Sebastian, the South End’s distinctive 10-year-old poodle, is rapidly cementing his celebrity.

Fresh from a photo shoot for Seattle radio station KZOK’s Classic Pet Calendar, Laurie Cecil’s faithful companion made a cameo appearance on local television last month.

Sebastian and Cecil were among 20 pairs of animals and owners selected to audition for “Tales for the Pet Lover’s Heart 3,” which aired Saturday, Dec. 11, on ABC-TV, local channel KOMO 4.

They were selected from 400 applicants nationwide to try out for the show, Cecil said Monday.

“It was a great experience going in for the audition and seeing us on television,” she said. “I’m looking forward in the future to do more work with him in front of the camera.”

Cecil is a professional animal groomer based in Clinton who has lived on Whidbey Island for more than 15 years. She has been grooming animals for 12 years, and currently runs a mobile grooming service called Laurie’s Warm Fuzzies. For the past year she also has offered home behavior and training sessions.

She said Sebastian is her official “marketing director,” attracting attention and creating numerous opportunities for her to hand out business cards.

Cecil said she has had Sebastian, a standard black poodle, since he was six weeks old. She keeps his coat in cords because of the buzz they create.

“He’s a dog who loves all the attention he gets,” she said.

Cecil said she first came across the corded look in dog-grooming history books, and she decided she had to have it for Sebastian.

She said maintaining the cords takes from 12 to 18 hours a month, and that she’s been working on the length for the past three years.

For the KZOK calendar, which features classic rock covers with a pet motif, Cecil went in thinking Sebastian would be selected for the Fleetwood Mac page. Instead, Sebastian was posed with a microphone as reggae legend Bob Marley, because his cords resemble dreadlocks.

“The photographer thought he was a really great dog to work with,” Cecil said. “He’s always loved having his picture taken.”

“He’s such a willing dog to work with,” she said. “He loves the camera and the attention.”

For more information about “Tales for the Pet Lover’s Heart” project, visit www.talesforthepetloversheart.com.

For information about Sebastian, Cecil or her business, call 579-2207, or visit laurieswarmfuzzies.com or Laurie’s Warm Fuzzies on Facebook.