Posted on 03/01/2026 6:53:48 AM PST by Governor Dinwiddie
Miranda Pellecchia’s dog Marigold endured a 13-hour labour and has been eating 12 cans of food a day to keep her energy up.
Before Marigold’s remarkable brood, the largest documented Irish doodle litter involving an Irish setter mother in the UK was 16 puppies, born to a dog named Amelia in Hampshire in 2019.
Dog lovers across the land might ask themselves how many is too many after an Irish setter gave birth to a record-breaking 17 puppies.
Before Marigold’s remarkable brood, the largest documented Irish doodle litter involving an Irish setter mother in the UK was 16 puppies, born to a dog named Amelia in Hampshire in 2019.
Miranda Pellecchia, who lives near Canterbury in Kent, said that the puppies “just kept coming” after her dog Marigold went into a 13-hour labour. They are believed to be the UK’s largest-ever litter of Irish doodles — a cross between an Irish setter and a poodle.
Pellecchia, 42, said: “We knew she was going to have a big litter, but we were amazed when they just kept coming. Just when we thought it was all over, out would pop another one. It’s been exhausting for Marigold and she’s been having 12 tins of dog food a day to keep up her energy and supply the milk needed.”
Unsurprisingly, life at the family home has been frantic ever since. “What with the feeding, because they needed extra formula milk, weighing and general care and attention, I’ve not been getting much sleep,” said Pellecchia, who works as a mediator in special educational needs.
The two-year-old Irish setter, which had been mated with a miniature black poodle, produced her first puppy at 11am on January 2, with the 17th and final arrival not appearing until midnight.
The Irish doodle is a relatively modern crossbreed, believed to have emerged in the US in the late 20th century after the growth in popularity of designer dogs such as the labradoodle. Bred to combine the Irish setter’s athleticism with the poodle’s intelligence and lower-shedding coat, they are prized for their friendly, energetic and affectionate temperament, making them ideal family companions.
Pellecchia said that she would be offering up her puppies for sale at £1,300 each, adding that there had already been keen interest. “Obviously, we’re going to miss them because they’re adorable, but I’m also looking forward to getting my life back because it’s been enormously demanding,” she said.
Aren’t Irish Setters on the selfish side? Just asking.
They are sweet loving dogs. Easy going, gentle. Some say they aren't that "bright". Give me sweet temperament over "brains" any day!
Marigold looks utterly exhausted!
I’d love one of those cute puppies...
She must be nursing all freaking day, considering she only has, what, 8 or 10 teats.
I’m with you. Irish Setters are beautiful sweeties and great family dogs.
🐶
$30000 worth of puppies. Hope the breeder doesn’t get greedy and try this again too soon to the poor mom.
So, she must be Catholic < /joke because of the huge families among my relatives>
So would the pups be called “doodles” or “settees”?
The sire was a miniature black poodle? Someone must have put him up to it
I don’t know about selfish, but they are crazier than loons. You have to have a lot of patience and good sense of humor to own one. They don’t become emotional or mental adults until they are about three. But great dogs if you have the space and energy to give them the exercise they need. They are not apartment dogs.
They are always doodles
Marigold may want her tubes tied after this Baby Bomb.
If so, I’m guessing the dog owner will need to wait about two years for Marigold to be completely healed within, before doing any Spaying.
**The Owner must have a bunch of hired hands. All those puppies! They all need to be wormed when they get old enough. They all need to be paper trained or yard trained.
Leash trained. They will all need their weekly baths. They will want their own names, own eating bowls, own sleeping spots,
own toys, own Birthday Gifts.
Momma looks a little tired.
My black lab birthed 13 puppies but only has 9 teats. There’s a point when the puppies were on a teat for 24/7. 9 survived. I tried to save all 4 but even with the artificial puppy milk they all faded then died. Some cried and one sang before going. I have a great photo of one of the healthy puppies with its arm around one of the sick ones snuggling and comforting it before it went.
Before mom had puppies my 8 y.o. daughter asked how many puppies she can have. I told her to count the nipples and that’s how many. She did and announced she could have 9 puppies. My daughter demanded those puppies that night! Well, anyways it was OK with me only 9 made it since that’s what my daughter had concluded months before they were born.
Life.. finds a way.
We had a beautiful Irish setter. Sara. She had 12 babies her first litter.
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