It’s a given that as an actor acquires more and more fame, there’s more of a chance that they will acquire flunkies to tend to their needs and massage their ego. Whether it’s to beat off screaming fans, scatter rose petals in their path or make midnight runs for bowls of blue M&Ms, their every whim is catered for. It’s easy to see how the upper echelons of the acting fraternity could become somewhat paranoid when surrounded by yes men, which is why many actors turn to their dogs for companionship.

No matter if your latest film only achieves a 23 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes or how strange you look after botched plastic surgery, your faithful pooch will not desert you. This is why many are lavished with diamond collars, fur lined dog baskets and the finest steak money can buy. Let’s take a look at our top five dog-owning actors:

Adrien Brody

Star of The Pianist and more recently Predators, generously schnozzed Brody adores his Chihuahua Ceelo Vicious. Whilst away in New Zealand filming crazy ape flick King Kong in 2005, he said that when he retuned home after the gruelling shoot, Ceelo Vicious was somewhat shocked to see him. In fact, he had forgotten who he was. With an entirely straight face, Brody told Elle Magazine:

“He didn’t know me at first, then when I got into bed he kissed me for an hour straight and cried. He’s adorable, an incredible creature.”

Jim Carrey

The rubbery faced Canuck is the proud owner of a whopping Great Dane called George. Interestingly, the gurning comedian adopted George in 2000, the year he had a brush with a Great Dane in his film Me, Myself & Irene. The dog in the film was called Fatima and was trained to do a dookie on cue. Coo!

David Duchovny

One may be forgiven for thinking that the only pet Duchovny has is the X Files albatross hanging around his neck, but he also owns a Border collie/Jersey collie mix called Blue. Narrating a 2004 documentary about homeless pets called Best Friend Forgotten, in which he appeared with a German Shepherd, he turns to the camera and says:

“If my dog Blue is watching at home, this stuff with Lenny, that’s just acting. It meant absolutely nothing.”

Blue appeared in a 1999 X Files episode titled ‘Hollywood AD’.

Jake Gyllenhaal

The Prince of Persia beefcake owns two dogs; Boo Radley, a Puggle, and Atticus Finch, a German Shepherd. Atticus was adopted from a Los Angeles animal shelter with then-squeeze Kirsten Dunst. The couple split, but retain joint custody of the dog.

Jake Gyllenhaal and his dogs

Elton John

“What?” I hear you cry, “He’s a singer, not an actor!” Well, Elton John appeared as the Pinball Wizard in The Who’s 1975 film Tommy which makes me technically correct – the best kind of correct there is.

The luxuriantly haired diva owns a Cocker Spaniel named Arthur. During their civil partnership ceremony to David Furnish, staff at Windsor’s Guildhall refused to let the pooch into the building. They soon relented when Elton told them that Arthur was actually their best man.

A win for civil rights and doggie rights in one swift Elton John sized tantrum.

It looked like the fire was already really gone, I could see flames..

Jamie Taylor was on her own in the house, save for her four dogs and a cat. Three of the dogs were Puggles, a cross between a Beagle female and a Pug male, named Cucci, Trouble and Cuddles. Officer Hetzel grabbed the dogs and took them out of the back door. The other dog, Bear, was a Great Pyrenees, remained in the house.

Then two of the Puggles ran back in looking for Bear. Taylor wanted to follow them, but was stopped by Hetzel as the house was ablaze. He told her the dogs weren’t worth dying for, but Taylor argued:

This is worth dying over, those dogs are like my children.

As they were struggling the fire department showed up, and together with Heztel entered the burning house to rescue the dogs once again.

Taylor stated:

I was screaming on my lawn for my dogs, screaming their names to get them out. Animals are everything to us.

All four dogs had to stay in overnight for monitoring, Bear with singed fur and Cuddles in a serious condition. Taylor is eternally grateful to Heztel for saving her and her dogs.

I owe my life to this guy. He deserves some kind of reward or something. He definitely did save my life and my dogs.