The Original "Dog with a Blog", Kuma, Dies at 16

[JamesG]

Kuma Dies: Trained Animal Actor for Disney Channel, Nick Jr. was 16
by Bruce Haring
November 30, 2018


Kuma, a dog who played “Stan” on early episodes of Disney Channel’s "Dog with a Blog", and later appeared in Nick Jr.’s "Mutt & Stuff", has died. He was 16 years old (just shy of 17) and suffered from complications from a recent stroke.

The original star of "Dog with a Blog", Kuma was chosen out of thousands of furry Hollywood hopefuls to play the starring role of Stan, a dog who talked (via the voice of Stephen Full) and maintained a blog that covered the antics of his human family.




Set in Pasadena, the 2012-2015 run of the show centered around the children trying to keep Stan’s secret from their parents, fearing he would be taken away if discovered.

However, on-set conflicts between Kuma’s owner, Sarah Clifford, and another animal trainer caused her to pull him from the show. A look-alike was subbed in for Kuma by the show’s producers to complete the show’s run.




Kuma went on to work in 74 episodes of Nick Jr’s show "Mutt & Stuff", playing the role of “Grandma.” The Sid and Marty Krofft show, starring Calvin Millan and his father, "Dog Whisperer" Cesar Millan, was set in a school for dogs and focused on their training lessons. It ran from 2015 to 2017.

Clifford said Kuma has received fan mail on the performances, and spent his non-showbiz time as a shelter dog ambassador, charity event guest, and frequent traveler. He knew 75 trained behaviors.




“I was both Kuma’s trainer and his owner,” said Clifford in an email. “Losing Kuma is the hardest thing I have ever gone through. He was my best friend and the smartest dog I have ever known in my 40 years of life. When the time came to say my final goodbye, I fed him his favorite foods, chicken and watermelon, which he ate with vigor until the very end.”

Clifford is asking fans who wish to memorialize Kuma to donate to their favorite animal rescue shelter in his name.

https://deadline.com/2018/11/kuma-di...16-1202512098/

[D-Dey]

Sad, but I'm surprised he was still working after they replaced him with Mick.

I heard that both were rescue dogs.