Britain's most pampered dog! Spoiled dog has wardrobe bulging with designer clothes, travels first class and feasts on organic chicken and steak

Most dogs would be happy with long walks, a cosy basket and a steady supply of Bonios but that's not enough for spoiled pug, Mr Darcy.

Instead, the pampered pooch enjoys a luxury lifestyle and feasts on steak, organic chicken and salmon, and boasts a wardrobe of designer clothes.

And come Christmas Day, the pet, who loves to snack on Victoria sponge cake, will find a specially-knitted Nordic woolly jumper in his stocking.



Luxury: Pampered pug Mr Darcy feasts on steak suppers and enjoys snacking on Victoria sponge cake



The indulged canine even has his own version of a personal gym and is allowed to sleep in his mistress' queen size bed.

But owner Julia Ashton, 48, from Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, says he's not spoiled - she only gives him the luxurious lifestyle that pugs expect.

'I suppose some people might have the perception he's a bit spoiled, but I guess all dog owners spoil their pets to some degree,' Julia explains.

'I love my pets and I like to make sure they're looked after to a high standard. And it has to be said, pugs are a breed that love their luxury!'
Julia has several dogs, but confesses show dog Mr Darcy is her pride and joy. She takes her prized pooch to shows up and down the country, meaning he has to eat, exercise and sleep well and get lots of pampering to ensure he's in tip top condition.

'He eats steak and organic chicken and salmon - in fact he probably has a better diet than me,' she laughs. 'And he loves Victoria sponge cake and cinnamon sticks too - but only gets these as a treat.'



Tucking in: The pug, pictured with owner Julia Ashton, also travels first class and boasts a wardrobe of clothes





Champion: When not feasting on steak, Mr Darcy travels with Julia to shows all over the country




Indulgent: Julia, who runs a doggy B&B, says that pugs expect to be given a life of luxury



Mr Darcy goes to the groomers each week and has a whole host of jackets and jumpers to keep him warm during walks in the winter. And he likes to work out at home, using his treadmill and agility course.

'Pugs hate the cold and wet, so he has plenty of outfits to keep him cosy,' adds Julia. 'And he loves exercise so gets plenty of use of his agility course at home and treadmill.

'It's not a substitute for walks because he gets plenty of those. It's more to work on building up his muscles which is important for the shows.'

Julia has been an pug breeder for five years and admits she's 'completely hooked' on the adorable breed.

'Pugs are charming, adorable, intelligent and affectionate creatures - and make fantastic
companions,' she reveals.

'And they're so cute they seem to get away with murder - well, mine do most of the time! But I always ensure there's a balance with discipline.'

Julia, who runs pet holiday retreat Bed and Biscuits and is set to launch Barkers and Bones selling clothing for smaller dogs, added: 'Mr Darcy is certainly up there with the most pampered pets in Scotland.

'He gets plenty of steak, plenty of exercise, plenty of attention - what more could a dog ask for? I've had dogs all my life. I grew up with a menagerie of animals, from rabbits and ponies to cats, chickens and guinea pigs.

'So I'm very used to having pets around and knowing how they like to be treated. People sometimes laugh at the life of luxury Mr Darcy has but having a dog is a serious matter.

'You need to be there to look after them round the clock and be prepared for the expense a pet brings - and be careful when buying one.

'There is a huge amount of back street puppy breeders who are looking to make a buck. The best and safest way is through a breed club or the Kennel Club.

'Buying from someone who does not care or understand their breed can be a minefield of heartbreak.'





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Group of cannibal Neanderthals 'butchered 12 of their neighbours including children and ate them for dinner'

• Scientists used modern forensic techniques to analyse ancient remains
• Bones were discovered in a deep cave, and had been stripped of meat
• Neanderthal family, including a child of two, were killed and eaten
• Killers believed to be from a neighbouring tribe

 

 

A group of Neanderthals killed and ate their fellow ancient humans, including young children, scientists have found.

 

Using modern forensics techniques, including DNA analysis, the researchers found that 12 Neanderthals, all from the same family, had been eaten by their peers.

 

In research presented to the Royal Society in London, biologist Carles Lalueza-Fox, said that the bones of the victims had been cracked open to extract the marrow, while the skulls were opened so brains and tongues could be eaten.

 

 

 

Butchered: Scientists have found that a family of Neanderthals were killed and eaten by their fellow ancient humans (file picture)

 

Remains, discovered at the El Sidrón cave system, near Asturias, in north western Spain, included the bones of three female and three male adults, three teenage boys and three children aged between two and nine-years-old.

 

'All had been butchered,' Mr Lalueza-Fox told the Royal Society on Thursday, according to the Sunday Times.

 

'It must have been a big feast. We think Neanderthal groups were about 10-12 strong so this may have been a complete family group, although someone may have got away.'

 

 

 

Discovery: The Neanderthal remains were discovered accidentally at El Sidron in northern Spain in 1994

 

 

 

Researchers had considered whether the cannibalised neanderthals had been killed by modern humans, although this was ruled out when dating techniques revealed that the remains pre-dated homo-sapiens in Spain by thousands of years.

 

By analysing the stone tools used by the killers the scientists found that they had probably come from a few miles away, leading them to conclude that the culprits were probably neanderthals from a neighbouring group.

 

 

Revealed: Scientists used the most recent scientific advances, including DNA sequencing, to find out details such as the hair colour of the Neanderthals. Pictured is a model of a Neanderthal man

 

 

 

'I would guess they were killed in winter when food was short. There is no evidence of any fire so they were eaten raw immediately and every bit of meat was consumed. They even cut around the mandibles of the jaw to extract the tongues,' said Mr Lalueza-Fox.

 

He said that as Neanderthals lived in smaller groups this may have made them liable to eat each other when no other food sources could be found, rather than modern humans who lived in larger groups and worked together in tougher times.

 

 

The remains were accidentally discovered by cave explorers in 1994, with systematic excavations starting in 2000.

 

In total 13 individuals have been retrieved in a painstaking operation designed to prevent contamination of the remains with modern human DNA.

 

Due to the cold temperatures in the cave, which is 60ft underground, and its remote location, the neanderthals DNA was preserved for centuries, and had not come into contact with the DNA of other neanderthals, animals, or humans. .

 

The bones were found mixed up with gravel and mud in a small cave gallery, some 700ft from the entrance.

 

Mr Lalueza-Fox, of the Institute of Evolutionary Biology in Barcelona, said he believed the victims had been slaughtered in a rock shelter situated above where the remains were found, their flesh stripped from the bones, which were then dumped.

 

He said that a powerful storm had then washed the bones, stone tools and sediments down a gap in the rock and into the cave where they were eventually discovered.

 

 

Mr Lalueza-Fox was able to use the most recent scientific advances, including DNA sequencing, to see reconstruct the Neanderthals' genes, leading to information being uncovered about their hair colour and blood group.

 

 

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SHOCKING!12 Yr Old Girl commits suicide in Ebonyi

A 12-year-old girl, Miss Chisom Okechukwu, has committed suicide, hanging herself at her family compound at Nnoche-Uduke Community in Okpoitumo in the Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Okechukwu, a primary five pupil at Nnoche-Uduke Primary School, was said to have left home on Saturday and was not seen until Sunday morning, hanging on a tree at the back of her compound.

Her dangling body was discovered by her younger sister, Ndidi, who was going to the toilet dug at the back of the compound.

An eye-wtness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that Ndidi raised an alarm which attracted their parents and other members of the community who came and brought her down.

“The whole scenario brought tension and confusion in the community as people were seen in clusters discussing the death.

“People, especially some members of Okechukwu’s family are of the opinion that she did not commit suicide and insisted on a thorough investigation to unravel the true cause of her death,’’ said the witness.

He claimed that a neighbour to the Okechukwu family had reported to the girl’s parents that she stole her egg which made them to beat her.

“After the incident, Okechukwu went inside their house, changed into her new cloth and left the house only to be seen dangling lifeless on a tree on Sunday,’’ he said.

An elder in the community, Mr Friday Itumo, told NAN that the incident had brought confusion to the community as such a tragedy had never been experienced before in the community.

“Mr Okechukwu is not the girl’s biological father as her mother came in with her when she re-married Mr Okechukwu after her former husband’s death.

“Her former husband’s family members are now insisting that Mr Okechukwu should provide their daughter alive and this has compounded the problem,” he said.

Hundreds of sympathisers were seen trooping in and out of the compound, including her school mates who were visibly shocked by her sudden death.

The Ebonyi State Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP Chris Anyanwu, confirmed the incident, saying that the matter was reported to the Police Division in Ikwo.

“We have commenced investigation into the girl’s death to ascertain why she should engage in such act.

“We can’t confirm that she committed suicide because one can be killed and hanged by his or her killer, to claim that the person committed suicide.

“We assure her family, members of the community and the whole state that we would get to the root of this matter,’’ he said.

The girl’s body has been deposited at the Onueke General Hospital Mortuary in the Ezza South Local Government Area for autopsy.

 

 

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PHOTOS from the Abuja National Carnival 2013

  

 

 

Photos from the Abuja National Carnival 2013

Eminem 'back again' with ex wife Kim Scott despite divorcing TWICE

Rapper Eminem is said to be set to rekindle his relationship with teenage sweetheart Kim Scott - who he has already been divorced from twice.

Kim's mum, Kathy Sluck has revealed that the pair, who last divorced seven years ago, see each other 'all the time' and that Eminem, real name Marshall Mathers, is even building her daughter a sprawling mansion.

Speaking from the home she shares with Kim, in Detroit, she told RadarOnline: "They get along better than ever. He’s building her a new house on 22 mile."

She also described how Kim, who has been a focus of many of Eminem's hits, has been clean for years and is focused on her family.

Speaking about whether it could be third time lucky for the pair, Marie Hartter, grandmother to Eminem's adopted daughter Whitney, also added fuel to the fire, saying: "They’ve been in love since they were 14 or 15 and that’s not going to stop anytime soon.

"They will probably grow old together one way or another, as much as he says he hates her in his music, he loves her that much too, I feel.

"I think they met very young, they were together a lot of years, I don’t think she’s ever been with anyone for as long as she’s been with him, whether it’s off and on.”

 



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