To celebrate the festive season, here's a very special blog post from the office dog Pip...

Pets by Royal Appointment is my new favourite book and the perfect Christmas present for all animal parents out there. I have become really jealous learning about the animal-sized palaces where royal pets live – though I’m glad I don’t have to share a home with any crocodiles, hippos or elephants, like some royal pooches of back in the day.

Ever since Henry VIII, the Kings and Queens of England have kept pets, from a whole dynasty of corgis to stables full of horses. Find out which royal made a family Christmas card featuring their dog front and centre – I think I might suggest my owner does the same this year. In fact, he might be extra interested to know that the Queen gives each of her corgis their own individual stockings for Christmas EVERY YEAR, and that’s not even to mention the extravagant presents Queen Victoria bought for her spaniel Dash. This book has something for every owner and I’ll be making sure there’s a copy under my tree, right next to that suspicious biscuit-shaped package.