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Curious Questions: Is a pumpkin a fruit or a vegetable?
The rows upon rows of ghoulish, glowing squash down your street can only mean one thing: it’s Halloween. But have you ever stopped to wonder whether a pumpkin is a fruit or a vegetable? Alexandra Fraser investigates.
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The ten worst things your dog can do in the office
As the nation starts to head back to desktop computers and ten minute tea breaks, Alexandra Fraser lives in fear of Wilfred disgracing himself at her new job.
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Dog photography: How to capture perfect pictures of your pooch
Dog photography (or phodography) has risen in popularity in recent years, ever since our phones became able to capture beautiful shots of even the fastest whippet. Alexandra Fraser explains why she's determined to capture Wilf's life on film, and how she does this while still letting him be a puppy.
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Clicker training – The fastest way to teach a new spaniel new tricks
Alexandra Fraser uses her working from home lunch breaks to expand on Wilf’s repertoire of commands and tricks. This week she talks through clicker training, and how to teach everything from ‘sit’ to the slightly more complicated ‘tidy up’.
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Top tips for grooming a mucky puppy - from easy bath times to tidy pub trips
‘Mucky pup’ is the operative word for an absolute mess – with very good reason. Alexandra Fraser explains how she manages to keep Wilf well-groomed, while still allowing him to having his fun outside.
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Walking a new puppy - How long to walk for, where to go and how to recover from inevitable setbacks
Alexandra Fraser discusses the ups and downs of puppy walking, and why you shouldn’t let a small setback throw your confidence.
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Five things that your puppy shouldn't eat - and what to do when they eat them
Five visits to the vets later, Alexandra Fraser reflects on the dangers faced by a hungry puppy and the benefits of pet insurance.
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Five reasons why you shouldn't get a dog for Christmas
‘A dog is not for Christmas’ is a well-known saying that encapsulates what it means to be a dog owner – it’s not just one day, or the good days, or the days you actually want to go for a walk in the rain. Alexandra Fraser does away with the sugar coating and explains why a furry friend might not be the most appropriate gift this year.
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The ten unwritten rules of walking your dog - and how to follow them
Being a responsible dog owner is more than just picking up after your pup and stopping them from stealing sandwiches at the picnic.
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Top tips for taking your puppy on holiday
Hot off his vaccinations, Wilf heads down to Devon for his first glimpse of sand and sea.
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How to survive pre-vaccination 'house arrest' with a new puppy
We're getting used to the idea of vaccinations and quarantine periods, but for dog owners its already a familiar concept. Alexandra Fraser talks pre-vaccination entertainment, and how to make sure both you and your pup come out of those four weeks sane.
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The Puppy Diaries: 'It’s hard to follow all the rules when you have a very cute, very sad puppy who loves hugs'
Three weeks into deciding to becoming a dog parent, Alexandra Fraser reflects on the trials of the first week of sleep training, from chilly midnight bathroom trips to ludicrously early rises.
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The Puppy Diaries: 'The first night wasn't too bad. The second night was… different. We were up and down more than the Grand Old Duke of York'
Alexandra Fraser — who recently bought a cocker spaniel called Wilf — details the ins and outs of sleep-training a new puppy, from where to place your puppy in your home to why you dearly need a dressing gown.
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The Puppy Diaries: 'You cannot go to see a seven-week-old cocker spaniel puppy and not fall in love'
Alexandra Fraser and her partner didn't decide to get a dog; they merely decided to go and see a dog. Little did they know that it would amount to the same thing, as she explains in the first of a new series.
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A wonderfully-bonkers Victorian bathhouse that brings all the fun of the fair — but best not to apply if you're scared of clowns...
Have you ever dreamt of running away to the circus, but were reluctant to leave the comfort of your own home? Now you can have both, thanks to a stunningly quirky property off the South-East coast of England.
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Curious Questions: Why is chocolate poisonous to dogs?
Chocolate is potentially life-threatening to dogs and other animals throughout the year, but more issues crop up around Easter, when chocolate is in high supply. Alexandra Fraser, with the help of veterinary doctor Jessica May, explains how to act if you suspect your pet had been poisoned.
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South Lodge, West Sussex: A sustainable staycation, where guilt-free travel meets ultimate luxury
Alexandra Fraser found a way to combine luxurious relaxation with complete sustainability – at a hotel where the emphasis is on celebrating and protecting its surrounding natural beauties.
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The dogs of Country Life: The labradors, terriers and teddy bears that we call family
We’re fortunate enough to meet your dogs every day, so we thought it was high time you saw what our crew of canines were up to while they work with us from home.
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The Utterly Inessential Spring Shopping List: A few of life’s little luxuries to brave the strange time between winter and summer
The time between winter and summer has been made all the more strange by the current circumstances. However, there's nothing like a little retail therapy to make one prepared to face the coming season, whatever it may hold. Alexandra Fraser rounds up some of her spring favourites.
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An old Victorian coach house in Suffolk with a Grade-II listed vegetable garden
The Couch House in Bury St Edmunds is a gorgeous little home, in budget and perfectly set up for sustainable living.
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A self-sufficient farmhouse with three trout lakes, two holiday lets and a vegetable garden
Halamiling in Cornwall is the perfect place to ride out the apocalypse with an income source, a vegetable garden and a beautiful garden to explore.
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The dogs of lockdown: How our four-legged friends are surviving (and thriving)
It's a difficult time for all of us, and looking on the brighter side of things is the best way to keep on going. Luckily, the dogs are doing that for us.
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The Utterly Inessential Shopping From Home List: How all ages and animals can exercise, have fun and find fame at home
As regulations become stricter to protect our NHS from being overwhelmed, people are wondering how to stay fit and healthy at home. Luckily, some lovely people have already found solutions.
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Armchair travel: Tour Yosemite, go to the zoo and visit museums, all from your home
It may not be possible to leave your house or cross borders, but you can still plan what you'll do when business-as-usual starts again.
