Is That Paul Anka In The 'GG' Revival Trailer?

I don’t know how they’re going to make it happen, but somehow, the Gilmore Girls revival is going to keep a dog alive for more years than is physically possible. It was announced in February that Paul Anka, Lorelai’s dog, would indeed be returning to Stars Hollow for the revival, but I was always sort of concerned at how exactly he would be returning. Like, that’s a long time for a dog to live. Would he be showing up sickly and covered in gray? Well, if you were just as excited for the news of Paul Anka’s return as you were that all of Rory’s boyfriends would be back too, then I have really good news for you: Paul Anka might have made an appearance in the Gilmore Girls revival trailer, and if it is him, he sounds like he’s doing pretty well for himself.

Sure, he doesn’t make a visual appearance, but if you listen carefully you can hear him — or, rather, a dog that sounds like him — barking his happy little head off. Just fast forward the trailer to the 0:44 mark and listen for that telltale sound of Paul Anka. And even though I can’t be sure that it definitely Paul Anka, I gotta ask: Who else could it be? It has to be the dog every Gilmore Girls fan loves.

So doesn’t that put your puppy-loving heart at ease? All seems to be well for this dog. Especially since he should be at least 11 or 12 years old by now. I was worried that Paul Anka would appear on the show in some sort of decrepit state. If he was a full-grown dog in Season 6, which aired toward the end of 2005, he’s at least 84 in dog years today, and that’s pretty old for a dog that size.

If the dog barking is him, that means this pooch is doing well for himself, even as he is approaching old age. It also means that he might be playing as pivotal a role in the revival as he did in the original series! Remember, he was a sort of stand-in for Rory when Lorelai and Rory had their big fight about Rory dropping out of Yale during Season 6. He became Lorelai’s second child, and he fit into the family perfectly. For a dog that is afraid of peas and enjoys licking sugar off of people’s toes, he seemed to always belong in the quirky town of Stars Hollow, and the even quirkier hearts of the Gilmore girls.

Welcome back, Paul Anka!

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures