by “He’s so handsome, and so happy marriage!” With a flick of a brush and a bit of gold paint, the portrait was completed. The subject sits on a leather armchair, a tower of luxurious afternoon tea dyes in front of him, and his eager brown eyes look out at you with an air of hope, expectations and more than a little imperiousness.
I took the painting and turned it so he could examine his watercolor splash and with a cursory sniff he dismissed the artwork completely and looked back at his tower of treats. Not all of the artist Shelley’s subjects are as interesting in their portraits, but what can you expect when you’re painting a Manchester Terrier with a superiority complex?
This was not the first time that Shelley The Artist had painted a dog. In fact, most of her work is in the field of pets, depicting the beloved animals of doting owners who pay to have their dogs or cats immortalized in watercolor. I met her at the cozy Egerton House Hotel in Knightsbridge, where she is the artist in residence for a unique experience; dog owners can bring their animals for an afternoon tea that includes a seated portrait of their pet.
In her lounge-like living room I had crustless sandwiches, warm scones and a divine array of sweets, including plum cake with white chocolate mousse and rose-infused sponge cake, and the dog made three sets of homemade meatloaf, peanut butter biscuits and. carrot cupcakes. All this is included in the package, and for the princely sum of £550, you will also get to remove a small piece of hand-painted art that shows the best side of your dog.
You’re probably thinking that this market is, perhaps, a bit niche – and a bit on the steep side. Who on earth would pay £550 for afternoon tea and a portrait of their dog? Well, I’m definitely not the only one who gives their dog expensive experiences and gifts, because I’m part of the #DINKWAD generation – and we have serious spending power.
DINK stands for “dual income, no children”, and this demographic is one of the most sought-after customers in the travel industry. Research from Hotels.com shows that 41 percent of DINKs have put off having children so they can enjoy more adventurous vacations, while 64 percent say they still don’t have children because they like income. have more disposables.
It’s that disposable income that travel companies are after, and the Egerton House Hotel is getting in on the action by appealing to us DINKs with dogs – otherwise known as DINKWADs, although I think I’m a SINKWAD actually, because of my individual. mom’s dog.
Pet-friendly accommodation website PetsPyjamas says DINKWADs probably made up the vast majority of its customers last year, with 89 per cent of bookings in the 12 months to November 2023 made by pet owners traveling without children. So Egerton House isn’t the only travel business luring us well-heeled dog owners with unusual offers. Personally, I’ve spent nights at plush properties like Hampshire’s Four Seasons Hotel, where the dog gets his own bed and bowls in the room and there’s a menu especially for him in the Wild Carrot bar downstairs.
I also stayed at the five star Boringdon Hall Hotel & Spa in Plymouth where I managed to eat Michelin star food at an inventive Àclèaf and the dog got his own welcome pack with a ball, treats and a leaflet of local walks. Next, I have my eye on Mandarin Oriental London, which provides similar dog amenities but also includes a dog walking and pet sitting service.
We know that dog owners are a little more willing to treat our pets. So much so that, when dinosaur-themed adventure park ROARR! They launched their Santa’s grotto experience in December 2023, the “Bark in the Park” night, where dogs were welcomed to sit on Santa’s lap, was the first to sell out.
The DINKWAD and SINKWAD label is not just a way for marketing companies to talk about a specific demographic, however. On social media, young people with dogs are owning and embracing the label, posting videos of their pets dining in upscale restaurants, lounging on plush hotel beds and exploring wild places from mountaintops to empty beaches. The #dinkwad tag has collected almost 60 million views on TikTok, and on Instagram there are thousands of posts tagged with the likes of #dinkwad and #dinkwadlife.
George Bridges is one such dog owner who is leaning into the label. He and his two sprocker spaniels traveled all over Wales together, climbing mountains in Snowdonia and tackling hills in the Breacon Beacons. “I would always spend more on the dogs than I would spend on myself. They have sunrooms, jewels, bowls, blankets and beds, and they get a bed and lots of toys.” He even buys them a fillet steak for their birthday dinner, despite treating himself only with sirloin as the best.
“[When we travel], I will book and stay in an Airbnb or cabin so the dogs can stay more comfortable, but when I travel alone I have slept in the back of cars, vans, cheap hotels, or the sofas of my family and friends . It has to be more comfortable for the dogs at any cost,” he says.
Bridges also owns the label. “People I know know that the dogs come first. I work two jobs to maintain the life I have with my dogs, I live in the house I make so I can have the dogs, the car I drive because it’s better for the dogs, my media is all social media filled with pictures of the dogs, and I celebrate birthdays and Christmas with gifts and personalized bags for the dogs. I can’t say I’ve ever used the label in conversation or while posting on social media, but when I see the label being used, I think to myself, that’s me.”
Tom Woods and Mags Doyle are the hilarious owners of Atticus, a three-year-old Lhasa Apso who is really enjoying his life. They take it everywhere: “If it’s somewhere that’s not dog-friendly, chances are we’re not going to spend our money there,” says Mags. “He’s part of our family, we don’t want to leave him behind if we can avoid it.”
They are typical DINKWADs and although they don’t necessarily openly label themselves as such, they agree with the concept and say that they have also made plenty of DINKWAD friends on their travels.
As I was leaving Egerton House Hotel, dog in one hand, portrait in the other, I caught the eye of another couple having afternoon tea with their miniature dachshund snaffled treats under the table. As I looked down at the dog and back at them, we shared a knowing glance and a small nod. Fellow DINKWADs, I doubt it. We are everywhere – especially when there is a special treat for the dog.
Fundamentals
Lottie Gross was a guest at Egerton House Hotel (020 7589 2412; egertonhousehotel.com) which has double rooms from £455 including breakfast. Afternoon tea from £30; £550 “pawtrait” experience including afternoon tea for two as well as dog afternoon tea, plus a portrait of your pet by Shelley the Artist.
