Daniel Lustig-Webb is a devoted dog owner whose miniature poodles, Betsey and Babs, are at the heart of his life and online presence.
Best known for five years on Channel 4’s Gogglebox, Daniel now shares his life as a lifestyle content creator, delighting his 121k Instagram followers with stories of walks, playtime, and everyday moments with his beloved pets.
Betsey and Babs, familiar faces from his TV days, have been a constant source of support and joy, making Daniel a trusted voice for anyone interested in the special bond between dogs and their owners.
Daniel Lustig-Webb is taking on the Kidscape Kilimanjaro challenge, an epic climb organized to celebrate Kidscape’s 40 years of bullying prevention.
By scaling Mount Kilimanjaro, Daniel is raising funds and awareness for the UK charity, which supports children, young people, and families affected by bullying.
He’s sharing his training journey on Instagram, and donations can be made HERE.
Daniel caught up with K9 Magazine to talk about his dogs, work, and life.
Tell us all about all the dogs you've loved in your life.
All my life, I wanted to have a dog. My parents weren’t very keen on the idea of a purse.
Many years later, I was renting an apartment in Brighton, and I felt it was the right time to get my first fur baby. Many of my friends were settled down with husbands and kids, and I wasn’t. I really wanted something to love.
I had a friend who had 6 toy poodles, and when he told me his bitch, Roxy, was pregnant, I jumped at the chance. I knew Roxy well, and she was so loving.
I was there when she gave birth. She gave birth to two little puppies. I came up to visit regularly, and when they were 10 weeks, I sat on the floor with the two puppies and waited to see which one would choose me.
Betsey came waddling over, and I knew she was the one. Betsey Lustig was born. A little black toy poodle with enough sass for ten toy poodles lol.
Three and a half years later, I got another toy poodle, a little copper ball of fluff called Babs, Betsey’s niece. She was very naughty, as all toy poodles are when they are puppies, and hilariously funny.
9 months later, we inherited her mother, Princess, and with that, the family was complete.
You're obviously a huge dog lover. How long have dogs been a major part of your life, and how would you explain the importance of dogs to someone who hadn't ever experienced the joy of a canine/human relationship in their life?
I have now had dogs for 15 years. The connection you have with a dog is like nothing else. They know your moods as you know theirs.
You will never get a welcome like that of a dog, even if you have only been gone for 15 minutes. When you are having a low moment, they are there for you, and when you’re happy, they want to celebrate with you.
What are your favorite things to do with your dog(s)?
When they were younger, going out on a long walk across the South Downs, watching their ears flap in the wind. The smiles that they have. Sea swimming with the dogs, as poodles are water dogs.
Nowadays, a little perusal around the park. Nice and slow, then come back for a kip.
You have a really interesting career... What advice would you give to the many people who want to follow your path in career terms? What are the absolute best (and worst) things about your work?
As soon as I walked into Toni and Guy, I knew this was the job for me. The noise, chatter, and the smell of the products.
Find a great salon and learn from the best.
The best thing about my job is to make people feel 100%, to give them that confidence to strut down the street shaking their hair like a nineties commercial. The worst would be AI images that are totally unrealistic. It is a big problem.
Here are our quick-fire questions. Are you ready?
Which do you prefer and why?
Big dogs or little dogs?
For me, it’s a little dog. It’s all I know, but I love their gutsy personality, and I can scoop them up and go to Selfridges,
Calm, relaxed dogs or dogs who live at 100mph.
I love a dog with big energy. I was adamant that the dogs would be well-trained and do what you tell them; mine have selective hearing, lol.
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Dogs who love to walk by your side or dogs who like to race off and cover ten thousand yards in 3 seconds?
There is nothing better than a dog walking with you as they look up with all the love in their eyes.
Days off or days at work?
Days off, whether it’s a lazy start with the dogs or a walk on the beach.
The fastest route or the scenic route?
The scenic route, always, life is too quick already.
Describe the last time you laughed out loud because of something you saw a dog do.
Babs is always giving her bed some love action, and it cracks her up. Last time she let out a gust of wind and was confused where it was coming from.
What do you like to do in your downtime?
I go running to clear my head. Go to the gym. Afterwards, you feel ready to hit the day, and your head is clear from all worries, and of course, walking the dogs.
Let us in on a secret that very few people know about you.
Before I was a hairdresser, I went to catering college and can cook a great pavlova.
What is your current favorite…?
TV show?
At the moment, obsessed with The Gilded Age. Absolutely love it.
Album?
I still listen to Madonna's The Immaculate Collection. Just reminds me of my youth, dancing around my bedroom.
Film?
The Devil Wears Prada. And now can’t wait for the second part.
Website?
I can’t get enough of these rescued dog clips. I start crying.
If you had to choose just one, what product or service would you say has most changed your life, do you think, and why?
Hair straighteners were a game-changer in the hair industry.
Tell us about some of the most memorable moments from your work.
Apart from hairdressing, being on TV every Friday doing Gogglebox, a show that changed my life forever, seeing yourself on TV is a strange feeling.
When people stop you in the street, when they tell you their life has changed because of it, that I’ll never get used to.
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Finish the following sentence, "Dogs are..."...
Dogs are better than humans.
And finally, this is always a tough question and often requires some serious thought… If dogs had the ability to speak, and you could ask your dog just one question and one question only, what would you ask them?
Why are you so fussy with your food?
Thanks, Daniel!
