Here at Hiro + Wolf, we celebrate mans best friend every day of the year! But being an all-female business, we don't often get to celebrate dudes and their dogs. This Father's Day we're chatting to our good friend Graeme (of Bloom and Burn) to find out what having a pooch means to him...
Tell us about your dogs - when and how did you all get together?
I have two dogs, Angelo and Frida. We got Angelo from rescue centre in Cyprus three years ago. They told us he was a pointer so we were expecting a big dog, but he’s definitely not! We think he’s a mix of Labrador, Patterdale and maybe Staffordshire bull terrier. Frida is the younger of the two arriving a year after Angelo, she’s a Bedlington Whjippet and we got her as a puppy from a couple in Yorkshire.
What’s your favourite personality trait of your dogs?
Frida is the happiest dog I’ve ever met, she’s completely fearless and thrilled to go anywhere and loves meeting new people. Angelo is a much more complicated character, he’s quite anxious and can be nervous in busy places, wary of new people but as soon as you get him on side he is a really loyal, loveable and sweet character.
The phrase “a dog is a man’s best friend” is considered a timeless bond - what does it mean to you?
When I was growing up my mum was terrified of pretty much all animals, we would cross the road if we saw a pigeon and dogs were to be avoided at all costs! So I grew up pretty scared of animals myself. My partner really wanted a dog, we got our first one, Molly, who is no longer with us from Battersea dogs home. It took me a while to get used to having a dog in the house and to be confident enough to walk her on my own. Now I can’t imagine my life without dogs.
What special activity do you like to do or place you like to go with your dogs?
We recently moved out of London and now have a bit of land around the house. What I love most is being able to work with the doors open and seeing the dogs running around the garden. They can spend hours out there exploring. We also love going to the beach so I take them to Rye Harbour or Camber Sands a couple of times a week.
As a Dog Dad, what do you love most about having your dogs in your life?
They force you to get out of bed every day and into nature. I take them for a walk along the banks of a local river each morning and that hour is time away from your phone and great exercise. Without the dogs it would be so easy to stay in bed and lose that hour each morning to scrolling on social media. They keep my screen time down!