Uggie, the Jack Russell terrier who stole the show in "The Artist," is through with showbiz. Hollywood's doggie du jour is retiring at age 10 -- somewhere between 55 and 60 in dog years -- trainer Omar von Muller announced Wednesday via Life and Style Weekly.
"He may do a couple of little things here and there because he enjoys them," von Muller said, "but I don't want to put him through long hours anymore. He's getting tired."
The popular pup got a lot of Oscar buzz for his role as Jean Dujardin's faithful companion in "The Artist," a silent film that earned 10 Oscar nominations, including best picture. Many fans thought Uggie should've gotten the nod for best supporting actor, but Academy rules exclude animals from consideration, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The international film crowd feels differently about that. When the "The Artist" premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May, Uggie received the Palm Dog -- equivalent to the Palm d'Or -- for best performance by a canine.
Even though he was snubbed by the Academy, Uggie still may make a special appearance at the Oscars on February 26. Hollywood is madly in love with that dog. There's a lot of pressure to invite him to participate in the ceremony.
"I hope he gets to go," von Muller said. "They should give him an envelope to bring to Billy Crystal."
The talented canine did get two best dog noms for the first annual Golden Collar Awards. The awards, sponsored by Dog News Daily, will be presented February 13 -- a week before the Oscars -- at the dog-friendly Hotel Palomar in Los Angeles. Uggie got the double-nom for his work in "The Artist" and in "Water for Elephants," which also starred Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson.
When Uggie retires, his brother Dash will take over, von Muller said. Dash has been working as his famous bro's stand-in for a long time and is ready to step into those famous pawprints for real. How does Uggie feel about it?
"I think he will be fine with Dash stepping in," von Muller said. "Uggie is 10 years old and has done a lot of work -- he wants to relax at home. If somebody wants to do a movie with Uggie, they'll just have to deal with Dash!"
We wish Uggie a very happy retirement.
To watch Uggie and Dash in action with their trainer -- and riding skateboards -- be sure to check out the video that accompanies this article.
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