Dogs in day care dressed up for nativity scene...

Louise Oliver, who owns Doggy Mad Day Care, said dressing up the dogs was a 'thank you' to her customers for their business over the year



A day care centre for dogs has created a nativity scene in a stable by dressing up some of its furry visitors.

Louise Oliver, who owns Doggy Mad Day Care in Honiley, near Kenilworth, said she had been putting her own twist on the Christmas story since 2021 after being inspired by a film.

"I watched Nativity, which I love, and I thought wouldn't it be great to dress the dogs up and try and do it with them," Ms Oliver said.

"They're so well-behaved and they really do enjoy it," she added. "You do it with your kids so why not your dogs?"

The key to getting all the dogs to sit still for a video of the scene was the training she did with them during the year, the owner said.

"I have the same dogs every week, so when I came to do it, I just sat them down told them to stay and had loads of treats handy," said Ms Oliver.

"I loved it and the owners loved it, so I have carried it on every year," she added.

She started the centre seven years ago and said she had been "dog crazy" since school, but it was after having children she decided to start her own day care as it worked alongside her family life.

Ms Oliver said over the years she had put more time and effort into the dogs' costumes and even bought them specifically now.

"At the beginning I just used anything I had lying around - tea-towels, towels - and draped them around the dogs, but I've got more outfits this year."

She added in previous years she had about eight dogs dressed up, but this year she had managed to dress up 12 dogs as well as her pony for the scene.

Which part each dog played depended on "how they were behaving on the day" and their "temperament".

She added: "I've got three kings so I've got to make sure the dogs want to sit very still and sit next to each other."