The Cambridges adopted a new puppy before their 9-year-old dog Lupo passed away

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Back in November, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced that their beloved dog Lupo had passed away. Lupo was given to William and Kate in 2012, when he was just a puppy, by Kate’s brother James Middleton. James is a huge dog lover, and he seems to have a side business breeding cocker spaniels. Lupo was the son of James’ dog Ella, and James kept Lupo’s sister Luna. Well, last year, James bred Luna and she had a litter of puppies, and now it looks like William and Kate – and the kids – had already picked out a puppy from Luna’s litter. They welcomed the new puppy into their home before Lupo passed away.

They were devastated by the death of their dog Lupo two months ago, but the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their three children are now ‘besotted’ by a new cocker spaniel. The eight-month-old black puppy was a gift from the Duchess’s brother James Middleton and arrived at Anmer Hall, the family’s home in Norfolk, before Lupo died.

‘The new puppy is adorable and the whole family are besotted,’ a friend told The Mail on Sunday. ‘They were devastated when Lupo passed away, as any dog owner will understand, but got the new puppy before he died. It was hoped that a younger dog would give Lupo some company and give him a little more life and energy.’

The family will no doubt be hoping the new arrival has the same sweet nature as Lupo, who was its uncle. Mr Middleton, 33, originally bred a litter of puppies from his dog Ella in 2011. He kept one called Luna but gave brother Lupo to Kate in early 2012 when Prince William, then an RAF search-and-rescue pilot, was deployed to the Falklands.

Last summer, Mr Middleton, who was staying with his parents at their Berkshire home, bred another litter of six puppies with Luna as their mother. It is understood Kate and William had the pick of the litter, helped by Prince George, seven, and Charlotte, five. Two-year-old Louis was probably too young to help.

Royal aides have not yet confirmed the name the family have given to their new pet. When the litter was born, James and his fiancee Alizee Thevenet, 31, posted pictures on Instagram of themselves with the six puppies, his other spaniels Ella, Inca, Luna and Zulu plus golden retriever Mabel.

[From The Daily Mail]

“It was hoped that a younger dog would give Lupo some company and give him a little more life and energy.” I’ve only had overlapping dogs once in my life and that was not my experience at all. If anything, the older dog spends his last days angry at his family for bringing the young whippersnapper into the fold. Now, it sort of works with cats? You can overlap an old cat with a kitten and most likely, the older cat will enjoy the younger kitty. But I’m just not sure it works with dogs. Anyway, congrats to the Cambridge fam. While this article doesn’t mention it, Emily Andrews (who wrote this piece) said on Twitter that the new puppy is a girl. Also: I do love the commitment to getting black dogs. Black dogs and black cats are the least likely to be adopted in shelters.

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Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red, social media.

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111 Responses to “The Cambridges adopted a new puppy before their 9-year-old dog Lupo passed away”

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  1. Aidevee says:

    I’ve never really got the logic behind getting a new puppy to give the old dog some rest either. I don’t think the person who invented that phrase can ever have met a puppy. They don’t call baby Labs crocadors for nothing and spaniels can be nuts too!

    This explains why the Cambridges were looking a bit haggard last year, though. They must have been running around after a bitey, pooey, chewing puppy 24 hrs a day while William was recovering from his serious bout of coronavirus. Yikes, that will have sucked! Thank goodness the puppy stage passes.

    • agnes says:

      As if the dog does not have a nanny too.

      It was all the keen zooming.

      • Bibi says:

        Exactly, they have someone taking care of the dog probably. And if they had to quarantine wothout staff, they probably just opened the backyard door and they’ll have someone pick up the poop…. the lazies like to lazy

    • Sofia says:

      I doubt it was them physically running after the puppy. I’m sure they’ve got staff to make sure the dog is fed, walked, taken to the vet when needed etc etc.

      The emotional feelings of having a new puppy isn’t taken away however.

    • Ainsley7 says:

      I doubt they got the puppy for Lupo. 8/9 years old is young for a cocker spaniel to die. They’re usually expected to live 12-15 years. It’s more likely that they knew Lupo was sick and thought a new puppy would make it easier for the kids. Getting a puppy to cheer up an older dog really depends on the older dog’s age and health. A new puppy isn’t going to be a good playmate right away anyway. They need to learn how to play nice and not all dogs are great teachers. We have a new puppy and a 3 year old. The 3 year old dog refuses to reprimand the puppy for biting him and just runs to us. We handle it, but it would be easier, for the puppy to get the message, if the older dog was a little more assertive. It’s better than him being aggressive though. So, there’s that.

      • Louise says:

        I highly recommend taking the younger dog to a doggie day care for a couple of days a week, if they have an open play area and a no agression policy. We had that exact problem, and he was quickly taught manners by the other young dogs. It was worth every penny. It took something like 3 daytime visits.

      • PixiePaperdroll says:

        I ended up with a (now) 10 month old kitten. She is a terror. I have flat out TOLD the big kitties (8, 8, and 11) to put her in her place but they won’t do it. I think I’m going to end up crawling around on the floor and biting her back.

      • Mrs.Krabapple says:

        Sounds like the dog was only 8 years old when it died. That is way too young, it makes me wonder whether the breeders were truly “responsible” breeders but I am leaning towards “not” (based on the fact that the 8 year old sister wasn’t spayed). This is the kind of nightmare you get from non-responsible breeders.

  2. ShazBot says:

    I know nothing about dog breeding so pardon my ignorance, but does this mean he bred an 9 year old dog? Isn’t that a bit old for breeding?

    • kat says:

      Thank you, this was my thought too: he forced a pregnancy and a litter of puppies on a nine year old dog. 🙁

    • equality says:

      There are various factors such as breed size, whether a bitch has previously whelped, and others. It does seem a bit old if her litter mate Lupo was having health problems at the time of her breeding. Hopefully, he let her retire after that litter. It does make me curious what Lupo died from. If it was something potentially hereditary, he shouldn’t have been breeding a litter mate.

      • mynameispearl says:

        I have an 8 year old dog who has never whelped puppies, the vet advised me to have one litter from her as it would be good for her and extend her life. I’m anxious about it and cannot decide at all if it’s the right thing to do lol! I’d do anything if I thought it would be good for her though. Does anyone have any experience with this?

        I’ve been on all the dog forums and the view is mixed, although there are a lot backing the vet up.

      • kat says:

        It seems weird to me that your vet thinks that at 8 your dog should have puppies if you never planned on breeding it (which I’m assuming since no puppies in 8 years)? Didn’t they advise you to have her spayed at 6-8 months? We’ve never had a dog that they have advised to keep unspayed unless it was a planned breeding dog. They have always encouraged fixing.

      • NotSoSocialButterfly says:

        @mynameispearl-

        Having a litter does reduce the likelihood of mammary tumors, but then you have to think about where to home the puppies, caring for them until they have homes, and think about how taking her puppies away will do to her.

      • Lucky Charm says:

        @ mynameispearl, I don’t know how having a litter would extend your dogs life. My chow mix never had puppies (we had her spayed as a puppy when we adopted her) and she lived for 17-1/2 years.

      • Wiglet Watcher says:

        I’m personally against breeders like James. Breeders should also retire the dogs after 2 liters and then get them fixed to prevent future illness in female dogs.

        9 years is too young for that breed with a wealthy family unless the dog had hereditary issues from over breeding.

        Also, fully against getting a new puppy To help your older, sick, tired dog. That’s a choice for your own comfort.

        I have a pure bread Aussie and 2 pure 13 inch beagles that are all adopted from shelters. Put there because they didn’t sell during their cute puppy stage. I love them endlessly. People should adopt.

    • Summergirl says:

      @mynameispearl. I’m curious why you never had your dog spayed? Where I live (Canada), it is almost unheard of not to have your pet spayed or neutered unless you are a dog breeder. In fact, it is frowned upon and people will give you a really hard time about it.

      • mynameispearl says:

        She is my parents dog, they had always planned on having a litter of pups from her but the years slipped by! Where we live there was no risk of her getting pregnant by accident (very rural Ireland and houses are scarce) so it wasnt done, probably should have been in fairness! The vet mentioned about breeding her, I’m just not sure if she should be put through it, however for selfish reasons I would love a pup from her as she is just the loveliest wee mutt. Shes not in heat yet so the debate will rage again here in a few months.

      • mynameispearl says:

        @summergirl where we live nobody would even be aware of your dogs status regarding that (it’s very rural), the vet sees her from time to time and never told us to do it, if he had told us we should we probably would have though.

        @notsosocialbutterfly these are all real concerns. I dont think there would be any issues rehoming as people love wee dogs like her around farms (shes great for mice), but unsure how she would feel about them being taken away after 12 weeks. Plus the minding of little pups would be an undertaking.

      • Ann says:

        Same in the US now. If you adopt a cat or dog from a shelter, they neuter the animal before you can take it home. That’s the policy. Same with most breed-specific rescue organizations. It is very much frowned upon not to neuter your pet. People are ok with responsible breeders but the idea is that there is only room for so many of them. There are too many homeless animals as it is and “puppy mills” are a problem.

      • kat says:

        @mynameispearl that sounds like the perfect pup! Would love one of those puppies too. 😂

    • Becks1 says:

      Yeah I thought it seemed she was on the older end to have a litter; I’m hoping James is a responsible dog breeder and all health precautions and best standards were followed.

    • Ange says:

      I thought so too! Especially since it does seem like there were some issues with Lupo. All pure breeds have more risks for congenital illnesses but if there’s a streak of it in one family line you shouldn’t be breeding from that same line and ESPECIALLY not from a dog that age.

    • HeyJude says:

      I was wondering why he was breeding at all? Does the UK have super amazing animal authorities to the point they don’t have adoption shelters?

      Most famous people by now realize getting a bred for profit animal is a terrible look when existing animals are available. It’s easy PR and the animals are more diverse and less genetically problematic.

      It’s scummy as hell to get a bred animal nowadays, seen as something only the craven trash rich people like the Trumps or Kardashians would do. Every bred animal equates rescues who are put to sleep. The breeders especially are thought of as super gross people like any other exploiters. (I work in animal shelter in the States part-time.)

      How in the hell is a Royal still going the breeding route in 2021?!

  3. RoyalBlue says:

    so on reading the story my mind immediately went in the direction of this being a side hustle for James. probably his most reliable source of income since his nazi stuff went tails up.

    • Cecilia says:

      Now that we’re on this subject, what does james do for his money? I know he had serval attempts at starting a business and failed. And what exactly does his fiance do?

      • RoyalBlue says:

        let’s see. he is a tour guide, instagram influencer and dog breeder, and she is a model.

        the three middleton children were raised to be the idle rich and have done no consistent work. which is why i am convinced his main source of earnings in passive income from trust funds.

      • Elizabeth says:

        She is or was a financier, with university degrees. With that said, it’s pretty obvious they live on family money.

      • RoyalBlue says:

        oops and thanks for that elizabeth. i was too lazy to google. so she appears to be the breadwinner.

      • harla says:

        He recently set up a dog food business.

    • Ginger says:

      I thought this as well. He seems to be a dog breeder. I wish they would have adopted from a shelter.

      • Carolind says:

        At the moment it is impossible to adopt from dog shelters in the UK as, apart from the type of dog you have to be “careful” with, there are none there. People have wanted dogs to be with them during lockdown so they have been snapped up. Pure breeds are going for 3 times the usual price.

        In this instance though, although I am no fan of the Middletons, please leave them with their cocker spaniels. They obviously love the breed. I have had two, one born in 1988 and one born in 2005. They are the most darling dogs and next to my daughter (and husband!), the best things that ever happened to me and, yes, I did try to get a rescue dog before we got the first.

    • Wiglet Watcher says:

      Yes. This is a Middleton side hustle being advertised by using royal connections.
      Where is the outrage BM?

      Also, someone said James is trying to start up a dog food line? Huge red flag. I don’t trust him to not cheap out on ingredients or do small, controlled batches. It will most likely be unhealthy for pups.

  4. Anairda says:

    My parents did that with our late dog, they adopted my cats baby boy and Lassie spent her last 2 years happy with a friend around. After she passed away he spend days morning her and standing by her bed, so my parents reversed and got the cat a new dog and they’re bffs. It worked well for them but I can’t say the same for all cases, not all animals get along.

  5. Amy Bee says:

    William and Kate having to feed that beast. The story read like it came directly from James Middleton though. I’m sure William and Kate gave him the green light to tell all to Emily Andrews.

    • Nic919 says:

      That story clearly comes from James Middleton. It was basically, james is super awesome and breeds dogs and let’s mention his fiancée and here is some stuff about the kids and oh yeah more stuff about James and the end.

  6. Harper says:

    Maybe Will took the new puppy to Sandringham until she was housebroken and he just decided to stay there. Sandringham has probably had more dogs peeing on its carpets over the years than Anmer with its newer decor and carpets.

  7. Esmeralda says:

    James Middleton rebranding as country squire and dog breeder is still funny. Even with the royal endorsement it doesn’t work at all… the open shirt! The super posed puppy pics! Could he try any harder?

    • Southern Fried says:

      jmidy he calls himself on IG?
      HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

    • Lemons says:

      Well, this seems to be the one thing that James truly loves to do, so I won’t deny him that. Maybe he’ll branch out into rescuing dogs as well.

  8. Elizabeth says:

    We’ve always made an effort to have two dogs at a time since they play so much and keep each other company. Twice we have gotten a new puppy with nothing but positive results. Our current “big guy” is a gentle beast and when the pup gets too bitey and rambunctious, he’ll just whomp a leg over him. Puppy adores his big brother and encourages him to play and be active in spite of severe arthritis. Win win! Of course it could help that they’re both golden retrievers, the happiest dogs on earth lol.

    • JP says:

      This has been our experience as well, our very playful lab mix was slowing down and we got a puppy to bring some energy back into the house. Our older dog is 11 and we adopted a Catahoula mix last April and it’s been wonderful. Our older dog was very socialized and has been great with the puppy. They play together in shorts spurts throughout the day and when the old guy gets tired, he runs inside and settles into his bed. We’ve had zero issues with them and we’re really happy with the outcome. It helps that we’ve been home 100% of the time to supervise and correct.

    • Notsoanonymous says:

      Same here. We have a newly turned 13 year old golden and a six month old golden mix. They get along famously! Little pup is keeping him young. I’m home with both of them and feel like I do a good job of loving on our old guy and making sure the pup isn’t always at him. Old guy has his own bed and space that we keep just for him. Goldens are just awesome.

      • Aidevee says:

        Oh I am getting broody for another puppy now!!! Our Labrador is only 18months old and the puppy stage is still raw but that is such a lovely vision! What lucky dogs.

  9. Sofia says:

    I hope the Cambridges (including their kids) are enjoying their new puppy. It won’t replace the memories and feelings associated with Lupo but I hope they can build new memories with their new dog.

  10. TheOriginalMia says:

    Those puppies are adorable.

  11. Sof says:

    I guess, as with everything, it depends on the dog’s personality.
    We took care of a one month old puppy for a couple of weeks. Our dog was three or four years old at the time and he hated being with her! To be fair, she would bite his paws when she wanted to wake him up. It was worse if he was already awake, she would bite his neck hair and hung herself from there until he shook her off. When he got fed up, he just jumped on our beds or sofa and stared at her disapprovingly from the hights.

  12. dollycoa says:

    9 is not old for a dog. Lots of dogs live 4 or 5 years longer, and Lupo would have had the best of everything. I wonder if James is breeding properly to get a better range of genes or he’s gone the human aristo route and interbreeding disease and genetic defects into these dogs? Who is he breeding his dogs from?

    • terra says:

      I too wonder about how he’s going about breeding his dogs, but I will say that Cocker Spaniels are not a terribly long-living breed. They have an ‘average’ lifespan of about eleven or twelve-years-old and are prone to kidney problems as they age.

      My first dog growing up was a Cocker. She died quite young – those kidneys – and while I still love spaniels I don’t think I could ever have a pureblood Cocker Spaniel (she came from a shelter where she’d ended up after being abused in her previous home) again without worrying about them all of the time once they hit five or so.

      • Carolind says:

        You were unlucky. I have had two cockers. The first puppy was a show dog born in 1988. The second was a little working one born in 2005. Both shes they lived until they were each 14, the first until nearer 15. She died basically of old age. The second had cancer but had been going downhill a little bit for nearly a year. Adored them.

      • AMA1977 says:

        We had a “backyard bred” cocker when I was in high school who lived to age 13; she had a ton of health problems (likely due to the fact that no thought went into her birth other than “we’ve got two cocker spaniels!” and “puppies are cute!!”) but was the smartest dog I’ve ever seen and very snuggly and sweet with her people. She was well-loved and cared for which is why she lived a long life even with health problems. She was a grumpy old girl and when my husband and I got a new puppy when she was about 11 and brought him to meet my parents, she WAS NOT a fan.

        Our current golden mix (we think, she’s a sweet little yellow something from a shelter) is definitely a one-dog-home kind of a girl, so I don’t imagine she’d like a new puppy either, even though she’s only 4. It depends on the dog, but I wouldn’t get a new puppy with a dog older than maybe 6.

    • Gwendolyn says:

      Depends on the breed. 9 is standard for giant breeds like Great Danes (they have the nick name the heart break breed for a reason, we lost both or ours to bone cancer, one at 9 and the other at 5), but smaller breeds in good health can make it well into the their teens (our rescued ASCOB Cocker Spaniel made it clear to 17).

      So one really does wonder what happened to Lupo, especially if his litter mates and parents are still going strong? It could still be genetic, either missed by vets or only affects male dogs in the line. But considering most of the royal dogs tend to live for ages (barring accidents or run ins with Princess Anne’s dogs) it does make you kind of wonder about poor Lupo.

  13. GR says:

    “You can overlap an old cat with a kitten and most likely, the older cat will enjoy the younger kitty.” I’ve had very bad luck with this – my older cats have been miserable.
    Also the article mentions shelter animals – why not just rescue a sweet shelter animal instead of intentionally breeding more?

    • Smoothie says:

      In the UK, it’s extremely hard for young families to adopt rescue animals. If the org knows you have young children in the house and others visiting it will really limit what is available to you unless, for example, they know another family has been forced to re-home and they are moderately confident the dog will be safe. Depending on the shelter, there are also rules about how you keep the dog to ensure it feels safe and they may not be compatible with young family life.

      It’s actually really frustrating – I understand why the rules are in place but sometimes it means good families with a lot to offer a rescue will go for a new puppy because they are being asked to meet a much higher threshold.

      • Ann says:

        In the US that varies by state. I live in Texas and there are a lot of available pets and a lot of strays, so while they screen prospective owners and make you jump through some hoops, it isn’t hard to find a dog or cat to adopt. If anything they keep certain breeds away from young kids for the safety of the kids.

        But in other states, where they have stricter spay & neuter rules and fewer strays, it can be hard. My brother and his wife adopted a cat and they made her bring all three kids to the shelter to meet her to be sure they would interact well with her. They live in New York.

        The disparity between states is so great that rescue organizations in the Houston area have arrangements with places in other states to provide them adoptable pets. I took care of a mother and her four kittens for a couple of weeks recently, homeless but not feral (the owner had dumped them). The group that I found to take them transports dogs and cats to Wisconsin and Colorado, where there are families and people waiting for pets to adopt due to a shortage. They do a big transport at least once a week. All of their animals are spoken for.

      • sara says:

        Well yeah southerners don’t value their pets. So many rural southern areas just have dogs tied up outside and cats wandering around everywhere getting hit by cars. That’s why northern states have to make deals with southern shelters. Another failure of the south.

      • LNG says:

        It’s the same in Canada – it is very difficult to adopt from Canada right now, but you can gets dogs from the US. A neighbour down the street got a pitbull mix from Texas in early December that attacked and killed another dog on the street.

    • Pusspants says:

      @GR, exactly! Getting a kitten or young cat to keep an old cat company is a bad idea. Most vets would not recommend that because cats tend to be more solitary than dogs and it would be stressful for the older cat. I volunteer as a cat socializer and behaviorist and it’s something our organization would frown upon. However, if the older cat once had a cat companion that died and the younger cat is unusually calm, it could work. But it would be the exception, not the rule.

  14. AuntieG says:

    I hate that black cats/dogs are least likely to be adopted. I adopted a black tuxedo cat a couple of years ago and he’s the B E S T. My nephew thought he looked like an elegant gentleman dressed in his evening tuxedo so we named him Sir Oliver the III…a fancy name for a fancy looking cat. My nieces think he looks like a witch’s cat from their books and do pretend spells with “his help.” It’s a bummer that people miss out on adopting great animals.

  15. Marni112 says:

    Have always had older/younger dogs and they have always been pretty devoted to each other.Dogs are pack animals to start with so it will be normal for them to live with each other as opposed to a solitary life.

  16. SarahCS says:

    On the animal front – please adopt. That would have been a fantastic use of their position and profile.

    Unrelated but as always bravo on the photo choice, I’d forgotten quite how awful the header pic was. They should call the Beckham kid for some tips.

  17. Other Renee says:

    Thank you for the shout out about black dogs. I have two beautiful black sisters who were born in a shelter and rescued. I adore them. (Their litter mates and the mom were also rescued, weaned and then adopted out as well.) Out of my last two rescues, one was black. I think black dogs are gorgeous.

    I’m so not a fan of breeding when there are so many animals in shelters waiting for a good home. If only the Cambridges could have encouraged adoption by leading the way.

  18. MM2 says:

    I am so jealous of James Middleton’s life.

    • Sofia says:

      You’re jealous of a mid 30s man still living with his parents, has no job tbh and who’s business has to be bailed out by his brother-in-law (I think he even worked as a tour guide for said brother-in-law’s estate in Scotland)?

    • Jumpingthesnark says:

      Maybe the hanging out with dogs and going hiking a lot parts. Not the rest if it.

  19. LeenaK says:

    “Black dogs and black cats are the least likely to be adopted in shelters.”

    The article linked in this post actually cites several studies that proves this is a myth …?

    • RoyalBlue says:

      i know this is a myth when it comes to cockapoos and labradoodles. the black and reds are the first to go and at higher prices.

  20. Psyren says:

    I can’t figure out why James Middleton has always creeped me out but he does.

    • Ginger says:

      He definitely has a weird vibe.

    • Julia K says:

      Have always felt that James is emotionally fragile. The countryside and being around animals is probably a good fit for him. He looks relaxed and happy here.

  21. Willow says:

    Really think about the age and personalities of all your pets and figure what you need in a new pet to help everyone get along. Also, getting another cat or dog creates more work for you, so make sure you have the time for all of them. And don’t just leave the animals to ‘work it out for themselves’. You are the ultimate authority in the house and they know that. Just like with kids, you set the rules, let them establish relationships but step in when things get out of hand.
    And with dogs, it’s best not to have 2 females because females tend to be more dominant and stubborn (how else are they going to raise 5-13 puppies at a time, lol) – which means in the same house, 2 males or a male and female, are more likely to live peacefully.

    • Ange says:

      I 100% agree with that. I got a second cat thinking my 2 year old cat would enjoy it as she’d had really good friendships with cats before when boarding. Turns out my older cat only enjoys other cats in neutral territory and now not even that! It’s been 6 years now and while they don’t fight my two cats definitely don’t have a good relationship and if I’d known I wouldn’t have got another one.

  22. Lunasf17 says:

    Do they not have animal shelters in the UK?! Breeding more dogs when millions are euthanized every year worldwide is dumb and selfish. Just adopt a shelter dog instead of forcing a pregnancy and a litter on a dog. I judge anyone who breeds and buys dogs and supports that industry over adoption. It’s selfish and irresponsible.

    • Prana says:

      There are valid reasons for adopting from shelters and there are valid reasons for responsible breeding. Do your research and choose the option that works best for your needs and lifestyle. Through research I have found that there are many terrible breeders and many responsible breeders, as well as many shelters and rescues that actually support puppy mills in their own way. Regardless, there will always be a need for well bred, purebred dogs.

      • Elizabeth says:

        There is no “need” for a purebred pet dog. People want, not need, supposedly fancy luxury symbols.

      • tcbc says:

        @Elizabeth

        Using that logic, there is no “need” for any kind of non-working pet.

      • Anna says:

        The shelters are full of purebred dogs if you need that kind of thing. Backyard breeding is NOT responsible breeding.

      • Elizabeth says:

        TCBC yes, that’s correct. There is no actual “need” on our end, except for service animals, or farm / working / guard dogs. Stray animals, or unwanted dogs left in shelters, on the other hand, do need homes. Breeding isn’t something I would support in light of that need in the world. I would always promote rescue/foster/adopt.

      • BearcatLawyer says:

        Agreed, Prana. A shelter or rescue pet is not always the best option. People should feel free to adopt or shop responsibly.

      • Wiglet Watcher says:

        Bearcat
        But this doesn’t sound like responsible breeding at all. And very few breeders are actually by the book. Too many see it as I come.
        Lupo passed before old age and his sister has been bred into her later years. This points to all the wrong practices and shouldn’t be allowed or supported.

        I own pure breds, but they were all adopted from shelters. I don’t see how breeding can be justified when even pure breds end up in shelters.

      • Nic919 says:

        This is a guy who let his business print out nazi symbols so the chances that he is responsible with this new job are quite slim.

    • Tanya says:

      Someone posted this above, but there may not be. I’m in NYC; no shelters have dogs that they’d be willing to adopt out to a family with young children. I’ve been looking for over a year. This is after waiting after my youngest turned 5, which was the minimum age for many of the rescues I contacted (some told me 10!)

      It’s gotten worse since COVID as so many people adopted dogs.

      • The Hench says:

        Agreed – people should adopt OR shop responsibly. Adopted dogs can often require more knowledgeable owners due to trauma they have experienced – they can come with a whole host of issues that are not their fault but that make them unsuitable for first-time owners or those with young kids.

        Responsible breeders are ensuring the continuation of quality in their breeds and are very careful with it. They breed to avoid common problems such as hip dysplasia, are careful with the age of the mothers (rule of thumb is to breed no earlier than 3 and no later than 7 – and NOT a first litter at 7 so I side-eye JMid’s 9 year old mother) and also careful with who the puppies go to. It’s the irresponsible breeders and puppy farms that we need to crack down on. Hard. I’d love to see much harsher penalties for those breeding without a licence.

        ETA I’m finding the ridiculous prices being charged for dogs (am in the UK) right now terrifying – puppies are selling for upwards of £2,000. With those kind of prices so many people will be putting their dogs in pup to make money 🙁

  23. M.A.F. says:

    I don’t recall them ever saying their dog died of old age. My parents have lost both of their dogs at young-ish ages due to health issues. And by the sound of this, it seems like there were some health issues. Couple months before my parents female dog died they got a new puppy. She loved to play with her older sister and big sister just let her…until she was little annoyed then would bark at her.

  24. Lucy says:

    My amazing black lab rescue, Boo is 12 and on his last legs. And last year when he was in the vet (and my 3 year old daughter was with us), the vet said well you can get a puppy and it will imprint his personality. Then the vet looked at my 35 pound daughter and said, But by the time he passes you’ll have a giant puppy who’s still a moron and is bigger than your girls put together.
    So we’re not getting a puppy right now. I’m not sure if I’ll be ready for a dog for a while after we lose him ☹️

  25. Nic919 says:

    So I guess getting a rescue dog from Mayhew was never an option?

    • Anna says:

      Not posh/keen enough I suppose…

    • Watson says:

      @Nic919: No. That would be supporting something that would direct attention and support to Megs and Harry and we all know that just isn’t done in that family.

  26. Lissdogmom02 says:

    Ahh new puppy 🐶 🥰. Personally I got a younger dog for my dog for company & to keep him going, he was 3 at the time. They are now 1 & 4 love to play. I think it’s dog dependent, my old dog(16) got used to & liked my parents puppy, it took a minute.

  27. Anna says:

    Why does this moron breed dogs when the shelters are full, full, full??!

  28. Chartreuse says:

    Congratulations on their new puppy. I am sure it made it easier for the kids when their dog passed.

    I can’t help but notice they got through an entire Cambridge article without mentioning you-know-who. Astonishing.

  29. sara says:

    The Middleton brother is a dog breeder? Gross.

  30. Carolind says:

    Just repeating this at the foot. There are NO dogs in shelters in Britain at the moment unless the ones you have to watch. People in lockdown have snapped them up. I know because I have been trying for months to get one. Pure breeds are going for 3 times what they did a year ago.

    Also please all try not to be so miserable. The Middletons as a family obviously love cocker spaniels and I empathize with them over that as I have had two and I adored them. It is a sorry state of affairs when people try and dictate what sort of dog you should have.

    Also with a young family they will have to be careful about the dog’s history. Many years ago my dad got our family a mongrel pup. He stayed with us until he died naturally at the age of 14 and I really loved him but he was a nervous dog and bit all of us a number of times. My sister ended up in outpatients. Please leave them to get the dog they want.

    • Nic919 says:

      Most of the comments have been about james and whether or not he is a responsible breeder which is a fair comment to make when he’s getting Emily Andrews to write an article about his new business in the Mail on Sunday.

      Also if the Cambridges wanted a shelter dog they would have gotten one. They obviously didn’t. Let’s not pretend that regular rules apply to them during this pandemic since none of the others have applied. Pretending they are normal is exactly what they want everyone to think as they reside in their country manor and not in their London palace apartments.

      • Carolind says:

        NC219 The Middletons obviously wanted a cocker but do you understand when I say there are no ordinary dogs in shelters in UK at moment.

      • Lemons says:

        Most commenters will NEVER purchase a dog from James, let alone requesting one, so I think they can stay silent on that point. If James is breeding dogs, I don’t see why Kate wouldn’t adopt a dog from him instead of going to a shelter.

        No one has made the argument here that humans should stop having children and opt to adopt. Who here has a first-world baby instead of adopting? According to the commenters today, you are awful people. There are MILLIONS of children who need homes and here you are breeding more babies. /s

    • tolly says:

      James Middleton breeds spaniels for profit in his parents’ house, and apparently leaked a story about placing another one with his very famous sister around the same time that he was launching a line of dog food. It’s a story that likely would not have become public without the Middletons’ cooperation, and reasonable people can find some aspects of it pretty gross.

  31. TeaForTwo says:

    Our experience with Cocker Spaniels (we’ve owned two) is that they are snappy around young children, particularly under 4’s. Loved our two dogs dearly, but they are not what I think of as young children dogs.

    • Carolind says:

      That is NOT all cocker spaniels. When our first one was five our daughter was born. Our cocker was tremendous with her. Not.Any.Problem.Ever. And our dog had been petted and pampered but was just terrific. Daughter was going on 12 when we got second and our little puppy picked daughter out as her person from the start. You were unlucky.

  32. MerryGirl says:

    Where is that racist Eamon Holmes screaming “what’s the name of the dog?”

  33. Aubrey says:

    puppy love

  34. Bels says:

    I added a new little kitty to our cat family. My partner and I have only ever adopted black kitties for our crew. My landlord is still under the impression we have a lone cat; it’s brilliant 😂

  35. Keen Kate says:

    Lupo hadn’t been pictured in years – we had seen him in official, pap and public taken photos when he was very young. But not in a long time. Was he was ill thoughout the rest of his life?

    I remember a few weeks before they announced his death, people here and on twitter were asking if they still had him. I also doubt James is a good and knowledgeable breeder. I hope his dog food brand is using pet nutritionists.

  36. Lemons says:

    I’m VERY uncomfortable with the implication of several commenters that James or the Middletons are not properly caring for their animals. Until news to the contrary is published, I will go ahead and say that Lupo had a great life but had a shorter run than some due to illness. Dogs can get cancer or terminal illness that is out of the control of breeders, of owners, of veterinarians, etc. Stop speculating on something that you know nothing about because you had two dogs who lived to be 20 years old.

    • Amy says:

      Thank you. Some of these comments really make me uncomfortable. James seems to really love and care for his dogs and I’m sure Kate and William gave their animals good lives. You don’t have to like the royals but implying with zero evidence they are doing something wrong to these pets is unreal but honestly not shocking. Some of the comments on the royal posts are venomous.

  37. Amy says:

    Goodness, 100 comments all over somebody adopting a dog?

  38. Mignionette says:

    James and Elise look like their dogs – lol

  39. Carolind says:

    Sara, untrue. You can buy pups from someone who only breeds once from their family pet and, hey, yes, I do love cockers. Law against that is there? Not where I come from.

    I also agree with the comment by Lemons that I hope everyone speaking out against pure breed dogs has adopted children. Exactly the same.

  40. Maple 🍁 says:

    So disgusting that people BREED dogs when thousands are murdered everyday. And it’s absolutely appalling that people are buying dogs that are purposely bred.