‘To fly a bird of prey is to enter her world. You move through the landscape using her eyes — or a dim version — thinking with her mind, seeing the world differently,’ marvels Candida Meyrick, artist, falconer and author of Be More Bird: Life Lessons from a Harris Hawk (to be published in January … Read more
In a famous scene from 2001 film Legally Blonde, Jennifer Coolidge shows up at her ex-husband’s caravan to take back the dog she’d lost in the divorce. When she is unable to stand up for herself, Reese Witherspoon hits them both with a barrage of legalese that puts the ex on the floor and the … Read more
Afghan hound × Chloé Afghan hounds are descended from Afghanistan’s ancient sighthounds — largely considered to be one of the world’s oldest dog breeds, bred to chase game over long distances Their famously silky coat was insulation against the harsh cold at high altitude The breed is known for its cat-like independence and ‘selective hearing’ … Read more
We have all seen it. You are driving over the moor in dead winter, the snow descending unceasing; but, by the wayside, there is an Exmoor pony, or a Welsh, grazing unconcernedly. Or, you open the bedroom curtains on a January morning, the garden mummified in mortal white frost, and a tiny, fragile wren is, … Read more
In the valley of the River Aire in the West Riding of Yorkshire, mid-19th-century mill workers needed a dog that could tackle river rats, otters and anything else that crept along the waterside. Thus the Airedale was born — a fusion of old English rough-coated terriers with the endurance and web-feet of the Otterhound. Originally … Read more