Hollywood's favourite canine actor, and star of The Artist, set to retire from movies after a triumphant end to his career

He has been the canine star of awards season and looks likely to triumph at next month's inaugural Golden Collar awards, a ceremony for Hollywood hounds. But Uggie the dog's brief stint in the spotlight is coming to an end after it was revealed the chirpy Jack Russell and star of Oscars frontrunner The Artist is to retire from the movies later this year.



Uggie will take a well-deserved rest after a whirlwind publicity tour to promote Michel Hazanavicius's silent, black and white hymn to Hollywood's golden era, which has taken in the Golden Globes and media organisations worldwide (including the Guardian earlier this month). He is likely to take his final bow at the Oscars themselves on 26 February, where The Artist is up for 10 awards.



Sarah Clifford of Hollywood pet actor agency Animal Savvy said Uggie had endured gruelling 15-hour days while working on Hazanavicius's film and was now ready for a relaxing retirement by the pool having reached the grand old age of 10 (around 70 in dog years). "We don't force our dogs to do this," Clifford told the Hollywood Reporter. "And it always has to be fun for them. Uggie's still enjoying it, but he's getting up there and he's slowing down a little."



Uggie will still shoot short films and adverts, but his days as a feature film star are over. Still, he ends his career on a high after turning in two of the year's most critically acclaimed pooch-orientated performances. As well as The Artist, Uggie starred in Water for Elephants in 2011. His main rival at the Golden Collars is said to be Cosmo, the dog from the Ewan McGregor/Christopher Plummer indie hit Beginners.



If animal actors are increasingly becoming as well known as their human counterparts, it should come as no surprise that there is a perky ingenue waiting in the wings to take Uggie's place in the spotlight. His brother Dash is currently being groomed for stardom.

• Oscars 2012
• Oscars
• Animals
• Awards and prizes

Ben Child

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