08 September 2023 , 09:56
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One of Britain’s most famous doggie families has a super-cute new generation after Dulux dog Olivia became a mum.
She gave birth to a litter of seven Old English Sheepdog puppies earlier this summer - the breed has been synonymous with the paint brand for more than 60 years, first appearing in an advert in 1961.
Shepton Daphnis Horsa, known affectionately as Dash, was the original Dulux dog and belonged to the advertising director behind the first campaign.
Legend has it that Dash kept running across the set to play with the child actors, and when it came to the edit, the film team decided to keep him in. A star was born, and Old English Sheepdogs have played a major role ever since.
When Dash retired, 450 pooches auditioned to take his place, culminating in a competition at London’s Café Royal.
Pup Digby – short for Fernville Lord Digby – took the reins and went on to Hollywood stardom alongside Spike Milligan in children’s adventure film Digby: The Biggest Dog in the World.
Dulux dog, Olivia gave birth to seven Old English Sheepdog puppies that form the newest members of the famous family line (PinPep)Olivia, who was born in 2017, has followed in the footsteps of her own mum Madison who was also a Dulux dog, and now her seven pups – five girls and two boys – have been welcomed by the whole team, who described them as “loveable bundles of irresistible cuteness that exude a unique charm."
Pictured at their home in Lincolnshire, the adorable pups, as well as their older sister Vienna, are set to be stars of the future.
Marianne Shillingford from Dulux, said: “As proud sponsors of the Old English Sheepdog Rescue & Welfare Fund, we’re delighted to be able to finally share the exciting news of the irresistible puppy additions to the Dulux family. The pups are stars in their own right, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of them in the years to come.”
Kitten hitches a 500 mile ride
Nobody knows how long Gizmo was trapped inside the car (Supplied by Tom Hutchings)
A taxi driver was stunned to find a kitten in his engine after a 500-mile shift.
Tom Hutchings, 32, made the discovery after returning to his home in Tonrefail, south Wales, when his fiancée spotted a bright pink nose in the grille of his car.
Tom was shocked to see two large black eyes staring back at him when he went closer to inspect. Tom said: “She told me there was something in the front of my car and pointed. I had a little look inside and I couldn’t see anything at first, then my nose was practically against my car as I was trying to look. Suddenly my nose and the kitten’s nose were more or less touching. It meowed and I jumped and did a roly poly backwards.”
Harrison reunited with Gizmo (Sue Barcello)Quickly getting to work with his toolkit, Tom was able to free the tiny cat before taking it to the vet to be checked over and popping the details on social media in an effort to track down the kitty’s owners. Luckily, the cat, a female named Gizmo, was reunited with her worried family.
Tom added: “I had done maybe 500 miles that day – she’s probably the first passenger I’ve had who hasn’t paid me.”
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These gorgeous kittens had a tough start in life, but are thriving after being rescued in East London. Rescuers called mum Maisie, but the babies - all girls - still need names, so we'd love to hear your suggestions.
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