The Most Famous Canines of All Time

There wasn’t much to celebrate in Nome, Alaska in the early have of 1925. A diphtheria epidemic was raging and the life-saving serum was only available in Anchorage – 1,153 miles away. Nome was an isolated village, with no easy way to deliver the medicine, and dog sleds were the only solution.

More than 150 animals and their drivers endured blizzards, 40-below temperatures, and vicious wind chills during their journey, and it was the Siberian husky named Balto who led the first team to arrive in Nome carrying the precious medicine. His achievement was recognized with a monument in New York’s Central Park later that same year. The sled dogs’ heroic performance is honored each year with Alaska’s annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which is run on some of the same trails.

Since the 17th century, the sturdy dogs raised by the monks at Great St. Bernard Hospice in Switzerland assisted countless travelers making their way through the snowy St. Bernard Pass in the Western Alps. Between about 1670 and 1897, the dogs, which came to be known as St. Bernards, were credited with saving more than 2,000 lives. One animal in particular, Barry, did more than his share, saving more than 40 lives between 1800 and 1812. Visitors to the Natural History Museum in Berne can still see Barry’s remains on exhibit.

St. Bernard dogs may be famous for their life-saving abilities, but they also have comedic talents that generate laughs and warm hearts. This is exhibited in the film, “Beethoven,” where the star, and namesake, did such an incredible job entertaining audiences that the film earned a spot on numerous lists of all-time best dog movies, including Us Weekly and USA Today.

Beethoven was played by a dog named Chris but even he had stand-ins – eight of them. The sequel, “Beethoven’s 2nd”, was also a popular and financial success ($118-plus million, compared with the original’s $147-plus million); the two big-screen hits were followed by several made-for-video features.

The name John Travolta might not invoke images of puppies but the actor, famed for his many roles in films like “Saturday Night Fever” and “Pulp Fiction,” was the voice of the adorable pup, Bolt, in the animated film of the same name. His foray into the animation world proved fortuitous, allowing him to extend his cinematic winning streak into the 21st century; “Bolt” was the top-grossing dog film of all time, a sweet road movie that pulled in $310 million.

Buddy was a female German Shepherd who was the first seeing-eye dog in the United States. She had been trained in Switzerland by Dorothy Harrison Eustis for Morris Frank, a young blind man, who brought her home with him in 1928. This canine companion demonstrated her skills in front of a crowd of reporters by safely guiding Frank across busy Manhattan intersections.

Frank founded the Seeing Eye Guide Dog School in 1929, an institution that celebrated its 95th anniversary in January 2024. The school has provided guide dogs for more than 17,000 people who are blind or visually impaired, and most atonishingly, tuition rates have not changed since the 1930s: $150 for the first dog, $50 for each subsequent dog, and just $1 for veterans of the military.

Time magazine bestowed Cairo, a Belgian Malinois, the honor of “Animal of the Year” for 2011, for his part on SEAL Team Six, which took down Osama bin Laden. His reported role in the mission was sniffing out explosives or possibly finding a hidden room. The dog was lowered into the compound from a helicopter, and along with a translator and four SEALs, he closed off the perimeter of the house while other SEALs went inside. Later, when the SEALs visited the White House, President Obama asked to meet the valiant dog and had a chance to pet him.

Politicians are known for their numerous – and often extensive – speeches, and they are also known to be fond of animals, dogs in particular. In a speech given in 1952 by then-vice presidential candidate Richard Nixon, where he denied financial improprieties, he referenced his dog, Checkers. The speech is known as The Checkers Speech, where he declared he would keep one gift: the black and white cocker spaniel his daughter had named Checkers. He became an instant celebrity and some even say it was he who saved Nixon’s political career at the time.

Fala, the Scottish terrier who went everywhere with his owner, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was something of a media darling, appearing in newspapers, cartoons, books, and films. Fala even became the subject of a political smear, when President Roosevelt’s opponents falsely claimed the dog had been accidentally left behind in Alaska and a Naval ship was dispatched – at great expense – to rescue him. Fala is the only pet to be rendered in a presidential monument in Washington DC.

The little Skye Terrier may not have looked like much of a watchdog, but what he lacked in size he made up for in loyalty. In his early years, Bobby accompanied his owner on his rounds as a night watchman on the Edinburgh police force. After his owner’s death, Bobby kept watch at his grave in Greyfriars Kirkyard for 14 years; he was fed and cared for by local people till the end of his days.

A monument was erected in his honor across from the cemetery where Bobby held his faithful vigil. Some historians dispute this account and claim the whole story was a hoax to draw tourists in. Whatever the truth is, Bobby is still a very famous dog.

While just about every dog is cute, there is no denying that arguably one of the cutest Claymation creations is Gromit the Dog. The four-legged partner in such Wallace and Gromit adventures as “The Wrong Trousers,” “The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” and “A Grand Day Out,” traveled to the moon, saw through the machinations of an evil penguin and survived encounters with Wallace’s inventions. If you’ve ever suspected that most pets are smarter than their owners, check out Gromit’s interactions with Wallace for confirmation.

Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, owned several chow chows in his later years. Jofi was a particular favorite and was his constant companion for seven years, spending time in her master’s office while he treated patients. She got so used to the routine that she would get up, yawn, and walk to the door, signaling the end of a 50-minute session. Freud believed that Jofi calmed his patients and that they were more forthcoming while she was near at hand.

The first animal to orbit the earth was Laika, a mixed-breed stray from the streets of Moscow who was aboard Sputnik 2, launched by the Soviets in 1957. Dubbed “Muttnik” by the press, Laika entered the public imagination but did not survive the mission. Her memory has been preserved by a monument in Russia, as well as a postage stamp, books, and poems.

The story of Lassie began as a short story by Eric Knight that first appeared in The Saturday Evening Post, becoming the basis for the 1940 novel, “Lassie Come Home.” It was the beginning of the ever-popular saga of this faithful collie, eventually becoming a movie in 1943, that starred a rough collie named Pal in the title role.

Pal earned more than twice as much for his efforts as his human co-star Elizabeth Taylor. Pal and his successors appeared in several other Lassie films, and a long-running TV series; their work is recognized with a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.

The largest canine deployment in history occurred after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, when more than 300 dogs served at ground zero. Among the first on the scene was Apollo, a member of the New York Police Department’s K-9 unit, who was on site just 15 minutes after the towers collapsed.

Golden retriever Bretagne, the last-known survivor of this canine squad, put in 12-hour days at ground zero for two weeks, and years later was deployed to New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Most of us know we should “Adopt, don’t shop” but this phrase may have greater meaning than you realize. One of the many positive aspects of adopting a dog is discovering its unknown potential. The pup you choose could have a brilliant future Hollywood career. The star of the beloved movie “Old Yeller” was a stray named Spike, who went from homeless to Hollywood.

Spike had a great career, appearing in a variety of movies and TV shows, including “Dog of Flanders,” and the Sam Peckinpah-creation “The Westerner.”

An unofficial mascot of the U.S. Postal Service, this charming mutt traveled anywhere a stamp could take him, accompanying the U.S. mail on wagons, railroad cars, and aboard ships. Toward the end of the 19th century, Owney crossed the country with mail trains multiple times and went around the world on steamships. He was considered a good luck charm by postal workers, who awarded him medals and tags documenting his journeys.

Appropriately enough, Owney has appeared on a postage stamp and is the star of an exhibition at the Smithsonian Postal Museum in Washington, DC.

The British monarch received her first corgi in 1933 and has owned more than 30 in the decades since then. They were by her side in countless photos, from royal portraits to casual snaps to the cover of Vanity Fair. They accompanied Queen Elizabeth II on her travels – including her honeymoon – and have been sculpted into official statues and embossed onto commemorative coins.

One of the royal corgis even appeared with Daniel Craig in the James Bond opener to the 2012 London Olympics. When the Queen passed away in September 2022, her two remaining corgis, Muick and Sandy, went to reside in the Royal Lodge with her former daughter-in-law, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York. There is even a Belgian animated comedy film, “The Queen’s Corgi.”

After a World War I battle in 1918, an American soldier found this pup in a bombed-out dog kennel, whom he later brought home to Los Angeles. Owner Lee Duncan, certain that his pet had a future in films, wrote a screenplay and went knocking on studio doors – literally – until he found a taker at Warner Brothers.

Known as “The dog who saved Warner Brothers,” the German shepherd and his descendants went on to star in movies and a long-running TV series. Rin Tin Tin is one of three dogs to rate a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and his intriguing back story inspired a biopic, “Finding Rin Tin Tin,” and a book, “Rin Tin Tin, The Life and the Legend,” by Susan Orlean.

Making his small-screen debut in 1969, this cartoon Great Dane is still going strong in the comedic mystery-solving business. The 2002 feature movie “Scooby-Doo” is among the top-earning dog movies of all time, grossing more than $181 million. He even has a postage stamp, which, as part of the character’s Doo Good social responsibility initiative, aims to “provide young people with tools and activities geared toward enriching the environment.”

This Newfoundland dog was the mascot of the Royal Rifles of Canada and served as a grenade sniffer during World War II. Gander was killed in action during the battle of Hong Kong, protecting a group of wounded soldiers, by carrying a grenade away from them toward enemy lines. The Gander Heritage Memorial Park in Newfoundland is home to a monument honoring Gander, who was also awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal, the highest award any animal can receive and the animal equivalent to the Victoria Cross.

Said to be America’s most decorated war dog, this mixed-breed regimental mascot is credited with saving numerous lives while in the trenches in France with U.S. troops during World War I. Stubby was exposed to gas during his first battle, and thereafter could sense when the troops were under chemical attack and would alert the soldiers to put on their gas masks; in fact, the dog was fitted with his own specially crafted mask.

Sgt. Stubby survived 17 battles and later met three U.S. presidents. He had a second career as the mascot of the Georgetown Hoyas.

The beloved cartoon character made his first appearance in a Peanuts comic strip in 1950 and quickly worked his way into readers’ hearts and imaginations. He was even once named the top dog in pop culture by the American Kennel Club. The beagle is known for having a vivid fantasy life – his alter egos included jazz saxophonist Joe Cool, a World War I flying ace who battled the Red Baron, and a soldier in the French Foreign Legion – and he typically seemed far more joyful and less neurotic than his human counterparts.

Snoopy has been portrayed in TV specials, feature movies, and the Broadway musical “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” and featured heavily in songs by The Royal Guardsmen. There’s even a Snoopy museum in Tokyo and a NASA award named in his honor.

Credited with helping to popularize the German Shepherd breed, Strongheart’s life story sounds like something out of a movie, though his heroic exploits weren’t strictly fictional. The German-born animal was trained as a police dog in Berlin and served bravely with the German Red Cross in World War I before migrating to the U.S., and straight to Hollywood.

Born Etzel Von Oeringen, he was dubbed Strongheart by a movie studio publicity department that deemed his name too much of a mouthful for a screen star; and a star he did become. His performances in silent films including “White Fang” and “The Silent Call” earned Strongheart a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

One of the most famous movie dogs was played by Terry, believed to be a Cairn Terrier, who starred as Toto, Dorothy’s beloved companion in the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz.” The dog’s $125 per week salary ($6,500 a year) for the film was a princely sum, considering that the average annual income for that year was $1,368. In addition to appearing with Judy Garland in Wizard, Terry shared the screen with some of the top stars of the day, including Shirley Temple (“Bright Eyes”), and Spencer Tracy and Hedy Lamarr (“Tortilla Flat”).

Toto has proved to have an enduring hold on our imaginations, as evidenced by a successful 2011 crowd-funding campaign to provide a memorial at Terry’s final resting place at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. There is also an upcoming animated film from Warner Brothers based on the book by Michael Morpurgo, “Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of The Wizard of Oz” that will revisit the movie from Toto’s perspective.

This charm-laden Jack Russell Terrier transcended his humble beginnings as a shelter pup to find fame and fortune on the silver screen. Uggie starred in 2011’s “The Artist,” delivering a performance that fueled discussions as to whether animals should be granted Oscars. The movie landed five Oscars, making it the first silent film to win an Academy Award since 1929.

Uggie stole countless hearts with his antics at the awards ceremony, and in 2012 left his mark with paw prints in wet cement outside Grauman’s Chinese Theater, the first dog to do so.