Forget Brad and George... the real star of the Oscars is Uggie the dog

By BAZ BAMIGBOYE

In demand: Daily Mail reporter Baz Bamigboye interviews Uggie The Jack Russell Terrier, and star of the Silent film The Artist as the pooch gets ready for the Oscars

He will not win an Oscar but the biggest star of this year’s Academy Awards is Uggie the dog.
The four-legged star of pre-Oscar favourite film The Artist was in as much demand as his human counterparts before last night’s glittering ceremony.
The 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier was the toast of Tinseltown as Hollywood prepared for its biggest night of the year.

Pampered: Uggie relaxes at the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Los Angeles before his big night

‘Uggie has a schedule to rival any star in this town,’ noted Cindi Berger, chairman and CEO of PMK BNC public relations, a company which represents a bevy of major stars.
One network show was desperate to get hold of Uggie — and completely uninterested in his two-legged co-stars.

Smart: Uggie looks every inch the Hollywood star as he prepared for one of the biggest nights of his life. His pre-Oscars schedule was said to be just as hectic as major actors and actresses

Harvey Weinstein, who acquired The Artist for distribution long before its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, called Uggie his ‘secret weapon’.
‘He’s up there with the big ones,’ Weinstein declared as Uggie turned up at Weinstein’s pre-Oscar bash at the swanky West Hollywood club Soho House on Saturday night.
The popular pooch sported a leather collar with an 18 carat yellow gold bone inscribed with his name, which had been specially designed for him by Chopard the jewelers.

Big role: Berenice Bejo as Peppy Miller and Uggie the Jack Russell dog, in The Artist

He was introduced to the likes of Meryl Streep and crooner Tony Bennett.
Then yesterday the pooch arrived at the fabled Chateau Marmont Hotel on Sunset Boulevard to be primped and pampered for Oscar night although he was still deciding what Oscar night after-parties to attend.
He was accompanied by his entourage: owner and trainer Omar Von Muller; grooming consultant Michelle Day; and executive Katie Doyle from the LA office of Weinstein Co, who was ‘holding his hand’. Or paw.
First off, Uggie was given a shampoo, wash and brush. Ms Day then gave him a blow dry.
After that, he had his nails buffed. Then he lay on a bed at the Chateau and watched early arrivals on the red carpet.


Glamour: George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) and Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejol) in the pre-Oscar favourite film The Artist

After the Oscars are over, he’ll just do the occasional commercial, but no more films.
He doesn’t get out of doggie basket for less £500 an hour and is now a spokesdog for a Nintendo 3DS pet-related game, despite it being recently revealed that he suffers from a neurological disorder

source: dailymail

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You weren't invited to this picnic! Hungry black bear gatecrashes family lunch... and tucks into their sandwiches

By DAVID BAKER


Bear faced cheek: This hungry black bear had no hesitation in interrupting a family picnic, where he tucked into sandwiches and cakes left behind by a terrified family

When a family headed down to the woods for a spot of lunch they had no idea it would turn in to a real-life teddy bear’s picnic.
And much like the song suggests they were definitely in for a big surprise - when it was gatecrashed by this hungry black bear.
These incredible pictures were captured by terrified walkers after their lunch was brought to an abrupt end by the ravenous visitor.

Lunchtime: The bear rummages through the food left by a fleeing family in the Shenandoah National Park, Virgina

It sat happily munching on cakes and sandwiches, ignoring the hysterical crowds, after the families enjoying the sunshine in the Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, had fled when the enormous black bear came to join them for lunch.
It was only when a ranger turned up and pelted him with rocks that he finally decided he had had his fill, and went back into the woods.

Teddy bear picnic: Shocked walkers captured this hungry bear trawling through food on a picnic table after it interrupted a family lunch

Caught red handed: The bear tries to claw out anything left in packets left behind by terrified diners

'The bear saw the picnic table full of food and went over to it causing the people occupying the picnic table to run away.
'After the rangers were called one came up and chased the bear away.
'It was eventually trapped and relocated to another part of the park away from people.
'My impression was that the bear was getting into big trouble by raiding the picnic table but not being aggressive to the people around it.'

Time to roll: Just as the bear looks to tuck into a bread roll he is startled by park rangers who were called when the enormous animal rudely interrupted a family picnic


Full: Having had his fill the bear makes his way back into the woods as a park ranger attempts to shoo him away

source: dailymail

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'Catch of the day!': Katy Perry bonds with The Artist's star puppy as she wears VERY demure in a silver shift for pre-Oscars bash

By JADE WATKINS

Friendly companion: The 27-year-old singer cuddled up to Uggie, the puppy star of The Artist

She is currently single following her split with husband Russell Brand this year.
But it seems that Katy Perry has already found a new companion.
The 27-year-old singer cuddled up to Uggie, the puppy star of The Artist, as she attended the Weinstein Company party at the exclusive Soho House last night.

Demure: Katy slipped her curves into a sophisticated embroidered silver shift dress for the Weinstein Company party at Soho House last night

The Teenage Dream singer tweeted a picture of herself giving the star canine a snuggle. 'Catch of the day! Uggie from "The Artist" (not the guy in the background!)' she wrote on her Twitter page along with the cute snap.
While she is known for her racy attire onstage and sometimes on the red-carpet, the singer wore her most conservative outfit yet at last night's event.
The blue-haired star slipped her curves into a sophisticated embroidered silver shift dress, which she paired with some acid yellow satin heels.

source: dailymail

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Her little bit of ruff! Lucy Mecklenburgh takes puppy Bentley for walkies Essex style (by carrying him)

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Settling in: Lucy Meckleburgh's puppy looks like he is settling in very well as this Twitter picture shows

Perfecting the Essex trout pout is tough, especially if you find yourself carrying a small puppy wearing a red jumper.
But for Lucy Mecklenburgh her pet Bentley is more than just a dog, he is the ultimate promise of fidelity from boyfriend Mario Falcone.
Which is probably why the reality star felt she had to smile broadly as she was spotted taking Bentley for a walk.

Ruff and ready: Bentley perfects his pout with Lucy Mecklenburgh as they leave her boutique in Essex

In fact, it was less walkies and more carries for Bentley, who it seems is too posh put his paws on the pavement this afternoon.
But Lucy, 20, certainly didn't mind as she looked pleased as punch to be carrying her new best friend out of her boutique in Essex.
Mario and Lucy appear to be steaming ahead in their reconciled relationship despite promising to take it slow.

Puppy love: Lucy and Bentley both look to the floor as they are spotted out in Brentwood

Mario surprised his girlfriend with a brand new puppy which he wanted to name Max.
But when Lucy said that she preferred the name Bentley, he offered an exchange. 'If you want to call him Bentley you have to give me sex,' he said. 'So either you call him Bentley and I get sexy time, or call him Max and you get your three dates and romance.'
Lucy was quick to let go of her resolve, replying: 'Bentley it is.'

Surprise! Despite promising to take their reconciled relationship slowly, Mario surprised girlfriend Lucy with a new puppy

Max or Bentley? In exchange for getting to choose the new pet's name, Lucy had to let go of her 'three date rule' before sleeping with Mario again

Perhaps that's why the brunette was grinning as she clutched Bentley, wearing a pretty floral dress.
It seems her small puppy it is settling in well, although the shop owner said the evenings have been 'interesting'.
She wrote on Twitter: 'Morning !! that was an interesting night sleep with bentley !!! Last day of filming ! Party time!!!'

source: dailymail

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How walking the dog can be harmful to your health: 'Man's best friend' may cause high number of injuries

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Risk of broken bones: Elderly women walking their pets on uneven ground were thought to be most in danger because they are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis (file picture)

The regular walks and companionship that come with owning a dog are known to aid fitness and wellbeing.
But it turns out that man’s best friend may be more likely to harm health than help it. They may be responsible for a worryingly high number of injuries needing emergency hospital treatment, researchers say.
Over only two months, doctors at one hospital noted 37 cases of patients needing treatment for broken bones, soft tissue injuries and head wounds caused by dogs.

Concern: One hospital noted 37 cases in two months of patients needing treatment for injuries caused by dogs (file picture)

Sixteen of them needed surgery. Most were pulled over by their pet while it was on a lead, while others tripped while out walking, fell over leads or were knocked over as their dog ran towards them.
Doctors were so surprised by the results – which suggest the hospital deals with more than 200 dog-related injuries a year – that they concluded the risks to dog owners’ health may ‘offset any benefits’.

Dr Willmott suggested more elderly women than men were hurt because they are more likely to have weaker bones due to osteoporosis.
The study, published in the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention, is the first to look at how many injuries – other than biting – dogs cause. Previous research has shown owning a dog can ward off depression, lower blood pressure and even combat obesity. Dogs have been shown to reduce the risk of developing eczema and may be able to sniff out cancer before symptoms develop.

source: dailymail

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Free inside your Mail... Stunning posters from The Frozen Planet

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

With spectacular polar landscapes and amazing animal behaviour, often filmed for the first time, Frozen Planet captures the drama of an extreme natural world

It remains one of the most extraordinary natural history programmes ever made. Sir David Attenborough’s landmark Frozen Planet series stunned and amazed us all with astonishing footage of the frozen wildernesses of the Arctic and Antarctic.
Ambitious and epic in scale, Frozen Planet captures all the jaw-dropping beauty of these hostile and little-known regions as well as the awe-inspiring power of the elements. Yet these harsh environments are teeming with life - from polar bears, reindeer, seals and killer whales to Arctic wolves.

Unforgettable: Re-live the amazing imagery from the BBC's Frozen Planet series with these incredible posters. This incredible picture shows a female polar bear with her two cubs

Majestic: A great grey owl is captured in flight. So reclusive that it is often referred to as the 'Great Grey Ghost' or 'Phantom of the North', it is one of the largest owls in the world with a wingspan of between four and five feet

Who can forget the incredible photography that made the series such a worldwide success? The images of penguins cavorting in caves, pods of Orca whales emerging through the ice, of dazzling blue meltwater lakes that form and disappear within days, and astonishing footage from below the ice, where tiny fish have natural antifreeze in their blood.
Now the Mail gives you the opportunity to collect a series of posters featuring remarkable stills from Frozen Planet, absolutely free.

Coming up for air: Orca whales swim to the surface of a frozen landscape (left) while a baby seal and its mother rest on the ice surface (right)

The first poster, included in Saturday’s Daily Mail, is a stunning image of an adult polar bear with two young cubs. Inside every copy of this weekend’s Mail on Sunday is a poster featuring a great grey owl in flight.
So reclusive that it is often referred to as the ‘Great Grey Ghost’ or Phantom of the North, the great grey is one of the largest owls in the world, with a wingspan of between four and five feet. Unlike dark-eyed nocturnal owls, it has distinctive piercing eyes, which may be an adaptation to hunting by day.

Frozen Planet captures all the jaw-dropping beauty of these hostile and little-known regions

Get another poster in Monday’s Daily Mail - and a new one every day until next Friday. Once you have completed your collection, they combine to make a super-sized breath-taking image on the reverse.
Frozen Planet is now available on DVD and Blu-ray through BBC Worldwide, featuring stunning scenes of the lives of these extraordinary creatures throughout the seasons as they struggle to survive.
With spectacular polar landscapes and amazing animal behaviour, often filmed for the first time, Frozen Planet captures the drama of an extreme natural world.

The penguin nursery: This is the poles as you've never seen them before, and may never see them again. These harsh environments are teeming with life


Jaw-dropping drama: The stunning eyes of an Arctic wolf. Frozen Planet captures the beauty of the Artic and Antarctic creatures as well as that of the hostile and little-known regions

This is the poles as you’ve never seen them before, and may never see them again…
You can collect the Frozen Planet posters every day inside the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday until Friday (2 March).

source: dailymail

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Isn't he lovely! Kate can't hide her delight as she takes Lupo the pup for walkies in Kensington Gardens

By REBECCA ENGLISH

Attaboy! The Duchess of Cambridge joked with her Scotland Yard protection officer as Lupo enjoyed wandering off. She was walking through Kensington Gardens this week

He’s the pup who – until this week, at least – was one of the Royal Family’s most closely guarded secrets.
Now meet Lupo, the four-month-old cocker spaniel who has most definitely fallen on his paws after being picked as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s first pet.
Walking through Kensington Gardens this week, close to the cottage she shares in the palace grounds with Prince William, Kate couldn’t hide her delight at the pup’s antics.

The future Queen laughed and joked with her Scotland Yard protection officer as the excited little dog raced around in the grass.
Although she was very much in the city, Kate looked as if she was dressed for a country hike in a pair of £225 hand-crafted Le Chameau Vierzon wellingtons, jeans and a brown shearling Darwin jacket with fur collar and cuffs from LK Bennett topped with a brown leather hat – and some heavy eye make-up.

Country chic: The Duchess wore a pair of £225 hand-crafted Le Chameau Vierzon wellingtons, jeans and a brown shearling Darwin jacket with fur collar and cuffs from LK Bennett topped with a brown leather hat

At first the couple’s spokesman refused even to confirm their pet’s existence, saying it was a ‘private matter’.
After a month-long stand-off the dog’s name finally emerged after a seven-year-old boy simply asked the duchess when she visited Rose Hill Primary School in Oxford this week on behalf of her new charity, The Art Room.
After being handed a toy dog by Abubakr Hussain, Kate said she would name it after her own pet, Lupo, which means wolf in Italian and is a derivative of the Latin word for the animal, Lupus.
Kate and William, an aide later confirmed, chose the name for their pet simply because ‘they liked it’

On the lookout: Lupo ready to pounce on slow-moving squirrels. Kate and William acquired him shortly before Christmas from a litter born to the Middleton family dog, Ella

The dog has been something of a comfort for 30-year-old Kate while her husband is on deployment in the Falkland Islands.
Indeed, she seemed without a care in the world as she strolled for more than half an hour through the 260-acre public park in the centre of London.
William’s mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, frequently used the gardens for walking and roller blading when she lived at the palace after her divorce from Prince Charles and there is a memorial playground to her there.

After a month-long stand-off the dog's name finally emerged after a seven-year-old boy simply asked Kate when she visited Rose Hill Primary School in Oxford this week on behalf of her new charity, The Art Room

source: dailymail

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Giving baby the heads up: Little alligator grins from ear-to-ear as he gets a ride down the river on his mother's head

By GRAHAM SMITH

Bonding: The wonderful moment between mother and son was captured by photographer Clayton Bownds

It certainly beats having to learn the art of swimming.
This baby alligator did not feel like getting his feet wet when his mother wanted to go for a swim.
So the crafty creature simply climbed on her head and hitched a ride instead.
After a spell enjoying the warm Texan sunshine, the mother alligator decided to go for a quick dip to cool off from the heat.
But her grinning child was having none of it - and climbed on top of her head knowing she would keep it above the surface so he could soak up some more sun.

Hitching a ride: A baby alligator sits on his mother's head as she swims at Brazos Bend State Park in Texas

The wonderful moment at Brazos Bend State Park was captured by keen photographer Clayton Bownds, 40.
Mr Bownds could not believe his eyes as the baby alligator sat tight and enjoyed the ride.
He said: 'I was really surprised when I spotted the baby being carried by his mother on her head - I've never heard of this kind of behaviour.'
'He seemed pretty content there,' Mr Bownds added. 'I stayed for around half an hour just watching and he remained on top of the "perch" for the whole time.
'Occasionally his mother was swimming with him sat on her head and the rest of the time they were very still almost like statues.
'It seems this sort of thing is quite rare and to have been fortunate enough to not only witness it, but have a camera handy to document it too, was a great feeling.'

source: dailymail

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‘She gets bratty if we don’t show her affection’: Meet Mona Lisa, the zonkey who has become a family pet

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

One for the family album: Mona Lisa bears an uncanny resemblance to Donkey from Shrek in this portrait picture

As far as rare breeds go, a zonkey is right up there with the most uncommon.
But one that's also a beloved family pet is almost unheard of.
Enter Mona Lisa, the zebra-donkey cross who has been brought up by her doting owner, Mara Baygulova, an internationally renowned opera singer and cellist from Glendale, California.
Mara took Mona Lisa in after rescuing her from a lonely and abused life on a ranch run by a horse trainer who had no idea she was so special.
Zonkeys - also known as Donkra or Zebroid - are extremely rare as zebras and donkeys rarely mate.

Devoted: Mara Baygulova hugs her pet zonkey, who she has brought up since rescuing her from a ranch 13 years ago

Researchers say that most Zonkeys live in zoos and most of them, outside South Africa, were created through artificial insemination.
Mona Lisa has the shape and the distinctive donkey ears - but has black and white ears, stripes on her legs and sports a striped, spiky zebra mane and tail.


Double take: Mona Lisa has the distinctive donkey ears, but sports black-and-white stripes on her legs and a spiky zebra mane and tail

Mara said: 'Mona Lisa is very smart just like a Zebra. In personality, she is 90 per cent zebra. She loves to run and gallop with horses. She's very competitive.'
She added: 'Her intelligence is that of a five year-old child. She retains information - she can see something done just once and then do it herself.
'For example, when we first got her she watched me unlock the gate on the corral. A few minutes later she did it on her own, using her lips like fingers.
'She also loves affection and is generous in giving affection, but she can get bratty if she doesn't get it!'

source :dailymail

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Time to chill out! Baby snow monkey sighs with relief as he plunges into Japanese hot spring to warm up

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Frosty: This infant Japanese snow monkey curls up his paws to protect them from the icy cold weather

This little fellow looked a bit down in the dumps shivering in freezing cold weather in the mountains of Japan.
But these stunning photos captured the moment when it quickly changed to an expression of delight after he jumped in to a hot natural spring to warm up.
And if this young monkey's reaction to slipping into a warm bath is anything to go by, these primates really are like humans.

Delight: But the Japanese snow monkey's expression turns to one of bliss as he submerges into the hot spring

The juvenile Japanese snow monkey was photographed enjoying the famous hot springs at Jigokudani monkey park in Nagano.
Photographer Ben Torode captured these intimate scenes of grooming and social interaction among the group of Japanese macaques - who are drawn to the welcoming waterhole to warm up during the winter.
The group descend from the steep cliffs and forest to sit in the warm waters of the onsen - hotsprings - before returning to the security of the forests in the evenings.

Monkeying around: And this young Snow Monkey seemed in no rush to get out - happy to stay enjoying the warm water
'Their hands are extremely delicate and dextrous, they are very social and they are capable of intense concentration. In fact, Japanese macaques spend 27.9 per cent of their waking hours engaged in social grooming, as opposed to just 23.5 per cent feeding. 'While you photograph these monkeys, you are not supposed to stare at them too long with your naked eyes because they take it as a sign of aggression, but they don't mind lenses.

Touching: Photographer Ben Torode also captured heart-warming scenes of grooming among the group of Japanese macaques

'The young ones, however, are much more inquisitive about everything, including the humans.'
Jigokudani is located in a mountainous area in central Japan and at 850 meters in elevation, it is a harsh environment where snow covers the ground for one-third of the year.
It is named Jigokudani, Hell's Valley, due to the eerie spectacle of boiling water and steam rising from the steep cliffs.

Family fun: A group of Japanese Snow Monkeys descend from the forest to sit in the warm waters of the hotsprings

source: dailymail

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