Martin Clunes has revealed how life at home became “chaotic” after he and his wife introduced two energetic puppies into their already busy household of ageing dogs and animals
Martin Clunes has opened up about a chaotic period after introducing two lively puppies into his home — admitting his wife feared the move may have been a “rash” decision.
The Doc Martin star, who lives in Dorset with his wife Philippa Braithwaite and their menagerie of animals, described the moment the new arrivals first met their older dogs as a delicate and slightly tense affair.
Writing in his new book Training John and Murray, Martin said: “When we got in the house, it was time for the new arrivals to meet our existing geriatric pack,” Martin said, recalling how the two youngsters came trotting in and there was a little bit of growling from the adult dogs.
Martin, 64, painted a vivid picture of the dynamic, particularly with their ageing Labrador. “Our old Labrador guide dog Laura basically seemed to be giving them a look that said, in no uncertain terms, ‘I’m not going to harm you, but leave me alone, please.’”
As expected, the puppies were oblivious to the social cues. “There was a lot of sniffing, of course. The puppies just took that as a sign that the adult dogs were interested in them,” he explained.
The couple’s household already included several older dogs with complex needs, including Heidi, a spaniel dealing with “a little dementia, along with her blindness and epilepsy,” meaning “things like puppies don’t really register with her.” Meanwhile, another dog, Bob Jackson appeared to assume the newcomers were temporary, with Martin joking he thought “someone would take them away soon.”
Despite the initial uncertainty, the Men Behaving Badly star admitted the couple quickly grew attached. “Whatever the other animals thought, though, we were definitely falling in love with them.”
Life soon became hectic. The actor described the early days as “constant,” filled with training, feeding and managing the energy of the young dogs alongside their older companions. Laura, he said, remained “an angel in every sense of the word,” tolerating the disruption while largely ignoring it.
Still, Martin admitted the strain showed at times. He said that some of the dogs became “a bit snappy,” and likened the situation to “bringing twin toddlers into a nursing home,” as routines were completely upended.
It was this upheaval that, Martin said, sparked concern from his wife. “Philippa remained worried that we had been a bit rash in getting two of them so quickly,” he revealed, noting how their once calm home had been transformed by “this massive amount of energy.”
The couple briefly questioned whether they had taken on too much. But ultimately, according to Martin, there was no turning back. “We were both thinking a little about whether we had taken on a bit too much,” he admitted, before adding: “But they were so adorable and funny, and they were such characters.”
In the end, he said simply: “We had no choice now but to carry on and hope they’d settle down.”
Clunes, who has long been known for his love of animals as well as his acting career, continues to balance life between television work and his busy rural home with his wife. The couple met in 1997, and the pair wed after he proposed to her while filming a holiday series in Hawaii.
In 2007, the animal-loving star and his wife swapped their London lifestyle for a sprawling 130-acre farm near Beaminster, where they now reside with five dogs and six horses.
Over the years, the £5 million property — which the Doc Martin actor once described as his “favourite place in the world” — has been home to Shetland ponies, Dexter cattle, sheep and even hens.
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