Local Pug In The News

One of my cousins is going to be a star!

Dinner dance gets Barrington Hills pug on cans of Alpo dog food. 4-year-old Ike spins around before attacking the bowl, earning him a year's worth of Alpo and a trip to Los Angeles

By Vikki Ortiz Chicago Tribune reporter
September 18, 2008

Ike the pug (with owner Mary Beth Holsteen) is the lucky combination of adorable and talented; his pre-food routine got him on cans of Alpo. (Tribune photo by Charles Cherney / September 17, 2008)

Alpo's hungry new face is a Barrington Hills pug selected for his habit of spinning like a top whenever he attacks his food dish. Thanks to his frenzied chowdowns, Ike earned the right to appear on 2.5 million cans of dog food. As part of his reward, Ike will soon be whisked off to Los Angeles to hobnob with other celebrity dogs, including Bruiser from the "Legally Blonde" movies and Gidget, the Taco Bell Chihuahua. "We're pretty excited," said Mary Beth Holsteen, 51, who entered her 18-pound pug into Alpo's nationwide video competition.

Asked to show why their dog was a "meat maniac," it was no contest. Holsteen and her husband, Frank, knew Ike's daily pre-dinner routine would make him a heavyweight contender. They filmed the dog spinning around and around—as he does every day at meal time—before diving head first into his bowl. He eats with such gusto that his hind legs actually go airborne.Impressed with his antics—and appetite—the judges chose Ike from about 200 contestants. The 4-year-old pug spent his puppyhood barking at mail carriers and attending suburban Little League games. Local pug enthusiasts were thrilled by his selection."It will probably have a good effect, especially if it's a good picture," said Lisa Farrell, president of Midwest Pug Rescue, which works to help find new homes for abandoned pugs. As a prize, the Holsteens get a hometown party and $10,000. Ike gets a year's supply of the dog food.

My mom really dropped the ball on this one. I do the exact same dance before I eat! I'm a meat maniac! I could have been famous! And rich! Ike is good looking by not as cute as me. Maybe they need a runner-up pug, in case Ike cannot fulfill his duties. Mom - pack my bags. I'm going out to LA baby!