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'Attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places': Slim Aarons's photographs of Cortina d’Ampezzo resurface ahead of the Winter Olympics
The Winter Olympics are nearly upon us. To celebrate we're taking a look back at legendary photographer Slim Aarons's photographs of Cortina d'Ampezzo which is hosting the Games for the second time.
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The smartest dog breed in the world — loved by Robert Burns and Queen Victoria
From the Border hills to Burns Night, the border collie remains what it has always been: an ancient working dog of extraordinary intelligence and loyalty.
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‘They don’t just fling themselves at you — they choose you’: Everything you need to know about the Scottish terrier
From Queen Victoria and Franklin D. Roosevelt to Rudyard Kipling and Humphrey Bogart — the Scottish terrier has been winning admirers for centuries, but it is a breed that chooses its people carefully.
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The 3,000-year-old dog built to survive temperatures as low as –60°C
Northerly winds dragged Arctic air across the UK this week, sending temperatures as low as –12°C and bringing settled snow, closed schools, and cancelled dog walks for many. But which breed would welcome this weather with open paws?
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Country Life's top 10 Instagram posts of 2025, from a historic yew hedge to rocking around The Ritz Christmas tree
You liked two things above all else this year: country houses and dogs. Surprise, surprise. With plenty of stories and a slice of cake thrown in for good measure.
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Happy New(foundland) year to all
Gentle, heroic and devoted — there is no better dog with which to welcome the year ahead.
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Dachshund through the snow: How the sausage dog became the festive season's unofficial mascot
From fearless working dog to festive favourite — a brief history of the dachshund and what it’s really like to own one.
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The 12 dogs of Christmas
Twelve shining canine stars to know — and add to your watchlist — this season.
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The golden retriever: The world’s most likeable dog almost didn’t exist at all
They’ve been popping up everywhere this week — on the Tube, at Christmas parties and in the news — so it feels like the perfect moment to talk about the dog breed we’re lucky to have.
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How fashions finest would dress an Airedale, Dalmatian, corgi and more if only they had the chance
We’ve matched some much-loved breeds to the designers that share their history, temperament and vibe — because why not. Illustrations by Tug Rice.
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The Alpine rescue dog built for blizzards, bred by monks
As snow fell across the UK this week, I found myself day-dreaming of St Bernards striding through the Alps — a snow-day dog worth celebrating.
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Yorkshire’s bravest and most charming gentleman — the Airedale terrier
Bred on Yorkshire’s riverbanks to face otters, snakes and even enemy fire, the Airedale has gone from the trenches of war to the hearts and homes of presidents and movie stars.
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How to keep your dogs — and other wildlife — safe on Bonfire Night
Anyone who’s ever owned a dog will remember, remember the 5th of November — not just for the Gunpowder Plot, but for the nervous wrecks it turns our dogs into.
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Great Danes: These gentle giants need space, strength and industrial-strength sofas
Great Danes were originally bred to hunt big game, but they’re more into cuddles than killing.
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Cocker spaniels: The indefatigable dog breed with medieval lineage that stole David Beckham’s heart
Once bred to flush out woodcock, now found in royal estates and Hollywood homes — the Cocker Spaniel’s charm knows no bounds.
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The English bull terrier is mischief meets muscle
From the 19th-century show rings to the homes of artists, royals and rock stars, the English bull terrier is one of our most original and loveable dogs.
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The not-so-ugly duckling: What to know about the quirky Irish water spaniel
With its curly topknot, ‘rat-tail’ and boundless energy for water, the Irish water spaniel is a breed apart. Quirky, clever and affectionate, it has been winning hearts for centuries — even if it still gets mistaken for a poodle.
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Meet the basset hound: Low-slung in stature, high in charm
Born in France and perfected in England, the basset hound has been tracking scent trails and stealing hearts for centuries — a low-to-the-ground, long-eared charmer with a perfect amount of wrinkles.
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Keeper’s Cottage at Heckfield Place: When does a hotel not feel like a hotel? When it feels like home
Country Life visits Keeper’s Cottage at Heckfield Place in Hampshire, a private space that encourages creativity and offers true comfort.
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'A phenomenon that has shaped Britain’s landscapes and wildlife for millennia': A five minute guide to mast years
The ground is already littered with acorns and beech nuts, notes Florence Allen, thanks to a phenomenon called mast years, or mast seeding.
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Bedlington terriers: The rare dog breed that conquered the coal mines and made it to Crufts
The Bedlington terrier originated in the mining towns of Northumberland, and while it might look like a lamb, it’s got the heart of a lion.
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The otterhound — the story behind Britain's rarest breed of dog
Bred for centuries to hunt otters in icy rivers, these shaggy, web-footed hounds were once favoured by royalty. Today, fewer than 1,000 survive worldwide.
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The Swan at Fittleworth review: The 500-year-old inn that’s as popular now as when Turner stayed
The Swan at Fittleworth's previous guests include Kipling, Turner and J. M. Barrie.
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300 years old, 40ft tall, 30ft wide: The world’s largest yew hedge has just received its annual trim
August is hedge-trimming season on the Bathurst Estate, in Cirencester.
