.

But it’s her work as opposed to her appearance that has seen her nominated but miss out on the final short-list in the man’s best friend category of the Friends for Life award, celebrating a pet dog who has seen its owner through the hardest times as well as the happiest.

The Kennel Club wants to celebrate and share the amazing stories of how dogs give back to us every day of our lives. There will be one winner per category, decided through a public vote, and the overall winner will be announced in the NEC arena at Crufts 2019. 

The winner will also be awarded £5,000 and the runners up will each receive – for their nominated canine charity – £1,000 from the Kennel Club Charitable Trust – helping to make a difference for dogs.

The pair first entered The Kennel Club good citizen scheme, and their relationship has got better and better, with Chewiee thankfully becoming more calmer as she matured.

“Nowadays she’s happy to spend the day in bed with me if I’m having a bad day because she is so knackered from doing the other bits and pieces in the rest of the week,” added Beccy.

“She still motivates me every day to go out, she’s a lot easier now as she has an off-switch.

“Chron’s still affects me quite significantly and sometimes I have panic attacks, but recently her new thing is to bring me a toy to try and get me to play and it snaps me right out of it. 

“Little things like that make life so much better now.

“It was amazing having her at my wedding, it wouldn’t have been right not to have her there, my husband loves her as much as I do, and she has completed us so it’s amazing, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

Image credit: David Whitehead Images