A cocker spaniel with a magnificent mane and her luscious-locked brother have become social media famous for their hair that resembles human tresses.
Golden show cocker spaniels Hugo and Hattie live with their owner, 27-year-old Beth Morris, in the northeastern part of the United Kingdom. Six-year-old adopted pup, Hugo, has a golden coat with blonde “highlights” that shimmers in the sun. His companion, Hattie, is tricolor with elements of chocolate brown, tan, and white.
“I could never have imagined how mesmerized people would be by my dogs’ hair,” Ms. Morris, who works full-time but is a “dog momager” to Hugo and Hattie and their thriving social media pages in her spare time, told The Epoch Times. “It started by getting attention on TikTok. ... We get so many comments and messages, and some people actually think it’s a wig at first look. I promise it isn’t!”
Ms. Morris said most people can’t get over how gorgeous her dogs’ hair is and often receives comments stating how jealous people are of her dogs’ hair. “Don’t worry, so am I,” she said.
The pups’ epic hair routine is very time-consuming, but Ms. Morris has been dedicated to caring for her show spaniels’ luscious locks since they were puppies.
“This started as general maintenance with regular grooms, brushing, and baths, but as their hair grew more and more it became much more than this. They now have better hair than me!” she said.
Hugo and Hattie’s daily haircare involves careful brushing, using a slicker brush on their ears to prevent tangles. Bathing happens once a week after their long walk on the beach and is usually a multi-step process.
Ms. Morris—who uses Bugalugs specialized dog shampoo products—said: “Once they have been bathed, I use the Bugalugs detangling spray and carefully brush through their hair, again to prevent knots or tatters. ... If I blow dry their hair it dries pretty straight, but if it’s left to naturally dry then it ends up pretty curly.”
Meanwhile, their unique hairstyles depend on what their hair looks like.
Ms. Morris started styling Hattie’s hair because her “bangs” grew forward and into her eyes. When she noticed how much Hattie enjoyed her hair being combed and styled–“she often falls asleep whilst I am doing it”–she continued, and shared clips of the finished looks online. Her most popular video of Hattie has garnered more than 50 million views.
“Our audience was engrossed! This then led me to styling Hugo’s hair as well, and I realized he loved it just as much,” Ms. Morris said. “I take pride in keeping on top of their groom and maintenance, as taking care of your pups’ coats is just part of being a good owner. The fact it spreads happiness and joy amongst others, and that Hugo and Hattie love the pamper, is probably the best part.”
While diva Hattie and hyper Hugo have grown famous for their stunning locks, Ms. Morris insists it’s only a small part of their life. When the fun-loving pups are not being groomed they are enjoying adventures on the beach, or in the woods, enjoying cuddles at home, or indulging in Hugo’s favorite pastime: train spotting. Ms. Morris keeps a waterless shampoo spray on hand to refresh their coats after wet, muddy walks.
Ms. Morris grew up with a cocker spaniel named Tilly and has always loved the breed. When a friend-of-a-friend needed to rehome Hugo as a puppy, she jumped at the opportunity to adopt him. Hattie followed four years later when Tilly passed away. Hugo is the bigger pup and weighs 21.5 kilograms (47.4 pounds) whereas Hattie weighs 16 kilograms (35.2 pounds), but her diva attitude far outweighs her brother’s.
“No amount of encouragement will get her on a walk if it’s rubbish weather!” Ms. Morris said. “If you ever see us at events, she is always rocking a hairstyle and being cuddled, fussed, or carried like an absolute princess.”
On the other hand, Ms. Morris describes Hugo as a typical cocker spaniel that would run up and down a mountain ten times over.
