Though the shaking has led to his official retirement from major acting gigs, Uggie is oblivious to it and isn’t in any pain, Von Muller says. Uggie has White dog shaker syndrome, which affects small dog breeds. Bounding into the living room, he runs around, sniffing his visitors, sticking his nose into a purse - undoubtedly looking for food - and proffering wet kisses on hands and noses.Īs soon as Von Muller grabs a pouch of treats, Uggie begins performing the tricks he did in “The Artist” - rolling over, standing on his hind legs, barking, pretending to die after being shot and hiding his head in his front paws in mock embarrassment.Įvery so often, his right front legs begin to shake. But he certainly knows how to work a room. Like a lot of Hollywood stars, Uggie looks smaller in person than he does in the movies. “They sleep with us,” Von Muller said of the four-legged brood. Uggie follows the same routine as the other six dogs, which includes morning walks and training. Though Von Muller, 50, acknowledges that Uggie has been spoiled lately with all the attention, he isn’t given special treatment at home. Uggie shares a cozy house on a quiet street in Panorama City with Von Muller, his wife and daughter, six other dogs, two cats and assorted birds. No Hollywood mansion for this canine, who was a high-strung, untrained, 9-month-old puppy slated for the pound when he was adopted by animal trainer Omar von Muller. (His book is dedicated to the actress: “For Reese, my life, my light”).īut he doesn’t live like a star. dinner, where he got to reconnect with his “Water for Elephants” costar Reese Witherspoon. He even attended the White House Correspondents’ Assn. He is a spokesdog for PETA’s adoption campaign and has his own app. Uggie, who also had a funny cameo this summer in “The Campaign,” had his paw prints immortalized in June at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.

His legion of fans are known as Uggie Huggers.

Uggie won the Palm Dog during the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, the first Golden Collar Award and the American Humane Assn.’s Pawscar for best scene-stealer. He’s amazing.”Īnd he has the awards to prove it. He fills the room with his terrier presence. “It’s a coincidence that he happens to be a star in a dog’s body. The British-based writer previously worked with Goldie Hawn and Barbara Sinatra on their autobiographies. “He’s just a star,” Holden said over the phone from the publisher’s headquarters in New York City.