By Lynn Stacy-Smith
Now that Roxy is nine years old she and Damien take two big walks a day, either around their neighborhood or to Lake Balboa, “She has people who stop and give her treats, she stops and gets to know the people,” Damien says. Although she is still active and fun loving she is now more content to nap after a nice long walk.
Roxy has become used to being the center of attention, not just with Damien, but also with an adoring public. “She doesn’t do anything but she’s always in the limelight,” Damien joked lovingly.
Damien talked about the EcoLuxe Lounge event at which he met Dawn Barraco and Doreen Wong who were representing Canine Caviar Dog Food at the celebrity gifting event. “When I walked in at that point there were not many dogs there and there were a lot of people,” Damien shared, “I walked to a table and let Roxy’s leash go. She wasn’t the center of attention so she walked into the middle of the room and threw herself down on her back, scratching her back so that everyone stared and everyone watched her lay on her back, everyone was looking at her. She does like the attention.”
In May Damien was featured in the LA Times. It was a huge article and the day the photographer showed up for photos Damien had prepared for the photos, was to perform some fight scenes and martial arts moves in the photos. In the end the main photo on the front page? A photo of Damien and Roxy, Damien explained, again laughing lovingly at his spotlight stealing dog.
In 2010 Damien and Roxy starred together in a movie, the critically acclaimed short film Roxy that was shown at art festivals and film festivals all over the world. “Roxy” received a lot of attention and was critically acclaimed in countries all over the planet. “The director did an amazing job,” Damien said, “She had this idea to shoot a film of a guy in his car traveling around the country with his dog, being depressed and suicidal.” The entire 10 minute short film was shot from Roxy’s point of view and was very focused on her. “
It’s really amazing when the film climaxes and gets to a certain situation how you worry abut Roxy, more about what will happen to her,” says Damien. He also relayed a story about filming a scene where Damien walks from his truck to a hotel room with Roxy by his side. After two takes she ran back down to the truck after the scene to wait for the next take. “She’s too smart for her own good,” he laughed.
Damien is getting his own time in the spotlight these days. Damien Puckler is a former World Champion in Muay Thai Kickboxing and has a Black Belt in Karate & TaeKwonDo. He retired from fighting after a motorcycle accident, finished his education and began doing stunts in films. During his work as a stunt man the director would ask him to deliver a few lines. Damien decided to go to acting school and his work became more focused on acting and less on stunt work.
Damien now is best known for the character of Meisner on the TV series Grimm. Meisner is a German assassin who people turn to when they need someone to be killed. Although he was supposed to be in just two or three episodes before being killed off the producers liked how his character came off and they kept him on the show in a reoccurring role.
Next week Damien starts filming the independent film Scramble. “It’s really cool, a mix between a Guy Ritchie film meets Natural Born Killers meets a Cohen Brother’s film,” he explained, “All of those styles together, a lot of different characters and story lines, all come together in a big climax.” Damien’s character travels around with a female character in a Bonnie & Clyde type relationship of the modern world, taking revenge on those who have hurt his girlfriend.
When Damien has long days filming or is on location for a show or film Roxy stays with a friend of his. “She’s very picky, she doesn’t stay with many people, she just won’t go,” he explained, “I have never walked her with a leash, she doesn’t need it unless there is a leash law, she’s never more than five to ten feet away from me.” At first she had a little separation anxiety when he would run into a store or on an errand but once she realized that he was always coming back to her she’s been ok.
According to Damien Roxy loved her Canine Caviar VIP box that they received at the EcoLuxe Lounge. Roxy is a very picky eater and is a grazer. “She did like the food a lot, there’s a lot of food I get that she won’t even eat, even when she’s hungry,” he told us. Roxy did devour her Canine Caviar Buffalo treats quickly, explaining that it lasted all of three to four minutes. Damien continued, “It means the food is really good, she knows what is actually good. I’ve gotten treats before from other places that she won’t eat; she knows and has to have really good stuff. That means your stuff is good.
As happy as we are to have the Roxy Puckler stamp of approval, we are equally thrilled to have met and learned about Damien. Although he often plays assassins and fighters on the big and small screens, in person he is a genuinely nice guy, with a tremendous love for his beloved Roxy. For someone who did not think he had time for a dog, he and Roxy have developed a wonderful life together and are truly each other’s best friends and constant companions. Roxy definitely knew what she was doing when she chose Damien Puckler as her human.
Watch for Damien on the upcoming season of Grimm and watch for future projects on IMDB.