Uggie looking downright heavenly on the "red" carpet at last night's Golden Collar Awards (Photo by Maria Goodavage)The inaugural Golden Collar Awards, held last night in Los Angeles, paid homage to Tinseltown’s four-legged set, with six talented dogs trotting away with dazzling trophies and lots of stories to tell their pooch pals about the A-list human celebs they shook paws with on the red carpet.
Uggie, the talented and adorable 10-year-old Jack Russell co-star of The Artist, was the paws-down winner for Best Dog in a Theatrical Film. He is retiring from the film business soon after the upcoming Oscars, so this was his penultimate swansong.
“He is a great family member as well as a great performer, and he will be enjoying a lot more couch time now,” Uggie’s owner-trainer, Omar Von Muller, told me after the ceremony, with Uggie trembling lightly in his arms. (Uggie has a mystery neurological syndrome vets haven’t yet been able to diagnose.) “He has helped pave the way for other dogs and trainers to get the recognition they deserve for their hard work in the future.”
Uggie is expected to take his final bow-wow at the Oscars, where he will reportedly open the show beside host Billy Crystal. I don’t normally glue myself to the Oscars, but I’ll definitely be watching this year’s from the start.
The evening's stand-ins for Blackie, of "Hugo" fame, did not mind sharing the spotlight with each other or the more physically diminutive Uggie, who won in their category. (Photo by Maria Goodavage)Acceptance speeches at the Golden Canine Awards were blissfully short, with no sentimental gushing. The award-winning dogs didn’t go on and on about their gratitude to their mothers, directors, and spouses, and their people had just a few well-chosen words for the audience, who braved an ice-cold banquet hall for the awards portion of the event.
The dogs who didn’t win anything didn’t seem to care. There was no dismay, no dashing of self-worth, no back-stabbing. When Wendy Malick from Hot in Cleveland announced Uggie as the winner of the night’s big award (pronouncing his name “You-gie” — oops), the two Dobies who were the evening’s stand-ins for Blackie, of Hugo fame, slept right through it. They only roused when they heard the name “Blackie” in the nominee list, but they went right back to sleep a few feet away from me when Blackie didn’t win. I am pretty sure I even heard one of them snoring.
What all the dogs — winners and otherwise (there are no losers in the dog world) really wanted was to know what goodies were inside the Natural Balance swag bags that seemed to smell insanely appealing to them. It was not uncommon at the end of the ceremony to witness a famous dog’s head buried in a blue bag, snortling around the sample packets of treats and kibbles. This is not something we generally see human celebs do at the end of the Oscars or Emmys. They wait until they’re in the car on the way home.
It was a quirky event, with its share of little gaffes (eg, no envelope for the very first winner, announced by actress Pauley Perrette, who handled the problem with aplomb), but that’s part of what made it a refreshing break from a typical Hollywood awards ceremony.
Even veterans of awards events were smitten by the Golden Collars.
Elizabeth Snead, one of last night's judges and a 15-year veteran of Hollywood awards shows, says the Golden Canines were the most fun. She atteneded the event with Posy, one of her six little Malteses. (Photo by Maria Goodavage)“This is more fun than I’ve had the whole time I’ve been covering the Oscars and Golden Globes,” said Elizabeth Snead, contributing editor at The Hollywood Reporter, who helped judge the Golden Collars. “Dogs make the awards season much more human.”
She’s right. There’s something about dogs that humanizes so many situations — even war. With a dog at your side, barriers break down, and people can see everything from a different perspective — a kinder, less judgmental one with admiration for the silent loyalty and love dogs bring with them. It’s hard to explain, but I think my regular readers know exactly what I’m talking about.
Uggie, who brought a strong dose of humanity to The Artist and to the evening’s festivities, was more than happy to share the spotlight with his “brother,” Dash, who will be taking over the family’s acting legacy. Uggie was often content to be in his handler’s arms while Dash did way-cute tricks on the red carpet. Move over, Barrymores!
There were plenty of other winners as well last night.
• The Best Dog in a Foreign Film category was won by Koko from the Australian film Red Dog, which is definitely on my list of must-see dog films. In Australia, Koko is just as famous as Uggie. A tongue-in-cheek video by Koko’s people said Koko wasn’t at the Golden Collars because the people of Australia refuse to let the dog leave the country.
• The Best Dog in a Television Series category went to the uber cute French bulldog Brigitte from the ever-popular TV series, Modern Family.
Shorty Rossi and Hercules, of Pit Boss fame. Shorty was happy Hercules won an award, because he's all about bringing awareness to pit bulls being great dogs. (Photo by Maria Goodavage)• There was a tie in the Best Dog in a Reality Television Series category, with Hercules from Pit Boss and Giggy from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills sharing the award. After the ceremony, Pit Boss star Shorty Rossi told me he hoped that his loveable, mellow pit bull’s win would help the public see pit bulls as “the fantastic dogs they are.” A side note: Hercules has the world’s softest fur on his forehead, and it’s hard to stop petting it, especially when he looks at you with those soulful eyes.
• For Best Dog in a Direct-to-DVD Film category, the two nominees from Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2, which was the predicted winner, probably split up the votes for that DVD, which gave the win to Rody, the cuddly yellow Lab pup Rody, from Marley & Me: The Puppy Years.
I have a feeling that with the recognition brought to canine thespians by this show and by Uggie himself, we’ll be seeing more dogs in future productions. I have a feeling I’m going to have plenty of excuses to go to the movies in upcoming years. (“Honey, it’s for work! We have to go see (fill in the blank future movie title starring dog) tonight.”)
Dogster will shortly be featuring a fun photo post of the evening’s festivities, with images by our photographer-for-the-evening, Nanette Gonzales. Keep your eyes peeled for more celebrity canines.
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Uggie's days on the red carpet are numbered, but he'd rather be lounging by the blue pool.
Blackie, in Hugo. (Photo: Jaap Buitendijk/GK Films)
) Not that I don’t love Uggie and the other contenders, but Blackie’s stellar performance should not be overlooked just because she was kinda big and scary. (
The Golden Globe Awards are so last weekend. The awards event that’s shining today is the Golden Collar Awards, a new institution recognizing the best canine performances in film and television.
Penelope Ann Miller and Uggie announced the Golden Collar Awards yesterday
These handmade collars are constructed with oiled, single-ply leather and fitted with a heavy brass nameplate. The nameplate can accommodate up to four lines of text (of course, the text gets smaller as you add more. Laws of physics and all that), and is hand-riveted onto the collar.
DogTek and Dogster are teaming up to give away an Eyenimal collar cam (retail value: $129) to one lucky dog-blog reader. To enter for your chance to win, simply leave a comment below telling us the kinds of things you would like to see from your dog’s perspective if you had a doggy cam. If you think you’d see any sneaky shenanigans like Jake’s, be sure to mention this, too.
I am so embarrassed about being the only boy dog with a LOVE LOVE PINK collar that I'm just going to dig a hole and stick my head in it 
You could win a matching Buckle-Down collar and leash! (Jake not included)
semble this weekend. Yes, it’s pink and girly, but in a very hip, Ed Hardy way. It’s perfect for our surfer dude neighborhood in San Francisco. “Aren’t you a cool girl?!” one surfer asked as he gave “her” a head scratch while we waited to cross the street to get to the beach. Jake gave him a sideways look, but apparently decided not to try to explain. Here’s a closer view of the collar with its really sturdy seatbelt-buckle.
1900NCP Number of Dogs: 1 Features: -Field star 1/2 mile remote dog trainer. -Fully waterproof, 1/2-mile range. -Rechargeable Ni-MH batteries. -Low to high power transmitter. -Rheostat Intensity dial that allows for gradual adjustment in stimulation intensity. -Stimulation type-nick, constant, and non-electrical stimulating pager/vibration. -LCD screen displays exact numeric level of stimulation clearly and accurately. -Tri-color LED battery life indicator. -Available in one or two-dog system.
The creation of any new Lupine pattern is always an event, but we are especially excited by the arrival of the gorgeous new 
SBC-10R Select from Temperament Learning, Progressive Correction or User-Selected Correction modes. The PerfectBark technology provides firm, fair and consistent bark control, requiring both vibration and sound to trigger a correction. The automatic safety shut-off eliminates the risk of overcorrection. Features: -Rechargeable.
2-dog; SureStim feature; Low to medium power; 1/2 mile range; nick and constant stimulation and vibrating page; waterproof collar/receiver; rechargeable; LCD Screen (Low to medium power) The new Surestim feature assures the trainer that the stimulation has been implemented through a positive vibration feedback feature in the handheld transmitter. One transmitter will operate 2 collars independently. The 7002M is identical to its big brother the 7102H but is designed for smaller breeds or dogs that do not need a high output. Surestim 7002M : low to medium power for dogs over 15 lbs Suresitm 7102H : low to high power for dogs over 20 lbs Features One transmitter will operate 2 collars independently Precise stimulation level (0-127) Reduced receiver/collar designed for smaller dogs 1/2 mile range 'Nick', 'Constant' and non-stimulating pager/vibration Surestim positive vibration feature in transmitter Rechargeable Ni-MH batteries Fully waterproof collar/rece...
The Dogtra 175NCP remote controlled dog training collar is an entry-level companion dog trainer for small to medium breeds. This compact trainer has a 400+ yard range, nick and constant stimulation modes along with the Dogtra patented non-stimulating pager function. The Dogtra 175NCP includes a durable waterproof receiver, water-resistant transmitter and rechargeable Ni-MH batteries.
The Recycled Bicycle Tube Dog Collar by Cycle Dog is an exciting new product that is eco-friendly, functional, and fun. Reclaimed bicycle tubes are soft and, thus, they provide a comfortable feel for both dogs and humans. In addition, bicycle inner tubes dry quickly and are less likely to stink than other materials. There are over 60 million bicycle riders in the United States that produce a lot of flat tires and old inner tubes. Cycle Dog repurposes flat tires and old inner tubes into dog leashes and collars and, thus, Cycle Dog helps to keep unnecessary waste out of landfills. Cycle Dog products are handmade in the USA so each leash is slightly different than the rest. Select a Cycle Dog collar and leash to fit just about any dog.
AddADog receivers are waterproof and submersible. They use rechargeable, replaceable nimh batteries and have lowbattery indicators. On and off switch on receiver. Standard AddADog collars will work with any Field Trainer transmitter. Includes both a black and green collar strap.
LCD Display Remote 2-Dog Training Shock Collars with 100 Levels. It is one of the coolest dog training collars in the market. This set has two receivers so you can remotely control/train two dogs at the same time. 
Features:
Dogtra 200NCP Gold Training Collar. These Dogtra 200NCP Gold Training Collars boast pro-quality at a discount price: Water-resistant transmitter / waterproof receiver; Half-mile range; Nick mode sends a burst of stimulation and constant stimulation mode lasts as long as you hold down the button; Non-stimulating pager / vibration mode; Industry-leading durability; Rechargeable Ni-MH batteries. Get yours now! AVAILABLE SEPARATELY: 2 dog Trainer - word search in our Store for 'Training Collar'. Dogtra 200NCP Gold Dog Training Collar, 1 dog