Sleeping Dogs Lie episode Guide
Brief: Del’s on to a great money making scheme – looking after Boycie and Marlene’s new puppy Dukie for a steal at 60 quid a week. Should be a doddle – a bit of the old Pedigree Chum and they should be away. Then Dukie falls victim to Salmonella poisoning.
Transmitted: 21.03.1985
Duration: 30 minutes
Viewing Figures: 18.7 million
In an attempt to earn an easy £60 a week, Del persuades Boycie and Marlene to entrust him with the care of their Great Dane puppy, Duke, while they are away on holiday.
Whilst out on a walk, Rodney notices that the dog is a bit sluggish, and they decide to take it to the vets. Del and Rodney think that the dog may have eaten some reheated pork leftovers for breakfast, and the vet quickly informs them that Duke has probably caught Salmonella.
It’s only when they get home that they realise Albert has eaten the other half of the pork, and they quickly rush him to hospital.
When Albert’s gets discharged from hospital a few days later, with a clean bill of health, Del boy discovers that Rodney has been giving Albert’s sleeping pills to Duke, and the dog’s vitamin supplements to Albert.




Episode Observations
- In Sleeping Dogs Lie, Scene where Rodney and Del boy pick up the dog from Boycies, Rodney takes the bag of food for the dog to the van but leaves it outside and doesn’t put it in.
- In Sleeping Dogs Lie, re:dukey the people who said dukey dissapears when Tyler is born, well you are wrong, if you watch ‘The Sky’s the Limit, while Boyce is messing with is satelight dish Dukey can clealy be seen and then Boycie says “Dukey will you get in that Bloody house” then just after Marlene wheels Tyler out in his pram, also Dukey was seen at Rodneys wedding reception.
- In Sleeping Dogs Lie, When Del and Rodney were at the Vet, Del phones Uncle Albert and mentions that he might have “Sam and Ella” giving the impression that Del does not know Salmonela! However, in the first episode of Big Brother, Del refers to Grandad’s “Egg and Chips” as “Salmonela and Chips”. Clearly Del’s memory may not be that cushty!
- In Sleeping Dogs Lie, When rodney goes into the van with the dog meat, if you look he doesn’t even take it in the van with him!
- In Sleeping Dogs Lie, when Del and Rodney go to get the dog from Boycies house Del picks up the dog food bag and then gives it to Rodney and he goes to the door of the van. When he’s about to get in the van he does not have the food bag but when del boy does the dog thing you can see the food bag through Rodney’s legs (pause the video before Rodney gets in the van and you see the food bag and then pause it when Rodney is about to jump out of the van play it slow and you see the food bag on the floor)
- In Sleeping Dogs Lie, Regarding the comment on Del not pinching Marlene, in fact he does and then he blames Boycie.
- In Sleeping Dogs Lie, Just before Marlene & Boycie leave on their trip, Marlene squeals & slaps Delboy’s arm, like he has pinched her – yet if you watch, you’ll see daylight between them & Del’s hand is in his pocket.
- In Sleeping Dogs Lie, in the first scene of the vets, Del is seen at the fish-tank. As the camera follows him up, looking carefully you’ll see a chunk of the wall (wooden panelling) is cut and pasted or superimposed over the top of the picture. This is probably covering up the wandering sound microphone on the set.
- In Sleeping Dogs Lie, during the scene at the vets, Del is looking at the secretary walking around the waiting room. As the camera follows on the shot before she feeds the fish, you’ll see a massive sound microphone at the top of the picture. The sound guy was having a bad day!
- In Sleeping Dogs Lie, right at the end , when the closing credits start, if you listen to the audience clapping, one of the members of the audience starts BARKING in line with the show!
- In Sleeping Dogs Lie, When Rodney carries the bag with Duke’s food in to the van, he gets in but the bag is knowhere to be seen.He must leave it on the floor outside.
Sleeping Dogs Lie Script
The script will be downloadable from here
Did You Know?
The idea for the script was purely based on a gag someone told JS.
When Rodney answers the phone in the flat, you can see the microphone at the top right of the screen.
This is the best episode ever. I was a kid when start watching OFAH and the end of the episode is so funny for me. I have a feeling that Del Boy and Rodney just make it ad-hoc without any script. They look like this is the improvisation of the original script. Is it?
In Sleeping Dogs Lie, Just before Marlene & Boycie leave on their trip, Marlene squeals & slaps Delboy’s arm, like he has pinched her – yet if you watch, you’ll see daylight between them & Del’s hand is in his pocket.
Del does actually pinch her, it’s hard to see but you can just see his hand move across between them.
anybody know the name of the hospital that was used for filming in this episode?
its the sound Rodney makes when throwing the tennis ball for Dukey – I cannot understand how this causes such laughter EVERY single tme I hear it. Awesome episode
Watched this tonight. It’s got to be one of the most laugh out loud filled episodes. I was weak so I was.
‘Come here boy’!!!