X-Book

London’s No. 1 Dog-Walking Agency

Get in the xigxag app
Already purchased

Click to open directly in the xigxag app.

This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book. Pre-order Buy Now £{{ price }} Send as a gift

Listen to a sample

What to expect

'Charming, funny, heartwarming and full of dogs - what more could you want?' - Adam Kay, bestselling author of This is Going to Hurt

'A joy from start to finish. I loved it!' - Stacey Halls, bestselling author of The Familiars

'An absolutely glorious romp of a book' - Ruth Hogan, bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things

Kate MacDougall always knew her heart wasn't really in her job at Sotheby's. All around her, friends were finding their dream jobs and whooshing up career ladders. After yet another breakage, this time of two precious porcelain pigeons, she had enough, and walked out of her snoozy, back office existence into the unknown world of the then-nascent gig economy.

London's No. 1 Dog-Walking Agency is the story of her next 9 years and the dogs (and people) she meets along the way. There's Winston, the Labrador, who isn't allowed to get muddy, even after his owners split up and then enlist Kate in their custody battle. There's the chic trio of Islington couples whose immaculately arranged dog walking schedule is thrown off when one of them gets off with the dog walker Kate has employed. There's Kate's long-suffering, dog-agnostic boyfriend Finlay, and her mother, who is always on the alert for wedding bells.

Amongst all this, there's Kate herself: trying to work out what she wants from life, and when and how to get there.

Critics Review

A really lovely book for dog lovers

Jilly Cooper

Charming, funny, heartwarming and full of dogs – what more could you want?’

Adam Kay

This is a glorious romp of book starring a cornucopia of canines and their hapless humans. It tickles the funnybone and tugs at the heartstrings. Hugely entertaining.

Ruth Hogan, bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things

A joy from start to finish. I loved it!

Stacey Halls, bestselling author of The Familiars

It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me long for a dog! Incredibly moving, very funny and wonderfully wise, this is a brilliant debut memoir and a beacon of hope when we need it most. I shall be recommending it to everyone I know, dog-loving or otherwise.

Annie Lyons

Kate gives you a peek into London lives, where nothing is quite as it seems. I raced through like a dog in its favourite park.

Ericka Waller

“Top on my list of dog lover’s must-reads. London’s Number One Dog-Walking Agency positively fizzes with wit – and it’s all the funnier because it’s true. You literally couldn’t make it up!”

Graeme Hall (The Dogfather)

About xigxag and the x-book®

Discover the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed to simplify finding, purchasing, and enjoying your favourite books in audio format. Our flexible pricing model makes bestselling audiobooks affordable, offering the best audiobook deals without the need for a subscription. You can also give the perfect gift with our convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

A core differentiator of xigxag is our groundbreaking listen-and-read x-book® technology, which delivers a truly immersive digital book experience. This unique innovation seamlessly combines the audiobook, text, and images into a brilliant, integrated format, complete with exclusive audiobook features and a next-generation digital reading experience. Our growing x-book selection is easily discoverable by looking for the distinctive purple x-book® ribbon, or by simply filtering your search by ‘x-book’.

Beyond our technology, xigxag is committed to sustainability and ethical practices, ensuring a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we stand as a leader in audiobook innovation and a compelling alternative to big tech. Our commitment extends to delivering extraordinary customer service, provided by our friendly UK support team.

Effortlessly search audiobooks, gain insights from honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. You can download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere, guaranteeing the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Experience the future of audiobooks today.