Today's Bungle Bark
Friday, 16th October 2026
The Daily Bark
Today's Chico Bark
Friday, 16th October 2026
For older Daily Barks check out the Daily Bark section under the Archive menu.
Latest News
Stanley Takewell Breaks His Silence — With First Lost Treats Footage
With just three weeks to go before the release of The Curse of the Lost Treats, director Stanley Takewell has finally given audiences their first proper glimpse of his mysterious new Halloween movie.
Takewell unexpectedly released the film’s complete pre-title sequence on his social media accounts today, ending weeks of near-total secrecy surrounding the production.
The short clip apparently shows the events immediately preceding the film’s opening titles, although quite what happens after that remains a closely guarded secret.
Very little is known about the plot. What is known is that the film stars Bungle the Newfoundland, Chico the Chow-Chow, and their owner and manager Ian D, alongside a collection of suspiciously familiar-looking horror characters apparently inspired by some of cinema’s most famous nightmares.
Quite what any of them have to do with a packet of missing dog treats remains unexplained.
The surprise release may also be an attempt to quieten persistent rumours of trouble behind the scenes.
For several weeks, entertainment insiders have claimed that relations between Takewell and Chico became increasingly strained during filming. Neither party has publicly confirmed reports of disagreements over Chico’s motivation, working conditions, catering requirements, camera angles and the apparently controversial suggestion that he should occasionally do what the director asked him to do.
One unconfirmed report claims Chico refused to leave his trailer because he had “already done enough acting for one day.”
The Barkdown approached both canine stars for comment.
Bungle said: “It was brilliant. Stanley was brilliant. Chico was brilliant. Ian was brilliant. The treats were brilliant. I’d do it all again tomorrow.”
After being read Bungle’s statement, Chico replied: “That’s because he thinks going to the vet is a day out.”
Asked directly whether he and Takewell had fallen out, Chico stared at our reporter for several seconds before walking away.
We have decided to interpret this as “no comment.”
Takewell himself has revealed nothing further about the film, merely describing the newly released footage as “a little taste of what’s coming.”
Whether that choice of words provides a clue to the whereabouts of the missing treats is currently unknown.
The Curse of the Lost Treats is scheduled for release on 31 October.
CHICO FILM DELAYED AFTER STAR DEMANDS “A PRODUCTION WORTHY OF ME”
The Barkdown UK has confirmed that its forthcoming documentary Chico – The First Six Months has been dramatically delayed — largely because nobody has yet found the courage to explain to Chico that six months have already passed.
The film, originally intended to chart Chico’s first six months at Barkdown Towers, will now be expanded to cover his entire first year and released early next year.
Director Stanley Takewell insists the decision is purely artistic.
WE LOOKED AT THE FOOTAGE AND REALISED THAT A SUBJECT OF CHICO’S STATURE SIMPLY CANNOT BE ADEQUATELY COVERED IN SIX MONTHS. ALSO, QUITE A LOT OF IT WAS FILMED IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, WHICH RATHER UNDERMINES THE CONCEPT OF THE FIRST SIX MONTHS.
Sources close to the production suggest there may be another reason.
Chico has reportedly become increasingly difficult to work with, demanding better lighting, more flattering camera angles, fewer scenes involving rain and a complete ban on anything described as a “second take”.
He has also allegedly refused to approve several sequences on the grounds that Bungle appears to be getting too much screen time.
Takewell has now ordered production to continue into January and is understood to be awaiting the arrival of a DJI Osmo Pocket 4P, claiming that the existing cameras are “simply not sufficient for a subject who clearly considers himself royalty.”
Chico declined to comment.
He was eating a sausage.
Meanwhile, the exclusive early clip alongside this story offers a glimpse of the unfinished film and Chico’s daily visit to the local deli — where the difference between our two leading men becomes painfully clear:
EVERY MORNING AT THE DELI, THERE’S A SAUSAGE WAITING THERE,
BUNGLE NEARLY FLATTENS EVERYONE, CHICO WOULDN’T DARE.
HE SITS THERE LIKE A GENTLEMAN, COMPOSED FROM HEAD TO FEET,
BUT UNDERNEATH THAT ROYAL FACE HE’S THINKING:
“GIVE ME MEAT.”
Chico – The First Year — coming early 2027.
Assuming His Lordship approves the final cut.
HISTORIANS STUNNED AS “LOST” BAYEUX TAPESTRY PANEL APPEARS TO FEATURE BUNGLE AND CHICO
Historians are reassessing almost a thousand years of English history after what experts are describing as a “remarkably convenient” new section of the Bayeux Tapestry appeared to show Bungle and Chico taking part in the Norman Conquest.
The fragment, believed to have been missing since shortly after 1066, depicts two heavily equipped dogs marching alongside Norman soldiers. One is an enormous black, shaggy figure identified by scholars as Bungle the Black; the other is a smaller, distinctly unimpressed Chow-Chow thought to be Chico the Reluctant.
The stitched Latin inscription above the pair appears to read “BVNGLE ET CHICO FIDELES IN PROELIO”, which leading Barkdown classicists have translated as: “Bungle and Chico, faithful in battle.” A rival academic interpretation adds the phrase: “although Chico would rather have stayed at home.”
According to one theory, Bungle served as a form of four-legged siege engine, using his immense size to flatten enemy formations, block gateways and sit on anyone who looked particularly Saxon.
Chico’s military role remains less clear. Contemporary accounts describe him as “independent of command”, “difficult to hurry” and “unwilling to advance in rain”, though one source claims he could move at exceptional speed whenever a cat was spotted near enemy lines.
The dogs’ battle equipment has also attracted attention. Bungle is shown wearing ornate armour and a heraldic shield, while Chico appears in a small helmet with the expression of someone who had not approved the costume department.
Barkdown historians believe the panel may explain a previously mysterious lull in the Battle of Hastings. Records suggest fighting briefly stopped while Norman commanders attempted to persuade Chico to move twenty yards further up the hill.
Asked whether the discovery proved Bungle and Chico had really been present in 1066, a Barkdown spokesperson said:
IT’S ON A TAPESTRY. WHAT MORE EVIDENCE DO YOU PEOPLE WANT?
Bungle declined to discuss his military service but was understood to be pleased with the size of his medieval shield.
Chico issued a brief statement:
I DIDN’T INVADE ENGLAND. I WAS JUST FOLLOWING BUNGLE.
STUBBORN™ MAKES THE FINAL 15 — BUT BUNGLE ISN’T SPENDING THE PRIZE MONEY JUST YET
The Barkdown UK has made it into the Final 15 of the CommunityCreator.com “Best AI Ad” competition — and, frankly, we’re rather chuffed.
Our promotional film for the luxury STUBBORN™ Remote Control, starring Bungle, Chico and their long-suffering owner Ian D, and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Stanley Takewell, was selected from 156 entries submitted to the competition.
The finalists are now being voted on by members of the Content Creator Community, with the winner expected to be announced around midnight UK time tonight, Saturday, 12th September.
First prize is $5,000, together with $500 worth of credits for PromptEdit.com, the AI platform used to help create the advert.
We’re not expecting to trouble the Top 3. Having watched all 15 finalists — which you can do in the video alongside this story — the standard is frighteningly high, and there are several entries we’d be perfectly happy to lose to.
In fact, four of the finalists are dog-themed, so whatever happens tonight, it appears the future of AI advertising has officially gone to the dogs. Naturally, Bungle and Chico regard this less as a trend and more as long-overdue recognition of the industry’s proper priorities.
For us, simply reaching the Final 15 from 156 entries is already a result worth celebrating. Anything beyond that would be a very welcome bonus — although Bungle is understood to have already drafted a substantially increased sausage budget just in case.
Bungle said:
DOES THIS MEAN I GET A BIGGER SAUSAGE BUDGET?
Chico responded:
I ASSUMED I WAS THE REASON WE MADE THE FINAL.
UPDATE: The results are now in, and our STUBBORN™ advert finished 14th overall out of 156 entries. Not exactly the podium, admittedly, but still comfortably inside the top 10% — and we’ll take that.
Chico, however, has taken a rather less gracious view of the result after pointing out that the video which finished second ran for 1 minute 11 seconds, despite the competition rules stating that entries had to be under one minute.
Chico said:
APPARENTLY RULES DON’T MATTER.
He then reportedly asked whether, for the next competition, we could submit a feature film and simply “see how it goes”.
BUNGLE & CHICO GO HOLLYWOOD: “MISSING TREATS” MOVIE STARTS SHOOTING NEXT WEEK
Hollywood had better lock up the sausages.
Celebrity canine duo Bungle and Chico have announced that shooting begins next week on their first mini movie, The Curse of the Missing Treats, a Halloween comedy-horror being produced by Barkdown UK Studios.
And the boys won’t be carrying the picture alone.
Their longtime friend, nightclub DJ and singer Ian D, has reportedly signed on as the lead human actor, appearing alongside the two four-legged stars as they stumble through a series of increasingly ridiculous horror-movie nightmares while attempting to solve one terrifying mystery: who stole the treats?
One major question remains unanswered — who is directing?
Veteran filmmaker Stanley Takewell had previously spoken enthusiastically in interviews about making the project, but industry insiders say his involvement is now far from certain following reports of serious on-set friction with Chico.
Takewell recently directed the dogs during filming of a promotional video for their new luxury STUBBORN™ Remote Control, and the experience apparently did little to improve relations between director and star.
Takewell has since famously described Chico as “the worst actor I’ve ever worked with,” accusing the aristocratic Chow-Chow of having little discernible talent, behaving like a prima donna and repeatedly storming off set whenever things failed to meet his standards.
Bungle, meanwhile, is understood to have caused considerably fewer problems — although sources claim his tendency to regard every crew member as a potential new best friend has not always helped production schedules.
The uncertainty surrounding Takewell has also cast doubt over another project.
His directorial documentary debut, Chico – The First 6 Months, starring the famously temperamental Chow-Chow, had been expected to premiere early next week. Following the reported fallout, however, nobody seems quite sure whether the film will actually appear on schedule — or whether director and star are currently even speaking.
Neither Chico nor Bungle has issued an official comment.
Chico was reportedly seen leaving a production meeting carrying a sign reading:
NO COMMENT. TALK TO MY PEOPLE.
Bungle’s sign simply said:
TREATS?