<P> Higgins was able to convey a broad range of emotions through his facial expressions . Inn, who trained thousands of animals of many species during his lifetime, told reporters that Higgins was the smartest dog he had ever worked with and noted that during his prime years in television, he learned one new trick or routine per week and retained these routines from year to year, making it possible for him to take on increasingly varied and complex roles . Higgins's tricks included yawning and sneezing on cue . </P> <P> In 1971, Higgins starred in the film Mooch Goes to Hollywood with Zsa Zsa Gabor and Vincent Price . He came out of retirement at an estimated age of 14 to star in the 1974 feature film Benji, which became his greatest commercial success . </P> <P> Higgins had a close rapport with the actor Edgar Buchanan, who played Uncle Joe Carson on Petticoat Junction . In the official cast pictures taken each year during the run of Petticoat Junction, Buchanan is shown holding or petting Higgins . Buchanan guest - starred on 17 episodes of the sitcom Green Acres, and Higgins guest - starred in two of those appearances . Buchanan and Higgins crossed paths for the last time in Benji, which was coincidentally also the last film that both actors starred in . The two actors had an obvious fondness for one another, which is especially clear in Benji, because the movie's naturalistic pacing allowed them to interact as friends rather than requiring that Higgins perform a specific trick for Buchanan to react to . </P> <P> Frank Inn and Higgins were very close in real life as well as on the job . Inn wrote a poem about the dog called My Little Brown Dog . </P>

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