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ON HER TRAINING TECHNIQUE
bark on command and ‘go with’, where they follow an actor. More complicated tricks take three to five months but if they are good, they pick up the basics very quickly.”
Gill’s secret weapon is to train them using slices of frankfurters as treats. She says: “It’s natural food and is something a bit special.”
The frankfurters can also be pushed on to a “bait stick”, which is used when a dog has to look somewhere in a certain scene.
“One of the first things the dogs have to learn is to ‘watch’.
“Barley did an advert where he had to look at clothes going round in a tumble dryer but he was really watching food on the end of the stick.”
But small parts on adverts are now in the past for these A-list Hollywood hounds, especially after Gizmo’s charming role in Beauty and The Beast, alongside Emma Watson. Along with Star Wars it was the biggest film at the UK box office last year, and Gizmo was certainly memorable – he attempted to relieve himself on the candlestick Lumiere.
Their starring roles mean these former rejects now get lots of public attention when out and about.
Dodger gets recognised from being in Doc Martin and Barley gets spotted as Demelza’s companion. Gill adds: “Wylie had to fly back and forth to Belfast for filming the BBC’S Woman in White.”
Dogs from rescue centres make just as good pets as those from breeders, she believes, but understands why people are sometimes put off.
“I think they worry that they don’t know what they are getting with rescue dogs. But all the big dog rescue charities do an assessment of the animals when they come in, so they should be able to tell you if a dog isn’t good with children or not friendly.”
Gill, based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, also takes on animals from owners who want them to be on the telly.
“The first thing I say to them is that they can’t go with the dog to work,” she says.
“You get some people who just want to get on to a film set but I won’t allow that.
“If the dog can’t cope without its owner, it shouldn’t be doing this kind of work anyway.”
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If they’re good they pick up basic tricks very quickly
GILL RADDINGS