Artist dog Uggie marks retirement

Uggie the dog, who appeared in Oscar-winning film The Artist, has officially marked his retirement by having his paw prints put in cement.

The 10-year-old played the best friend of fading matinee idol George Valentin.

His trainer Omar Van Muller revealed in January that the Jack Russell terrier was "getting tired" and would not be making any more films.

The canine star is the first dog to take part in the ceremony outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

On a hot day in Los Angeles, Uggie was given lots of water and treats as he appeared for fans.

"The main message that Uggie would like to send to everybody out there is to please adopt," Uggie's trainer, Omar Van Muller, told the crowd.

"He's adopted. He made it. If you guys can adopt a dog, even if they don't make it on the big screen, they'll be big stars at your house."

Van Muller said Uggie, whose other film credits include Mr. Fix It and Water for Elephants, would no longer star in films but would appear at charity events and other functions.

He arrived at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in a fire truck and was wearing a golden bow-tie collar and given a cake in the shape of a fire hydrant after performing tricks for photographers and tourists lining a red carpet.

After cementing his paws, Uggie had them dipped them in ink and "autographed" DVD and Blu-ray copies of The Artist.

The dog joins a long list of celebrities who have left handprints and footprints in the courtyard of the Hollywood tourist spot.

Among them are Johnny Depp, John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe, Fred Astaire and Kim Novak.

While Uggie is the first dog to be showcased at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, three dogs - Lassie, Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart - have stars on the nearby Hollywood Walk of Fame along with fictional characters like Godzilla, Kermit the Frog, Big Bird and The Muppets.

BBC