Could you dog grace the limelight?

2025 is here. And we hope that all our Members and their VIPs had a good holiday season, and that the new year brings you all success, health and happiness. And a spot of acting.

As many of you know the London Scottie Club lost its founding VIP Pikush last year and what then followed was a record mortal loss of Scotties in the club, which rebranded as Scottie Club UK.

Last year, we reported on Pikush the family member. We thank readers for your kind outpouring of sympathy which was really a huge comfort for us.

But there was a side to Pikush which we did not dwell on. Not because we were ashamed. On the contrary, we just didn’t want to brag.

The timing wasn’t quite right. We wanted to tell you about Pikush but we also wanted Pikush to make a lasting impact on the Scottie community within the club. We knew that in January we would want to tell you about Pikush Part 2. It is something that was in the works for two years, and finally comes to launch on 6 January 2025.

Pikush the actor

Pikush had an acting career. Over a period of years he appeared with character Shrek on Burns Night for Madame Tussuads in London, had many appearances, including with his brother Pudding, in Radley handbag commercials and global live streaming. These are now treasured memories of a fulfilled pet’s life. He even appeared with a beautiful Westie called Louby in a commercial for Black and White Whisky. Sadly, we learned that the day after Pikush passed away, so did Louby.

On one occasion, Radley wanted Pikush to travel to Amsterdam. Alas, this was after Brexit and the new rules for transporting canines were cost-prohibitive, so Radley opted for a Dutch Scottie instead. Pikush had an EU Passport, which sadly he never had opportunity to travel abroad with.

Kathleen with Pikush in January 2022

But Pikush saved the best till last. He landed a role in a major movie that is released in 2025. Sadly, he was taken ill half-way through filming. Not through injury but natural causes. A shock to the film crew, we helped them locate a second Scottie to complete the movie, a delightful Scottie who we also previosuly proposed to Radley for a puppy shoot and therefore a dog we were confident would step up to a major role. He did not disappoint us. Neither of the two dogs disappointed us.

For now, we are unable to divulge about the new movie. In cinematic style “To Be Continued”.

Lights, Camera, Action!

But what we can tell you is that on 6 January we launch the Scottie Academy – the first college to train Scottish Terriers for media such as TV commercials, social media, theatre productions and even movies.

Scotties are under-represented in media. Labradors, Frenchies and even Cockapoos seem to dominate advertising space. And we firmly believe that the best way to raise awareness of iconic Scotties and conserve the breed is to raise their visibility through media. That is why an ethical and responsible training package has been produced by an experienced dog trick trainer who has worked on movies with dogs. Kathleen Tepperies who trained Pikush for Black & White, as well as the 2025 movie release, will be putting Scotties through their acting paces.

The idea was to launch Scottie Academy in 2024 but we could not get our act together. We hoped Pikush would be retiring this year and so could enjoy the next generation of Scottie actors coming to fruition in his sunset years. This was not to be.

But it did lead to one very positive initiative that was instantly born after he passed away.

Pikush leaps during Black & White Whisky TV commercial filming

As part of the training course – open exclusively to Scottish Terriers in Scottie Club UK – one lucky dog showing the highest promise will be offered a special bursary called the Pikush Media Scholarship. This way, the family can remember their lost Scottie and bring another family some happiness.

Can Scotties act? Well look at Pikush or Pudding and you have your answer. Scotties are highly intelligent and their stubbornness is actually part of their intelligence.

The Academy is not only here to train your dog. It is here to train you. And whether or not you feel you want your Scottie to scale stardom, the initial courses offer a real fun experience where you can impress your house guests with what tricks your dog can perform. As part of the training, Kathleen will also be giving owners feedback on the potential for their dogs to find the limelight.

If you are a Scottie Club UK member, visit Scottie.Academy now to learn more and apply to join the 2025 Academic Year. It could transform your and your Scottie’s lives.