Guest interview:

Beverley Cuddy

REMINDER: Please note that our guests come here to chat and answer questions, as their time is limited we would appreciate if we could keep on topic. Our guests are not here to be 'quoted' and due to nature of some queries it is unfeasible to provide an answer online. The content of these interviews may not be shared without permission from the site - Thank you.

©moderndoggroup.com

Dog's today, one of Britian's (and Ireland's) largest ever dog magazines is over 20 years old. Tonight we have former editor and now publisher Beverley Cuddy is joining us tonight to tell us about the history of Dog's Today and answer your questions. Welcome Beverley! Thanks for joining us this evening - to start with can you tell us a little about yourself and your interest with dogs in the first place?

Beverley Cuddy I was dog mad as a kid, well horse mad first. Wanted a horse so bad parents gave me

an incentive of if I got a scholarship to the local posh school I could have one.

Christine Holmes Spriggs Bennett Hi Beverley Cuddy and welcome!

Kim Carnell welcome Beverley Cuddy

Karen Lawe Hi Beverley

Beverley Cuddy Must have thought I stood no chance, as we had a tiny house. Got the scholarship and

changed to a Beardie!

Hello everyone! How rude of me not to say hello straight away!

Denise O'Moore Lol Beardies are one of your favourite breeds aren't they?

Karen Lawe Yes . . . Why Beardies?

Beverley Cuddy Chose my own Beardie - they were quite rare - I was 11 so was just going on instinct. By

mistake turned up to ring craft instead of obedience. Dog spotted as a show dog. Became a champion with me

aged 13 holding the lead.

Christine Holmes Spriggs Bennett did you train the dog yourself?

Denise O'Moore Your ring days didn't last long though - you had a very ill pup you nursed back.

Beverley Cuddy Played truant from school to go to Crufts, worked everywhere with the word dog in it,

have had a Beardie almost always in my life ever since. Changed from show person to pet person when dog

nearly died of parvo and I realised I didn't care that I'd never show her.

Poh Wee Boon Hello Beverley Cuddy!!

Beverley Cuddy Beardies are poets, they are all different and all complicated perfect creatures. I am

biased obviously. Oscar is descended from my first dog, but I was a serious show head I am afraid!

Denise O'Moore So the magazine...tell us how that came about. And did you ever think that in Dec 2010

you would be celebrating 20 years!!

Beverley Cuddy I was show mad - Had three Champions, was a Champ show judge, a breed club

secretary. I was even a cup steward. All before I was 21!

Kasia Kimbley People change What was your most special/ memorable experience with a dog?

The show world is so very different! A world in and of itself! I'm quite in awe of it I must say, if a bit intimidated.

Hats off to you for being so successful in the show world!

Beverley Cuddy I got a job the Kennel Club and I travelled to Sweden at met their KC and suddenly had

a wake up call. They did things differently and I wanted to know why we didn't do what they did! I also met a

young man called Dr Ian Dunbar at this time and he made a bit of an impression on me. His video Sirius Puppy

Training changed my life and it wasn't just seeing those terrible shirts he wore in that era!

I had worked at Dog World and Our Dogs and even Terrier World so I kind of worked out I like journalism. I

worked as Information Officer at the KC and then moved on to the now defunct Kennel Gazette. But I earned so

little and couldn't take my dogs to work, I needed a proper job that paid so I could have my beloved parvo

Beardie Sally come live with me. So I applied for a proper job with no dogs in it but loads of money - corporate

relations at BT doing their in house magazines. Best decision I ever took! I hated it and totally valued doing a dog

job after that!

Beverley Cuddy I was still only 25 _ i had crammed in a lot of jobs. Saw an advert for the editor of a new

dog mag that was starting advertised in the Guardian and applied. Was a bit of a stretch - launch editors are

usually very experienced editors.

Kasia Kimbley What does the job of an Editor & Publisher involve?

Beverley Cuddy I thought it woudl be a kitchen table job, really rubbishy - but it turned out to owned by

the Daily Mail. I didn't know at teh time but I had stiff competition for the job!

Jemima Harrison (Producer of Pedigree Dogs Exposed) also applied and the editors of other dog and cat

magazines! I had hand written my application - I have nice handwriting and I made no mistakes! The secretary

later told me she'd put me on the top because of that!

I was interviewed by Sir David English - which gave me an indication this was not a normal job! But I am from

Liverpool we are not easilly intimidated!

I then had an interview with Lord Rothermere the owner of the Mail and he said something that was wrong about

Alaskan Malamutes and I corrected him. We instantly became friends. He was testing me to see if I knew it was

wrong and if I'd have the balls to point it out!

But we were put in an office with the Field, Shooting Times, Air Gun World. They were very masculine titles that

were all about shooting small furry things not loving them!

It was to be a very odd two years!

Yvonne Siggemann How did you then decide to start Dogs Today and what made you make that

decision?

Denise O'Moore Great question back there by Kasia Kimbley - she asked what idoes the job of editor /

publisher involve?

Beverley Cuddy I discovered Lord Rothermere was an Akita nutcase. He had rescued one from a pet

shop that was well past its sell by date. It was huge and he was quite old. He lived a normal man in New York, he

didn't like fame and celebrity. He carried that dog and no taxi would stop for him. And in the vets he met a lovely

woman, who again had no idea he was the 7th richest man in England and they fell in love and later married. He

was a lovely man, the greatest friend to dogs you can imagine.

Christine Holmes Spriggs Bennett what a sweet story!

Yvonne Siggemann That's a lovely story!

Okwana Hassan Can I Be Able To Download A Magazine?

Beverley Cuddy We were to have great fun doing 'his' magazine. He encouraged me to give pet dogs a

voice and to be brave and not be afraid of anyone.

Emma Judson Have I missed it all - just zoomed back from Sainsburys! Hello Beverley!

Denise O'Moore Okwana Hassan I will post all the links at end of the chat and yes you can view the

magazine online

Yvonne Siggemann Sorry, never said Hello either

!

Beverley Cuddy Anyhow he loved Dogs Today but all the people between him and I thought it was a

rubbish idea and they made our maagzine carry everyon else's overheads. We lost £350,000 in less than two

years. We had TV advertising and everything!

Emma Judson I've gotta say I owe Dogs Today a lot for mmm changing my life really!... and much of

that is down to you Beverley, I suspect you have NO idea either!

Beverley Cuddy I got a call at home one day to say to come in as we were being closed. I was shocked.

We thought we had a job for life. Everyone thought we'd be protected which is why they'd put all their loses

through our mag!

Denise O'Moore Beverley how did you turn it around and keep it going?

Tamara A Howard Hi Beverley,welcome! Would you please tell me what an "editor at large" is?

Beverley Cuddy We were based in Windsor at it was the day Windsor Castle burnt down. We all went to

the pub to lick our wounds. A wonderful chap (Peter Smith) came out of London to be with us. He'd created our

brilliant TV ads and had fallen in love with the magazine's ethos which was already quite feisty and quirky at this

stage!

Yvonne Siggemann luckily you didn't close!

Kasia Kimbley That stinks!!! After all the effort you put in! Sounds like they weren't taking it seriously.

Beverley Cuddy Peter used to read the news on Big Breakfast at this stage - which was massive. But he

was more complex than that and he gave me the confidence to think I coudl buy the magazine and keep going.

He taught me how to do spread sheets!

All the staff agreed we go into work the next day and produce the next magazine, something woudl turn up!

Everyone thought we were potty! We'd been made redundant but we kept coming to work!

I produced a business plan and I asked my boss if I could buy Dogs Today. I was not a Lord, I was a girl from

Liverpool in her 20s with no money what so ever!

Kasia Kimbley Everyone obviously believed in it!

Emma Judson Long long time ago umm, something like 12 or 13 years, I was a very severely

depressed young person living in a horrid bedsit with her daft dog - Dogs Today is where I first heard of positive

reinforcement training.

Then I got a huge confidence boost when Rocky won the calendar comp and got to be Mr February so we had a

trip to Slough for the photo shoot .... and the only way any pics of Rocky were achieved would be because

Beverley worked her magic on him!

Then a few years later I wrote some articles about my dreadful little lurcher (who is still dreadful at nearly 13!) and

Beverley very kindly published them... AND fabulous Terry Doe was also very kind and gave me a lot of

encouragement.

I honestly think without that influence/encouragement/interest, I wouldn't be working with dogs now! So

thanks Beverley Cuddy (and Terry, he knows, we've talked )

Beverley Cuddy It was an audacious and naive question whether or not I could buy the magazine, but I

still thought if no one else wanted it.. why not!

Yvonne Siggemann Jeez, I am impressed!

Beverley Cuddy My boss passed it to his boss and so it went up the chain all the way to Lord

Rothermere!

Yvonne Siggemann Clearly, if you don't ask... you don't get!

Christine Holmes Spriggs Bennett Emma Judson, that's so great!

Beverley Cuddy He called me in to a meeting in his office, he was very serious. He looked me in the eye

and said that he'd been talking to his financial advisor and he thought I was a good investment. That he would

sell me the magazine for a pound and he'd like to be an investor in my new company.

I was a little shell shocked. He asked if I would like to see a photo of his financial advisor.

It was his japanese Akita Ryu-Ma!

Emma Judson Awwwww!

Christine Holmes Spriggs Bennett somehow I knew you were going to say that!

Yvonne Siggemann Brilliant!

Sharon Rose What a fabulous start to your company

Beverley Cuddy So I became a proprietor of a magazine and he became my shareholder. I gave my

designer Rosie 5% too and Sarah Whitehead 5% as she was brave too and took the jump into the unknown with

us too.

Yvonne Siggemann I agree Sharon/

Beverley Cuddy He gave me £10k which I felt was a fortune, but in retrospect it wasn't anywhere near

enough.

Kasia Kimbley Oh God I LOVE that story! That's the best! What an awesome guy!

Sharon Rose But you obviously made 10k go a long way

Yvonne Siggemann So, how did you decide on your logo??

And why the name 'Dogs Today'?

Beverley Cuddy I found the cheapest dingiest offices in the world and in we moved and I worked every

hour there was and more. We changed everything. JOhn Fisher was on our first front cover I think. We were

VERY positive always. Ian had taught me well. And let me use his writing when I couldn't afford to pay anyone.

We told teh readers we didn't know what we were doing and needed their help and they subscribed and kept us

afloat and sent us presents too!

Beverley Cuddy That first year was fun but very tough - a steep learning curve and some right

mysoginists (Can't spell when I type this fast) who really made my life harder than it should have been.

An old guy who really thought I was a little slip of a girl and shouldn't be in charge did something nasty and

incompetent so I wanted to move distributor. He refused to give us our remit from the mag sales for 6 months

which woudl have killed us dead.

I rang Rothers for a loan! And confessed what had happened. He was magnificant.

Emma Judson I'm sure the way DT came about though is what made you all seem so approachable

and friendly and 'real people'... I read other magazines at the time and without naming names, they were NOT

approachable/friendly etc, which is why I've always stuck with DT.

Beverley Cuddy He said phone them back and say I am your share holder and if he doesn't give you the

money tell him I'll move every one of my titles elsewhere. Lord R didn;t show up at company house - it was a

jersey off shore company if you looked - you'd not know he was there.

Emma Judson Bwahahaha

Beverley Cuddy I phoned the guy and he yelled at me, "You're a deluded jumped up woman who

deserves to go bust, I don't believe you even know him." there were some swear words too.

Kasia Kimbley LOL good job you're made of sterner stuff!

Beverley Cuddy I phoned Lord R back and told him I had failed. He said "phone me when you have the

cheque in your hands". and hung up.

Sharon Rose What a great supporter Lord Rothermere was

Beverley Cuddy An hour later a courier arrived on a motobike wit the cheque.

Emma Judson Wow, he must have given them a serious brown trousers moment!

Kasia Kimbley Woop woop!

Beverley Cuddy Rothermere not only moved all his other titles, he sold them because the publishers

complained about him using them as leverage for us!

Kasia Kimbley God this reads like a serial drama!

Beverley Cuddy The Field, Shooting Times etc - all sold! Wow.

Emma Judson It'd make a fab tv drama series!

Kasia Kimbley Wow indeed That is one serious supporter!

Beverley Cuddy At the end of the year I entered us into the magazine Oscars. I love competitions! I won

YOung FAshion Designer of the Year on This Morning and I had absolutely no interest in fashion - just very

competitive I guess!

So I was having a laugh putting our entry in - it was free to enter so why not.

Emma Judson He who dares eh Rodney! LOL

Kasia Kimbley If you don't enter you'll never win

Beverley Cuddy Few weeks before the awards they rang up trying to sell us a ticket or a table £1000 a

table - not a chance! I hadn't had a hair cut in a year, we were counting the pennies!

Emma Judson Can I ask about the time DT took on the RSPCA...

because I seem to recall that at the time, basically NO ONE would dare question them about anything, but i

dunno if thats an accurate memory or not!

Beverley Cuddy I held out and eventually our lovely new distrubutors offered us some space at their table

and I thought great! What a perk. We won Small Publisher of teh Year and I hadn't had my hair done or bought a

new dress. But did I care! No! That was a very long answer to teh first question wasn't it. 20 something years

later - we're still here!

What is an editor at Large? Good question.

I think it is someone not office based. We have loads of editors - we have a celeb editor an Art Editor. I'm just the

Publisher these days!

Kasia Kimbley I don't think there's any "just" about it

Sharon Rose Not only are you here you spearhead some fantastic campaigns and are a force to be

reckoned with

Rob King Do you find that being one of the few publications that speaks up for dogs (as a magazine)

makes you a target ?

Kasia Kimbley Not to mention very well respected!

Beverley Cuddy THe RSPCA... well someone had to ask that. Over the years I do think there is a single

organisation we haven't put under the spotlight but the RSPCA is kind of my specialist subject!

When I did my history degree I did the concept of Cruelty in Victorian England as my specialist subject.

Emma Judson It has always stuck in my mind as one of the ballsiest things I've seen a

publication/editor do!

Beverley Cuddy Which was really the story of the RSPCA and I did a lot of digging into their history. I

found some things that disturbed me and made me question the core values. And I guess I was a skeptic from

the start!

Then I heard of a case close to home of a woman who had seemingly lost the plot. Who was living as a dog with

dogs in squalid conditions. Who loved her dogs but didn't look after herself or her dogs very well.

Emma Judson It was certainly the first time I'd seen anyone seriously and publically challenge them -

there'd been mumblings on the internet but nothing just so forthright!

Beverley Cuddy She reached out to me, she was in teh midst of an RSPCA swoop. I went with an open

mind and heard her story and I realised that we'd never change dog collectors like Helen by criminalising her.

That it made great TV to show dogs in shit being 'rescued' but they'd mostly have to be PTS and she'd just move

away and live with dogs somewhere else and recreate the situation.

Kasia Kimbley That must have been tremendously difficult.

Christine Holmes Spriggs Bennett how long ago did this take place?

Beverley Cuddy I totally believed in tackling sadistic cruelty hard, but these sort of cases were not being

handled properly. I felt that we were picking on vulnerable people for media gain.

That was many years ago!

Christine Holmes Spriggs Bennett it's an addition with hoarders/collectors and they need to be treated

as mentally ill, not criminal

Beverley Cuddy I have no solution for what should happen to dog and cat collectors, but I'd like to see a

charity that can look after people who are vulnerable who love dogs and cats and have just got overwhelmed.

Kasia Kimbley Yes there are a few specialist charities emerging now that specifically help hoarders.

It is a form of OCD.

Beverley Cuddy We continue to bite their ankles, bolt guns for eg. Not answering the bloody phone and

not helping animals in distress grrrr!

Christine Holmes Spriggs Bennett my next door neighbor was a cat collector but we didn't know until

after they left

Kasia Kimbley You'll like the project we have emerging later this year then.

Emma Judson Yeah, the whole thing with the gundog trainer picking dogs up by their ears seems to

have vanished, despite video evidence!

Beverley Cuddy Sorry I lost connection for a while! And I can see what everyone has written suddenly!

Have I missed any burning questions! I did go on a bit didn't I!

Christine Holmes Spriggs Bennett you have a fascinating story!

Kasia Kimbley Lol it's been very interesting and I can't believe an hour has already flown by!

24 February at 20:56 · Like · 2

Emma Judson I got a bit emotional further up the thread telling you how DT changed my life (and

you, and Terry Doe)...

Beverley Cuddy The hoarding thing was late 1990s I think.

Emma Judson (it wasn't really a question as such though so didn't need a response!)

Karen Lawe thanks Beverley, it has been really interesting to find out some history

Denise O'Moore lol Beverley - the mag's name - where did you get it?

Beverley Cuddy And Rob, I have a massive target on my back - some single issue folk love to shoot the

messenger and I've had a go at everything from tail docking to Cesar Millan!

Sharon Rose I for one found it very interesting. Shame it couldn't go on for longer. Thank

you Beverley

Beverley Cuddy I inherited Dogs Today - Lord R came up with it. I thought it was a terrible name, always

have done!

Cathy Quinn Have you got any plans for the future Beverley? Xx

Beverley Cuddy It has been such a joy to do Dogs Today but there are lots of exciting stuff coming up!

Maybe a TV project - a really proper TV show about dogs that is topical and interesting - a bit like Top Gear only

about Dogs. Watch this space!

Kasia Kimbley OOOOOO A Top Gear about Dogs!!! I'd be HOOKED!

Cathy Quinn Sounds fab - can't wait! xx

Denise O'Moore Sounds great

Beverley Cuddy Oh and a book, have really wanted to do it for so long. About CV247 and the amazing

John CArter .Have met some fascinating folk, been blessed to work in a great doggie world

Emma Judson That sounds bloody good!

Kasia Kimbley CV247?

Cathy Quinn Is it a cancer treatment for dogs? xx

Kasia Kimbley I'm pre-ordering a copy now Putting the intention out there!

Beverley Cuddy And possibly more charity stuff _ I don't get put off lightly! Got a taste for it now. It is like

learning how to do a magazine. Keep learning and keep listening, see what needs fixing and have a go!

Yes - CV247 is a gentle alternative to chemo for dogs. My dog Sally had liver cancer and was said to be terminal.

John saved her life and nearly saved my dad too... but that really is a book!

Cathy Quinn Fantastic. Thankyou Beverley and all involved xx

Kasia Kimbley Awwwessommmeee!!! Thank you so much Beverley Cuddy x

Christine Holmes Spriggs Bennett and what a great story about how your magazine came to be

Beverley Cuddy It has been lovely to be asked. THank you for having me, sorry if I didn't answer all the

questions. Bx

Kasia Kimbley It just means you've got a fair few books in you to write and already an eager and

waiting readership! You're a Publisher, get writing! We want to get reading

Tamara A Howard Thank you Beverley, you've led a fascinating life and have brought the Dogs of Today

into the future. Kudos!

Beverley Cuddy Question re CV247 being toxic like chemo. That's the joy of CV247 - no side effects.

Gentle. Nothing bad in it. Which is why no one made any money out of it.

Denise O'Moore So it is alot safer than standard - are dogs able to toilet in public / safe to pick up?

Beverley Cuddy Which is why you've never heard of it. Imperial cancer research said when they tested it

most significant reduction in tumour size they'd ever seen - and NO side effects. Why wouldn't that get a license?

I saw it work and I sat in that waiting room with lots of other terminally diagnosed dogs and cats still alive and

thriving... and down the road in a secret consulting room I met the people he treated too, who were also staying

well and defying their diagnosis.

Denise O'Moore Sounds amazing.

Emma Judson Is the problem that it can't be patented therefore no one company could control it and

artificially hike the price?

Cathy Quinn A book needs to be written on this. xx

Beverley Cuddy Absolutely. CV247 can now be obtained through any vet - but Richard Allport and Nick

Thompson are the main men. Eventually got a licence in Hungary - our VMD wouldn't approve it - why - no side

effects??? But because of Cascade you can use it now, but no big drug company behind it? Why? How much do

they make from treating just the side effects of chemo. Works by making the liver stronger to fight the cancer

Much nicer to give CV247 at home - good diet also Very important. But quality of life so much better than with

chemo.

Emma Judson Can people get hold of it (I guess I could speak to Nick Thompson... not for me but

someone I know)...

Beverley Cuddy I've almost wrtten the book here tonight! Cheerio everyone thanks for listening - or reading.

Denise O'Moore Night Beverley - thanks again

Beverley Cuddy Emma Judson thank you for what you wrote, I've only just seen it now. It means such a

lot to hear that. And CV247 can be ordered through any vet but Richard Allport has taken over where John Carter

stopped. Love Richard!

·

Denise O'Moore https://www.facebook.com/.../Dogs-Today.../22448504641...

Dogs Today Magazine

Dogs Today, The Old Print House, 62 The High Street, Chobham GU24 8AA, 01276

858880,www.dogstodaymagazine.co.uk

, enquiries@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk

Community: 369,181 like this.

Jason Currie Wow what a inspirational person you are Beverley thank you for sharing your story with us it

was a great late night read !

Emma was also great to hear how Beverley helped you thanks for sharing

Thank you Denise and Christine for hosting !!