People have been poking fun at Pets at Home for a poster that appears to show a groomer ‘cupping’ a dog’s privates.
Photos of the advert, which is for the brand’s Groom Room grooming services, have been circulating online.
The advert shows a smiling groomer handling a neatly-trimmed poodle – and the groomer’s hand placement has raised a lot of questions.
The original spotter shared photos on the Pets at Home Facebook page, writing: “Good afternoon. Just wondering if you had realised that the staff member/model is cupping the dogs genitals in the promotional poster outside your Eastbourne branch?
“And if you had realised- what’s the reason? Hopefully the “poodles and oodles” additional service isn’t a euphemism.”
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The hand placement in question. Credit: Facebook, Pets at Home
Upon closer inspection, it appears that the groomer is actually hovering a hand beneath the dog’s belly to stop it sitting down, and the phallic-looking shape may well be a thumb.
Pets At Home has now confirmed that the hand placement is ‘is a safe and standard dog handling procedure’.
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Someone suggested: “I don’t think the person is cupping anything and is instead, placing their hand next to the dog’s hind legs in order to get the dog to stand still. I’m sure I’ve seen that whenever I’ve watched Crufts.”
It prompted the response: “Aye, that thumb sure does look like a b*llock though.”
Pets at Home. Credit: Google Maps
Cupping or not, it hasn’t stopped people having a laugh at the Pets at Home ad.
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One person commented about the adorable pooch: “No wonder he’s got that smile on his face.”
Someone else said: “To be fair the Poodle doesn’t look unhappy with the situation.”
Another user compared it to the scene in Friends where Chandler visits a tailor who did ‘definite cupping’ while measuring him up for some trousers.
They wrote, quoting Joey in the scene: “That’s how they do it!! Right, ross?”
One person pointed out: “Somewhere a young, inexperienced graphic designer is getting a stern but well intentioned lecture on the importance of checking stock photos for exactly this reason.”
Pets at Home responded to the poster with: “Thank you for your feedback, this has been passed over to the grooming marketing team.”
A spokesperson for Pets At Home said: “Pet welfare is our number one priority, and we work hard to ensure all our customers enjoy their experience at The Groom Room, and ultimately leave feeling and looking their best.
“Sometimes we need to gently encourage our four-legged friends to stand up throughout their groom, but this is a safe and standard dog handling procedure and not something that could be considered an ‘added extra’!”
Featured image: Facebook
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One in 10 Brits are fired or disciplined after their work’s Christmas party, new survey finds
Emily Sergeant
We’re in peak office Christmas party season right about now.
With just under two weeks to go until the big day itself is here, many businesses across the UK are treating their staff to night out to celebrate both the festive season and all of the hard work they have been putting in throughout the year… and as you can expect, these are usually quite eventful gatherings, shall we say.
But now, a survey by has shed light on just how ‘eventful’ they actually are, as a new survey has revealed that, apparently, one in ten Brits face some sort of disciplinary action or dismissal due to their behaviour at Christmas parties.
The study was conducted by After Drink, and included more than 2,000 participants.
During the research, it was highlighted that 89% of employees admitted to drinking alcohol at these events, Lad Bible reports – with 65% of these confessing that they drank “excessively”.
One in 10 Brits get fired or disciplined after their work’s Christmas party / Credit: Kraken Images | Mimi Thian (via Unsplash)
There are a multitude of incidents which could lead to disciplinary action in the workplace nowadays, but according to the survey, some of the common reasons following festive celebrations with colleagues included inappropriate comments (23%) and even getting into fights (21%).
16% of these incidents were because of drug use during the event, while inappropriate interactions with colleagues accounted for 14%.
Some of the legal reasons you can be fired from your place of work after a Christmas party include gross misconduct, drunken behaviour, and fighting of any kind.
Despite all these risks, however, Christmas parties still remain as popular as always, and a whopping 79% of respondents said they are planning to attend theirs this year.
Clearly, the moral of the story here is , enjoy yourself… but just not too much.
Featured Image – The OurWhiskey Company (via Pexels)
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Half of Mancs don’t know how to cook Christmas dinner, new survey reveals
Emily Sergeant
Christmas dinner is one of the key parts of any festive celebration.
No matter whether you choose to tuck into a traditional roast with all the trimmings and lashings of gravy, or you prefer to go for something a little different like a curry or a Chinese instead, your Christmas dinner is a chance to gather round with your loved ones and enjoy one of the heartiest meals you’ll likely have all year.
However, some shocking new figures have revealed that half of Manchester residents have no clue how to even cook a Christmas dinner.
Through a major study by the UK’s leading electrical retailer, AO.com, it was revealed that the majority of our city’s residents are “losing confidence” in preparing even the simplest of British dishes – with a traditional roast or Christmas dinner being one of them.
A new survey has revealed that half of Mancs don’t know how to cook Christmas dinner / Credit: Freepik | GoodFon
As part of its new campaign to get Brits back into the kitchen, AO found that just 57% of respondents reckon they would be able to make a roast dinner, 52% could whip up a classic shepherd’s pie, 58% could cook bangers and mash, merely 61% could prepare a full English breakfast, and again, only 57% could tackle fish and chips.
Classic desserts are clearly a struggle for us Mancs too, according to the survey, as only 19% of respondents said they’d feel confident cooking a Christmas pudding.
The survey also found that nationwide, it was Gen Z – those between the age of 16 and 27 – that are the least confident in their ability to cook great British classics, while on the other end of the spectrum, Baby Boomers are the most capable, proving that culinary confidence increases with age.
Our region’s residents are apparently ‘losing confidence’ at cooking simple British classics / Credit: Freepik
Commenting on the results, Jay Lockton, oven expert at AO.com, said: “Kitchens should be a place of creativity and joy, but our data shows that a lot of people in Manchester are losing confidence in preparing even the simplest of British dishes.
“Based on our findings, many younger people may be opting for convenience foods or takeaways due to their busy schedules and the perception that cooking from scratch is time-consuming or difficult.
Daisy Jackson -
5th May 2022 
