Last Updated on 15 June 2023 by Colette
This post features product gifted for review
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| Man’s best friend? |
Chloe has a new friend! Russell the Dream Sheepdog, came to live at our house a few weeks ago now. It was love and first sight. Miss Chlo carried Russell everywhere . . . including on the school run!
Russell’s mission in life is to be the “ultimate bedtime companion for toddlers“. Aside from his cute, fluffy appearance Russell also features a soft coloured light in his tummy to act as a gentle, comforting night light when needed. The light is activated with a simple press of the paw and it moves slowly through a range of calming shades before turning itself off again. Chloe thinks this is fabulous.
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| Colour changing |
Russell also has another feature . . . one which has the potential to be amazing, but one which also has the potential to be utterly annoying!! Russell has his very own voice recorder meaning that you can record a message or story for your little one. This particular quality immediately makes me think of families where perhaps one parent works away a lot or grandparents who might like to record themselves reading a story – what a great idea for your child to be able to hear a loved one’s voice whenever they feel the need. However . . . the downside of this voice recorder is that you can’t control the fact your child might choose to set it off in the middle of the night. This might not seem much of an issue for most but, as Ben and Chloe currently share a room, the last thing I want is for Ben (or Dave & I) to be disturbed by our own voices on repeat from a fluffy sheepdog . . .
Having decided not to use the voice recorder we discovered that it’s actually not possible to isolate it, only alter the volume – Russell is turned on or off and of course if he’s turned off you also lose the lovely light. To overcome this we recorded silence. Yes I know. It does the trick though! As we decided not to make use of the voice recorder from the off Chloe doesn’t miss this feature. [Edit: Ok so I wrote that last night, then when I went to record Chloe talking about Russell this evening discovered that not only does she know you can make him talk but Ben has recorded his own special rustling sound . . . ]
As with most toys of this sort Russell’s batteries are stored in a velcro pocket in his bottom. We have found the battery pack does tend to fall out a bit however this might be definitely is something to do with an inquisitive older brother! Being battery powered, Russell the Dream Sheepdog isn’t keen on baths either (which is a shame as I do love to bung the cuddlies in the washing machine with reasonable regularity!)
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| You might be able to tell that Chlo was only pretending to sleep! |
Despite a few minor niggles on my part, Russell is a big hit in our house. He has become a permanent fixture in Chloe’s bed alongside Mr Mouse, Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny! He’s the perfect next step for little ones who have loved Ewan the Dream Sheep or who just need that little bit of extra security at night.
He is so cute! I am quite jealous, I need one in my life! x
I saw these at the baby show back in the spring & I definitely fell in love with him but I think I need to wait a bit as I'll have to have 2 I need the price to drop a little!!!
Thanks for hosting x
Awe, I've not seen these before! He ceratinly looks very happy to be living with Chloe and looks very well loved!
I didnt realise they were so bright! Lovely alternative to a night light #triedtested
It's just enough to give a nice comforting glow 🙂
He does look lovely and cuddly – recording silence was a great idea though until your little ones discovered they could record too! 🙂
Yes he makes all sorts of funny noises now! Little monkeys!
That looks so cute! It is a shame there are a few problems with it but I love the light feature and he just looks so snuggly I think I'd forgive his faults!
I feel much the same!
We loved Ewan, and I do love Russell too – for us it would have worked well as Daddy could have recorded a bedtime story for when he was away working! #TriedTested
Yes that's an ideal use for him 🙂
He is very cute….Such a shame you have noticed a few problems with it….It still looks and sounds like a lovely toy xx
That looks like a really nice toy, my daughter would take great comfort having that night light.
It's such a cute idea. Shame the batteries fall out a bit #triedtested
I have to say I think they are "helped" rather a lot by two very inquisitive children!
This looks lovely and I love the idea of having it as a night light, not sure I'd be keen on the recording bit though!
My daughter would love this if she had any room in her bed after all the other soft toys she piles up every night!
We're big fans of Ewan in this house so this seems like the next logical step for comforting sleep at night. xx
He does look sweet and Chloe looks so happy with him. The voice recorder would annoy me, too, though silence is a fab idea (older brothers aside!)
I've heard such good things about this range – must try them out!
So cute! I've heard so many good things about Russell, we love Ewan x #triedtested
Oh so glad to see you love Russell like we do. Missy Moo is so in love with hers. I even had to youtube her because she wouldn't put the poor pup down for days dragging it all over the house. Great review colette. The voice recorder has annoyed me too. I wish that it could record more than one thing ours just stays off! lol Its a good enough cuddle toy. lol hahah My voice isn't something I like to hear. 🙂 Thanks for hosting.
This is really nice! My smallest son is a bit afraid of the dark, so I'm wondering if this would be something to buy him and he's sister. 😀
Really nice review, and I love how you didn't know he could record! haha <3 x
He is really cute!! My little one isn't keen on the dark and has a lamp on but some nights its a little too bright, this may be handy!
That is such a clever idea. My son has a regular night light in his room, but Russell looks much cuter!
Cute, reminds me a bit of the glow worms we used to have a million years ago in the 1980's things have moved on since then though, but a snuggly toy which lights up when you cuddle it will always be popular 😉
Awwww that is so cute and I love photos of little ones sleeping so lovely. I think I'd forget about it though and then it would scare the living day lights out if me 🙂
I so need one of these for Cody, I would try anything to keep him in his own bed. Love the video 🙂
Russell is so cute! We bought a Ewan for the twins and most nights he sleeps in my eldest's bed. Love the photo of Chloe pretending to sleep with him, she obviously loves him! x
He looks so cute! I think we might have to get Baby one 🙂 x
He look lovely, my girls would love him! We have a cinderella that does the night light thing which we find very useful, not sure about the voice recorded part though. 😉
He looks lovely. My little boy would love that.
Cute and functional! I will definitely look out for one of these when my little one is bigger! x
ahhh, he looks lovely and Chloe looks to like him 🙂
What a cute toy. When son1 was a baby, he had a rattle with voice recording, but of course he didn't sleep with it, so I had never thought about the potentially annoying aspects. I used to sing a nursery rhyme on it and frequently rerecorded a different rhyme #TriedTested
This is so sweet, something my little man would love and would become really attached to xx
An adorable little cuddly toy! My kids would love one of those for themselves for sure
Oh what a great idea! My toddler would absolutely adore this, shame you couldn't function the light alone and not without the recording playing but good thinking to record silence. 🙂 #TriedTested