Meet the owners who spend £7,600 on Christmas gifts, clothes, toys and treats for their pampered pooches
CESAR Rapanut has splashed out £4,800 on gifts for his beloved chihuahua Chelsea.
Cesar, 47, says he spoils the pup as a thank-you for his pet saving his life – he was given the dog by his partner, retired prison officer David Hargreaves, 54, as a pick-me-up after he suffered depression.
Cesar, a former nurse from Folkestone, Kent, says: “I don’t have children, so what else would I spend my money on this Christmas?
“David and I downsized our home and had savings, so that’s what we spend on Chelsea. David has a good pension and I am looking to launch a pet gift company in 2017.
“We are very comfortable with no children so why not treat our dog?”
“On Christmas Day Chelsea will eat a home-cooked meal of steak, potatoes and vegetables and will sit on her special booster seat at the table with me and David.
“When I was growing up in the Philippines my family was poor and at Christmas I had nothing. Spoiling Chelsea makes up for what I missed out on.
“Dressing her in fab clothes, giving her treats and making sure she is happy is my way of repaying her. She loves doing things to please me so it’s only right I treat her.
“When I first put a dress on her she just loved it, so I started making her clothes to match what I wore.
“She has social media pages as Lady Chelsea the Chihuahua and some people say I shouldn’t dress her up and that she should live like a dog, but I know it makes her happy."
“I don’t think I’ve gone too far with spoiling her. I know she enjoys being fussed over and if that ever changes then I will stop.”
What he bought...
£3,500 leather pet carrier, hand-made by local designer
£250 Swarovski collar
£250 red and white spotty flamenco dress
£250 brown and gold dress
£250 hand-made green and white coat decorated with real feathers
£120 red and white patterned collar
£120 black and white patterned collar
£2.30 Munchies chicken treats
£2.30 Munchies chicken and cheese treats
£20 organic hand-made ginger dog biscuits
For their lunch the pugs will enjoy turkey and sausages followed by doggy treats for dessert
BECCA DRAKE has splashed out £1,000 on her 30 pugs this Christmas, and has themed the entire festive season around her beloved dogs, who share her modest two-bedroom home.
The 40-year-old, from Sandbach, Cheshire, who runs rescue charity Bubblebecca Pugs, says: “My Christmas tree, decorated with pug baubles, is surrounded by toys for the dogs, carefully wrapped in festive paper.
“For their dinner the pugs will all wear Christmas jumpers and enjoy turkey and sausages followed by doggy treats for dessert.
“Some of my pugs have come from horrific backgrounds and I want to make them feel as loved as possible – and Christmas is a great time to do this.
“On Christmas day my parents will celebrate with me and my pug family at my home.”
Becca, who got her first pug, Fatima, in 2006 and now breeds them, adds: “At Christmas the pugs will enjoy a day of present-opening, playing in the garden, eating Christmas food and snoozing in front of the fire.
“I know that some people will think I’m crazy, but my pugs are my life, and I wouldn’t change that for the world.”
BECCA SPENDS:
(For all 30 dogs)
Food and treats: £500
Cuddly toys (£5 each): £150
Clothes and accessories: £350
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I spend more on her than on parents and partner
DESPITE her modest wage as a beautician, Jamie Asquith has more than £500 of gifts wrapped up for chihuahua Mia.
She says: “To me, my dog is my child, and Christmas is a time for children to be spoilt, so I want to splurge on her.
“I’d happily go into debt to pay for the prezzies. I spend more on her than my parents and partner.
Jamie, 26, of Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, adds: “She has tons of clothes including at least 20 outfits of jumpers and skirts and a Swarovski crystal collar. She has four harnesses and matching leads costing around £50 each.
“On the big day she will love the attention and opening the presents and she’ll have Christmas dinner at the pub with us.”
JAMIE SPENDS:
Carry case: £200
Travel case: £100
Five jumpers: £100
Two dresses: £50
Collar: £90
Toys: £30
They even have Father Christmas wish lists
HEALTH care assistant Vikki Jose has spent £1,250 on Christmas gifts for her “furry babies”, labrador Harvey and bichon frise Lola.
She admits spending more on them than on boyfriend of three years, car body painter Jack Cassidy, 26, and estimates she has spent £10,000 on them this year.
Vikki, 26, of Newcastle, says: “I started buying their Christmas gifts in September. I bought them 88 presents including toys, Ty beanie babies, Disney blankets and cushions, a zoo of soft toys, treats, collars and leads.
“They even have their own wish list for Father Christmas and advent calendars with doggy treats.
“My friends and family think I’m mad but I see them as humans in dogs’ bodies.
“They are my children and the most special thing in my life. Seeing their happy faces when I give them a new toy or treat is worth every penny.”
VIKKI SPENDS:
Toys: £750
Clothes and accessories: £250
Food and treats: £250