Unleashing London: The Hoxton's Mutts Event with MUTTS Brings Doggie Delights to the City

Taking this one step further, Hox recently collaborated with London-based dog lifestyle store MUTTS Dog Goods to bring their carefully curated selection of design-led dog goods to The Hoxton, Southwark.  With a focus on quality, durability and responsibility, the brand was founded in 2024 by Sami and Louise, who have worked together for years producing events and immersive experiences in the world of luxury fashion and contemporary culture, and became first time dog owners around the same time. Naturally, the pair shared products they loved for their new pups with one another, and in lieu of finding a one-stop shop for sustainable pieces from independent brands, they began saving their favourite products to a shared Instagram folder – and so MUTTS began to take shape. 

Sami and Louise took their expertise in fashion and creative industries and applied it to MUTTS, creating a treasure trove of products for modern, design-conscious dog owners.  What started as a personal excuse to indulge in products they loved soon evolved into something more, and they realised it was about more than just great design for them. “We wanted to build the kind of community we wish we’d had when we were dealing with puppy blues,” says Sami. “Somewhere supportive, welcoming, and free from the judgment that can come with the dog world on social media.”

The Dog Goods for Good Dogs event hosted with The Hox showcased MUTTS’ product selection, including technical wear from Merlot Studio, handcrafted luxury walkwear from LUNGE, and eco-conscious puffer jackets made from recycled plastic by CushyCushy. The event also spotlighted a whole range of independent brands and creatives we love, like custom wibbly wobbly leads from MÁLA, personalised dog tags from Got The Goods, live dog illustrations from artist Harriet Lowther and portrait photography with Nessie Appleton-Smith of Dog and Their Dykes.

Hanging out at the event, we spoke to some of the guests who got their family photos taken with Nessie to hear about the highs and lows of having a dog in the Big Smoke, and find out some insider tips about the best spots in the city. 

Eri and Ellie

Miniature Dachshund

Her name is Ellie, short for Elizabeth.  It was already given to her but I kept it as it sounded quite similar to mine, Eri.

When she was a pup, I took her to Regent’s Park and she chased after a goose which was ten times bigger than her. I panicked as I thought she was not allowed to chase after the animals, so I was then running behind Ellie, who was running after the goose. My friend caught the whole thing on camera – let’s just say we made many people laugh that day.

Ellie has a thing for pubs – from a young age I used to take her with me so she has a thing for going out and sleeping in her basket next to me. 

It’s nice to have my little pal with me, and makes it much easier to start a conversation and chat to new people; Ellie makes people smile, dachshunds have a very funny way of walking. I wish it was easier to travel abroad with a dog though –  I am originally from Greece so we go every summer, but with Ellie, we have to travel via Paris and use a pet shuttle service too. 

Ellie’s favourite spots: De Beauvoir Arms, Dan’s Wine Bar, High Water, Brutto, Hampstead Heath, The Nook, Lizzie’s, Jumi’s, Lady Mildmay Pub

Francis and Juan & RuPaul

Pomchi (Pomeranian x Chihuahua)

We’re both huge fans of Drag Race, so RuPaul was the obvious name for a dog for us. He wasn’t the member of the litter we had originally chosen, but when we first saw his little face, we both immediately thought, “Chantay, you stay!”

While out with a dog sitter near King’s Cross, Ru was startled by a group of teenagers messing around and bolted. True to his name— full of charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent—RuPaul navigated his way back to our home in Clerkenwell. Realising we weren’t there, he then made his way to my workplace in Barbican. I was in a meeting across London, watching his movements on the Find My app. When I saw that he was at my workplace, I called them, and when they opened the door, RuPaul went running in and waited for me in my office. 

Luckily in London, most places welcome small dogs – at least most places Ru likes to visit. Even big department stores like Harvey Nichols are changing their policies, but many chain restaurants and shops in general are behind the times! 

Like his namesake, RuPaul loves the finer things in life. Afternoons in the lobby of a beautiful hotel being high on his list – The Hoxton included. If he knows a hotel has a comfy sofa, plush carpets, and a piece for chicken or two, he won’t forget, and is sure to insist on returning time and time again. 

Our baby certainly is a bit of a diva, but as the great RuPaul herself says, “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?”

Ru’s favourite spots: Green Park (one special shady spot under his favourite tree), Liberty (the dog spa), fancy hotels & shops

Trupti & Professor Teddy

Pomeranian

I got Professor Teddy whilst I was doing a PhD, so when I was working at home she became my PhD supervisor. 

She likes to do tricks for treats and play fetch or chase (but only on her own terms).. She is very good at posing for photos and loves going for days out together.

London is so dog-friendly, so there are a lot of places to visit together and things to do, but it can be quite busy so best to plan a day out ahead of time. 

Professor Teddy’s favourite spots: Hampstead Heath, Romeo & Juliet’s, The Alpaca, anywhere where Trupti goes

Sammy & Oskie 

Poochon (Poodle x Bichon Frisé)

We bought Oscar for my mum-in-law – she named him, and after 3 days couldn’t handle him so we adopted him! I felt too bad to change his name even though I wasn’t keen on Oscar, but now I couldn’t imagine him being called anything else. Although we’ve sort of transitioned his name to Oskie!

He’s a clever pup and tilts his head when he hears his favourite words like ‘chicken’, ‘park’, ‘forest’, ‘walk’, ‘sausage’, and ‘daddy’.

Oskie’s favourite spots: The Royal Forest hotel, Victoria Park, Green Bistro coffee shop (he always gets a sausage from them)

Ada & Otto

Great Dane

We were on the waitlist with our breeder for a blue boy Great Dane for over two years… you’d think we’d have plenty of time to decide on names, after he was born, we took the full 8 weeks to agree on a name for him! I wanted him to be a future therapy dog, so I wanted a name that was soft and gentle, with a personal, human-like touch.

Just days before picking him up, we watched A Man Called Otto and felt straight away that the name was fitting. The film’s grumpy-but-soft-hearted character felt like the perfect match—stubborn yet gentle and loving, just like a Great Dane.

He absolutely loves a blanket draped over him or being wrapped in a duvet (see below).

Otto’s not allowed on the sofas at home, but that doesn’t stop him from slowly reversing into our laps while we watch TV. At over 80kg, once he’s there, he’s not moving. If we try, he just stares at us like, “Technically, I’m not on the sofa…”

Living in London with a giant dog has its challenges, especially on public transport. Otto gets overwhelmed on the tube, and is very well behaved on a bus, but a lot of bus drivers see his size and refuse us entry as he’s so big. I understand it, but it makes it tricky for us to explore London properly unless we get black cabs which then becomes expensive. 

That said, London is becoming increasingly dog-friendly, with dog-focussed events and dog-friendly establishments—it’s exciting to see the city evolve for dog owners.

Otto’s favourite spots: Battersea Power Station, Brent Cross Shopping Centre, John Lewis, Regent’s Park (he likes to look at the giraffes and zebras at nearby London Zoo)

All photos by Nessie Appleton-Smith of Dogs and Their Dykes unless otherwise stated.