Pooch perfect! Meet the adopted Ukrainian Yorkshire Terrier, Lucifer, hoping to lead the way at the Crufts dog show

Mum-of-three Inta Larina-Sekreta, 39, adopted the 20-month-old pup who was imported from Ukraine just two weeks before the Eastern European nation was invaded by its Russian neighbour in February 2022.

“It was very tricky to get his export pedigree because the Ukrainian Kennel Club stopped working because of the war, but the breeder sent me the pedigree early before we lost contact with her for one and a half months. She hid at Mariupol, Ukraine, with all her 26 dogs. I am thankful that her family and dogs are safe."

“I feel that he is a special dog because he escaped the war,” she said.

Now, ‘Argudan Graf Lucifer Monte Oskar Le Grand By Lavieest, or Lucifer for short, will be compete in the Crufts Toy Breed section this Sunday (March 12) at Birmingham’s NEC.

Inta and Lucifer started attending dog shows a year ago however Crufts will be the first larger canine contest that both will compete in.

"To be involved with dog shows, it has been my dream since I was a little kid. For me it was a dream come true when I went to my first dog show with Lucifer. I never thought that we could qualify for Crufts and I was very excited to have accomplished this,” added Inta.

"Going to Crufts was not a thing I would dream about when I was a child but now I can tell everyone they need to follow their dreams and their dreams will come true. Sometimes the dream becomes more than you thought!”

Proud-owner Inta, who is a warehouse worker at Next, in Wakefield city centre, describes Lucifer as a patient, friendly dog.

As a single-mum, she moved to Wakefield in 2010 from Latvia with her children, Dans-Daniels and Niks Nikita, 18, who are twins.

Inta is also mum to nine-year-old Gabriel.

“The majority of my time I spend with the dogs and my children,” she said. “I love every kind of dog breed and pets in general. I have had pets all my life and I can't imagine my life without them.

"If I have the chance to help any animal I will try my best and make sure the animal is well. I am totally a pet person and all my pets are my family.”