READY FOR THEIR CLOSE-UP
Meet the bodacious bulldogs owned by Ice-T and Coco — as the whole family launches a new TV show
COCO Austin and Ice-T surprised fans last week by announcing they’re expecting their first child — but as mom to two English bulldogs, Coco’s already spent years practicing for the baby’s arrival.
“I don’t have children, so I treat [my dogs] like family,” Coco tells The Post, just days before revealing her joyous news on social media. “I’m very conscious of what I feed them, what exercise I give them; I even put clothes on them. I really treat them like human beings.”
That means hosting a baby shower for their eldest dog Spartacus, 5, when he sired a litter of pups —— including Maximus, nown 3.
“It was pretty extravagant,” admits the 36-year-oldd momto-be of thee four-legged fête, which was attended by 11 pups and featured dogg-- friendly cupcakes, cookies and cake. “But it was cute to see all of the bulldog friends play with each other.”
The canines, whose full names are Spartacus the Supermodel and King Maximus, are poised to become the most famous dogs in daytime as they take part in their parents’ new talk show, “Ice & Coco,” which premieres Monday on Fox.
“If you don’t like dogs, you might not want to come to the show,” says Ice, 57, the rapper best known today for “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” on which he’s portrayed Detective Fin Tutuola for the past 15 years.
Spart and Max will roam the stage during the show’s livelive tapings, sporting GoPro cameras so that viewers can get a “dog’s eye view” of the set.
The two bullies will also model Fido
fashions on a segment called “Doggy Style.” Anthony Rubio, a NYC-based canine couture designer, will create custom looks for the father and son, whom Coco.
“Bulldogs wear outfits so interestingly,” says Coco. “They’re a little humanish already, so when you put clothes on them they look like they’re actual men.”
While Spartacus was a natural in front of the camera —“He was posing at 12 weeks!” Coco coos — Maximus and fashion have a rocky past: He once chewed the heels off of Coco’s brand new Brian Atwood platform heels, which can retail for up to $1,000.
“I yelled at him — oh my God, did I yell at him. I went off oon that little guy,” Coco confesses. Max hasn’t used her r shoes as a chew toy since.
Other pet-friendly segments on the show will inclu ude makeovers for foster do gs and inside looks at firstclass animal travel, says Coco.
But she and Ice had better bee careful, as Spartacus and Maximus’ star is close to ec clipsing their own. Among th heir Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, the dogs have a combined following of more than 100,000.
“When Ice and I do appearances, the first question is, ‘Where are the dogs?’ ” Coco says with a laugh.
“They even get stopped in the street for photos because people recognize them — even if we’re not with them.”