A Dog's Life in the Spotlight

Gaby Garland is a star. Fashionably dressed, she has been featured in multiple TV commercials, and received numerous fan emails and comments on her Facebook and Twitter pages.

Oh, and let’s not leave out, she is a 6-year-old toy poodle.

Judy Garland, a Hermosa Beach resident since 1989, refers to her Gaby as a diva.

Outside of television, the local show dog also has been featured in campaigns, events and has won several dog competitions.

Gaby often can be spotted around town pushing a red shopping cart and sometimes dressed in a purple Hawaiian-print harness with ruffles.

A bright purple bow keeps Gaby's wild and fluffy hair from getting in her eyes. She has pom-poms around each of her four paws and a Mohawk runs down part of her back.

"It took five minutes to teach Gaby to push the shopping cart," Judy said. "She learned so quickly."

Besides barking, shaking hands and rolling over, Gaby can also jump through hula hoops and ride on a skateboard.

"The LAPD position is a hit," Judy said about a move in which Gaby puts her front paws against the wall and spreads her hind legs. "A friend of mine had taught the trick to his labradoodle, and Gaby learned it in five minutes."

Gaby entered the show business at age 2 when she failed the test to become a therapy dog. With experience in the film industry and after training her first poodle, Amber, for films and commercials, Judy launched Gaby’s career with a pet spa commercial.

Since then, Gaby has been featured pushing her red cart in commercials for brands such as Doritos and PetSmart. In the Doritos commercial, Gaby steals the bag of chips from the main actor and is then seen walking down the street with the Doritos bag in her shopping cart.

Gaby tried out for America’s Got Talent, Greatest American Dog, and was part of a pilot for a show called The Canine Connection. She was also featured on Animal Planet and as part of a segment on gas prices for CBS News.

Gaby’s career recently has been affected by the high price of gas, said Judy, who has found it more expensive to drive Gaby to competitions.

"It was when gas prices first went over $4 per gallon," Judy said. "It was getting harder to go to casting calls, interviews and auditions way up in the valley. And even if we got the job and there was no pay, I just couldn’t afford to do it, even if it was for exposure."

But with Gaby taking the top award at several dog competitions, Judy said that she has received prizes, which help with Gaby's expenses, such as toys, clothes, doctor visits, and enough dog food to last a few years. Recently, Gaby won a free dog car seat by receiving "top dog" at a competition sponsored by Manhattan Beach Toyota.

Dressed in a red, white, and blue dress with a matching hat, Gaby at the competition pushed her red cart, which was labeled "Support the Troops" and it was filled with flags and Fourth of July accessories.

Similarly, Gaby claimed the top award at a Haute Dog contest after wearing a tattered shirt with a black velvet hat and pushing her cart with a "Please Help my Homeless Friends" sign.

On a show day, Gaby’s rolling suitcase is packed with a brush, hair mousse, extra hair ribbons, hair bows and an assortment of outfits—and let’s not forget the colored hair spray.

"Gaby wore a purple studded shirt and a purple Mohawk when modeling for a trendy fashion line," Judy recalled. "The model walking Gaby across the stage had matching purple hair."

Before shoots or shows, Judy said that she makes sure Gaby has used the bathroom and tries to decrease her energy by taking her for a walk. Then Gaby acts on command—with her sweet and expressive eyes, she is patient and focuses on Judy when performing tricks.

When Gaby is not working, she walks daily with Judy to Hermosa Beach’s in the mornings. The duo visits local stores, where Gaby loves the attention, especially from the ladies at , Judy said.

"Gaby is my kid, best friend and pal," Judy said. "I take her everywhere. She just sits in my purse. She never complains and is usually always happy to see me."