Dogs
Maybe Pope Francis had a point about dog culture
Dennis is having a little holiday with a sitter in Kent because I’m in Italy, a meandering trip from Rome…
Letters: Peter Hitchens is wrong about Ukraine
Peter’s denial Sir: In his article ‘The warmongers’ (24 October) Peter Hitchens is too extraordinary. In fact, General Sir Roland…
Buying a pre-trained puppy is lazy
It’s a tiny bit lazy, if you ask me. There’s a growing market, as reported by a Sunday newspaper, for…
Was getting a dog a mistake?
I come out of my ayurvedic massage in Kerala all oily. I look like one of those sad birds you…
Does a dog-friendly car exist?
The valet parking man at Gatwick climbed out of my car with an expression that suggested he’d just driven a…
Why are vet bills so ruinously expensive?
Dennis refuses to step on to the scales at the vet. Perhaps he’s nervous about his holiday weight. The upshot…
Dogs belong in the bedroom
‘No dog of mine will sleep on my bed,’ I swore, before Dennis came along. People who allowed dogs on…
Who can I trust with my dog when I go on holiday?
Two summers ago, when Dennis was a puppy, I went to the vet to get the 793 bits of paper…
Who needs a baby when I’ve got my terrier?
Back in the day, Chelsea Flower Show was regarded as the beginning of the Season. Queen Alexandra opened the festivities…
The rise of the child-haters
On Petersfield station, southbound side, there’s a huge billboard advertising a tropical holiday with a photo of a beautiful couple…
What your whippet says about you
‘Whippets are simply ducal,’ a grand friend pants at me in her drawing room when I ask her why she…
My mother has become a hostile stranger
‘Do you know who I am?’ said the voice belonging to the lady who used to be my mother, crossly,…
Hell is a dog café
The dog café had a pretty pink sign describing its many services and I stood outside it mesmerised as I…
Welcome to XL bully death row
‘There’s no way of finding out what’s really happening in there,’ says Aaron Rainey, an XL bully expert who advises…
My farewell to In Our Time
I set up In Our Time 27 years ago. I had been shunted from Start the Week to what was…
A poignant and perfect send-off
We knew the church would be packed as Shelley had died so young. We knew the church would be freezing,…
The secret to a great service station
A couple of months ago, an invitation arrived. Would I like a room at the Savoy for the Baftas? I…
Don’t bribe your dog with treats
‘Do NOT look Lulu in the eye. Keep your voice low and soft and ignore her barking. Do NOT make…
Letters: why the Tories need to lose
Back to blue Sir: What a pity your leading article (‘The valley of death’, 25 May) did not reach Downing…
Who has the worst voice in parliament?
For the first time in more than two decades we are dog-less, and the house feels horribly empty. Our Patterdale…
The naming of cats
It took a long time for cats to gain the same serious status as dogs, but by the 18th century they were starting to have personalities, says Kathryn Hughes
Joe Biden’s dog is out of control
I was shocked to read about the behaviour of Joe Biden’s dog, Commander. According to a CNN report based on…
