ohmidog!

“Walter the Farting Dog,”  the children’s book soon to explode on the big screen, originated in Canada, when author William Kotzwinkle told his friend Glenn Murray a story about a dog whose flatulence was so objectionable it once cleared out an entire stationery store in Fredericton.

The malodorous mutt, the main character in the series of children’s books co-authored by the pair, will be featured in a new Fox Studios film, starring the Jonas Brothers, slated to begin production next year.

“It has been amazing,” Murray, of New Brunswick, said of the Walter phenomenon in an interview with the Canadian Press. Since it was published in 2001, the book and its four sequels have sold millions of copies worldwide.

Murray says the stories grew out of tale that Kotzwinkle once told about meeting a dog in the 1970s whose farts were especially malodorous.

The movie will be produced by Bobby and Peter Farrelly, with a screenplay written by Alec Sokolow (”Toy Story,” “Garfield”) and Joel Cohen (”No Country For Old Men,” “Fargo,” “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”).

Murray says he still can’t believe that a story about a chronically flatulent dog could become such a media sensation.

“It seems to me the post-9-11 world needed some innocent laughs,” he said. “It’s like the world needed a farting dog.”

The Walter books are more than bathroom humor. Instead the focus is on how Walter always manages to transform his embarrassing flaw into a virtue. Murray says he has heard many stories about children who have laughed their way through the book while facing terminal illnesses and other personal tragedies.

Last week, Murray received a series of emails from St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, where children undergoing cancer treatment use the book to take their minds of their painful ordeal.

“These kids are going through a lot of stuff,” he says. “The procedure room where they go through this is totally decorated with pictures of Walter.”

Of farting, Murray says. “Science tells us we all do it 17 to 23 times a day. … Everyone can connect with it on a certain level.” He once spent 90 minutes on a radio calOl-in show talking about dogs that pass wind.

The fifth book in the Walter series, “Walter the Farting Dog: Banned From the Beach” (Penguin), was published last year.

Like the other books, Murray co-wrote it with Elizabeth Grundy and Kotzwinkle, who also wrote “E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial.” The books, illustrated by Audrey Coleman, have been translated into at least 16 languages.

Murray has already talked about farting-dog mugs, lunch boxes and — say it ain’t so — a new line of scratch-and-sniff books.

The Jonas Brothers have signed with 20th Century Fox to star in the movie version of the popular children’s book “Walter the Farting Dog.”

For the boy band — Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas, and their younger brother Frankie — it will be their first feature film.

Variety reports that the movie, based on the bestselling series of books by William Kotzwinkle and Glenn Murray, will begin shooting next spring.

The title character in the “Walter” books is a fat dog with severe flatulence. The brothers play musicians whose parents are asked to care for the dog by an aunt just before she passes away.

While his brothers play music, Frankie and the gaseous hound get involved in a plot that involves liberating a koi fish and thwarting jewel thieves.

One last doggie costume, and some final words of advice and — in a couple more nights, anyway — we can put Halloween behind us.

To find this one, I had to venture into the unfamiliar yet very tidy confines of marthastewart.com, where I came across this elaborate headless horsemen outfit that requires PVC pipe, children’s clothing, plenty of stuffing and lots of work.

Modeling it is Bob, who, according to his owner and the costume’s creator, is a Rottweiler-Lab mix that loves to get dressed up.

Keep in mind that not all dogs do. Some dogs enjoy the extra attention, and if the costume presents no hazards, go for it. If you dog resists efforts to put him in costume, don’t push it. On top of the other stress the night brings, putting him into something uncomfortable is asking too much.

Give him time to gradually get used to his costume — and your’s. Your dog may not immediately recognize family members when they’re disguised. Allow your dog to see and scent the costumes beforehand, and let him know who’s behind the mask.

And be wary of the other dangers the holiday poses for canines.

“We hear about more dogs dying or straying during Halloween than any other holiday,” said Liam Crowe, CEO and master dog behavioral therapist of Bark Busters USA. “…By being more sensitive to dogs’ fear-driven ‘fight or flight’ instincts, we can help keep our furry friends safe this Halloween.”

Bark Busters offers these tips: 

– Don’t leave your dog outside. Even if you have a fenced yard, bring your dog inside where it is safe. If your dog is usually kept outside, bring him in a few times before the big night to get him used to being indoors. Your dog may be used to strangers, but remember that it is a natural instinct for dogs to protect the family from strangers, and on Halloween there are likely to be some pretty strange strangers.

– If your dog is timid or scared, or if he tends to love people a little too much, it is best to put him in a separate room away from the front door to limit his excitability, aggression, and chance of running outside and becoming lost.

– Reassure your dog. The best thing you can do for your dog when he is feeling unsettled by Halloween activities is to act as you normally would, and giving him a little extra reassurance and attention.

– Check your dog’s ID tag. Be sure identification tags are secure on your dog’s collar.– Keep candy away from your dog. Many candies — especially chocolate–are toxic to dogs.

– Protect dogs from candles and pumpkins. Excited or agitated dogs can easily knock over a lit candle or pumpkin. Be sure those items are away from your dog’s reach, or consider a battery-powered candle that does not burn.

– Be prepared. If you take your dog with you while trick-or-treating, be prepared at all times. Dogs do not understand that the person jumping out at you will not hurt you; they often think they can only help you by acting aggressively. Neither children nor adults in costumes should approach a dog without the owner’s consent.