FAMOUS DULUX DOG GIVES BIRTH TO SEVEN PUPPIES WHO COULD BE THE FUTURE FACES OF THE BRAND

Source: Mirror (Extract)
Posted: August 25, 2023

The Old English Sheepdog who is the face of Dulux has just given birth to seven gorgeous puppies in Lincolnshire. Olivia is the current four-legged face of the brand but has now ensured there will be someone who can take over her role once the time has come.

The litter – made up of five girls and two boys – arrived six weeks ago, on July 13. They are now the newest members of the famous family line – as all the Dulux dogs have come from the same lineage. Each cute puppy has the characteristic fluffy white and grey patched coat that has come to be associated with the paint company. The pups, who have been dubbed “loveable bundles of irresistible cuteness that exude a unique charm” by the Dulux team, could be the future faces of the brand. In a new selection of photos, they can be seen running around in the garden of their Lincolnshire home.

The much-adored breed has been associated with the Dulux brand since first appearing in an advert in 1961 when the director’s Old English Sheepdog, Dash, accidentally crashed one of the commercials. The camera and cast adored Dash so much that he made it into the ad after the final edit.

After Dash, pup Digby took the reins and between 1995 and 2002 the position was held by Mash. This was followed by Willow and, most recently, Madison and Olivia. While Old English Sheepdogs have a special place in people’s hearts, in 2020 the Kennel Club announced the breed dog was on the ‘at watch list’ after figures of puppy registration dropped below 300.

However, statistics show that the number of registrations dropped by just one in the previous year, with 317 Old English Sheepdog puppies being born in 2019. Working with the Old English Sheepdog Rescue and Welfare charity, Dulux is delighted with the arrival of the puppies on the vulnerable breed list as Olivia’s litter could give fresh hope to the breed.

Marianne Shillingford, the creative director and colour expert at Dulux said: “The Old English Sheepdog has been the famous face of the brand for over 60 years now. 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.”