Tonight the Oscar goes to the Dog as I’m attending The Oscars. Front row seats, full glitz and glamour!

I’m especially looking forward to “The Honorary Award”. This special award is given for lifetime achievements, outstanding contributions and services to the Academy.

Only that tonight it won’t be about the big boys. So often other performances get overlooked.

Did you know that no animal has ever won an Academy Award? Is it because they woof their lines and don’t sweat the small stuff? No.

Dogs are not eligible to receive an Oscar Award.

The Palm Dog however (an unofficial prize at the Cannes Film Festival) honors the best dogs actors in the movies competing here.

Yet how many times have we looked in a dog’s eyes (even if the dog was on the small / big screen) and we knew exactly just what they were feeling – and trying to communicate?

Think of a movie in which a dog’s performance has made a long-lasting paw-pression on you. There’s a whole pack chasing through my mind! There are so many great canine actors that would surely be on a lifetime achievement list.

Dogs Make Unforgettable Movies

Is it Max the English Bulldog from the TV drama “Jake and the Fatman”? It was Buford the Bulldog who played the role of Max. Did you know that Max sired a son named Taker who appeared in the sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond”? Like father like son.

Or perhaps your heart skipped for joy watching the numerous movies with Benji, the mix breed who took over the silver screen in the 70’s and the 80’s? Did you know that the first dog to play Benji was a shelter dog named Higgins? He appeared in other television series and lived to be 17 years old.

Einstein the sheepdog from “Back To The Future” and Doc’s constant companion offers endless support, unconditional love and cuddles to Marty McFly and Doc. Einstein was the latest of many dogs owned by Doc, all named after famous scientists – quite fitting as he became the world’s first time traveler.

One of my all-time favorite dogs to star in a movie / comedy show was Eddie Crane in “Frasier“. Eddie the dog was Russell Terrier. I am sure that all dog owners could easily relate to the humorous relationship between Frasier and Eddie, who always stared at his master… til he received what he wanted.

I think you will agree with me that The Grinch in “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” would nor have been the same unlikable character without the dog Max! As loyal as any dog has ever bee, no matter of his master’s character, Max saw the seed of goodness in the Grinch’s heart, always keeping an eye out for his master.

Any dog deserves a second chance.

The electronic dog from “C.H.O.M.P.S.” was the first to make me wonder “what if?”

For a long time afterwards the child in me dreamed of owning a furry dog with beady eyes and superpowers.

Guess what, my dream came true! Over the years, each one of my dogs possessed superpowers… only I knew about! Tara could read minds and go from couch potato to 35 mph in under 1 sec if Mom was busy in the kitchen. Gina could tell the time, especially the garbage day and the minute when the refuge truck would dive into our street. Athos had… stage presence. He only had to show up and the street would magically empty itself of pedestrians. While Heidi was a diva, and Star the calm, friendly little sister, always there for you.

Fast-forward 20 years and…

Never fear, UNDERDOG is here!!

A movie my family and I thoroughly enjoyed. Who can resist the charm of Leo, the lemon talking beagle who, every so often, gets it wrong?

What stayed with us this time was the unforgettable line delivered by Shoeshine / Underdog: “Give the dog your food!” You can watch it on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cotqLSAbC6M

I’m not psychic, but so many times throughout my life I could swear I heard my dog speaking the exact same words. While I was chewing something… anything!

I remember my darling Tara, siting by my feet in the quiet kitchen while clear, distinct drops suddenly began to fall at regular intervals. Letting out a loud sigh I visualized my father in an attempt to fix the kitchen tap once again, his tools all over the counter.

But Tara’s mirroring sigh compelled me to observe her while taking another bite of my fruit. She was quick to evade my eyes, but, alas, I had spotted the source of the leak, the real one. My dog, a huge fan of apples, was drooling. I bend towards her and this time she held my gaze with her… innocent eyes, delivering the award-winning line: “Give the dog your food!”

But if you wonder when it all started, it was after the dogs proved themselves silent heroes in wars and after they made great characters in books. Blair the Collie do was the world’s first dog movie star portraying Rover in the 1905 British silent movie “Rescued by Rover”.