Telling tails

the long version

The venerable letterbox of the Daily Telegraph is host to a wealth of animal owners and observers. Not to be outdone on any subject, comes a menagerie of musings and meditations on a topic very close to their hearts. A collection including correspondence from dogs, notes about peacocks, admonitions on horse owners and scapegoats for cats. From the farmstead to the front room, big and small, feathered and furry can be found amidst these pages. How to gauge the political leanings of your terrier - there is a simple test for that. Useful pointers on subduing a disgruntled heffer that prove effective in urban and everyday environments as well. Whether you live with a labradoodle, spend your weekends twitching or simply watching the tortoises go by, here is the best assortment of animals as gathered by the readers of the Telegraph.