Dudley Thompson-Hurrell – Irish Retriever Rescue

Update May 2021

History

DESTINED TO LIVE WITH SISTER, PEANUT

Dudley is one of the 6 puppies born to Cassie on 1st May 2015. He is one of 4 boys, the others being Louis, Teddy and Murphy. The girls are Peanut and Unity.

Rachel, their forever Mum, says Dudley and Peanut have settled in rather well. It didn’t faze them being in a new home at all and they have made it their own. They were almost completely housetrained within the first couple of weeks which amazed us and, since then, they have just had a couple of accidents due to over-excitement I think.

Dudley and Peanut have grown a lot. We have been to the vets twice and have been given the thumbs up. The vet has totally fallen for both of them. Dudley just falls asleep when she is looking at Peanut so I assume he feels quite comfortable which is good.

They have had their injections, wormers and flea treatment so another few days and the big wide world will be calling. Both have new collars and leads and look very cute. They have had a couple of outings in the car and have been very good with just a little whimper and then they settle down.

Dinner time is very amusing they both sit rigid waiting for you to prepare it and get very excited when the bowl comes towards them but they have learnt to sit and wait before it is put down. Dudley was the one who needed to clean up Peanut’s bowl after he’d finished but he has learnt that there isn’t any left so he doesn’t bother anymore.

They have met Smudge, the cat, which was also amusing. We had a thunder storm on their second or third night and Smudge decided she wanted to come downstairs. They were both asleep at the time and Peanut woke up and had a look then flopped back down, as did Dudley. It then registered with him that Smudge had come in and gone behind the sofa so he thought he would like to see what she was all about. All we heard was a hiss and then could see him backing out from behind the sofa before laying back down. They have seen her since and haven’t really paid much attention. She keeps her distance and knows she is safe so all is well.

Dudley has a very bad habit (although very funny) which I am hoping he will grow out of – water bowls – it’s not all the time but seems to be of an evening. He likes to paddle and will empty all of the water from the bowl. Luckily, we have a water bowl outside and he had been doing this with that one but, unfortunately, he decided the inside bowl in the kitchen was a good target on Sunday!

Because of the hot weather we gave them a little makeshift paddling pool a large plastic tray we had and he loves that will step right in and then bury his nose and start blowing bubbles – Peanut on the other hand isn’t particularly water friendly and will stay on the outside whilst he paddles and splashes her, she wouldn’t even go out in the rain yesterday – she did try but ran straight back in she is such a wuss!

Tiring at the moment, but overjoyed with both of them and wouldn’t be without them.

UPDATE AT 16 WEEKS OLD (20.8.2015)

They are getting bigger by the day and developing quite different characters but both of them sound really delightful.

Rachel says ” We have been out daily on a short walk which is an experience not just for them but Jason and me as well. Dudley is a plodder and quite happy to take everything in and keep by your side whilst Peanut is a full-on puller on the lead, all excited and just wanting to go for it so training is in motion for her at the moment and she is getting better. Dudley gets a little speed on if she gets too much in front but he will always stay behind her because he can get a little confused if he gets ahead, not being sure what he is supposed to be doing, so he will slow down until she takes over. What we do find quite funny is that they both haven’t quite grasped the fact that they can go to the toilet when out on their walk. They both wait until they get home so it will be quite a revelation to them when the walks get longer and they can’t hold on to it any longer!

They have a couple of older friends already. Rooney is probably a bit of Collie and a bit of Retriever and he is about 8yrs. He loves them both to bits and acts like a father keeping an eye on them both and playing with them but barking if they misbehave too much. We all went to a BBQ and both pups were the stars of the afternoon. They found the lovely manicured grass quite exciting and we had to stop Dudley from digging a hole. Rooney was keeping an eye and he barked to discourage him and to let us know he was up to no good which was quite amazing to see.

Their other friend is Cassie, a black Lab, again around 8/9yrs old. She lost her best buddy a couple of years ago and has been quite reserved since then but she loves them to bits and it gives her a new lease of life when we take them round. Again, she keeps them both in check.

Jason went out earlier this week and they bumped into our farmer behind our house. He has Bracken (a rusty coloured Retriever) aged 20 months who is a lovely dog but, apparently, he does his own thing most of the time. However much Steve tries, he’s not having any of it – all Jason heard through the field of sugar beet was Steve calling Bracken who was heading towards them, with Bracken paying no attention. He stopped short of knocking Jason over and was full of fun and excitement. It seems Peanut dived behind Jason and her heckles went up a little whilst Dudley just stood there in amazement but soon realising Bracken was friendly. That was it ……….PLAY TIME!

Dudley likes chasing his tail but we are not sure he has worked out it is connected to him yet. They do like having a bundle which we are allowing to a certain extent as, obviously, they are still puppies but we are stopping them quite a bit too so they learn it’s not necessary to chew each other to bits and toys are better fun! ”