Tell us about DOG magazine?
I like to think DOG is a lifestyle magazine for anyone who loves or has a dog, we use dog(s) as a concept for our stories, we also think DOG is a platform for anyone who has a story to tell, this can be written story or a visual.
How did you find the process of producing the first issue?
It was a bit intimidating at first; there was a lot of pressure from everyone for me to come out with something decent so I wanted to take my time. The process of issue one was a bit longer than expected but I wanted to make sure that everything was done properly. Most importantly, it was very enjoyable, it provided us with an amazing opportunity to meet so many creative people and see their hard work come to life on print.
What has been most rewarding about setting up and making a magazine?
I have to say meeting the people involved in the magazine –
from the people who we interview to the people who have contributed to the content. I find them very inspirational and talented and I am so honored to be working with them.
Who have been some of your favorite people to profile in the magazine so far?
Probably Andrew Tuck from Monocle who is in issue two. He is an overall amazing individual and (by the way) such a good sport. He is smart, accommodating, intelligent and most importantly, inspirational…someone I aspire to be like one day.
How do you choose the dogs to profile?
I look at interesting breeds and their origin. I have to have some connection with both of those elements for me to consider which dogs to profile. Also the dog breed needs to stimulate the rest of the content; it has to tell a story. There is no point to just putting pretty pictures of dogs without having something to say!
Your next issue is centered on the Japanese dog the Shiba Inu and you travelled to Japan – tell us about it.
It was my fascination with Japan that influenced our breed choice, it was the perfect pretext to travel to Japan and fulfill that longtime dream. I want our magazine to provide us with the opportunity to discover and expose us to different cultures and territories and so far, DOG is doing that.
Japan was what I expected – clean, polite, friendly, cultural and mysterious. As per the Shiba, it was a challenge to work with such strong personality dog. They are so independent and fearless, compared with our issue one breed, the Shiba gave us a run for our money.
Do you have dogs of your own?
Yes, I do, and please don’t judge me but I have 4 dogs, yes 4 dogs in central London! They are a good group of dogs, all different personalities and needs. I have three Lakeland terriers and a mix-breed dog. (I’m not exactly sure what mix he is, but he is fascinating looking!). I try to be as active as I can with them since they are working dogs and need a lot of exercise. I feel like I am forever walking with them. But I love it.
What’s next for DOG?
We just finished issue two so we are already thinking about what comes next. Thankfully we now have a group of great distributors who will take care of distributing DOG around the world so that means I can focus on what I like best, find a way to make DOG fun, especially creatively.
You can buy the next issue of DOG magazine at readdogmag.com where you will also find a list of stockists. You can also follow DOG on Instagram @readdogmag
