Koko (dog)
Koko (9 April 2005 – 18 December 2012) was an Australian canine film actor and fundraiser, an Australian Kelpie who 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.
Biography
Koko was born in Victoria, Australia in 2005 to breeders Carol and Len Hobday and initially trained as a show dog. 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.
In 2012, Koko was retired after he was diagnosed with congestive heart disease. However, he still continued to make appearances for the RSPCA and for Perth's Shenton Park Dog Refuge in return for donations.
