Beloved dog who helped Stafford mother and daughter after mental health crisis will return to Crufts
A dog who has made a profound impact on the life of a mother and daughter from Stafford will be looking to steal the show when she competes at Crufts for the second time.
Maya, a German shorthaired pointer who will be two years old by the time she’s at Birmingham in March, has had a massively positive effect on the mental health of Natasha Key, aged 37, and her daughter Hanna who has special needs.
A mental breakdown left Mrs Key, who is a pharmacy dispenser, at the point where she attempted to take her own life, but Maya has helped her through every day since, starting with her nibbling at her feet to get her out of bed in the morning.
She has given her the confidence to return to the ring at Crufts alongside her friends, while the impact she has had on Hanna has also transformed her day-to-day life.
Mrs Key said: “The relationship we have is second to none.
“She won’t leave my side, she can be quite fickle, but what really makes it special is with my daughter.
“We went to Scotland and taking my daughter out of anything that’s not ‘the norm’ is something she really struggles with, and she’ll be frightened of heights, and things like this.
“But Maya got her onto the Ben Nevis cable cars and we went to the top of there, so Maya literally helps her in so many ways of her life.
“I have three dogs and she’ll always pick Maya to go with, and we can now go and have a meal in a pub because she is there. She’s just so calming.”
Mrs Key has competed at Crufts alongside friend Zoe Sieski, who is a breeder of German shorthaired pointers, for the last four years.
Maya’s uncle has previously won best of breed at the show while her grandad won veteran best of breed in the gundog category.
Mrs Key said: “Maya hasn’t been the easiest to train, so it’s been really special because top people in the breed have been giving me tips and everything else to get out there and not put me off.
“We go away with these people and create memories. I’ve not been showing that long, but I love helping out people who are new to the breed.
“It’s about building up a relationship with the breeders, getting them to trust you, you to trust them and run with it, and that’s exactly what we’ve done.”
Crufts, run by The Kennel Club, is a unique celebration of happy, healthy dogs and of the loving relationship that they enjoy with their owners.
It will be held from March 5-8 at the NEC Birmingham. Viewers can follow all the action and highlights on Channel 4 and More4, and for further information and tickets visit crufts.org.uk.
