It’s time to don a pair of silly glasses and drink champagne through a curly straw! As we bid farewell to the year that was 2015, we bring you 10 of our most popular posts from the past 12 months – from famous Bull Terriers to cat tattoos and everything in between. We hope that 2015 was a corker for you and your furry friends, and here’s to a happy and prosperous 2016!
1. INTERVIEW: RAFAEL MANTESO & JIMMY
In between becoming an overnight Instagram sensation, launching a designer collaboration with Jimmy Choo and publishing his own book – A Dog Named Jimmy, Jimmy the Bull Terrier and his owner Rafael Manteso found time to talk to StyleTails about their beautiful bond – Read it here.
2. PET FRIENDLY: 10 LUXURY COUNTRY PUBS WITH DOG FRIENDLY ROOMS
Boozy dinners by the fire with Fido at your feet, too much red wine, and long walks among rolling fields – it’s easy to forget that this bucolic bliss awaits just mere hours from the city. We know you love nothing more than leaving the daily grind behind, packing up your pooch and making a mad dash to the countryside – so we’ve handpicked 10 must-visit luxury country pubs with dog friendly lodgings. See them here.
3. TRENDS: 8 MODERN CAT LITTER BOXES
Cats are private creatures, and let’s be honest – no one really wants to take care of their personal business in a public place. Thankfully, there’s a growing range of smart and stylish cat litter boxes that not only look good in your home, they also provide a little privacy for your pussy. Here’s eight modern cat litter boxes, handpicked by us for you! Check them out here.
4. PHOTOGRAPHY: WHERE HUNTING DOGS REST BY MARTIN USBORNE
Are you prepared to have your heart broken a little bit? Every winter, throughout rural Spain, up to 150,000 Spanish hunting dogs or ‘Galgos’ are abandoned or killed at the end of the hare-coursing season because they are too slow, too old or simply too expensive to feed out of season. Considered to be past their sell by-date by unscrupulous hunters, these poor dogs are disposed of in the most undignified fashion. Moved by their plight, photographer Martin Usborne captured the beauty of these creatures in his book Where Hunting Dogs Rest. See it here.
5. PET FRIENDLY | 25 OF LONDON’S BEST DOG FRIENDLY PUBS
What better way to spend a weekend than to enjoy a glass (or a bottle) of vino and some delicious pub grub with family, pals and your four legged friend? Thankfully, you’re never far from a pub in London, and many of the Capital’s best boozers allow dogs. See them all here. *Image credit: dogsinpubs.com
6. TRENDS: 9 MODERN DOG BOWLS & FEEDERS
Din Dins. Tucker time. Chow down. Nom noms! Whatever you call it – it’s cause pants-wetting levels of excitement in your dog’s day. So to make mealtime even greater (is that possible?) why not treat your hungry hound to some designer dinnerware? To get you salivating, we have rounded up nine modern dog bowls and feeders that will look right at home in your contemporary kitchen. See them here.
7. ART: 11 AWESOME & ARTISTIC WAYS TO IMMORTALISE YOUR PET
If like us, you wish you could see your pet’s adorable face everywhere you look, then you’re going to be just a teeny but excited about these cool ideas. From crayons to cushions and tattoos to textiles, here are some of the most awesome and artistic ways you can immortalise your pet. See them all here.
8. PLAY: 8 OF THE BEST TOYS TO ENTERTAIN YOUR DOG
Dogs love to play in all different ways, and what excites one hound may not float the boat of another. Toys play an important role in encouraging natural behaviour and stimulation in dogs, as well as providing a great bonding experience for you and your pooch. Whether you’ve got a chewer, a tosser, a tugger or a squeaker, we’ve rounded up the best dog toys for every type of pooch. See them here.
9. RECIPE: BUTTERMILK & PEANUT BUTTER DOG PANCAKES
Breakfast blogger Tina Jui from The Worktop shares her delicious recipe for buttermilk and peanut butter dog pancakes with fresh strawberries. Made with buckwheat flour and gluten free for dogs with intolerances, these are a lip smackingly good treat! See it here.
10. GROOMING: 10 GENTLE SHAMPOOS FOR DOGS WITH SENSITIVE SKIN
Is your pooch a bit of a sensitive soul? Lots of dogs react badly to commercial pet shampoos, mainly because they haven’t been properly formulated to suit a dog’s natural skin pH levels. Many also contain strong chemicals that can strip and irritate a dog’s skin and coat. To help you choose something just for your pooch, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best gentle dog grooming products. See them here.