November 1, 2004 -- 200 British boarding kennels were surveyed by organisers of The Drontal Coolest Canine Competition who are trying to uncover the most deluxe doggy dwelling, capable of serving the countrys hippest hound who will eventually walk away with the prestigious title of UKs coolest canine.

Amongst some of the most lavish requests uncovered included one owner who insisted on her Toy Poodles kennel being decked out with a brand new, 2,000 leather sofa and colour television to replicate the home comforts to which the well-heeled pet had become accustomed to.

According to the survey, its not just demands for luxury that are testing the patience of boarding kennel managers as more and more of their customers hit them with bizarre requirements as well. A boarding establishment in Lancashire was instructed to wrap up a brand new gift every day for a particularly spoilt Maltese Terrier in residence whilst kennel staff sat in the kennel with the pampered pooch to assist him opening it!

The Animal Inn, a boarding kennel located in Kent was eventually selected as the establishment best equipped to cater for the countrys coolest canine. Proprietor Jonathan Shaw topped the list when he revealed he once had to cook fresh quail eggs for a particularly spoilt canine client whose owner also insisted on classical music being piped into the dogs temporary holiday home during each day of his stay.

Sabrina Stroud of leading pet health care firm Drontal, which sponsors The UKs Coolest Canine Competition, said:

Although some of the extravagant demands may be a little over the top, what is really interesting is that there are now so many owners who insist on the finest professional care and attention for their pets. Ultimately, that cant be a bad thing at a time when responsible pet ownership is so much higher on peoples minds than it was 15 or 20 years ago when many owners thought table scraps and an outdoor kennel were the only luxuries a dog required. If they can afford to indulge their pets, then why not?

British pet owners spend 3.5bn a year on their animals and a recent market research report pointed to the fact that more and more owners were humanising their pets including buying them birthday gifts and Christmas presents instead of choosing to have children.

The UKs coolest canine will be officially selected by a panel of judges including former Vets in Practice star Joe Inglis and celebrity dog lover Caprice.

The Drontal Coolest Canine Competition is open to all dogs, of all breeds and of all levels of ability so if you think your dog should receive a nomination, visit www.coolestcanine.com and let the world know how cool your canine is.

The Top 5 Strangest Requests:
5) In Shropshire, an owner insisted on their dogs kennel being decorated with Aston Villa posters and a team photo.

4) Surrey The owner of Wire Fox Terrier Rusty, ordered that he be allowed to watch Eastenders every evening as he was such a big fan of the show at home.

3) A kennel in Brighton was asked to provide Yorkshire Terrier, Missy, with a male playmate for each day of her stay the canine equivalent of an escort service!

2) Dinka, the Toy Poodle, whose owners spared no expense in attempting to replicate the home comforts she was accustomed to as they forked out for a brand new leather sofa and colour TV to be installed into the pampered poochs temporary residence.

1) Henry, the discerning Samoyed looked after by a kennel in Middlesex, had to have a Placido Domingo CD played on a continuous loop throughout the day to remind him of the sounds of home.

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Contact for Further Information, Photo Opportunities and Interviews: Kim Bruce - 08700 114 115 - e-mail protected from spam bots

To arrange a photo opportunity or an interview with Coolest Canine spokesperson Caprice, please call 08700 114 115

Notes To Editors

The Drontal Coolest Canine Competition is an event open to any UK dog owner and is organised by K9 Media Solutions Ltd, Europes leading digital pet publishing company and owner of K9 Magazine, the lifestyle magazine for modern dog owners. The competition is described as the peoples alternative to Crufts and its aim is to reward and recognise the contribution and role played by ordinary pet dogs in enhancing the lives of their owners. The competition seeks to acknowledge dogs who have big personalities, are in excellent health and who display the common traits associated with ordinary pet dogs instead of judging entrants based on looks, breeding or conformation to breed standards.