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Isobel Crawley: "Oh, just one more thing. The dog. What should we do to stop Isis getting into the patients' rooms?"
Robert Crawley: "I can answer that. Absolutely nothing."
— Isobel to Robert during the setup of a convalescent home at Downton Abbey[src]

Isis and Pharaoh were yellow labrador retrievers[1], who belonged to the Crawley family. Both dogs shared a very close connection to the Earl of Grantham, as they are always beside him. As of 1924, both dogs have passed away. In 1925, the Dowager Countess gave Lord Grantham a new dog named Teo[2][3][4]

Introductory Credits[]

Aside from Episode 1.01, 2011 Christmas Special, the 2012 Christmas Special, and Episode 4.01, one or both, of the dogs is shown at the very beginning of the show's introduction, walking beside the Lord Grantham.

Biography[]

1912-14/16[]

Pharaoh occasionally appears in the background. The dog is never identified by name.

Sometime between August 4th, 1914 and November 1916, Pharaoh dies and is replaced by Isis, another yellow labrador retriever. It is unclear how Pharaoh met his end, or whether or not Isis is related to him, but by 1916 she is an established part of the household.

1916-19[]

Isis 9

Mrs. Patmore feeding Isis leftover Crepes Suzette

Isis appears in Series Two when the cook Beryl Patmore feeds her a leftover Crêpe Suzette after falsely telling housemaid Ethel Parks that none were left over from the previous night's dinner. Isobel Crawley also mentions her when she talks about the convalescent home, she asks what can be done about keeping her out of the rooms to which Robert replies "I can answer that - absolutely nothing!"

2011 Christmas Special[]

In order to be promoted from the position of First Footman to Head Valet, Thomas Barrow hides her in a shack. His plan was to keep her hidden and then find her to gain Lord Grantham's trust. However, his plan backfires when a village girl finds Isis and brings her to Lord Grantham. However, the latter sees that Thomas was searching for Isis and is touched. Thomas gains his promotion to Head Valet and also Lord Grantham's trust.

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2012 Christmas Special[]

Isis 13

Tom Branson taking Isis on a walk.

The family travels to Scotland on their annual trip to Duneagle Castle, the residency of Lady Flintshire (the cousin of Lord Grantham) and Lord Flintshire. While on the train's boarding platform, Lord Grantham's son-in-law Tom Branson is holding Isis on her leash. Lord Grantham asks him to walk her a lot, saying she can get lazy. He walks her down to the village when he goes down for lunch at the local pub, the Grantham Arms.

1922[]

When Lord Grantham leaves for America to visit his in-laws, he again asks Tom Branson to look after the women in the house, and especially Isis.

2013 Christmas Special[]

The family and the staff travel to London for the presentation and debutante ball of Lady Rose MacClare, the first cousin once-removed of Lord Grantham. Again, Isis is looked after by Tom Branson for a few days before he joins Lord Grantham in London. Upon arrival, Lord Grantham asks whether Isis is pleased to be in London; Tom responds that she is pleased to be with Robert, he was "no substitute."

1924[]

Isis appears in the background of several episodes lying on the floor and looking tired, sad and unhealthy. She appears when Simon Bricker and the Countess of Grantham are inspecting at a painting of Pierro della Francesca.

Lord Grantham takes Isis to a specialist who diagnoses her with cancer. He can't bring himself to have her put down, so on what he feels is her last night, he lays her on his bed, between him and Lady Grantham so that she had "two people who love her and each other very much on either side."

1925[]

As a present, Violet Crawley gives Lord Grantham a new labrador retriever, which Lord Grantham names Teo.

Gallery[]

Behind the Scenes[]

  • Pharaoh is played by a dog named 'Roly'. Lady Carnarvon’s dog did not like other male dogs in his territory, so Roly was replaced by a female dog named 'Ellie' to play Isis.
  • The yellow lab that took over the part of Isis later during series three is named 'Abbey'. Abbey then went on to be in the 2012 Christmas episode, series four, the 2013 Christmas episode and series five.  [5]     
  • The Yellow Lab was not bred until the middle of the 20th century, prior to that the closest in colour was the Golden Lab, which was more butterscotch in colour.[6]

Notes[]

  • All three dogs' names are references to Ancient Egypt, and were likely chosen to tribute the Earl of Carnarvon, who financed Howard Carter's expedition that eventually led to the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun (artifacts from the tomb are still at Highclere Castle).
  • The reason the beloved Isis was written out in series five was because some fans had brought up the fact that the dog would have been at least twelve years old according to the show's timeline- not due to the terrorist group ISIS

Appearances[]

Appearances and Mentions
Series 1 Episode 1
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Episode 2
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Episode 3
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Episode 4
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Episode 5
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Episode 6
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Episode 7
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Series 2 Episode 1
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Episode 2
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Episode 3
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Episode 4
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Episode 5
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Episode 6
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Episode 7
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Episode 8
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Christmas Special
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Series 3 Episode 1
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Episode 2
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Episode 3
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Episode 4
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Episode 5
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Episode 6
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Episode 7
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Episode 8
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Christmas Special
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Series 4 Episode 1 Episode 2
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Episode 3
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Episode 4
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Episode 5
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Episode 6
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Episode 7
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Episode 8
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Christmas Special
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Series 5 Episode 1
Appears
Episode 2
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Episode 3
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Episode 4
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Episode 5
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Episode 6
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Episode 7
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Episode 8
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Christmas Special
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Series 6 Episode 1
Appears
Episode 2
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Episode 3
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Episode 4
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Episode 5
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Episode 6
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Episode 7
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Episode 8
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Christmas Special
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References[]

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