When Tim and Cate Hinko moved to Belle Haven in the fall of 2009, they arrived with a vision and a dog. Their 1950s house had seen only two owners before them, and they had a strong feeling it would be the place where life truly unfolded. Settling in before kids, alongside their puggle Harrison—whose “famous escapes” and barks became part of neighborhood lore—they sensed Belle Haven was special. Years later, after welcoming two children (the first babies to ever come home to that house), completing top-to-bottom renovations, and adding another beloved pup, that hunch proved right. They feel “incredibly blessed to be a part of a community that looks out for each other every day.”

Their newest four-legged family member is Dudley Noel Hinko, a Cavapoo who turned four in October 2025. A mix of King Charles Cavalier Spaniel and Mini Poodle, Dudley is the only other female in what Cate calls “this house of boys!” After losing Harrison in 2018, the family waited before bringing home another dog. With active kids and busy schedules, Cate researched carefully, knowing they needed the right fit. Dudley delivered, and then some: intelligent, easygoing, affectionate, and—thanks to her poodle genes—non-shedding. Still, Cate jokes, “But we’d take all the hair all over the house to have a dog like Duds!”

Dudley’s arrival is now family legend. She was a surprise from Santa under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning in 2021. The boys, then 10 and 8, cried joyful tears as she popped out of a box wearing a little gold bow. Cate calls it an “absolute core memory,” adding that the family “all just turned into a puddle.” Dudley’s middle name, Noel, nods to her origins as a Christmas puppy— a name from her Utah breeder her oldest insisted they keep. Her first name came together just as organically, inspired by a package from the lifestyle brand Dudley Stephens. Tomboy and princess rolled into one, the name fit instantly.

Temperament-wise, Dudley is everything the Hinkos hoped for. Cate says, “She truly wants nothing more than to be with us and make us happy,” and praises her sweetness, trainability, and intuition. Dudley seems to sense when someone in her “pack” is off and does her best to comfort them.

Around the house, Dudley has strong opinions. She watches TV intently, and will bark emphatically if animals, physical fighting, or Liberty Mutual commercials appear (she “can’t stand Limu Emu.”) She adores lambchop toys, a good game of fetch or keep away, and is famously selective about treats; she prefers freeze-dried lamb lung from only a few trusted hands.

In the neighborhood, Dudley is a familiar sight on long walks, and even at baseball fields across the DMV, sitting proudly on her own bleacher seat. If Dudley could choose any adventure, it would be anywhere with her family —preferably a beach. For the Hinkos, that sentiment sums it up perfectly. They “can’t imagine our family without her,” and Belle Haven wouldn’t be quite the same without Dudley Noel Hinko.