 Adding local color to the Klingon bridge was a ragged doglike creature the effects team derisively called " Fifi Rebozo " . Ken Ralston thought that giving the Klingon captain a pet would add atmosphere , and sculpted a reptilian dog worked into the script as Kruge 's mascot . The animal 's hair was made from cheap wig clippings ; creature supervisor David <unk> sprayed the material with adhesive and laid clumps of the distressed fur onto the painted puppet body to make the animal appear " beat @-@ up and moth @-@ eaten " . During filming , <unk> and crew sprinkled the creature with water to make it look more unpleasant . The animal was a hand puppet ; Ralston operated the head and body by placing his arm into an opening on the creature 's side while hidden inside Kruge 's command chair . Three helpers operated cables that opened the animal 's eyes and made it snarl ; the creature 's head was large enough for Ralston to fit his hand inside the spring @-@ loaded jaw to operate it . Many of the animal 's intended movements were minimized ; the crew did not move its ears because it made the supposedly repulsive creature " cute " . For the animal 's demise during the Klingons ' fight with the Enterprise , an additional " dead " puppet was created , but Ralston used the " live " one for the scene instead . 
