HUSKIES may be better known for pulling sleds than walking to heel.But nine-year-old Lee Barber has trained his pet huskie Iyesha so well that she has qualified for an obedience class at this week's Crufts dog show.

HUSKIES may be better known for pulling sleds than walking to heel.

But nine-year-old Lee Barber has trained his pet huskie Iyesha so well that she has qualified for an obedience class at this week's Crufts dog show.

Lee, whose family have four huskies on their farm at Stokesby has trained Iyesha at the Norfolk Broads Dog Training Club, in nearby Potter Heigham, which is also attended by his brother Brad, 12, with his husky Sapphire.

Their mother Clare described Lee and Iyesha as “best mates” and said the hard work that had gone into the training had done her son as much good as the dog.

She said it was thought to be the first time in the 25 year history of the dog training club that a husky had reached an advanced level in obedience, a discipline more normally associated with such breeds as collies.

The family will be travelling to Birmingham today and Iyesha, who qualified last year through an open show at Plantation Park, near Norwich, will be put through her paces in the Youth Kennel Club event tomorrow.

Mrs Barber said it was normally not recommended to even let huskies off the lead and yet Iyesha, who is only two next month, had shown her skill in a full range of disciplines, including heel work, recall, sit and stay and down and stay.

She said: “Huskies are notorious for chasing cats, but we have got one and he does not take a blind bit of notice.”

She said it would be a real eye opener for judges when her son entered the arena with “27kg of husky”.

Lee, a pupil at nearby Acle St Edmund's Primary School, has even had his hair styled to match the colours of his pet.