Maggie McNamara grew up at the back end of Glasgow in poverty, surrounded by disability, addiction and domestic violence. After her parents died, she went into kinship care — where, she says, the abuse only got worse.

Now 36 and living in Kilmarnock, Maggie stood on the famous green carpet at Crufts this month with her best friend trotting beside her: Skittles, a six-year-old Jack Russell cross who was once too scared to look at the world.

"This is a lifelong dream come true," Maggie told STV News. "I always wanted to do this, and now we're going and getting to walk that green carpet."

A dog who was scared of everything

When Skittles' elderly owners could no longer care for her, Maggie — a qualified dog trainer — took her in. The little dog was timid, fearful and deeply unsure of people.

"She was really nervous, scared of people and unsure of the entire world," Maggie said. "Now she loves people, loves other dogs and is out there making a difference."

Through patient training and steady kindness, Maggie helped Skittles blossom into a confident, sociable companion. It's a transformation that mirrors Maggie's own journey from a traumatic childhood to a life built around helping others.

Therapy dog, assistance dog, community hero

Today, Skittles works as a therapy dog across Ayrshire. She visits schools, nurseries and care homes, supports children going through trauma, helps young people with autism, and works with adult survivors of domestic violence. She builds children's literacy and numeracy skills through dog training sessions, competes in flyball and agility, and even delivers Christmas hampers to vulnerable families through the "Muttmas Project."

But Skittles' most important job is closer to home. As Maggie's autism assistance dog, she is a daily lifeline.

"She does medication reminders, migraine alerts, and tests food for allergens — I can't eat dairy as it makes my migraines worse, and she can tell if there's dairy in my food," Maggie explained. "If I'm over-fixated with something, I forget simple things like where I parked my van. Skittles can take me back."

In busy places, Skittles guides Maggie somewhere quiet when she's overwhelmed. She even sits behind Maggie in queues, a calm barrier against one of her biggest fears — people approaching from behind.

"She's my best friend but also my lifeline to a normal, independent life."

"Like one of our own"

At a local care home, staff say Skittles has become part of the family. "She comes in and it's like she knows everyone," said care manager Sarah MacAskill. "She brings smiles to the residents' faces and reminds them of when they had pets of their own. It's lovely to see them so relaxed and happy."

Crufts and beyond

Skittles was named a finalist for the Royal Kennel Club Hero Dog Award at Crufts 2026 in the Rescue Dog Hero category. The overall award ultimately went to Asha, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier who supports a young boy living with cerebral palsy — but for Maggie and Skittles, reaching the final was the dream fulfilled.

When the nomination email first arrived, Maggie thought it was a scam. A follow-up phone call from The Kennel Club confirmed it was real.

"It was a bit of a 'this isn't happening' moment," she said. "It's absolutely incredible."

For a wee dog who once couldn't face the world, and a woman who rebuilt her life from the hardest of starts, the green carpet was exactly where they belonged.