Joanne Barker, 50, has spent much of her life working with animals—previously with horses, competing in Horse Driving Trials until mobility problems in 2020 forced her to stop.
She now runs Barkers K9 Hydro-Physio, a rehabilitation service for dogs recovering from injury or struggling with mobility issues.
Supporting her every day is Noodle, a five-year-old poodle and fully trained assistance dog through the charity Dog A.I.D, which is currently fundraising urgently to avoid closure.
Last autumn, Noodle proved just how vital he is when Ms Barker found herself in real danger.
She said: “I fell while coming in from the garden—I basically tripped over my own doorstep, I fell backwards and ended up half in and half out of the house.
“Noodle is trained to fetch my phone, and it was pretty cold, around October time. I was stuck there for around four hours.
“He brought me my phone so I could call for help, and then he sat on me to help keep me warm. He’s not big enough to cover me like a golden retriever would, but he stayed with me for the full four hours until the ambulance arrived.”
Noodle will now accompany Ms Barker to Crufts at Birmingham’s NEC in his role as an assistance dog. His early life, however, was far from ideal.
Sold online during lockdown, he was used by his former owner to breed cockapoos while demand was high.
When the market faded, Ms Barker purchased him and discovered he had been kept in a stable—”not a loved pet,” she said.
Three years on, life with her has transformed him.
Ms Barker said: “He’s a complete lunatic, if truth be known! He’s brilliant when he’s working, but at home, he’s absolutely stark raving bonkers.
“I’d love to show him at Crufts, but as an assistance dog he can’t have a poodle cut—he has to be clipped practically. So he’s just coming along to make sure I can actually go myself.”
Crufts, run by The Kennel Club, celebrates healthy, happy dogs and the special bond between them and their owners. The event runs from March 5 to 8 at the NEC Birmingham, with coverage on Channel 4 and More4. More information and tickets are available at crufts.org.uk.
