By MAANYA SACHDEVA, ASSOCIATE LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Labour's nature minister Jenny Riddell-Carpenter risked alienating a nation of dog lovers when she suggested black labradors are part of a 'far-Right fantasy' that no longer exists.
In fact, labradors are the most popular breed in the country – last year becoming the most registered dog in the country with nearly 30,000 additions to the Royal Kennel Club's records.
'It's the typical, British middle-class dog,' etiquette expert Julius Smith told the Daily Mail, adding their owners are more likely to be outdoor-loving nature enthusiasts than radical Right-wingers.
Royal dog lovers such as the late Queen Elizabeth and even Queen Victoria have given dachshunds and corgis a distinct air of nobility, while chihuahuas symbolise all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood considering Paris Hilton and Demi Moore are known to favour the breed.
Meanwhile, the labradoodle has come to represent Britain's 'modern middle-class' while the 'tremendously loyal Staffie' belongs with 'straightforward' owners who are wary of dog trends.
So, if Ms Riddell-Carpenter's assessment was off the mark, what does your favourite dog breed say about your standing in British society today?
Queen Elizabeth II walking some of her beloved corgis at the Windsor Horse Trials in 1980
Monty Don with his beloved golden retriever Ned at the Chelsea Flower Show last year
Labrador
There is nothing more iconic than a labrador rolling around in the mud, jumping into ponds and then happily bringing half the countryside back into the house with it.
Julius told the Daily Mail the breed is 'the typical, British middle-class dog' and its owner is likely to 'be outdoorsy, practical and not terribly precious about a bit of mud'.
'I picture wellington boots by the back door, country walks at the weekend and a labrador taking up most of the boot of the family car,' the etiquette expert added.
'They are friendly, dependable and generally delighted to see everybody, and I suspect labrador owners like to think they possess rather similar qualities.'
Chihuahua
Considering Paris Hilton is one of the most famous chihuahua owners in the world, it's difficult to associate the breed with anything other than what Mr Smith calls the 'bling class'.
He said: 'I would put the chihuahua firmly in "the bling class". I tend to associate them with ladies in their late 20s and 30s who enjoy fashion, accessories and being noticed.
'You often see these little dogs dressed up almost as much as their owners, and I sometimes wonder whether people buy them partly as an accessory rather than simply as a dog.'
Mr Smith said the breed can also become extremely attached to one person and rather jealous when anybody else demands their owner's attention.
'If you own a chihuahua, I suspect you enjoy making an entrance and don't particularly mind being noticed.'
Dachshund
'The dachshund has become a very upper-middle-class dog in my eyes,' Mr Smith suggested. 'I see an extraordinary number of young couples with them. I suspect part of the attraction is their size. You don't need an enormous house or acres of land, so they fit rather neatly into a comfortable urban lifestyle.'
Stars including Adele, Fergie and Emilia Clarke all dote on the breed, while Queen Victoria was among the first owners of dachshunds in the UK after they arrived from Germany in 1840.
'Their owners strike me as stylish, considered people who like nice things but also think practically about how a dog will fit into their lives,' Mr Smith analysed the typical dachshund owner.
However, he cautioned that anyone choosing a dachshund because it happens to look fashionable 'must remember that its distinctive shape can bring health problems'.
David Beckham, 49, with his four dogs at his £10million countryside home in the Cotswolds on Sunday
Music mogul Simon Cowell on holiday with his Yorkshire Terriers, Squiddly and Diddly
Staffordshire bull terrier
The Staffordshire bull terrier (the staffie) has traditionally been associated with the working classes and 'unfortunately has acquired a rather tough reputation over the years, often because of certain owners' rather than the dogs themselves, said Mr Smith.
In reality, they can be tremendously loyal, friendly and affectionate family dogs that are known for forming very strong bonds with their owners.
'I associate their owners with being straightforward and loyal, with less of an interest in having a trendy or fashionable dog,' he suggested. 'There is something quite honest about the staffie. What you see is very much what you get.'
Old English sheepdog
Perhaps it is because of those 'wonderful' old Dulux advertisements, but the old English sheepdog immediately evokes a picture of country life.
'I would put its owner among the country middle classes. I picture somebody with plenty of space, muddy boots and perhaps a slightly chaotic household,' he said.
'You would have to be fairly relaxed to own one. They are large, shaggy dogs that require considerable looking after, so I suspect their owners are good-natured, outdoorsy and perhaps just a little scatterbrained themselves.
This is not the dog for somebody who panics at the sight of muddy paw prints on the kitchen floor, Mr Smith declared.
Yorkshire terrier
The Yorkshire terrier has made quite an extraordinary journey through the British class system, according to the former royal butler.
'They were once proper working dogs, bred to catch rats, whereas today you are far more likely to find one sitting comfortably on somebody's lap,' Mr Smith said. 'I still associate them with Britain's traditional working classes, although they have certainly become much more pampered over the years.'
He speculated their owners tend to want companionship above everything else, adding: 'They like having their dog close, fussing over it and treating it as another member of the family.
'There is something rather amusing about such a tough little working dog becoming one of Britain's great lap dogs.'
Cavalier King Charles spaniel
The cavalier King Charles spaniel is decidedly upper-middle class, with perhaps a little aspiration towards the upper classes. Even the name sounds rather grand, Mr Smith pointed out.
The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman with her beloved cavalier King Charles spaniel, Skip
'They have become something of a status symbol. They are beautiful, traditional-looking dogs with an unmistakably aristocratic association, and I suspect some owners rather enjoy that,' he added.
'Their owners strike me as people who appreciate tradition, beautiful things and a certain polished appearance.
'There may even be a little element of Keeping Up with the Joneses about it. If somebody in the neighbourhood arrives with a beautiful cavalier, I wouldn't be terribly surprised if another appears six months later.'
Labradoodle
If there is one dog that represents the modern British middle classes, it may well be the labradoodle.
'I associate them with comfortable family homes, children, muddy country walks and a reasonably large car,' Mr Smith told this paper. 'Their owners want something friendly and suitable for family life, but I think there is also an element of following what has become fashionable.
'They have certainly become something of a status symbol over time. They are also wonderfully scruffy characters and have a habit of taking over the house.
'You may think you own the labradoodle when it first arrives, but give it six months, and you may discover the dog owns you.'
Corgi
It is almost impossible to see a corgi in Britain without immediately thinking of the late Queen Elizabeth.
'That association is so strong that I suspect anyone walking a corgi enjoys, consciously or otherwise, a little of that reflected royal glow,' Mr Smith said, crowning the breed the 'ultimate upper-class dog'.
He added: 'Their owners are likely to appreciate tradition, heritage and Britishness and perhaps enjoy doing things a little differently from everybody else.
'Dare I say it, there may even be a tiny part of them that imagines themselves in that royal world when they take their corgi for a walk.'
https://www.dailymail.com/lifestyle/article-16172215/What-dog-breed-says-you-Labour-minister-claims-black-labradors-Far-Right-fantasy-people-judging-beloved-pet.html
No comments:
Post a Comment