OSCAR the dog doesn't often create a performance - unless he can't eat his favourite snack of crisps and nuts.

The eight-month-old terrier was brought up in an inner London pub so his diet consisted of bar snacks and the odd sip of lager.

But it wasn't all fun for the little fella.

He was about to be left homeless after his New Zealand owner decided to zip off on her travels.

Luckily, Aussie Matt Hook and wife Katherine heard about his plight and instantly fell for the pup.

PR executive Matt, 29, said: "We were having a barbecue when my boss Gill phoned to tell me about this little dog that was going to end up in Battersea Dogs' Home. We saw him and both fell in love."

Poor Oscar had a rather nasty introduction to the world after a neighbour tipped a tin of blue paint over him. He was left with a short back and sides after having the oil-based paint cut off.

The poor little pup thought things couldn't get any worse until his new owners from Shirley, Southampton, began arguing about whether to call him Dingo or Carswell Gould Associates.

"Katherine got a bit mad when she heard I wanted to name him after the PR company I work for so we settled for her choice which was Oscar - 'scar for short," said Matt.

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