We talk to British Entrepreneur and Mental Health advocate James Middleton about his life with his 6 dogs and his upcoming book “Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life”.
You have 6 dogs, a true dog-lover! What are their names and breeds?
Zulu, Inka, Luna & Nala are all cocker spaniels and descendants of Ella, who was my first Cocker spaniel, who sadly passed away at the start of 2023. Mabel and Isla are my Golden Retrievers, and descendents of Tilly, which was our family’s first dog.
Which one causes the most mischief?
Definitely Inka. She is always up to mischief but in an adorable way. Her favourite activity is stealing eggs from the chicken coop – but she never breaks them.
Tell us what you are working on at the moment. Your book is coming out in September?
Currently, I’m recording the Audiobook for my new memoir “Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life”, which, being dyslexic, is a real challenge in and of itself. Thankfully I have a great team around me supporting my recording sessions and I’m really looking forward to audiences hearing about my story with Ella.
Besides my book, I’ve been growing my brand “James & Ella”, a happiness and wellbeing company for dogs. We recently expanded into Waitrose and Sainsbury in the UK, so it’s been a very exciting journey for us. The first time I saw mine and Ella’s picture on supermarket shelves was a huge milestone.
What life lessons have your dogs taught you?
Dogs do not worry about the past nor the future, they focus on the present, the now. I try to do that as much as possible. There’s a really fantastic poem (author unknown) which I always highly recommend for people to look up. It’s called “All I Need To Know About Life I Learned From My Dog”. If you haven’t already read it, please do yourself a favour and go give it a read! It’s exactly what I feel my dogs have taught me.
What’s a typical day for you and your dogs?
It starts with a walk, often barefoot in the garden to a specific tree. It used to be with a cup of
tea in my hand but now with my son Inigo in my arms. The dogs know this routine well now, and it’s an energising way to start the day.
My dogs always join my video meetings each day – whether they’re snoozing in their beds in
the background or vying for attention at my feet. I love introducing them to people on calls (or in person!).
Talk to us about James & Ella? What inspired you to create better dog food for our
pups?
I wanted to give back to my dogs as much as they have given me. When you really look into how you can give back to your dogs, it fundamentally has to start with what you feed them. When I looked into my dogs’ diet, I was shocked about some of the ingredients and misleading messaging, so I started making my own raw food for them. Within weeks, they had better coats, and healthier poos, and friends started to ask me to make some for their dogs. So, I started to make more and more and eventually decided to start a business. From there we’ve come leaps and bounds, but at the heart of it all was my mission: to make Ella’s life as happy and healthy as she had made mine. I want to continue to do her proud on this mission.
Do you have a favourite holiday destination with your dogs?
The Lake District – the endless walks and stunning scenery are our favourite. We often follow
many of the Alfred Wainwright’s walks, stopping to refuel in local pubs and swim in the lakes.
We always come back fully recharged, no matter the weather.
What are your top picks for travelling with your dogs?
Wherever I am travelling to, I always check to see where the nearest 24hr vet is in case there is an emergency. Besides that, my top priority is a small first aid kit for my dogs, and a few non-spilling water bowls for the back of the car.
What do you feel strongly about with regard to animal welfare?
I’ve always been a strong advocate for ethical breeding. I would highly encourage anyone
getting a puppy to do thorough research into any breeder, and ask some important questions.
Are they registered with the Kennel Club? Are you able to see the mother with the puppies, or
is she kept separate when you visit? Has the breeder been able to supply any information on
genetic testing? Is the breeder asking you appropriate questions about what your home life can
provide for the puppy? If you’re concerned about any of the answers you receive to these
questions, I would implore new puppy parents to keep searching. Supporting backyard breeding is the number one contributing factor to increased animal shelter populations across
the UK.
Which PetsPyjamas hotel would you like to visit with dogs and why?
Any of the hotels in the Lake District! I will never get bored of what the Lakes have to offer, especially when you take your dogs on the adventure with you.
James’ chosen charity is Pets As Therapy, and a donation has been made on his behalf.