Koko (9 April 2005 – 18 December 2012) was an Australian canine film actor and fundraiser, an
Australian Kelpie
The Australian Kelpie, or simply Kelpie, is an Australian sheepdog capable of mustering and droving with little or no guidance. It is a medium-sized dog and comes in a variety of colours. The Kelpie has been exported throughout the world and is ...
who was best known for his role as
Red Dog, the title character of the 2011 film ''
Red Dog''. He was owned by
Nelson Woss, a producer of ''Red Dog''.
A spin-off documentary of the ''Red Dog'' franchise, titled ''
Koko: A Red Dog Story'' was released in 2019. The film explores the life of Koko, who was cast as Red Dog in the original film.
Biography
Koko was born in
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
in 2005 to breeders Carol and Len Hobday and initially trained as a
show dog
A show dog might refer to any dog entered into a dog show. More specifically, a ''show dog'' is a dog which has been specially bred, trained, and/or groomed to conform to the specifications of dog shows, so as to have a chance of winning. Often u ...
. He won Best Exhibiting Group, Working Dogs in January 2006. It was quite unusual for a dog so young to win in that group. Koko came to prominence in 2011 for his work in ''
Red Dog'', which was based on a true story about a dog in a mining town and the relationships that he develops. He won the
Golden Collar Award for Best Dog in a Foreign Film in Los Angeles for his portrayal. A painting of Koko with producer Nelson Woss by artist Adam Cullen was a finalist in the 2012
Archibald Prize
The Archibald Prize is an Australian portraiture art prize for painting, generally seen as the most prestigious portrait prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after the receipt of a bequest from J. F. Archibald, J. F. Archib ...
.
In 2012, Koko was retired after he was diagnosed with congestive heart disease. However, he still continued to make appearances for the
RSPCA
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is a charity operating in England and Wales that promotes animal welfare. The RSPCA is funded primarily by voluntary donations. Founded in 1824, it is the oldest and largest an ...
and Dogs' Refuge Home WA in return for donations.
Filmography
*
Red Dog (2011)
*
Red Dog: True Blue (2016)
Death
Koko died from heart failure on 18 December 2012, in
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
, Western Australia. He was 7 years old. The prequel, ''
Red Dog: True Blue'' was dedicated to his memory.
See also
*
List of individual dogs
This is a list of individual famous actual dogs; for famous dogs from fiction, see List of fictional dogs.
Actors
Advertising
* Axelrod, Basset Hound, appeared in commercials and print ads for Flying "A" Service Station advertisements in ...
References
External links
*
Individual dogs
2005 animal births
2012 animal deaths
Dog actors
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