I’ve admired many dogs on Instagram but few have prompted such a dreamy-floaty swoon as Pembroke Welsh Corgi Winston. Just look at his bright-eyed sweetness!
Photographer Rachel Oates’ background in fashion shines through with the sugared almond colour accents and stylish accessories, from woolly hats to bow-ties!
Here we chat about Winston’s life On The Road…
When traveling in the car with you, is Winston a) sat in your lap, paws on the steering wheel b) head out the window taking it all in c) laid-back and snoozing or d) secure in carrier e) other behaviour!
We live in London so I mostly use London transport with Winston, he’s really good in buses, trains and the tube. However on major road trips it’s definitely been a bit of a learning curve… Our first one was to the Lake District where he was a dream on our way there, slept and stayed calm in the back in a secured crate. On our way back something must have upset him and he wouldn’t stop barking! We couldn’t work out what was different and the only thing that would soothe him was sitting on my lap and occasionally climbing up on to my shoulder attempting to do his best parrot impression. The next long drive was to France so with all our previous experience in mind I made him a bed at my feet in the front passenger seat, where he mostly slept or stared at me waiting to get picked up for cuddles and window watching!
If you could click your fingers and wake up anywhere in the world with Winston, what destination would you most like to experience together and why?
That’s a tough one, I’ve always wanted to go to New York so to be able to experience it with Winny would be lovely. Some of my favourite dog Instagram accounts are based there, and there seems to be so many more events, places and shopping in America geared towards dog owners compared to the UK. One event that might have to go on my bucket list is the South California Annual Corgi Beach Day, because of all the Corgis!
What is your fondest memory of taking a trip with Winston?
One day in the Lake District we did our first long epic walk with Winston, hiking up, down and around mountains in sunshine to horrid rain and I was so proud of him keeping up with us while absolutely loving the adventure, even with his stumpy legs! So we nicknamed him our little Mountain Goat. To be honest before we got Winston I never realised how much fun a walking holiday could be, my partner used to try to drag me on them and I’d point blank refuse. As cheesy as it sounds Winston has given this city girl a huge love and respect for the great outdoors!
Do you have an all-time favourite dog-friendly accommodation? Perhaps one that went above and beyond in terms of making your furry friend welcome?
We have stayed in one dog friendly hotel in the UK but the rest have been dog friendly holiday houses/villas. But a very helpful website for choosing your next dog friendly holiday is www.petspyjamas.com
What are your top tips for taking great holiday snaps of dogs?
I would say always be prepared, for example my camera is always kept around my neck on a strap. Dogs can be adorably unpredictable and it can be heart breaking if you miss documenting it! Secondly getting to your dogs level rather than shooting down at them will help to include more of your surroundings. Thirdly practicing your pups “sit” and “stay” commands is essential for the sweet posed shoots!
Follow Winston on Instagram @winnythecorgi
Visit Rachel’s Pet Photography website here: http://winnythecorgi.com
Rachel offers beautiful doggie photo shoots for £150 including 20-30 digital images, an 8×10 print and organic treats! She can even bring professional studio lighting to your home. (Order extra prints and a £5 donation is made to a local animal charity!)
So looking forward to meeting Winny at the Kennel Club’s DISCOVER DOGS show at ExCel London on the 17th & 18th October 2015 – come join us!
FUN FACT: Rachel’s first visit to DISCOVER DOGS was to introduce her boyfriend to the appeal of Corgis pre-Winston – so who knows where your journey will lead!