Guest Blogger Charlotte Reed: Brits Who Love Their Dogs

Considering British society, as a whole, seems more formal than most, it's surprising that an open devotion to pets is so widely-accepted. The Brits enjoy a long-standing love affair with their dogs. I was reminded of this as I looked through the October issue of Town and Country, and saw one of my favorite, former British "It" girls, Lady Victoria Hervey with her Brussels Griffon, Teebo. Lady Victoria, dog lover and BFF of many troubled Hollywood actresses, comes from a family that makes Lindsay Lohan's look tame. Years ago she told a Daily Mail reporter that there were times that she would rather sleep and cuddle with her dog than a boyfriend because the dog always returned the affection. I'm especially fond of that story because I have always felt that the British have a deep devotion for their pets. Experts concur. According to William Secord, the leading authority on nineteenth century dog painting and the founder of the William Secord Gallery, "The English come by their affection for dogs honestly: when Charles II came to the throne in 1660, dogs enjoyed an unprecedented place in the Royal household, and he was inconsolable when one of them ran astray; Queen Victoria had as many as 75 dogs at her kennels at Windsor Castle. This Royal love for canines was reflected in all levels of English society - and just as Queen Victoria found solace in the love of a dog, so do the majority of English citizens today." As a child, Queen Victoria shared an isolated childhood in Kensington Palace with her spaniel, Dash. As a married Queen, she and Prince Albert shared their homes with many beloved horses, dogs and birds. To celebrate their lives, she commissioned animal paintings from great artists including Sir Edwin Landseer, to keep and to give to family and friends. It is reported that as she lay dying, she asked that her champion Pomeranian, Turi, be brought to her bedside. I'm sure that if the end was near, I would do the same with my four English Toy Spaniels. But for now, I prefer to focus on the living. Whether they reside in England or the states, my absolute favorite British dog owners are: QE2 Next to Queen Victoria, my favorite living dog owner is Queen Elizabeth. As a child, Elizabeth II was gifted with a Corgi by her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Again on her eighteenth birthday in 1944, she received as a present, another corgi, Susan; all of the Queen's corgis are descendants of Susan. Although the Queen owns other dogs, she primarily travels with her Corgis from palace to palace. Royal watchers speculate that Elizabeth II is closer to her dogs than her children and note that she looks happiest in photos when she is surrounded by her dogs. Moreover, Ma'am knows that with all of the intrigue surrounding the Royal Family, the family members that cause her the least angst are her Pembroke Welsh Corgis. Sir Elton John For his 56th birthday on March 25, 2003, Sir Elton received a Cocker Spaniel puppy as a gift from his partner, David Furnish. The pooch, named Arthur, has traveled through the world exclusively with the singer and his domestic partner. In 2009, when the couple celebrated their civil-partnership ceremony, the venue Windsor's Guildhall informed the couple that pets were forbidden on the premises. The couple responded by making Arthur the Best Man so that he could be included in the family celebration. The Osbourne Family From 2002 until 2005, the Osbourne family was featured in the most-ever viewed reality series on MTV. Although many critics deemed the Osbournes the antithesis of the Cosby clan, pet lovers tuned in weekly to enjoy the shenanigans of the family pets. In response to queries about their houseful of pets, the family published a book, Bark at the Moon: The Official Osbourne Pet Book ( MTV, 2002) providing the scoop on all of four-legged family members. The book includes information about pets' breeds, ages, how they came to join the family. Even some of the animals' sexual orientations are discussed! The book, no longer in print, can easily be purchased from Amazon. Leona Lewis Not only is this songstress beautiful but an animal lover, as well. Besides having a horse and a rabbit, Leona Lewis has a dog named Misty. When asked how she loves to spoil her animals, the down-to-earth Lewis told a reporter from OK! Magazine with, "lots of hugs, kisses and cuddles." Moreover, one of the star's favorite charity is the World Society for the Protection of Animals because she wants to live in a world where animal welfare matters and animal cruelty ends. Who are your favorite famous dog owners (British or otherwise)? Charlotte Reed is an international pet media expert and owner of Two Dogs and Goat Pet Care. Image of Queen Elizabeth II in 1970: Getty