My favourite ballet-dancing dog, Biff, is back in a delightfully festive adventure about managing disappointment, trying your hardest, and being the best bonbon in the box! For my stop on the blog tour, author Anna Kemp has written some handy top tips for other pirouetting pooches.

“My dog is not like other dogs.
My dog is a ballerina who dreams of being the Sugar Plum Fairy.

So when Miss Polly announces the parts in our Christmas show, The Nutcracker, will my dog’s dream come true? Or will we both just be… bonbons?”

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Advice for Owners of Dogs (Who Do Ballet) by Anna Kemp

Most dogs do dog stuff, right? They chase their tails, bark at cars and lick food off the floor. Maybe, on a good day, they’ll catch a ball or fetch your slippers. But my dog is not most dogs. My dog won’t fetch your slippers for love nor money, but he can ace a pas de chat. He won’t chew sticks or roll in the mud, but he can turn a pirouette like a demon. Like I said, my dog is not like other dogs. So here are a few top tips if, like me, you are the proud owner of a dog who does ballet.

1. Never ask him to fetch, sit, roll over or beg. He won’t look at you for a week.

2. Don’t say ‘walkies’, say ‘footwork, please!’

3. Remember to give him two pairs of legwarmers (he has four legs after all).

4. Let him up on the sofa when there’s dancing on the telly.

5. Don’t let the cat tease him. 

6. Don’t let the goldfish tease him either.

7. Make sure he finds other dogs who share his passion. You’d be surprised how many pirouetting pooches are out there!

8. When he’s sad, let him howl at the moon.

9. When he’s happy, let him spin till he’s dizzy.

10. Every day, put on some music and dance, dance, dance!

They say your dog is your best friend and I couldn’t wish for a better friend than my dog Biff. After all, who needs chew toys when you can have Tchaikovsky!

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Download yourself The Muttcracker Activity Pack here: https://bit.ly/TheMuttcrackerActivityPack 

Sound advice there from Anna for the owners of dance-loving dogs across the land. I did try some of of her tips on my cat but all I got was a sigh and ignored! Surely there must be a cabrioling cat somewhere?

A wonderful Christmas read that’s sure to enchant budding ballerinas aged 3+

Jo.

*Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour*