How to get your dog into modeling and acting (Part 1)

Eli the Chihuahua: from novice to professional dog model/actor.

Your pooch is the most adorable dog in the world. You stare into his face and swear his eyes look human. Strangers on the street marvel at your dog's charming appearance and ask if you've thought of getting him into pictures. 

Here's what you need to know:

Consider your dog's disposition. Calm and relaxed dogs make better models/actors than those that tend to be anxious or nervous. On a photo or movie shoot, there is lots of activity and people. Your dog must be comfortable with letting strangers touch him and being around a lot of energy, noise, and activity. 

How well-mannered is your dog? Your dog should have basic obedience training and know how to sit, stay, down and other commands. He/she doesn't necessarily need to know any tricks--remember the dog that played Papi in Beverly Hills Chihuahua was discovered at a shelter (read about it here). But your dog should be patient enough to put up with humans fussing for the perfect shot. 

What's your motivation? Having fun with your dog should be your primary reason for getting into doggie show business. Don't do it for the money.

Capitalize on your dog's innate talent. Karen Biehl, who is Eli the Chihuahua's doggie mama and guardian, suggests finding out what your dog does naturally. "Eli's talent is wearing costumes without any fuss at all and being handsome and cute in photos," Karen says. "He also has a tendency to rub his paws over his eyes when he wants to be petted, so I turned this into a trick, which I call 'shy guy.'" (That's Eli, pictured above. Ain't he cute?)

What's your dog's star quality? Lifetime Television, which ran a reality show about a dog salon, has a clever little test to measure your dog's potential.  Take their doggie star quality quiz and find out!

Start small. Warm up your dog's career by entering some photo contests. Build up your pooch's confidence. There are loads of dog model search contests across the country. Examples are New York Tails, City Dog Magazine, and America's Next Top Dog Model. Most have already picked their 2008 winners, but there is always 2009!

Get your dog an agent. If you're serious about show business, your dog needs an agent to maximize the opportunities. Eli the Chihuahua is represented by All Tame Animals. If you're in New York City, click here for a great resource on agencies that book dogs for film, TV and advertising. 

Check out the industry. There are numerous resources about getting your dog into show business, training, and agencies. Research them at: the Dog Actors Guild, Hollywood Animals' Actors Agency, and Hollywood Paws--a pet training and animal agency.

*In Part 2 of this article, Karen Biehl and Eli the Chihuahua give an in-depth interview about the biz.