What is it with posh people & dogs..? And

[Zuchon]

In our village (2 hours from London) the very posh who work in London during the week have multiple dogs... All similar breeds... Gundogs, Jack Russell's etc who also live in London with the family during the week... All the dogs have similar sounding names... Is it just me whose noticed this? All the upper middle to landed gentry types have at least 2 dogs... Is it similar in your area?

Quite possibly, none of the dogs are overweight or anything of the sort... All have children as well who obviously worship & play with the dogs (& my little fur ball when we run into them on the lane)

Maybe they just like them? Most dog breeds have some sort of working origin - even dogs like dachshunds - even if most are now kept as pets.

When I lived in London I was aware of three Irish Wolfhounds from two separate households in my local park. They really are huge - unlike Jack Russells, who are merely big dogs trapped in a little dog's body.

@MiddleClassProblem

Well if they don’t have dog walkers or soggy day care when they are at work they are clearly shit owners…

I’m not sure the relation between the names Porky and Snowy and Figo if I’m honest either. They all seem different and Porky doesn’t sound posh at all rather than a jokey name like calling a small dog Butch.

Not real names of thd dogs just didn't want to out myself... Think along the lines of Spot, Goldie etc.... Nothing like Lola, Archie, Oscar etc.. None of them have human names...

I suppose the posh people think the same about the great unwashed and their pitbulls and staffies. Light-hearted

Wtf does it have to do with you OP?

Tbf they couldn’t call their dog Hugo as half the shooting party would turn around when someone called the dog

@Polkadotties

Tbf they couldn’t call their dog Hugo as half the shooting party would turn around when someone called the dog

😁😁😁

Ha! I wrote soggy daycare! Sorry!

@Polkadotties

Tbf they couldn’t call their dog Hugo as half the shooting party would turn around when someone called the dog

Ha! One of mine was called Hugo. He would have been a shit dog to take shooting though. He’s the only golden retriever I ever met who couldn’t/wouldn’t play fetch. He would half heartedly look at where you had chucked the ball and then just sat and sulked. Every single time.

By gun dogs do you mean Labradors and spaniels? Two of the most popular breeds j. Tbe UK?
Or do you mean pointers and vizslas? Or Rottweilers and shepherds because they’re guarding? Or poodles because they’re duck hunting?
Some people just like certain breeds, they see neighbours with them and decide they want one too.
You’re creating a ‘thing’ that doesn’t exist.

I think you're being given a bit of rough ride on this thread, op! There is definitely class snobbery about dog breeds and you're clearly noticing it.

Yes for some people the 'right' type of dog is a status symbol. But if people have their heads screwed on right they're not going to care.

Going back to the name think though, it’s a bit like with baby names. My SIL grew up in, and still lives in, a very Tory, upper middle class village where all the dads were business CEOs and bankers etc and the mums mostly stayed at home. This set up is still how it is with with the following generations. Most of the children have very traditional names. Edward, Samuel, William, James, Catherine, Helen, Sarah etc.

I grew up in a liberal middle class london area where there was a mix of parents who worked in the arts, a few business types and a then some retail owners, service workers etc. There was a real mix with names. Mine being one of the names that would make the MN baby name board think was out there but there were many along side me with those sorts of names, and names from different cultures.

It’s like with anything, if you are just used to things one way, that becomes your expectation of it and your go to draw on what you like for many.

I don’t know why you’re getting a hard time, OP - this is definitely a thing.

Per my understanding, they like to have gun dogs to take along to hobby shooting days. A few times a year the men dress up in tweed and go to a rich(er) friend’s estate (or someone pays for the shoot) to shoot at some pheasants. The dog may have been sent away for training as such, or may just be a decorative companion.

Obviously exercising a spaniel or Labrador all year round, for the sake of a few shooting weekends, is madness. However, it’s part of a wider image: they like to present themselves as country people who happen to live in London, rather than London people who have a second home in the country for weekends. A suitably “country” dog helps with this.

The wife is probably landed with walking the dog in London (and she probably doesn’t even get to go on the shooting weekends, unless she’s cooking lunch…).. Alternatively, a Jack Russell is an acceptable compromise: easier to exercise in Fulham’s parks, and adds to the country image in a way that a cockerpoo would not.

If they are going to the country at the weekend with their spaniels and labs, they are probably using those same dogs for picking up.

Thank you Tara! There is definitely a snobbery element to dog ownership especially in certain circles... The residents in our village who live here full time mainly have pointers, labs (mainly black like the Londoners), cocker spaniels, springer spaniels, retrievers, Jack Russell's, lurchers seem popular with the horsey set.. We chose our Shih Tzu as we fell in love with one many years ago on holidays, he's great to walk, so sociable with other dogs & keeps us entertained every day. Meets all our needs... If we wanted to fit in around here we'd have got a cocker spaniel...

Is it not that you gravitate towards what you know?

I grew up with spaniels and terriers, DH grew up with labs
We both have glorious memories of our childhood pets so wanted to stick with what we knew when choosing our pets
We know labs will be good with kids, will fit in with our lifestyle, will get on with our friends dogs. We also knew that we weren’t adverse to every single thing having a fine dusting of dog hair because it’s what we grew up with

So maybe it’s playing it safe rather than any active decision to mark ourselves into a tribe
But I wouldn’t have it any other way

And we have a list of the next 10 names of our future dogs, which gets added to whenever we hear a great example

I live in a city. Not London. Have 2 working spaniels and some sort of small poodle Cross (rescue so unsure of what she exactly is).

There is a family association with spaniels. My relative come from a poor village on the east coast known for farming and fishing. Not landed gentry and not rich. I have had spaniels since I was 19 and got my first house and was skint. Even now, I 3arn well but still live in a small 3 bed terrace. So definitely not part of the rich set. I know every few people with spaniels. Usually, staffies or frenchies or pugs. There is a great dane and dalmatian.

There's actually alot of missing conceptiosn around working dogs. Not all of then need hours of exercise. Working spaniels are better with mental exercise that physical. People who walk their spaniel 3 hours a day, bit don't spend alot of time engaging their brain end up witha fit dog, that's board and misbehaves and generally doesn't settle.

Far better to engage their brain seven times a day and have an hours walk. So they can fit into city life quite easy.

I have spaniels because I adore the breed. Definitely the best breed imo.

Don't worry OP, it's just some classic MN wilful obtuseness at work.

Yes, it's a generalisation but UC people with a country pile have a tendency to have working dogs. That doesn't preclude other people from also having those breeds (I'm from a WC background but have had non-working gundogs all my life) but it is notable. The trend for smaller fluffier dogs and 'poo' cross types is less prevalent among the upper classes, because they've generally grown up with dogs that can keep up when tramping for miles across moors and pick up a few brace of grouse, not something the floormop dogs are renowned for.

You've given me an identity crisis now OP
I live quite rurally (and definitely live in posh wellies and a Barbour tho I don't have a second home anywhere!) but my dog has a human name .
She's also fairly large, very unusual breed and a bit of a pillock! Where do I fit?!

Have say I find it hard to take Shih Tsus seriously... dusters on legs.. but they are cute and the ones I've met are friendly and well behaved and so much more portable than my dog!

Obviously exercising a spaniel or Labrador all year round, for the sake of a few shooting weekends, is madness. However, it’s part of a wider image: they like to present themselves as country people who happen to live in London, rather than London people who have a second home in the country for weekends. A suitably “country” dog helps with this.

I could maybe understand that train of thought it labs and spaniels were somehow awkward difficult dogs to be endured for the rest of the year, but they are some of the friendliest and sweetest breeds

And if you’re inclined towards country weekends, you’re probably quite an active person the rest of the time

The reason we have labs, aside from taking them shooting, is because DH and I run a lot and needed a dog that would happily poodle alongside us for an hour or so
As someone who runs alone with headphones in, often after dark, it’s very reassuring to have a bigger dog with me, who can have quite a cross bark if needed
I’m sure it’s more of a deterrent than a terrier

And the rest of the time, they are wonderful soppy pets, adored by DC and us, and not adverse to sneaking up on the sofa or bed for a cuddle

I have 2 dogs and you’ve made me wonder if they are posh sounding 🤣 one is an ancient griffon (hunting dog), I say ancient as in his age not his heritage as he is nearly 19 and looks like he could belong to a tramp.. blind, dead and even though he’s regularly washed he just has a tendency to look a bit ‘street’!! The other one is smaller. They are called Victor & Ralph. I can’t take credit for their posh names because they both came from rescue centres and pre-named! 😂

Fluffy dogs aren’t great for country living. Their coats are easily matted and require hours of grooming. A lab on the other hand, quick wizz over with a hose and you’re good to go.

*deaf not dead!!! Obviously. Although I fear we aren’t far off!!! My sweetheart he just keeps on going!

Dunno
I don’t know enough landed gentry to have such in depth knowledge of their dog owning habits

You're absolutely not going to out yourself by posting a dog name. Not unless it includes your address!

I have a jack russell and a working Lakeland terrier. I walk them in Le Chameau leather shooting boots and Joules jacket.

I also have a staffy x - but I change into my Adidas tracksuit to walk him 😁