Hypnodog is a canine stage hypnotist act.

Professional hypnotist Hugh Lennon discovered Oscar, a 10-month-old black Labrador Retriever puppy, on a farm in Yorkshire.[1] Lennon states that initially he bought Oscar as a pet and brought him to shows for companionship, but "one night I brought him on stage with me. He started staring at this girl and she fell into hypnosis, without me doing a thing".[2] Lennon maintains that a number of dogs and other carnivores have a natural ability to hypnotise prey.[3]

In 1995, Oscar made headlines in the UK and all over the world, when he went missing while appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland.[4] Oscar is also familiar to many students of English as a second language, as materials about Oscar and his act are featured in the Oxford University Press English language course.[5]

In 2001, after 12 years performing, Oscar's eyesight failed and he was no longer able to hold the penetrating stare necessary for stage hypnosis.[6] Open auditions were held at the Weymouth Pavilion for a replacement dog; the eventual replacement chosen was Milo, a three-year-old German Shepherd-Rottweiler crossbreed.[3] However, Lennon later worked with Murphy, one of Oscar's sons.[7]

Lennon and the Hypnodog have appeared on numerous television and radio shows, including This Morning and Kelly,[8][9] and at the Reading and Leeds Festivals.[10][11]

The show was taken over in 2014 by Hugh's niece Krystyna Lennon and her dog Princess after his retirement in 2007. The duo are based in Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Krystyna has since appeared on a number of different TV shows worldwide.

See also

References

  1. ^ Clifford, Tim (January 2004). "Hugh Lennon and Oscar the Hypno-Dog" (PDF). ExpliCIT. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  2. ^ Pets, Part of the Family, ed. (2000). Petspeak: Share Your Pet's Secret Language!. Pets, Part of the Family. ISBN 1-57954-077-5.
  3. ^ a b "The eyes have it as Milo the hypno-dog joins the show". Dorset Echo. 2001-08-07. Retrieved 2008-05-10.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ Bitee, Gunna (1995-12-17). "U.K.'s "Hypno-Dog" Dazes Audiences". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2009-09-02.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ Duckworth, Michael; Gude, Kathy (1999). Countdown to First Certificate Workbook (PDF). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-453352-2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-01-08. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  6. ^ "Wanted: Dog with entrancing looks". Dorset Echo. 2001-07-31. Archived from the original on 2009-03-04. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  7. ^ "Completely barking?". Bournemouth Daily Echo. 2005-08-15. Archived from the original on 2009-03-04. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  8. ^ "Hugh Lennon and Hypnodog". Twisters Comedy Club. Archived from the original on 2008-05-01. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  9. ^ "Wacky World". UTV. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  10. ^ "A festival of fun". BBC. 2004-08-20. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  11. ^ "The Union". University of Strathclyde Students' Union. Archived from the original on 2008-07-26. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
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