After being previously reported that the four-legged star would miss the show, Messi the Border Collie of the Best Picture nominee ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ was seen at the awards show, sitting in his own seat.

The good boy AND amazing actor started making headlines back in February, during the Oscar Nominees Luncheon, where even stars like Bradley Cooper couldn’t resist petting Messi.

Messi’s trainer and hooman, Laura Martin, told The Hollywood Reporter, “The big moment was with Billie Eilish, who bonded with Messi for almost 10 minutes. They were hugging and petting and they really had a vibe.”

Even Ryan Gosling couldn’t stop fawning over the pooch!

Messi’s attendance at the Oscars came as a bit of a surprise after previous reports claimed that he would miss the show — something that visibly upset his fans.

The reports started circulating after The Hollywood Reporter previously shared a report that multiple companies were not happy with all the attention the dog was getting.

The report claims that the attention Messi was getting, despite not being a nominee himself, was giving ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ an unfair advantage during the voting period.

But Messi shook it all off and attended the award show on Sunday, looking like a distinguished gentleman with his bow tie.

The Oscars even shared a photo of him with the caption, “The Oscars’ VIP (Very Important Pup)”.

And believe it or not, Messi was also seen applauding Robert Downey Jr. after his Best Supporting Actor acceptance speech!

Messi the dog played the supporting character ‘Snoop’ in director Justine Triet’s French drama.

Martin shared that they had to train for two months for the scene where where Snoop got poisoned. “Even the simplest things take a lot of work,” she tells IndieWire.

“It had to happen in steps. First, the simple laying down and having his head kind of immobile. [I] started there and then [we worked on] lifting the head and just letting it fall back without resistance,” she continued.

Martin also revealed that Messi gets calls now, adding, “Because now he is a star.”

Roy Hawn Russell, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell’s yellow Labrador, made his television debut on Sunday, February 11, with Budweiser’s Super Bowl ad.

In the ad, Roy is seen successfully guiding Budweiser’s Clydesdales safely through the snow.

Goldie Hawn posted about Roy’s momentous television debut on Instagram with the caption, “Don’t get me wrong I love watching football but tonight was all about watching our dog Roy Hawn Russell star in his first superbowl commercial for @budweiserusa!!!”

In the video shared by Hawn, the whole family can be seen cheering for Roy and giving the goodest boy of the household some pets (because it’s what he deserves!)

Kurt Russell can also heard excitedly saying, “There’s Roy! There he is!”

Hawn’s daughter, Kate Hudson also shared another video celebrating the household’s star’s TV debut with the caption, “There’s a lot of thespians in this families but tonight there was only one star”.

In Hudson’s video, Russell can be heard telling Roy, “You just were in front of more people than any actor in this family has ever been in front of at one time!” before the whole family started calling the pooch a good boy.

Users online couldn’t also help but support and cheer Roy on his TV debut. One Instagram user wrote, “The pure joy from your family’s response to Roy’s big moment got me 🥹”.

While another wrote, “This is my favorite part of tonight’s game… watching THIS video”. While another user quipped, “We love a nepo doggy ❤😂”.

You can watch the Budweiser ad below and see how much of a great actor Roy is!

But did you know that this psychic good dog from the film is based on Laika, a real-life female Soviet space dog?

In the Marvel comics, Cosmo the Spacedog is a male Soviet dog, a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and is frequently referred to as “a good boy”.

So, fans of the comics were quick to notice the gender change in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) where Cosmo is female.

When “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3” director, James Gunn, confirmed that actress Maria Bakalova will lend her voice to Cosmo the Spacedog on Twitter in 2022, a fan replied saying that Cosmo (in the comics) is a male Russian dog.

Gunn provided context on the gender change and confirmed that Cosmo is based on Laika the space dog.

Laika’s story is a tragic one – she was a stray husky-terrier mix found in the streets of Moscow. And she was involuntarily launched in a one-way mission to space on November 3, 1957 aboard the Sputnik 2 spacecraft.

During the suicide mission, Laika’s heartbeat tripled the normal rate and her breath rate quadrupled, obviously frightened.

Laika reached orbit alive and circled the Earth for about 103 minutes. However, the good girl eventually passed away due to overheating and panic, on the craft’s fourth orbit.

Her body was never recovered and her ship was destroyed when it re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere in 1958.

Laika was one of the first animals in space, and the first to orbit the Earth. And her gender was crucial for the mission since female dogs are smaller in size and are more docile than their male counterparts.

“I’m just going back to the original source material,” Gunn wrote. Implying that his decision to change Cosmo’s gender in the MCU was a tribute to Laika and her gender’s contribution to the mission’s success.

Not only is Cosmo female in the MCU, but she is also more innocent and friendly as opposed to her comic version who is more stoic and gets easily angry.

After a tough battle with cancer, Spencer, a golden retriever famed for his adorable support of Boston Marathon runners, has died.

Spencer gained notoriety for holding his “Boston Strong” flag at his regular spot along the route close to Ashland State Park for nine years, no matter the weather. Spencer, who was owned by Rich and Dorrey Powers, passed away on Friday at the age of 13.

“He was literally like an angel on Earth. There was light and energy that would just come out of him. You would touch him and you would feel it,” Rich Powers said. “He had a soul and people could feel that. He was our family and he meant the world to me, my wife and a lot of people. He just inspired so many people.”

Prior to the 126th running of the marathon in 2022, the Boston Athletic Association named Spencer the official dog of the 126th Boston Marathon. Despite prior health concerns, he finished the 2021 and 2022 races.

“We at the B.A.A. are saddened to learn of the passing of one of our dearest and most loyal Boston Marathon supporters, Spencer,” the Boston Athletic Association wrote in a statement. “Spencer annually encouraged participants in Ashland, embodying the unwavering spirit of Boston’s athletes as he showed up year after year regardless of the weather conditions. We were honored to have recognized Spencer as the Official Dog of the Boston Marathon in 2022, and extend our condolences to the Powers family, sister Penny, and his many friends and admirers around the world.”

The oldest dog in the world, Pebbles, passed away.

According to the dog’s owners, the 22-year-old toy fox terrier from South Carolina passed away on Monday from natural causes. The record-breaking dog was five months away from turning 23.

Pebbles was named the oldest living dog in the world earlier this year. Guinness had declared a 21-year-old chihuahua named TobyKeith as the oldest living dog in April, but when Pebbles’ owners read the news, they realized their dog was actually older. When Pebbles’ owners learned their dog was older, they acted like a dog chasing a squirrel. 

“Bobby was sitting on the couch and friends and family started texting and calling about a story they saw about a 21-year-old dog getting the record,” Julie Gregory told Guinness World Records then.

Pebbles was born on March 28, 2000, and the Gregorys adopted him the following year. The couple was looking for a large breed dog, but according to Julie Gregory, Bobby had no choice but to pick her up and check her out since she was jumping and barking so much at him. The moment the two met, they fell in love right away. 

The Gregorys said that Pebbles enjoyed listening to country music, with a preference for Conway Twitty and Dwight Yoakam. According to her family, Pebbles also loved eating new foods and getting special treatment. Numerous gorgeous ensembles, including a festive pumpkin helmet and a pink dress, were featured in her wardrobe and were captured on Instagram.

“It was our honor to have had the blessing to have had her as a pet, and family member,” Gregory wrote. “There was never anyone who met Pebbles that didn’t love her.”

“She will be deeply missed.”

DOG is a buddy comedy that follows the misadventures of two former Army Rangers paired against their will on the road trip of a lifetime.

Army Ranger Briggs (Channing Tatum) and Lulu (a Belgian Malinois dog) buckle into a 1984 Ford Bronco and race down the Pacific Coast in hopes of making it to a fellow soldier’s funeral on time. Along the way, they’ll drive each other completely crazy, break a small handful of laws, narrowly evade death, and learn to let down their guards in order to have a fighting chance of finding happiness. 

Watch the official trailer:

Directed by: Reid Carolin & Channing Tatum
Screenplay by: Reid Carolin
Story by: Reid Carolin & Brett Rodriguez
Produced by: Gregory Jacobs, Peter Kiernan, Brett Rodriguez
Executive Producers: Betsy Danbury, Ken Meyer
Music by: Thomas Newman
Cast: Channing Tatum, Jane Adams, Kevin Nash, Q’orianka Kilcher, Ethan Suplee, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Nicole LaLiberté, Luke Forbes, Ronnie Gene Blevins
Genre: Comedy 
Rating: PG-13 for language, thematic elements, drug content, and some suggestive material 
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter #DogMovie
Distributed Through United Artists Releasing.© 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Although just about anything goes when it comes to horror flicks, animal lovers can all agree – we don’t care what happens, as long as the dog doesn’t die!

Animal loving horror fans, you’re in luck! Here are 5 horror movies where the dog lives!

Poltergeist (1982)

The Freeling family’s dog, E. Buzz, is one of the first characters to sense a ghostly presence in their new home – and the Golden Retriever makes it out alive in the end!

The Lost Boys (1987)

After moving to a new town, two brothers are convinced that the area is frequented by vampires. In The Lost Boys, not only does our favorite four-legged character survive, Nanook the Husky is a hero!

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Precious, the fluffy Miniature Poodle belonging to Buffalo Bill only appears in the movie for a few moments (and the adorable little yapper manages to squeeze in quite a lot of lines in her short time on screen!) but she plays a pivotal role in the capture of the killer.

Gremlins (1984)

A boy inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town. Luckily, sweet Barney the mutt is happily hanging with family at the movie’s end.

The Hole (2009)

When a pair of brothers stumble upon a mysterious hole in their basement, the family dog – a Pomeranian named Charlie – knows right away that there’s nothing good in that hole. Unfortunately, the kids don’t heed Charlie’s warnings…

There are plenty of scary movies for animal lovers to indulge in this Halloween! If none of the above pique your interest, check out these animal-friendly flicks, too!

• Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
• Dawn of the Dead (2004)
• The Gift (2015)
• Teeth (2007)
• Pumpkinhead (1988)
• The Voices (2014)
• Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010)
• The Amityville Horror (1979)
• Mama (2013)

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Now, fans of the film can once again enjoy animal antics, drool-worthy detective work, and endearing moments between man and man’s best friend in the new Disney+ series, Turner & Hooch!

When an ambitious, buttoned-up US Marshal inherits a big unruly dog, he soon realizes the dog he didn’t want may be the partner he needs. Turner & Hooch stars Josh Peck as Scott Turner (the son of Detective Scott Turner portrayed by Tom Hanks in the 1989 film). Five different Dogue de Bordeaux actors take on the role of Hooch in the series.

And, like the favorite film, the slobbering sleuth still manages to get himself into a bit of trouble. Check out this exclusive clip from the new episode!

The series is now streaming on Disney+, with new episodes premiering weekly.

In addition to Josh Peck and his five canine co-stars, the series also stars Carra Patterson, Brandon Jay McLaren, Anthony Ruivivar, Lyndsy Fonseca, Jeremy Maguire, and Vanessa Lengies.

Turner & Hooch is a Disney+ original series produced by 20th Television. Matt Nix is creator, executive producer, and writer on the series. McG (Wonderland Sound and Vision) is an executive producer and directed the series premiere. Michael Horowitz, Robert Duncan McNeill, and Mary Viola also serve as executive producers, and Josh Levy serves as co-executive producer.

Now, fans of the film can once again enjoy animal antics, drool-worthy detective work, and endearing moments between man and man’s best friend in the new Disney+ series, Turner & Hooch!

When an ambitious, buttoned-up US Marshal inherits a big unruly dog, he soon realizes the dog he didn’t want may be the partner he needs. Turner & Hooch stars Josh Peck as Scott Turner (the son of Detective Scott Turner portrayed by Tom Hanks in the 1989 film). Five different Dogue de Bordeaux actors take on the role of Hooch in the series.

And, like the favorite film, the slobbering sleuth still manages to get himself into a bit of trouble. Check out this exclusive clip from the upcoming episode!

The series is now streaming on Disney+, with new episodes premiering weekly.

In addition to Josh Peck and his five canine co-stars, the series also stars Carra Patterson, Brandon Jay McLaren, Anthony Ruivivar, Lyndsy Fonseca, Jeremy Maguire, and Vanessa Lengies.

Turner & Hooch is a Disney+ original series produced by 20th Television. Matt Nix is creator, executive producer and writer on the series. McG (Wonderland Sound and Vision) is an executive producer and directed the series premiere. Michael Horowitz, Robert Duncan McNeill and Mary Viola also serve as executive producers, and Josh Levy serves as co-executive producer.

The annual dog conformation show is America’s second-longest continuously held sporting event, behind only the Kentucky Derby. Rich in history, Westminster pre-dates the invention of the light bulb and the automobile, the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Washington Monument, the invention of basketball and the establishment of the World Series!

Wasabi’s win marked the 5th time a Pekingese, a Toy Group breed, won Best in Show. But, it wasn’t entirely unexpected—the 3-year old pup is the grandson of the 2012 Best in Show winner, Malachy.

Reserve Best in Show went to Bourbon the Whippet. You may recognize Bourbon for his Reserve Best in Show title from 2020, too!

If you didn’t get a chance to watch the 7 ‘Best in Group’ winners compete for ‘Best in Show,’ you can see the exciting final moments of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show here:

Since 1877, the Westminster Kennel Club has held an annual benched all-breed dog show in New York City. Like many longstanding events, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a change of plans. Due to the ever-changing government restrictions, a move to a springtime, outdoor dog show was necessary to uphold Westminster’s commitment to the health and safety of everyone who attended the show. For the first time since its inception, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was held outside of NYC at Lyndhurst, a property of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in Tarrytown, New York.

So, how does a Best in Show winner celebrate after the big night? “He can have a filet mignon, and I’ll have champagne,” handler David Fitzpatrick told FOX.

1. To Be Of Service

To Be Of Service is a feature-length documentary film directed about war veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) paired with a service dog to help them regain their lives. Returning home for these vets is often plagued with depression and a wrenching disconnect from the world they once inhabited. Family, old friends, and jobs seem foreign, and newly returned warriors struggle to function and return to a normal civilian life. Service dogs offer a miraculous ray of hope in helping them come back to an independent, feeling life. The viewer learns it is the fragile life of young warriors, changed forever by combat that is the true cost of war. (Netflix, Amazon)

2. Pick Of The Litter

Pick Of The Litter follows a litter of puppies from the moment they’re born and begin their quest to become guide dogs for the blind. Cameras follow these pups through an intense two-year odyssey as they train to become dogs whose ultimate responsibility is to protect their blind partners from harm. Along the way, these remarkable animals rely on a community of dedicated individuals who train them to do amazing, life-changing things in the service of their human. The stakes are high and not every dog can make the cut. Only the best of the best. The pick of the litter. (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon)

3. We Don’t Deserve Dogs

A contemplative odyssey across our planet, looking at the simple and extraordinary ways that dogs influence our daily lives. Former child soldiers in Uganda. The local pub in a Scottish town. A dog walker on the streets of Istanbul. A kaleidoscope of unconventional portraits from fascinating locations. People need dogs, and perhaps they need us, but what do humans do to deserve the unconditional love they provide? (Amazon)

4. Pet Fooled

An investigative expose of the inner workings inside the commercial pet food industry, which has gone largely unchallenged until now. With commentary from two renowned veterinarians, Pet Fooled looks into the pet food industry and its negative impact on our fur family’s health. (Amazon)

5. Dogs

An elegant, engaging and cinematic documentary series celebrating the deep emotional bonds between people and their beloved four-legged best friends, Dogs tracks six incredible stories from across the globe including Syria, Japan, Costa Rica, Italy and the US—each proving that the unconditional love one feels for their dog is a beautiful universal truth. Season two of Dogs will begin streaming on July 7. (Netflix)

That’s right, commercials featuring dogs! 

Seriously lacking in last year’s lineup of $4.5 million, 30-second commercial spots were new ads featuring our favorite four-legged friends (Seriously, Budweiser… where was the puppy?!) and our sources tell us dogs aren’t the big stars in this year’s lineup either (boo!) So, since you’re surely feeling the same doggy-withdrawal that we are, here are a few of our favorite Super Bowl commercials from years past…all featuring dogs, of course!

Do you remember these?

2020: When veterinarians at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine began treating 7-year old Scout in 2019, they could never have imagined their efforts would land them a $6 million ad spot during Super Bowl LIV. Scout’s human dad is David MacNeil, founder and CEO of WeatherTech, a manufacturer of automotive accessories and home and pet care products and Scout famously starred in the company’s 2019 Super Bowl ad.

2019: What if humans participated in dog shows? What if they were expected to ignore some seriously tempting distractions in the ring, too? Avocados from Mexico hilariously demonstrated what that might look like in their 2019 spot.

2016: Easily one of our favorite Super Bowl commercials of all time, the Heinz Weiner Stampede featured a pack of adorable Dachshund hot dogs running toward their favorite Heinz condiments.

2015: In this emotional spot, the Budweiser Clydesdales – who never disappoint on Super Bowl Sunday – help the puppy learn the true meaning of friendship by reminding us that #BestBuds always have your back.

2014: Budweiser’s heartwarming 2014 Super Bowl commercial (in which a puppy befriends a horse) has been ranked the most popular ad ever to air in the 51-year history of the NFL’s premier event.

2012: Watch Quiggley, the pudgy French Bulldog who (with the help of his Sketchers running shoes, of course) win a greyhound race. This commercial stirred up a lot of controversy, even before it was released, because it was shot on location at a greyhound racing facility that animal rights activists claimed had a bad reputation. The location and name of the park were not revealed in the commercial itself.

2012: “The Dog Strikes Back” by Volkswagen was, according to several sources, one of the most well-liked commercials of 2012. And we can see why – it’s pretty inspiring!

2012: Bud Light seems to have mastered the recipe for a successful ad campaign. Beer, humor, and animals. Especially when the animal is a well-trained rescue dog named Weego! (And Kudos to Bud Light for campaigning for rescue dogs!)

2011: Bud Light dazzled us with another commercial featuring dogs! Hilarity ensues when a friend dog-sits with a house full of “party-animals” and a fridge full of beer…

2010: It stinks when someone steals your parking space, especially when that someone is a cat! Check out this ad from Subaru that puts a dog in the driver’s seat. Subaru typically has several ads featuring dogs, but last year chose to spend their advertising dollars on Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl instead of the Super Bowl.

2009: Budweiser is known for their Clydesdales. In this adorable Super Bowl commercial, a Clydesdale raises the ante on his Dalmatian friend. Whoa!

2007: In this 2007 Budweiser commercial, an all-white dog walks somberly around town, gets shooed away from a butcher shop, and chased off my angry strays. When he sees a regal Dalmatian starring in the local parade, he longs to be that adored. Another bout of bad luck, however, ultimately gives him the confidence he needs.

Which commercial was your favorite? Do you remember any great Super Bowl commercials featuring dogs that we missed? Let us know!