They say a dog’s not just for Christmas but this Santa was more interested in finding out what dogs want for Christmas.

Seasonal spaniels, yuletide Yorkshire terriers and winterval whippets all took up the rare chance of jumping up on the furniture to plead their Christmas case to old Saint Nick.

Father Christmas pawed over their lists at the specially arranged grotto in Shoreham and will now decide who has been good enough to get some presents at the bottom of their basket on Christmas Eve.

The Christmas event was organised by pet service House of Hugo, based in Dolphin Road, Shoreham, and is believed to be the first of its kind in the country.

More than 100 dogs attended the two-day event which raised £200 for Dogs Trust Shoreham.

Each dog received 15 minutes in the grotto with Santa and his helpers before leaving with a gift and their photograph taken.

House of Hugo, which was renamed and launched by Leon Henderson-Rood and his partner Matt earlier this year, offers a deluxe service for pooches.

The centre offers doggy day care, dog walking, grooming, a boutique hotel offering spa treatments, hydrotherapy, reiki, aromatherapy and homeopathy all tailored for our canine friends.

The service has already appeared on national TV having featured on the fly-on-the- wall documentary of Brighton confectioners Choccywoccydoodah.

Filming on a pilot for the firm’s own reality TV show by Brighton-based Factory Films has just been completed and filming of ten one-hour episodes for their own series will begin next month.

Leon said: “We came up with the idea because we have four dogs ourselves and we always spoil them for Christmas.

“A lot of owners don’t have children, so dogs are like our children and we thought it would be a lovely way to end for Christmas.

“All the dogs were really behaved.

“Before, I was concerned because of the beard and the hat and the wig but I think they could sense it was me and Matt playing Santa and his helper, and we see them all the time.

“Our dogs this year will be getting little Santa sacks, angel dust popcorn, lots of toys, little pyjamas and eau de toilette or aftershave for the boys.”

For more information see www.houseofhugo.com.