Meet Uggie, Nintendo’s new spokesdog

Who needs a spokesperson when you can a much cuter and furrier spokesdog? Nintendo this morning has named Uggie, the pooch who starred in the Oscar-nominated movie The Artist, as their official spokesdog of the month to promote Responsible Pet Ownership Month (as well as nintendogs + cats).

Isn’t he cute?

Read on for the announcement from Nintendo.

In a move that’s got tails wagging from Hollywood to Manhattan, Nintendo of America is teaming up with Uggie, the talented Jack Russell terrier known to moviegoers as the canine co-star of The Artist. Starting today, Uggie will sink his teeth into a memorable new role as Nintendo’s first-ever “spokesdog,” spreading the word about the interactive fun of nintendogs? + cats for the Nintendo 3DS? hand-held system.

To help celebrate February as Responsible Pet Owners Month, Uggie will lend a paw by showing how the game includes valuable tips on how people can maintain happy, healthy relationships with their furry friends in real life. Though he previously announced plans to retire after this year’s awards season, the chance to team up with Nintendo was too doggone good for Uggie to resist.

Uggie is no stranger to the spotlight, having appeared in numerous television commercials and films during the last decade. As Nintendo’s spokesdog, he’ll appear alongside his owner Omar Von Muller to promote nintendogs + cats and the Pearl Pink Nintendo 3DS system, which offers a wide range of wireless features and entertainment experiences that can be enjoyed in 3D without the need for special glasses. In particular, Uggie and his owner will show consumers how nintendogs + cats can not only provide players with an adorable, customizable companion but also teach them skills that can translate to real-world dog or cat ownership. With February as Responsible Pet Owners Month, it’s the perfect time for this partnership.

“Uggie didn’t have to sit up and beg for his role as Nintendo’s spokesdog,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “It’s truly our pleasure to work with a star of Uggie’s magnitude, especially to help animal lovers and portable gaming fans discover the fun of nintendogs + cats.”