MIKE THE DOG--NABBING NIFTY NOTICES

Ah, the glory days for Mike the dog.

Last week Mike, who plays the neurotic family pet Matisse in “Down and Out in Beverly Hills,” bounced easily from an “interview” with Newsweek (headlined “Hot Dog”) to a guest spot in Little Richard’s latest video. He also took a meeting with literary agent Barbara Lowenstein (who wants trainer Clint Rowe to ink the pup’s bio) and made a personal appearance at the Ziegfeld Theater in NYC where “Down and Out in Beverly Hills” is playing.

There was time for some ego massaging as well. Rowe had Mike’s paw print taken for thousands of pawdographed 8x10 glossies.

Meanwhile, and the hot critical notices keep coming:

“Oscar-caliber work”--Janet Maslin, N.Y. Times.

“Transcends the usual doggie reaction--he actually becomes a character in the story”--Paul Attanasio, Washington Post.

“A bona-fide wonder dog”--Michael Burkett, Orange County Register.

“The film’s real star”--John Powers, L.A. Weekly.

“Most lovable screen animal in years”--Mike Clark, USA Today.

“Matisse . . . proves to be the most blatant scene-stealer”--Kathleen Carroll, N.Y. Daily News.

“The acting contribution of the dog Matisse cannot be underestimated”--Jay Scott, Toronto Globe & Mail.

“Mike does some astonishingly funny bits”--William Wolf, Gannett Newspapers.

“Mike should get an honorary walk-on at the Oscars”--Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times.

“Hands-down funniest scene features a doggie psychiatrist trying to talk the family pooch Matisse (Mike) through an anxiety attack. Maybe (director Paul) Mazursky should have . . . gone the whole hog--with an R-rated update of ‘Old Yeller.’ “--Glenn Lovell, San Jose Mercury News.