About Us

What is life without a dog? I really can’t imagine a house without a dog in it. But, it is not easy to live with a dog. They don’t come pre-trained, a blank slate for you to mold into the perfect pooch, or if you decide to rescue a dog, without any baggage. When I think about The Dogs, this is what comes to mind.

What do I love about dogs?

As someone who has always had dogs in the house, I honestly can’t remember a time when there was no dog around. First, we had Thomas, a Golden Labrador cross. He was named after a particular Tank Engine (what do you expect from toddlers?!). Then came Pluto, a black Lab, possibly the happiest dog I will ever meet. Pablo was next. He was a West Highland White Terrier, named for the famous painter (for reasons beyond me). The miniature poodle, Pierre is still with my parents.

A few years ago I moved to Birmingham into a rented flat, which meant, no dogs. As someone who has worked from home for a number of years I am pretty good with staying in a flat for long periods of time, but not having a dog around made life a bit tedious. In a flat, in a city, there was only one thing I could do. I started dog walking and dog sitting in my spare time. It was a great way to get out of the flat and see some four-legged friends.

It was a bit strange as a child as we never walked our dogs. They had a big garden to play in, as well as there always being two of them to play with each other. It was only when I started walking dogs in Birmingham that I started looking for advice on training and walking etiquette. I spoke to a friend looking for that advice and it was my first entry into the dog community. I found that everyone with a dog has some kind of technique or trick that works for them, and they are happy to share it!

Apollo, German Shepherd
Apollo, German Shepherd

In that time I learned some tricks and walked a variety of breeds (some of which I had never heard of before). From a boisterous Boxer to a playful Shiba Inu, a crazy Border Collie, my journey of discovery of dogs has not stopped since. 

Why a new dog blog?

Now I have my own unique boy, Apollo, a German Shepherd, and my journey of discovery continues.

We hope to make your journey a bit less bumpy than mine. With expert advice from vets, trainers and dog businesses all contributing to The Dogs.

Please get in touch if you would like to contribute, or just chat about your dog!

Dominic Lill

The Editor

editor@thedo.gs