The dogs of Rivals: Every breed spotted at the Rutshire Cup polo match — and beyond

Unless you’ve been living under a rock — or perhaps in a particularly remote farmhouse without WiFi — you’ll know that Rivals, the television adaptation of Dame Jilly Cooper’s gloriously chaotic 1988 novel, returned to screens last Friday. Between the shoulder pads, adultery and backcombed hair, episode one also delivered something equally important: dogs. A lot of dogs at the highly anticipated final of the Rutshire Cup between the Remington Steelers and the Jones Jets.

Naturally, I approached this with the seriousness it deserved. There was pausing, rewinding, freeze-framing, zooming and a lot of screenshotting — all in the name of important journalism.

Here they are, in order of appearance…

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Poodle

The first dog we see is a large poodle — elegant, extremely well groomed and sporting the classic pom-pom cut. Standard poodles have somehow acquired a reputation for being delicate, when in reality they were originally bred as hardy working water dogs, retrieving game from lakes and marshes across Germany and France. Their elaborate coat was designed to keep vital joints warm while helping them swim more efficiently. They’ve long attracted eccentric aristocrats and notable owners, from Prince Rupert of the Rhine to Winston Churchill’s beloved Rufus and Rufus II. So it makes perfect sense we’d find them on the polo pitch of Lord Lieutenant Henry Hampshire (Brendan Patricks) and Lady Hermione Hampshire (Olivia Poulet).

Pointer

Next, a pair of white-and-tan English pointers. Few breeds look more perfectly suited to a polo field. Originally developed from Old Spanish pointers and refined in Britain during the 18th century, pointers became favourites on sporting estates thanks to their speed, stamina and dramatic instinct to freeze stock-still when they spot game.

Smooth collie

Then there was a blue merle smooth collie. Smooth collies have always been overshadowed by their fluffier cousins made famous by Lassie, but collie devotees will insist they are the superior model. Originally bred as Scottish herding dogs, they were once beloved by Queen Victoria, who kept smooth collies at Windsor. The blue merle colouring — all marbled silver-grey coats and pale eyes — gives them a distinctly wolfish elegance.

Border collie or Australian shepherd

One chocolate-and-white dog required forensic-level analysis. Border collie or Australian shepherd? I’m still not entirely certain, although given where the show is set I’d lean towards border collie. Border collies, shaped by the harsh landscapes of the Anglo–Scottish border, are widely considered the cleverest dogs in the world and have an unnerving ability to outthink their owners. Australian shepherds, meanwhile, aren’t Australian at all, but Californian dogs descended from sheepdogs linked to Basque shepherds. Either way, the dog looked far too intelligent to be hanging around the ridiculous humans surrounding it.

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Terrier mix

Taggie’s beloved Gertrude appears to be some kind of terrier mix — perhaps Norfolk, Norwich or Cairn. Jilly Cooper described her as a ‘scruffy, tight-skinned mongrel’, which honestly covers a large percentage of Britain’s dogs. Norfolk terriers and Norwich terriers were originally tiny East Anglian ratters popular with Cambridge students, while Cairn terriers hail from the Scottish Highlands and were bred to hunt vermin among rocky cairns. All three breeds share the same essential quality: the absolute conviction that they are capable of taking down an animal roughly six times their size.

Great Dane

A harlequin Great Dane introduced to us as ‘David Bow-Wowie’ appeared next, which may genuinely be one of the greatest fictional dog names ever created. Harlequin Danes — white with dramatic black patches — are one of the most theatrical-looking dogs in existence. Originally bred in Germany to hunt boar, Great Danes have since evolved into oversized sofa ornaments who believe themselves to be lapdogs despite weighing roughly the same as a grand piano.

Dalmatian

Next up, a Dalmatian looking glamorous as ever. Long before Disney got involved, Dalmatians were carriage dogs bred to run alongside horses for miles at a time, so this feels like a perfectly placed breed for the polo field. Extremely athletic working dogs, they still look as though they should belong to someone wearing silk gloves and arriving fashionably late.

Labrador retrievers

Off the polo field we find Lady Monica Baddingham, Tony’s wife, walking out of their honey-stone manor with a pair of matching yellow Labrador retrievers. Originally bred in Newfoundland to retrieve fishing nets from icy waters, Labradors have become Britain’s definitive family-and-country-house dog. Yellow Labs in particular have that permanently optimistic expression that makes them look delighted simply to be included in events. The black Labrador — noticed only by the keenest-eyed viewers — briefly lurking near David Tennant’s feet at the end of the episode also carries that classic ‘proper working dog’ reputation: sleek, steady and deeply serious about snacks.

Jack Russell

Rupert has two Jack Russells spotted sitting on Tony Baddingham’s lap — strangely relaxed on the lap of their master’s arch nemesis, if you ask me. Developed by the ‘Sporting Parson’ Reverend John Russell in the 19th century, Jack Russells were bred to bolt foxes underground while still keeping up with horses above ground. Modern Jack Russells remain fearless and usually one poor decision away from vanishing into a hedge after something furry. Queen Camilla’s rescue Jack Russells, Beth and Bluebell, even became the first dogs ever embroidered onto a British coronation gown and featured on the Country Life frontispiece.

Springer spaniel

And finally, of course, there had to be a springer. No fictional countryside setting would be complete without at least one. Originally bred to ‘spring’ game from cover, springer spaniels combine astonishing athleticism with complete emotional softness. They are beloved by gamekeepers, shooting estates and anyone willing to accept muddy pawprints as part of the décor.

We look forward to spotting more dogs throughout the series almost as much as the steamy love affairs, dramatic rivalries and memorable one-liners.