There’s nothing quite like rubbing your doggies ears after a long, hard day…ew is that gum?? Man it’s hard keeping a dog in London. I mean you wouldn’t have it any other way but boy, danger really is at every corner with these muppets. I mean what other animal solely trusts your blind judgement everyday and so unconditionally? Stop listening to us, we make tons of mistakes (actually please listen to us, no please, please Hugo give me my phone back).
1. Housing has been your biggest sacrifice.
Most London landlords aren’t especially keen on your fondness for furry friends (and no we don’t mean that curry you left out by the radiator). Finding someone to agree to house the wet-nosed wally you call your dog is something short of a miracle. Inevitably you’ll either live in the middle of nowhere/have no central heating/have to crawl into a cupboard as a bed.
2. OMG don’t eat that.
London streets are rampant with fried chicken debris, plastic bottles and suspicious cellophane packets that you suddenly have to yank out from between their teeth. Believe me you do not want to see a dog on MD.
3. Public transport troubles.
You have to do it but make no mistake, there’s two ways about this; either your beloved canine sits obediently at your feet, scooting their bum in an effort to take up as little room as possible OR they sit moaning in an ungodly tone shaking like a leaf, with their arse emitting wind at speeds worthy of a turbine.
4. “Ooh look a doggy!”
Stopping for people to pet your pooch is a given, especially if you own a puppy/frenchie/pug/whatever is cool to own at the moment. Don’t lie, we see the smug pride radiating from your ‘looks-like-their-owner face.
5. “AAH A DOG!”
Dog-phobic joggers/walkers/tourists/lollipop ladies are the bane of your life. You can sympathise but only to a point; when they jump into hedges to avoid you, you not only feel like a total dick but you look like one too. I’M SORRY.
6. Poopin and a’ scoopin.
Having poo-bags on you at all time has become tantamount to having your iPhone glued to your hand. Do not reach for the poo with the latter however; bad times lie ahead. Also your dog will always poo in the most inconvenient place. At the entrance to the Tube? Check. Crossing the middle of Oxford Street? Check. In front of her majesty’s guards at Buckingham Palace? CHECK.
7. You get to take them on some pretty spectacular walks.
Ok most of the time it’s a quick 5 minutes down to the nearest patch of green scrubbery. But when you can be bothered, you are spoilt for choice with the umpteenth amount of gorgeous dog walking spots.
8. London is rife with fun things to do with your dog.
There are so many dog lovers in London (over 2 million actually) that of course we were bound to spring some cool ideas. How about yoga with your Yorkie? Or coffee with your Cavapoo (that’s a cross between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a poodle fyi).
9. They are the ultimate chick magnets.
It’s scientifically proven that all dog lovers are total babes. Yup, by science. Who knows, you might just enjoy a 101 Dalmatians moment and meet your one true love whilst walking your own Pongo (preferably without the whole falling in the pond bit).
10. Giving another a home has never been easier.
So you know you can survive living in the city with one four legged friend but sometimes you need a new one when they make their way to Great Fluffy Kennel in the sky (don’t cry, DO NOT CRY). Luckily we are spoilt for choice at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home where they’ve been rehoming dogs of all ages and sizes since 1860 (This guy Zeus is looking for a home right now!!). You can also donate to help them with the feeding and housing of all their gorgeous doggies here.
At Secret London HQ we love to see pictures of cute doggies (seriously, we’ll spend hours scrolling through the #LondonPups hashtag). If you’d like to see your pup featured on our Twitter page then share this article and tweet us a picture at @Secret_LDN for your chance to win Fido his five minutes of fame.