From setters and spaniels to terriers and labs, dogs have played a crucial part in rural living for millenia. In this latest bookazine from the makers of Country Life we meet the iconic breeds that have become the right-hand hounds of breeders, owners, shooters and keepers up and down the length of Britain and find out what makes each kind so special.
COUNTRY LIFE DOGS
The march of the tartan terriers • Scotland boasts five famously distinctive terrier breeds, all loyal, intelligent and amusing. Kate Green celebrates their heritage and appealing characters
It ain’t nothing but a wolfhound • Mythical and magnificent, yet gentle and intensely loyal, the Irish wolfhound can only be described in superlatives, finds Flora Watkins
‘Such smashing little dogs’ • They’re not as well known as their Pembroke cousins that were so beloved by Elizabeth II, but Cardigan Welsh corgis are small dogs with a big attitude, finds Matthew Dennison
Sweet like chocolate • Never judge a book by its cover–or a labrador by its chocolate coat, especially now they are no longer reviled in the shooting field, says Katy Birchall
Hopelessly devoted to you • Capable of feeling jealousy and grief, as well as the love and adoration we’ve basked in for centuries, the dog is a creature like no other for John Lewis-Stempel
Paws for thought • Your four-legged friend deserves to step out in style, says Hetty Lintell
Take me to Neverland • Intelligent, devoted and adept at working all country, the flatcoated retriever is the Peter Pan of the dog world with a tail that never stops wagging, discovers Matthew Dennison
How the terrier took over Britain • Most owners would agree that life with a terrier is a life is a life enriched, thanks to their fierce loyalty, big personalities and and reckless dedication to chasing things. Kate Green explains explains how this sporting dog diversified all over Britain
Fancy is as fancy does • Originally known as ‘pudels’ or ‘puddles’, curly coated standard poodles were first bred in Germany to retrieve game from water and, as Matthew Dennison discovers, some still cut a typically stylish dash in the field
The love of a tyke for his master • Defining what makes a Lakeland or a fell terrier can be a challenge, but, whichever it is, it’ll be a hard-working handful, advises Adrian Dangar
The great gundog debate • Whether you own labradors, springers, cockers or a clever mix of all three, debate over which gundog is best has raged for centuries. Katy Birchall asks which breed works for you
Slowly but surely • Eschewing the need for speed, David Tomlinson explains why he would always opt for a docile, biddable working gundog over a flighty field-trial champion
‘Essentially a working terrier’ • Comedic and affectionate with endless energy, it’s not hard to see how Border terriers steal hearts, be it Lorraine Kelly’s or Sir Andy Murray’s –but beware the prey drive, warns Katy Birchall
Make mine a labradoodle • In the past 30 years, this well-mannered crossbreed has stolen our hearts, yet the man responsible has likened it to Frankenstein’s monster. Kate MacDougall finds out more
The bloodhound gang • Far from snoozing on a porch all day, bloodhounds are highly active pack-hunting dogs that require ‘slobber cloths’ when in company, discovers Katy Birchall
Wired for fun • Obedience isn’t always a virtue of the appealing, cheerful wire fox terrier, but Charlotte Cory, owner of Bessie, is smitten
Do your ears hang low? • Incorrigible and exasperating, vocal yet always entertaining and seemingly almost human, the basset hound is a force of nature, says devotee Flora Watkins
THE PODCAST
Clash of the titans • With the age-old rivalry between labradors and...