Thai Panda: An audience with Boo: The Mail meets the world's cutest (and soon-to-be richest) dog

Flashing his million-dollar smile: The cover of Boo: The Life Of The World's Cutest Dog. The five-year-old Pomeranian dog instantly warms to strangers and happily plays up to the camera like an old pro

Early evening at San Francisco’s swanky W Hotel and a crowd of excitable young women are waiting for a glimpse of the newest star in town.

Suddenly, six minutes ahead of schedule — unprecedented for a celebrity of his stature — he takes his place quietly and with a minimum of fuss beneath the spotlight. His understated entrance almost catches his audience off-guard until a lone, hysterical voice screeches: ‘Oh my God! Oh my God! There he is!’

The Daily Mail's Lina Das was granted a 15-minute audience with Boo

At that, the crowd surges forward as one, brandishing camera-phones to take his picture to the accompaniment of whoops and cheers as nervous-looking security guards try to hold the advancing fans back.

Bear-faced chic: Boo in a costume for Hallowe'en, left. This dog's a cool act: From Boo's Facebook page, right

Meanwhile, the star himself settles back on his velvet cushion, lapping up the adulation with the calm air of somebody who’s seen it all before.

But these young women are not here to catch a glimpse of a teen idol such as Justin Bieber or Hannah Montana — although, like Justin, this megastar is famous for his fluffy hairdo. The object of their affection is a five-year-old Pomeranian dog called Boo.

Boo may look like a teddy bear, have slightly suspect breath and be unable to sing, dance or act to any discernible degree (although let’s face it, that hasn’t stopped most X Factor contestants), but he is one of the fastest-growing stars, not only in America but across the globe.