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- 6 months ago
A couple live with eleven Irish wolfhounds in a three bed house - and spend more than £15,000 a year on dog food.
Claire Moorhouse, 47, and Jason Mather, 50, have pets aged between six months and eight years old.
The dogs weigh between 60 and 88 kilograms with the tallest being 37 inches tall (93cm) at the shoulder.
Clair and Jason, of Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, spend an average of £300 a week on food for the dogs, bringing the yearly total to £15,600.
The couple say they spend extra £15k a year on upkeep, which includes cleaning, blankets, treats and toys.
The couple's largest wolfhound Wilson is heavier than an average male adult, which is 85.1kg.
The couple got their first wolfhound Cilla in 2011 and immediately fell in love.
Two years after getting Cilla they made the decision to start breeding and welcomed their first litter in 2013.
The couple decided to become breeders because they love wolfhounds "more than they like people" and they wanted to show dogs that they bred themselves.
Claire said: "We felt a connection to this breed. They perfectly suit our lifestyle, active when required and calm when in our home.
"They are loyal. There is a mutual respect needed when owning Irish Wolfhounds.
"They are independent thinkers and we love living with them and sharing our life with them."
As the pack has gotten bigger so has their home.
Five years ago, they sold their house to buy a bigger one to provide the pooches the acreage they needed.
Jason, a maintenance engineer, said: "Everything gets bigger. Your house gets bigger. Your food bill gets bigger. Your car gets bigger."
The couple did not reveal the price of their new home, which included three acres of land to walk the dogs on, but Claire said it was double the price.
Claire said: "We needed a bigger property so the dogs could have some space so we just sold it.
"The new one was double the price."
Aside from the huge financial investment, the couple invests all their time in their pack.
Claire said: "It's busy but it's a lifestyle. It's not just having a dog.
"There's heartache. It's hard to bear losing them. You can't go out on New Year's Eve. You can't take any holidays.
"You need to plan in advance every time you leave the house."
Despite this, they have no regrets and both are still deeply in love with their life alongside the pack.
Jason said: "When I was a kid my dad worked in a manor house that had these wolfhounds and I just fell in love.
"They seemed like these giant friendly fluffy magical creatures."
Claire added: "You're unlikely to get burgled and a big positive is that you get to live with a pack.
"You get these incredible insights into how they think. We're not trainers and we're not groomers but we have hands-on skills.
"We're also part of a community now. We've made so many friends, we never sit down, but you'll never hear us say we're bored."
Claire Moorhouse, 47, and Jason Mather, 50, have pets aged between six months and eight years old.
The dogs weigh between 60 and 88 kilograms with the tallest being 37 inches tall (93cm) at the shoulder.
Clair and Jason, of Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, spend an average of £300 a week on food for the dogs, bringing the yearly total to £15,600.
The couple say they spend extra £15k a year on upkeep, which includes cleaning, blankets, treats and toys.
The couple's largest wolfhound Wilson is heavier than an average male adult, which is 85.1kg.
The couple got their first wolfhound Cilla in 2011 and immediately fell in love.
Two years after getting Cilla they made the decision to start breeding and welcomed their first litter in 2013.
The couple decided to become breeders because they love wolfhounds "more than they like people" and they wanted to show dogs that they bred themselves.
Claire said: "We felt a connection to this breed. They perfectly suit our lifestyle, active when required and calm when in our home.
"They are loyal. There is a mutual respect needed when owning Irish Wolfhounds.
"They are independent thinkers and we love living with them and sharing our life with them."
As the pack has gotten bigger so has their home.
Five years ago, they sold their house to buy a bigger one to provide the pooches the acreage they needed.
Jason, a maintenance engineer, said: "Everything gets bigger. Your house gets bigger. Your food bill gets bigger. Your car gets bigger."
The couple did not reveal the price of their new home, which included three acres of land to walk the dogs on, but Claire said it was double the price.
Claire said: "We needed a bigger property so the dogs could have some space so we just sold it.
"The new one was double the price."
Aside from the huge financial investment, the couple invests all their time in their pack.
Claire said: "It's busy but it's a lifestyle. It's not just having a dog.
"There's heartache. It's hard to bear losing them. You can't go out on New Year's Eve. You can't take any holidays.
"You need to plan in advance every time you leave the house."
Despite this, they have no regrets and both are still deeply in love with their life alongside the pack.
Jason said: "When I was a kid my dad worked in a manor house that had these wolfhounds and I just fell in love.
"They seemed like these giant friendly fluffy magical creatures."
Claire added: "You're unlikely to get burgled and a big positive is that you get to live with a pack.
"You get these incredible insights into how they think. We're not trainers and we're not groomers but we have hands-on skills.
"We're also part of a community now. We've made so many friends, we never sit down, but you'll never hear us say we're bored."