At the beginning of 2013 we set out details of Basil Barkarama’s Bucket List – a 50-strong list of things he should do in his lifetime. Our efforts have been fairly relaxed to date – he’s only managed one so far (‘cheer up your owner when they are down’) but we are pleased to report that he has ticked off a further three so only 46 more to go.

Have a favourite local pub
After a long and leisurely walk in Weald Country Park – a beautiful 700 year-old, 500-acre country park, Basil can often be found knocking back the vino at nearby Tower Arms in the pretty village of South Weald, Brentwood, Essex. This historic pub, built in 1701, happily welcomes dogs to relax in their Bar and picturesque gardens, while the humans get to enjoy their menu of locally sourced food, real ales and fine wines. In the summer months, they also open the terrace grill kitchen to serve homemade burgers, steaks and lite bites. Basil likes to frequent this pub as he gets to see many of his newfound park pals who also stop by after their walk, and he gets plenty of tit-bits from their epic roast dinners. For more information and menus visit Towerarms.co.uk.

Have your own social media page
Basil now has his very own Twitter feed - @BasilBarkarama - where he shares details of roving repawter exploits, posts pictures of his houndsome self and makes new doggy friends. Follow Basil on Twitter here, and you can also view his dog model in-the-making photos at Barkarama’s Instagram feed.



Have you own spot on the sofa
There’s no one particular spot just anywhere that I am sat – he loves to cosy and curl up by my side snuggling up as close as he can possibly get. He’s also an adept seat thief stealing a prime warm spot, as soon as anyone moves from the sofa. Here he is pictured above, staring ever so nonchalantly, after pinching his grandma’s seat.

Does your dog have a bucket list? We’d love to hear your stories – just add your comment below.

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Basil Barkarama has had a busy schedule of late what with training, walks with fellow squishy facers and hanging out with world famous male models so we called upon our favourite Basenji Anubis to review one of London’s hottest hound tickets in town. Over to you Anubis ….

It may come as a shock to any dog owner who’s ever had to fish chicken bones, mouldy bread or muddy sticks out of their pet’s mouths but we dogs appreciate fine cuisine. Yes, really! Thankfully, Argentinean restaurant Gaucho in beautiful, leafy Hampstead understands this, and has created Doggy Sundays, a monthly canine event with a varying theme, and this month’s was a Doggy Fashion Show.

So it was that after my walk on nearby Hampstead Heath (beautiful place for a dog walk), this lucky Basenji found herself surrounded by over forty pups of all breeds and ages, savouring homemade cakes in a personalised bowl (notice my name and the Egyptian symbols), while my humans enjoyed their lunch by my side. The place was beautiful, the team welcoming and dedicated, and no detail too small - there was even a photographer outside, waiting to take snaps of me as I arrived on a mini red carpet set up for the event.



After the meal, all canines were invited to appear on the dogwalk and have our outfits judged to win a series of prizes. I was dressed rather casually, so I didn’t win anything, but it was a fun thing to do. To top it all off, before leaving I received a wonderful doggie bag filled with goodies including delicious cupcakes (of the pupcake variety of course), a chicken-filled pastry and the latest issue of Dogs Today.

Doggy Sunday takes place the first Sunday of each month at Gaucho Hampstead. Humans are also catered for with a three-course meal including steak, and £5 for each dog is donated to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. If you see me there, come and say hi - we’re hoping Basil Barkarama will be there over summer too! For bookings contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

See more of Anubis over on Facebook at AnubisTheBarklessDog.

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It was just your average the-weekend-is-over Monday when the most fantastic newsletter popped up in our inbox from a dog company we’d not heard of before – SNOUT & PAWS - and we almost fell off our chair. For this folks is not your average Label Lust where we covet one single item canine-related item worth £150 or more but the whole collection!

SNOUT & PAWS is a unique and innovative luxury dogwear brand, offering exclusive designs produced in the heart of London to the highest couture standards from the finest materials - their words not ours but we couldn’t have put it better ourselves. The items we’ve shared are from their ready-to-wear ‘Boutique’ but they also have a ‘Limited Edition’ with unique styles created out of exquisite and rare fabrics, and offer a ‘Bespoke’ service where their experienced pattern cutter develops a unique pattern and design based on exact measurements of your dog, which is then produced in their London-based atelier by their in-house team of couturiers with over 25 years of Couture experience. All collections are handcrafted in Britain from only the finest of fabrics and leathers and each style is produced in a limited quantity and comes with a certificate of authenticity.



This is truly canine luxury at its best and here’s why ….



Jet Jacket combining luxury silk velvet combined with supple leather, £239.



Bow Tie Collar, £114.00.



Bomber Jacket, £249.00.



Jet Jacket, £239.

To feast your eyes on possibly the best dog apparel we’ve ever seen visit Snoutandpaws.com.

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In this month's breed focus we turn our attention to the dashing Dachshund a.k.a. the sausage dog, wiener dog (for our American fans), the Doxie or the Daxie Originating from Germany, they were first bred to scent, chase and flush out badgers and other burrow-dwelling animals, or in the case of the miniature dachshund - to hunt smaller pray such as rabbits. However, in today’s world he has a much easier life kicking back as a family pet but that's not to have they have surrendered their digging instincts – their large and paddle-shaped front paws are often used to dig into a blanket or an enticing patch in the garden.

In the UK the Dachshund comes in six varieties, two sizes – Standards and Miniatures - and three coats: Smooth-haired, Long-haired & Wire-haired and in a variety of colourings and patterns. The Dachshund is playful, intelligent and highly devoted to his owner. On the flipside, the breed can be very stubborn (have fun with your training), is known for their loud bark and can be standoffish towards strangers and other dogs. Health troubles tend to relate to their spine due to their elongated make-up, which may be worsened by intense exercise, excessive jumping or being overweight so be careful not to indulge him too much with servings from the treat jar. Notable Dachshund owners include Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Adele and fellow dog blogger The Stately Hound dog-father to Archie and Brewster a.k.a. the Sausage Brothers. If you are interested in getting a Dachshund pup, visit Thekennelclub.org.uk for more information and a list of assured breeders.

Indulge your love of the Dachshund with our product picks …



Add a dash of Doxie to your wardrobe. Clockwise from left: Dachshund Silk Twill Scarf, £90.00, Cuckooland.com; Dachshund Handbag Charm & Key Ring,  £69.00, Aspinaloflondon.com; Dog on Wheels Necklace, £30, Tattydevine.com; Ezmoro Orchid Printed Matinee Purse, £99, Tedbaker.com.


Give your interiors a mutt-over with this selection of Dachshund delights. Clockwise from left: Rory Dobner Hot Dog Bone China Mug, £16, Liberty.co.uk; Dachshund Dog Bookends, £46, Notonthehighstreet.com; Hound Armchair in Dachshund Red, £899, Johnlewis.com; Sausage Lover Daxi Print, £28, Notonthehighstreet.com; Sausage Dog Cushion Grey, £95.00, PetsPyjamas.com.



Own a Dachshund? Send him off in his jollies to the Sausage Dog Hotel in Hertfordshire, where he can hang with his fellow Doxies. Specifically tailored to dachshunds, this hound hotels offers a range of services including long and short term stays, regular day care walking and more.

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Image via Animal.discovery.com

It started with fashion bloggers hotly pursued by celebrities across the globe, and can now be viewed on a Facebook page or Instagram feed near you - the 'Selfie'; those posed and often pouty pictures taken by holding out a smart phone at arm's length or in front of a mirror to document those all ‘important’ life moments such as what you're wearing that day, the result of a trip to the hairdressers or even what you look like tucked up in bed. It now appears that the art of the 'Selfie' has now extended to the world of dog in a new print ad campaign for Champion Pet Food.



Using a fun tagline - “For better looking dogs", Champion promises vitamins, minerals and beauty meaning your pooch will be feeling so fantastic they’ll be rushing off with your phone to get snap-happy. Well if you’ve got it flaunt it we say! Top marks to the Chilean ad agency Porta for their clever canine creation.

Have you ever staged a 'Selfie' of your dog? Tweet us your pictures @Barkarama and if we like what we see, we might just add them to the site!

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Source: via Trendhunter.com