From shelter to stardom!!!
Chloe and Papi!!!
It’s opening weekend for the new flick, “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” and it looks like Disney has another hit on their hands!!! However, the story behind one of the main characters, Papi, is a true Hollywood story. Rusco, Papi’s off-screen name, is really a Chihuahua mix (no one is quite sure what he is mixed with). That’s right, Rusco wasn’t one of those trained “movie pooches”!!! In fact, according to the film makers, they wanted some undiscovered canine talent. Months of auditions had proven futile when they were looking for the dog that would play the male lead role. This led them to local shelters in Los Angeles and their websites to find the next big star!!!
The head animal trainer for the film, Mike Alexander saw the future Papi’s picture on the internet and went down to the shelter to check him out. According to Alexander, the dog had big ears, a great expression and an energetic personality to match. The dog was given six months of training to become center character Chloe’s, main love interest. This dog was everything Alexander hoped for and more.
In fact, over 200 dogs were used for this film. Some were Hollywood hounds and others came from shelters in Los Angeles and Mexico.
The Humane Society is warning people to take their time to decide if they want a dog and simply don’t go and get a Chihuahua just because you enjoyed the movie. Remember, over sixty dog trainers worked with all the dogs in this movie to get them to act the way you see them on screen. Chihuahuas, in particula,r are dogs with attitudes and are not well suited for all owners and families. In fact Walt Disney Pictures has put an on-screen warning with the film informing moviegoers that dog ownership is a large responsibility.
Just in case you were wondering, Rusco (Papi) now resides permanently with Mike Alexander at his ranch outside of Los Angeles. Stardom has its perks!!!
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