Dogs have owners, but Louis XIV my dear dog had staff.

Louis XIV had personal carers, a guardian, groomer, fashion and hairstylist, publicist , photographer, masseur, dentist, vet, walker , coach, social media followers, and even a dietician.

As most of my followers, are aware, I had to let go of my angel Louis XIV on Monday, the 29th of January last. During the last two years of his life, he developed diabetes, having to endure daily double insulin injections with a strict controlled diet.  I understand, that during the last two years of his life, he developed liver cancer.  My angel passed peacefully in my arms.  The alternative would have been the remaining time of his life to enduring a painful chemotherapy course of treatment, with no certain guarantee of recovering due to his age and diabetes.

Yet even during his final moments, he still held his head proudly with his perfectly clipped and coiffed Afro mane.  He handsomely wore his chrome designer handmade Holy & Lil harness retailing at some £225 and his matching horse tail lead made with the finest of leather costing some £150.

However where there is meaningful canine couture there can be a dark side which has dire legal consequences.

 

The RSPCA charity claim that forcing pets to wear clothing could be harmful and in some cases there may be grounds to prosecute.

I noticed (and to a great extent I was caught in the crazed canine culture) that dogs had become fashionable with a dizzying array of products from booties, scarves, neckties, pyjamas, towel robes, all in one dog suits, hoodies. The list goes on.

Even Louis XIV regularly attended Harrods Knightsbridge, where he would have a personal porter to escort him to the top floor pet boutique and would occasionally attend the fashion shows called Pet-a-Porter, which took place annually.

It is a known fact that people love their pets and the retail trade latches onto this and exploits the pet owner-me included!  I was often paying hundreds of pounds for clothing for Louis XIV.

However, I believe that I did maintain a sensible balance, where if any clothing seemed to cause harm or discomfort to Louis XIV, then I would swiftly discard them.  But Louis, would always let me know what he was comfortable in.  He would sport handsomely and proudly bow ties, chic chrome harnesses, hoodies in the snow, and raincoats.  Louis and I often paired a Holly & Lil chrome harness with an all in one on trend dog (cat) suit pulling off another sartorial trompe l’oeill. Thus an effortless one-stop way to keep Louis XIV dry, white and cool.

However, the rising celebrities having handbag dogs means a lot of people take on pets because they are “fashionable“ and sadly it can mean that their best interests as dogs can be neglected.

I was always minded, that although Louis may have occasionally thought so, he was not a human being, and therefore dressing him as a human being was unnatural.

Louis XIV  was once given a set of four booties, as an act of sincere kindness, due to his well known dislike of the rain. When the boots were put on Louis, he immediately expressed his dislike of the booties and showed clear distress when trying to take a step or four steps in them.  So as not to cause any further distress for Louis, the booties were promptly discarded.

There has been evidence, of dogs in coats and hats overheating.

All you dog owners, should be aware that under the Animal Welfare Act, which came into force in April 2007, you have a duty of care to ensure that all your pets needs are met.

One of the needs expresses normal behaviour and it is considered that restrictive clothing means that dogs cannot express normal behaviour. Therefore a dogs clothing must be fit properly.

My Louis XIV is irreplaceable.

I shall miss my companion Louis XIV  on our charming walks, our receipt of daily admiring smiles and glances, our mischievous games, us peering through windows, our rides on London buses and trains, our amazing friends both humans and dogs (even the occasional cats) Louis XIV pictorial and social media followers all over the world, our drinking and reading in the parks, and simply watching the world go by. The last being Louis XIV favourite pastime – just so long as he was in ‘his’ own good company.

In memory of my angel and my boo- Louis XIV. RIP 29 January 2018. ????.