Uggie the Dog | The Pug and The Parrot

Every once in awhile you are caught off guard by an act of human kindness. That is not to say that there is not kindness all around. But the reality is that our dreams are often held hostage to the actions of others – and kindness is not even in the equation. Sometimes we are hopeful, yet sometimes someone puts up an obstacle. Sometimes no matter how we yearn for positive outcomes, we simply hit roadblocks. So when someone showing kindness can make a dream come true, now that’s, well in a word, magical.

In this instance, a dream come true was about meeting a dog. Yes, I said dog. I know you may find it unbelievable for anyone to have a dream like this. But you’ve never met a dog like Uggie.

Uggie stands up to greet us - we were taken in by his charm.

Uggie stands to greet us – we were taken in by his charm.

Uggie, you see is a Hollywood star, the show-stealer from the 2012 Oscar-winning film, The Artist. Uggie began his Hollywood career as a commercial-actor stunt dog, a side-winding marvel on a skateboard. He was rescued by Omar von Muller, dog trainer to the stars, who had a stable of motley canine rescues – prodigies and wonderdogs – already in his corral. Uggie happened along when behavioral problems with his first family were about to lead him straight to the pound. In steps Omar to the rescue to rehab and reshape Uggie into superstardom. This is where I come in – simply as a dog lover, a film lover, and an art lover. Voila! The perfect film for me – The Artist, a 21st Century silent film, a deeply moving, humorous and beautiful tale of a fading star in the golden era of Hollywood – all told in glorious black and white. French actor Jean Dujardin won the Oscar for his portrayal of The Artist. Uggie, the loyal and brave companion of Dujardin, won the hearts of everyone else including, perhaps especially, me.

I enjoyed Uggie’s renown on Facebook, followed his Tweets, watched him as a Special Ambassador on the Rose Parade broadcast, even bought his auto”paw”ography, ghost written, possibly a claim, by a renowned writer from England – so perfect. I watched star after star vie for a chance to meet Uggie – the ever-so-charming Jack Russell with an attitude (who blames him?). I watched Uggie go on a book tour and be hounded, yes I said it, by the foreign press in London and Paris. He made the talk show circuit here as well. Leno, Kimmel, Ellen, here, there, everywhere. I watched lucky fans greet him at signings.

Superstar Uggie leaves his pawtograph at Grumman’s Chinese Theater, Los Angeles

I watched Uggie immortalize his paw prints at the famous Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in L.A. I watched Uggie become spokesdog for Pet Adoption and the Mayo Clinic. I watched Uggie receive accolades, attention, and love. I watched Uggie grow old.

Yes, dear Uggie was fast approaching 12 years old and I feared any chance to ever shake his paw might forever escape me. There was just something about him – that face exuding sweetness, his good-natured spirit, his spunk. This was definitely a dog with pizazz and aplomb.

Jean Dujardin is upstaged by Uggie in the Oscar-winning film, The Artist.

As time rolled on, I noticed Uggie had gently excused himself from the limelight to lead a quieter life. Months passed with no posts, no pics, no hope – no hope of ever seeing him on tour or special appearances. I knew this was the best thing for Uggie considering his years of hard work and dedication to his craft, but secretly, I still wished for a brief moment to say hello to him, to pat him on the head and say, “Good Boy. Job well done.” I wanted some small connection to someone who had made me smile, made me cry, and inspired me to be a little kinder. Yes, dogs are good that way.

Long before this time, I had seen Uggie’s ‘pawtographed’ photos sell for hundreds of dollars for charitable endeavors. I always admired his giving side, but I never could afford to purchase one of these coveted photos. Until that day. Omar von Muller sent out a simple Facebook post saying Uggie was offering “signed” photos – just in time for Christmas, for that special someone – yeah me! It could be yours for $15. What? I couldn’t make it to PayPal fast enough. And of course, I couldn’t stop myself from enclosing a PayPal message to seller (who ever does this?) explaining that my pugs Hattie and Henry (true, but you know who) are such big fans of Uggie. And that it would be a dream come true to meet him. And on. And on. Finally, I politely invited Uggie to do a book signing, a charity event, or any personal appearance in my neck of the woods – Texas. But surely Texas seemed as far away as Siberia for Uggie. He was retired. And Texas is a million miles from Hollywood for a dog.

Uggie holds a place of honor among other portraits of our canine family members

Days later after my order was processed, I noticed that the seller had replied. No, not some auto response, but a real response. It was from Omar von Muller, THE Omar von Muller. Uggie’s Omar von Muller. “Uggie will be on set in New Mexico this summer if you would like to visit him. Is that convenient for you?” Read again. “Uggie will be on set in New Mexico this summer if you would like to visit him. Is that convenient for you?” Nothing flashy or pretentious. Just a simple invite, my message of Uggie worship notwithstanding, just a simple reply.

No doubt you can fast forward to the day my husband and I drove from Big D to the remote beauty of northern New Mexico. All this time there had been just a few messages in-between Hollywood and us. The secrecy surrounding the meeting did not deter our enthusiasm, it just added to the allure of encountering this remarkable canine celebrity. But our anticipation was met with an even greater surprise.

As we awaited the moment of Uggie’s arrival, expecting a leash-toting Omar von Muller, from behind a pillar partially obscuring our view walks Uggie – alone. Yes, for a moment, he was by himself. Then one, two, three, four, and five others were accompanying him. No, not just any entourage, instead a real family – the Von Mullers – Omar, Mercy, daughters Terry and Sabrina, and cattle dog brother, Jumpy. (More on him later.) The family was in New Mexico for the summer so Jumpy could star in a film with Ethan Hawke.

What we thought would be a brief hello and how’d-do turned into an all afternoon visit, photo session and all-around indescribable day. The Von Muller canines, both Uggie and wonderdog Jumpy, entertained us and amazed us with acrobatic feats – walking on two legs, making paw gestures, dancing, backflipping for Jumpy and other marvels.

Dancing magic – Terry and Jumpy don’t miss a beat.

Both dogs posed for photos with us and made us feel special. Astonishing! Jumpy won a place in our hearts alongside Uggie. His agility, intellect and prowess is unrivaled in the dog world. You simply cannot believe Jumpy’s athleticism. And we learned that Jumpy is emerging as a Hollywood superstar in his own right, making older brother Uggie proud.

The Magnificent Jumpy poses with the author. His eyes are spectacular!

But as much as this moment seeing Uggie meant to me, I saw something even greater – a kind and beautiful family with loving hearts and a generous spirit, a family not afraid to openly reach out to others and share something meaningful and personal for them. With their simple reply to me, completely unknown to them, they allowed me to share a moment with a dog. Yes, that dog. Uggie was not only obedient, he was also decorous, dignified and gracious – everything you would hope a big star like him would be. But his family was equally gracious, loving and remarkable – their enthusiasm in meeting us was just as great as any celebrity they had met or Hollywood event they had attended. Their love for each other and those extraordinary canines radiated from every part of them.

A family of fellow dog lovers with biggest hearts in Hollywood- left to right: Terry, Sabrina, Mercy, Uggie, Jumpy and Omar von Muller.

Jumpy plants a wet one on a unsuspecting Omar as Terry smiles with delight.

Little Sabrina and beauty Terry were all smiles, Terry wise beyond her young years, and toddler Sabrina an angel. Mercy, is not only a knock-out, but she also has a heart as big Texas, with a soft, caring spirit – humble, enchanting and real. Omar, his passion for animals barely contained, beamed with pride for every carefully choreographed maneuver perfectly performed by Uggie and Jumpy. He revealed more to us than he ever knew, however, as his eyes sparkled with delight when he talked about his girls – Mercy, Terry and Sabrina. The Von Mullers’ hospitality and kindness left me wanting to emulate them. If ever I could act like that, treat others like that, love like that, then I would feel I had lived a good life.

I will remember the magic of that day with Uggie for the rest of my days. But the lasting impression is the human element, the simple act of kindness in allowing a perfect stranger to realize a dream come true by removing any barriers to make it possible. I will never forget this lesson. You never know when it will be your time to turn a simple gesture, a single act of kindness into someone else’s dream come true. You may just receive more than you ever imagined – not at all a bad lesson to learn from a meeting with a dog.