London bus tours FOR DOGS set to be unleashed for four days only

The world's first tour bus for dogs will be running free across London from Monday (January 16), taking in canine tourist hotspots in the capital.

More Than insurance have launched the quirky attraction to take dogs and their owners on a (dog)whistle-stop experience like no other.

The company pawsed for thought to plan the route, which takes in some of London's best parks and dog walking spots including Hyde Park, Kensington Palace Gardens and Green Park.

Steve Jay, from More Than Doggyssentials, said: “London is a city famed for its fascinating history and rich culture, much of which man's best friend has been heavily involved in.

MORE TH>N insurance is running the quirky tours

“The K9 Bus Tour aims to celebrate this often under-appreciated fact, while also providing owners with a fun an unique way to spend time entertaining their beloved pet.

“Every month with More Than Doggyssentials, we deliver the right amount of quality food, dental chews, preventative tick and flea treatments, accessories and not forgetting insurance.

“Above and beyond this, we want to provide owners with some fun and inspirational ways to use these items.

“The tour bus for dogs sets out to do just this, encouraging owners to get out there with their dogs and make the most of the items in their monthly box to ensure their dogs are always as happy and healthy as possible.”

The free event runs on the January 16, 17, 18 and 19 with three departure times throughout the day.

The dogs will be treated to a tour on a double-decker bus

Points of Interest

1. Victoria Tower Gardens: Located next to the Houses of Parliament, Victoria Tower Gardens are home to the annual Westminster Dog of the Year show, where MPs from across the country bring their dogs to the capital to compete for the heavily sought after prize. Started in 1992, in recent years it has been a case of Tory domination, with MPs from the party winning eight of the past nine competitions until 2016.

2. Houses of Parliament: The Houses of Parliament have been the location for numerous dog-related laws and rules that play an important part in our society today. There are currently 24 Acts of Parliament relating solely to dogs and a further 11 relating to animals in general. The most recent one to come to fruition was the 2016 Dog Microchipping Legislation which saw all dogs in England, Scotland and Wales become legally required to be microchipped and their details registered on one of the authorised databases.

3. Buckingham Palace: Pembroke Welsh corgis are famed for being the preferred breed of Queen Elizabeth II. She has owned more than 30 during her reign and currently has one named Willow. Three of her corgis made an appearance when James Bond (portrayed by Daniel Craig) arrived at Buckingham Palace to escort the Queen to the 2012 London Olympics. There is a Queen Mother Memorial on The Mall that shows her with two corgis.

4. Hyde Park: Henry VIII, whose favourite pets were his dogs, acquired Hyde Park from the monks of Westminster Abbey in 1536, and he could often be seen hunting deer there. During his reign, he owned beagles, spaniels and greyhounds. Hyde Park is also home to a secret pet cemetery that was started in 1881 by Mr Winbridge, a gatekeeper at Victoria Lodge, who started burying dog’s in the lodge’s garden. The first dog to be buried there was a Maltese terrier called Cherry who died of old age and whose owners used to visit the Hyde Park regularly and were friends of Mr Winbridge.

5. Kensington Palace and Gardens: Kensington Palace is the home of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Like the Queen, Kate and William are dog owners and have a family dog, a black cocker spaniel called Lupo. Kate let slip the name of the dog at a visit to a primary school in Oxford in 2014. Before then, the name of the dog was a carefully guarded secret. The name Lupo means "wolf" in Italian.

6. The Kennel Club: The Kennel Club is the official kennel club of the United Kingdom and the oldest recognised Kennel Club in the world. The club was originally set up by Sewallis E Shirley in 1859 as he was frustrated that there were no consistent rules for dog shows. Now, the club also acts as a lobbying group for issues surrounding dogs in the UK. The Kennel Club houses the largest collection of dog art.

7. Downing Street: Ministerial dogs that have lived at 10 and 11 Downing Street include Geoffrey Howe’s Jack Russell Budget, Winston Churchill’s pet poodle Rufus, post-war Prime Minister Clement Attlee and his dog Ting and former Chancellor George Osbourne’s dog, Lola.

Park disembarking points to take your dogs for a walk

1. Hyde Park Corner

2. Hyde Park Place

3. Kensington Palace Green

4. Green Park

Beginning and ending at Millbank, near the Tate Britain, the More Than K9 Bus Tour will run three times a day, departing at 10am, 12pm and 2pm, for four days

The bus tour has been created by More Than Doggyssentials to launch its new service – a pet care and protection offering that provides essential items for a happy and healthy dog, delivered direct to your door each month.

To reserve a space for you and your dog, visit www.billetto.co.uk.