Well-known dog breeder Ruth Brucker has died at the age of 80, after a short illness.

Miss Brucker, who lived in Oxfordshire most of her life, was known for her expert knowledge on breeding champion hounds.

She was born in Oxford and was the first - and at the time only - girl to attend the Dragon School, Oxford, where her father, Capt Albert Brucker, was housemaster. Her life-long love of dog breeding was inspired by her first job at kennels in Enstone as a teenager.

Miss Brucker left the Dragon School and completed her education at Cheltenham Ladies' College. She returned to work as an administrator with the Oxford University Institute of Statistics and, later, at the Oxford Eye Hospital until her retirement in 1985.

But her main interest was in the world of dogs. She became an expert in a variety of breeds, including beagles, whippets, Petits Bassets Griffons Vendeens and otter- hounds.

Miss Brucker, who lived in Thackley Place, Oxford, and later near Burwell Farm, Witney, introduced the Petits Bassets Griffons Vendeens breed to England from France.

Miss Brucker judged at many shows, including Crufts, and served on several dog committees.

David Webster, of the magazine Dog World, paid tribute to her, saying: "Dogdom sees very few like her today and we will be worse off for her death."

Her cousin John Brucker said: "Her delightful sense of humour and dry wit will be sadly missed."