The dogs behind the stories

Some stories don’t begin with words.

They begin with animals, with companionship, with the quiet way a dog becomes part of your life without you quite realising how much they will mean.

The Wagging Tail Tales collection has grown from the dogs we’ve had over the years, each one leaving its own mark, and each one finding its way into a story.

Puppy Tales

This was the beginning.

Puppy Tales was inspired by Nettle, our first puppy together. We found her through a rescue at a small vet’s in Dorset, a shy little black and tan pup who quickly revealed a strong personality of her own.

She was cheeky, stubborn, and full of character. She loved her routines, chose her moments carefully, and quickly became the centre of our world.

Like many first dogs, she changed everything.
Our days revolved around her, where we went, what we did, how we planned things.

She wasn’t just a pet.
She was our first little family member.

The Tale of Mr Wiggy (coming soon)

Not long after Nettle came Ash.

A silver brindle lurcher, full of energy and mischief, who arrived quite unexpectedly after a long journey to Wales.

Ash and Nettle quickly became a pair, playful, chaotic, and always moving. Their personalities clashed and blended in equal measure, creating a dynamic that was impossible not to watch.

Around that time, The Tale of Mr Wiggy came to life.

It’s a story that has stayed with me for years, something softer and more classic in style, inspired by traditional children’s books. It’s taken time to shape it into what I imagined, and it’s still evolving, but it remains one of those stories I’ve always known I wanted to tell.

Ru Bear and Otis

Years later came Ru.

A large, powerful dog with a gentle heart, brought into our lives at a time when Ash was older and beginning to slow down.

Ru gave him confidence again.

Where Ash had begun to struggle, especially outdoors, Ru became his guide, his companion, and in many ways, his reassurance. He followed him, trusted him, and helped him move through the world with more ease.

Ru and Otis together became something else entirely.

Playful, chaotic, and full of energy, their relationship was so full of life that it naturally became a story.

That’s where Ru Bear and Otis began.

The Dragon That Stayed (coming soon)

Some stories come from joy.
Others come from loss.

When Ash passed away, it left a space that needed to be filled with something, not replaced, but understood.

For a long time, I had always seen him as something more than he was, the way he moved, the way he carried himself, there was something almost mythical about him.

So he became a dragon.

The Dragon That Stayed grew from that feeling.
A story about loyalty, love, and the choice to stay.