On his first outing in 2017, he thought it best to explore the scents of the arena and walk around the weave poles instead of racing through them — to the delight of onlookers, who roared with laughter.
“Kratu clearly made an informed decision, and that was to have fun,” Swan, 58, told TODAY. “He loves people and to have fun. And the pull of the audience in the moment and in the arena was far greater than doing what he was told.”Crufts released a video of “Krazy Kratu” that went viral — as did his subsequent appearances. They seemed to get funnier with each passing year, from Kratu turning around halfway through agility tunnels to stealing poles he was supposed to jump over.But there’s much more to Kratu, now 8, than his hilarious antics in the agility ring, as chronicled in the new book “Incredible Kratu: The happy-go-lucky rescue dog who changed his owner’s life.”Run a dryer sheet over your dog's fur when there's a storm — chances are, they aren't freaked out about the storm but the static electricity built up in their fur. According to Martha, this should work at least 50% of the time.
Swan writes in her book about an extremely challenging childhood and young adulthood. She survived abuse, kidnapping and rape, and used drugs, including heroin. She’s had to contend with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, bulimia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, self-hatred and ultimately, undiagnosed autism. After being diagnosed with hepatitis C in 2011, with help from doctors and a spiritual quest that led her to Peru, she started turning her life around. When she adopted Kratu, she spent so much time giving him the exercise, positive training and care he needed that it didn’t leave much time for introspection and anxiety.Possibly the best use of old jeans ever: a lap pillow.
INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: According to the ASPCA, around 2.7 million shelter animals are adopted each year. Interesting in adopting a pet? Make sure to do your research ahead of time to find the animal that's right for you!
She also wasn’t used to smiling much before Kratu entered her life.
“I’ve always liked rebels, rascals,” she said with a laugh. “I’ve been one myself.”
When trainer Wendy Kruger from Woodgreen Pets Charity invited Kratu to participate as part of a rescue dog agility team at Crufts, Swan felt motivated to seek help for her mental health because she wanted to be able to attend — and enjoy it.As a result, she was finally diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
Sure enough, when the time came, her faithful companion helped her navigate through the Crufts crowds — and the sensory overload they bring — before and after his agility run.
Create Your Own Doggie First Aid Kit. You never know when an accident might happen so it’s recommended to have a first aid kit on hand just in case. Here’s a great list of basic items a pet first aid kit should have.
“His goal is love and happiness, and I walk behind him. He leads the way,” she said. “He’s just this force of nature.”
Help your pet be as active as nature intended. Exercise and play time are necessary for your pet’s mental and physical well-being. If you don’t give your dog opportunities to be physically active, or if you don’t encourage exercise for your kitty and find ways to make it happen, you may well end up with a bored, destructive, overweight pet whose health will spiral downward throughout her lifetime.
“Your dog doesn’t come and kick you out of bed and go, ‘Get up and go wash yourself.’ You decide to throw back the covers, go into the bathroom, brush your teeth. You make that decision,” she said. “If you are going to be empowered, healthy and whole, you have to say, ‘I do this for me, because I’m worth it and I want to do it.’ And to be present for your dog.”
“So many people around the world have got mental health problems. They’ve got sadness,” Swan said. “And they go to Kratu’s page and they talk to him.”Kratu and Swan have also visited numerous universities in Romania to help change perceptions of rescue dogs as pets , attend a variety of charitable events to lend their support and appeared in Autism’s Got Talent.INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: Labradors have been the most popular breed in the United States for the last 26 years.
Use a carabiner to attach it to a belt loop for a long hike.
Wherever they go, Swan feels pride seeing Kratu show what rescue dogs can be with early socialization, positive training and respect. She loves the way he opens hearts just by being himself.
“I’ve always found it hard to be accepted. And to see this roughneck, Romanian, cheeky, charming clown just welcomed into this world, and I’m with him … I really struggle with self-worth and self-esteem, and I have to take a step back and think, ‘That’s my dog. We’ve done this together,’” she said.Play a Nice Interactive Game of Tug With Your Dog. A 5 minute game of tug works wonders for tiring out your dog & letting him get rid of some of that pent up energy. (and no – it won’t make your dog aggressive despite the old myth)