With 10 Academy Award nominations under its belt, The Artist has been the talk of Hollywood -- but it's the movie's four-legged star, Uggie, who's stealing the spotlight.

And after a handful of silver screen appearances and a walk down the Golden Globes carpet, the beloved Jack Russell terrier is retiring.

"I'm retiring him," Omar von Muller, Uggie's trainer, tells Life & Style. "He may do a couple of little things here and there because he enjoys them, but I don't want to put him through long hours anymore. He's getting tired."

So who will follow in his paw prints? Uggie's brother Dash, who has been working as the dog's stand-in on set.

"I think he will be fine with Dash stepping in," says Omar. "Uggie is 10 years old and has done a lot of work; he wants to relax at home. If somebody wants to do a movie with Uggie, they'll just have to deal with Dash!"

The one appearance everyone is waiting for from Uggie is at the Oscars. Though he can't win an Oscar -- the Academy drafted rules that specifically exclude animals from being nominated -- Uggie is still hoping for an invite. "I hope he gets to go," says Omar. "They should give him an envelope to bring to Billy Crystal."

Uggie is currently nominated for two Golden Collar Awards (an award given for the best performances by dogs on TV and in film) for his performances in both The Artist and Water for Elephants.

Photo Credit: Weinstein Co.; R/R