In Up, the golden retriever who can speak through a special collar is Dug. He is one of the dogs working for the explorer Charles Muntz, and his collar translates his thoughts into human speech.
Dug first meets Carl and Russell in the wilderness near Paradise Falls. Unlike Muntz's more aggressive dogs, Dug is affectionate, eager to please, and easily distracted. His famous declaration of love after meeting someone reflects his unusually friendly personality and makes him one of Pixar's most popular supporting characters.
The collar does not give Dug ordinary human speech; it is a fictional translation device that converts his thoughts into a synthesized voice. The film uses it to turn familiar dog behaviors—chasing squirrels, seeking approval, and reacting to strangers—into dialogue.
Up was released in 2009 and directed by Pete Docter. Dug is commonly mixed up with Kevin, the giant flightless bird Russell names, or Charles Muntz, the human explorer. Dug later received a starring role in the Pixar short Dug's Special Mission.