Dan Osborne reveals he’s bought security dog to protect Jacqueline Jossa at their new Essex mansion

Dan Osborne has bought a security dog to protect his wife Jacqueline Jossa and young family at their new £1.2million Essex mansion after fearing they could be targeted.

The former TOWIE star, 29, told MailOnline having the ‘big trained dog’ will help to put his mind at ease when he’s at work and actress Jacqueline, 28, is left on her own with daughters Ella, six, and Mia, two.

In an exclusive interview, Dan, who’s also a dad to son Teddy, seven, said him and Jacqueline decided on having a guard dog after moving into the bigger property and doing months of renovations to make it their dream home. 

Concerned: Dan Osborne has bought a security dog to protect his wife Jacqueline Jossa and young family at their new £1.2million Essex mansion after fearing they could be targeted 

Dan said: ‘We’ve got two little tiny dogs, they’re lovely and great for the kids, they’re like two little fluff balls basically, but then we’re getting a third dog, which is a trained protection dog, a trained family protection dog.

‘He’s lovely… but also we’re moving into a bigger house and if I’m away working because I’m up and down the country now with Prize Paradise – when I’m away I want them all to feel safe as well and especially Jacqueline on her own in the house and stuff like that so we’re getting a big trained dog.

‘With the house – we have finally got to all of the problems and they’re all being solved so hopefully it will just be a couple more weeks and we can move in.’

Dan feels he’s in need of greater protection at his new property following years of vicious trolling and believes social media giants such as Instagram should introduce identity verification to improve safety.

Precautions: Dan told MailOnline having the 'big trained dog' will help to put his mind at ease when he's at work and actress Jacqueline is left on her own with daughters Ella and Mia

Precautions: Dan told MailOnline having the ‘big trained dog’ will help to put his mind at ease when he’s at work and actress Jacqueline is left on her own with daughters Ella and Mia

He said: ‘Trolling… I reckon in this industry I’ve had it the maximum level you can get. I’ve had my fair share of it. To be honest the worst time was for about five years – after being on TV for a year or so and then onwards. 

The rich and famous resorting to guard dogs for protection:

  • Kate and Rio Ferdinand splashed out £40,000 on two highly trained security dogs for their home last year 
  • The couple enlisted the help of protection dog company, Chaperone K9 following a series of high profile burglaries at the homes of footballers in 2020 
  • Ex-Chelsea legend John Terry also used Chaperone K9 when purchasing two security dogs in 2019 after gangs targeted him and stole more than £400,000 of valuables from his mansion 
  • TV personality Katie Price enlisted the help of protection dog, Blade, who she previously said sleeps in her room to keep her ‘safe’ following multiple kidnap threats  
  • Rapper Stormzy also has a Rottweiler dog for security, as well as footballers Jack Grealish and James Maddison

‘I was at a stage where it was really bad and I was searching for things and worrying but I’m not in that mind frame anymore.

‘Now, I have grown the thick skin I need for this industry. Before I let it get to me and I got into a bad, bad place – it was terrible.

‘If someone said something about one of my kids it would get my back up but other than that I don’t think there’s anything that anyone can say that would get to me anymore, where I went through it that bad – now I’m numb to it almost.

‘There should be some sort of ID approval when you’re setting up an account – people make fake accounts and even if you block it you get one similar pop up the day after and you think, how are you just making unlimited accounts?

‘I do feel it should be taken more seriously. As we know, there are people that have taken their own lives and I’m not saying it’s just because of that but it’s got to have a factor in it, it can really get people down.’   

Dan and Jacqueline’s three years of marriage hasn’t exactly been plain sailing.

They temporarily split in 2018 just weeks before Jacqueline was due to give birth to youngest daughter Mia, and their relationship was plagued by accusations of infidelity while the EastEnders actress starred in 2019’s I’m A Celeb.

After months of denying the claims, Dan finally admitted to cheating on Jacqueline last July – and said she had ‘forgiven’ him for the ‘mistakes’ he made. 

'I want them to feel safe': Dan said him and Jacqueline decided on having a guard dog after moving into the bigger property and doing months of renovations (pictured on Wednesday)

‘I want them to feel safe’: Dan said him and Jacqueline decided on having a guard dog after moving into the bigger property and doing months of renovations (pictured on Wednesday) 

'It's been good': Dan said his relationship with Jacqueline that hasn't always been plain sailing is now better than ever and the challenges of lockdown have brought them closer together

‘It’s been good’: Dan said his relationship with Jacqueline that hasn’t always been plain sailing is now better than ever and the challenges of lockdown have brought them closer together

After failing to get on during the first lockdown that saw Jacqueline move back in with her parents, Dan says the couple are now better than ever – and he’s never wanted to escape amid the confines of the pandemic.  

He said: ‘Jacqueline and I have been really good. It has been fine; it hasn’t once felt like ‘oh my God, I need to get out.’

‘There are times obviously when you’re stressed about work or stressed about things or sometimes you have days where you wish you could all go out and do something, dinner or something.

‘But there’s been no targeted stress or me feeling ‘I need to get away from you’ – it’s been good, we’ve been fine and not found anything wrong with it.

Moving on: The couple's marriage suffered during the first lockdown with Jacqueline moving back in with her parents but this time Dan says they haven't found being cooped up  a 'big deal'

Moving on: The couple’s marriage suffered during the first lockdown with Jacqueline moving back in with her parents but this time Dan says they haven’t found being cooped up  a ‘big deal’

'We're happy with the family as it is!': Moving into a six-bed may have given fans the impression they hope to one day have more kids but Dan insists the couple will not be having anymore

‘We’re happy with the family as it is!’: Moving into a six-bed may have given fans the impression they hope to one day have more kids but Dan insists the couple will not be having anymore

‘We have known each other a long time so it’s not been a big deal. If you were starting a new relationship and all of a sudden you’re stuck living them and gone from being free to being stuck indoors that would be tough but we’ve lived together for years now, we’re cool.’ 

Moving into a six-bedroom house may have given fans the impression they hope to one day have more children but Dan insists him and Jacqueline will not be adding to their brood anytime soon.

He said: ‘I am happy with the three kids I’ve got and I know Jacqueline is the same! We’re happy with the family as it is.

‘If we were to add to it… I don’t know, we’ll have to see how we feel but for now, we’re happy with how it is. We have dogs as well, we have three kids, and two dogs and another dog on the way!’

There was some talk the couple would renew their wedding vows as part of their fresh start together – though so far, Dan and Jacqueline have made no official plans.

Dan said: ‘To be honest we haven’t spoken about it – we’ve been getting through lockdown together and it’s something we have mentioned before but I don’t know when it will happen. It’s something we will probably do but I don’t know what stage.’

'We haven't spoken about it': Dan previously said him and Jacqueline wanted to renew their wedding vows as part of their fresh start together but so far they’ve made no plans

‘We haven’t spoken about it’: Dan previously said him and Jacqueline wanted to renew their wedding vows as part of their fresh start together but so far they’ve made no plans 

Family: Dan shares daughters Ella, six, and Mia, two, with Jacqueline, who he married in 2017, and son Teddy, seven, with ex-girlfriend Megan Tomlin

Family: Dan shares daughters Ella, six, and Mia, two, with Jacqueline, who he married in 2017, and son Teddy, seven, with ex-girlfriend Megan Tomlin 

Like most parents in lockdown, Dan admits he’s struggled to cox his children away from iPads and screen time but thankfully a new series of audiobooks, Little Chapters of Chill by Churchill, helped to keep his girls occupied.

Dan and Jacqueline posed with daughter Ella inside a Churchill puffer jacket as part of their collaboration with the insurance brand.

The father-of-three said the 12-minute stories – written by author Sue Pickford and narrated by I’m A Celeb winner Giovanna Fletcher – were a ‘lifesaver.’

He said: ‘The audio books are really good – the main thing is it’s good for the kids, mentally the lockdown has been a bit of a headache for absolutely everyone but the kids they don’t really understand what is going on and all of a sudden everything has stopped and they’re stuck indoors.

‘They just got into habits of being on their iPads too much and things like that – it gets to a point where it’s hard to tell them to get off because there’s not a lot for them to do, so these audio books have been a lifesaver really.

‘They’re only about 12 minutes each one but it’s just long enough for them to really get into it and it’s just a bit of interaction and gets them focused.’

  • Churchill released ‘Little Chapters of Chill’ – a series of five children’s audio books designed to teach 4-7-year olds mindfulness techniques. To download the Little Chapters of Chill audio books, please visit the Acast website 
Fun: Dan and Jacqueline posed with daughter Ella inside a Churchill puffer jacket as part of their collaboration with the insurance brand, who've launched audiobooks for children

Fun: Dan and Jacqueline posed with daughter Ella inside a Churchill puffer jacket as part of their collaboration with the insurance brand, who’ve launched audiobooks for children