Axelrod, Basset Hound, appeared in commercials and print ads for Flying "A" Service Station advertisements in the 1960s.[1]
Banjo, portrayed Alex, an Irish Setter/Golden Retriever mix and star of Stroh's beer advertising in the 1980s. Also mentioned in the Tone Lōc song, "Funky Cold Medina".
Cheeka, a Pug who appeared in the popular "You & I" advertising campaign of Hutch's cellular service in India, along with the child actor Jayaram.
Gidget, a female Chihuahua, was featured in a Taco Bell advertising campaign as the "Taco Bell Chihuahua". She also played the role of Bruiser's mother in Legally Blonde 2.[2]
Nipper, the dog with the gramophone in the HMV logo
Paddington, a Golden Retriever "professional stand-in, and stunt double" portrays the real Duke Bush (Duffy "Duke" of Castlebury) at promotional events and in commercials for Bush's Best Baked Beans.[4] Duke stars in the commercials, where the dog's owner, Jay Bush (president of the company) pleads for the dog to maintain the secret family recipe. The punchline occurs when the dog states: "Roll that beautiful bean footage."[5]
Tinkerbelle, a Papillon/Maltese mix and canine model featured in advertisements for various companies.[6]
Film
Ace the Wonder Dog, appeared in numerous films and serials in the 1930s and 1940s
Buddy, a Golden Retriever, starred in the 1997 film Air Bud but died from cancer a year later. He also played a cameo as Comet on the TV series Full House.
Butkus Stallone, Sylvester Stallone's personal pet Bullmastiff since a puppy; featured in Rocky as the boxer's "training partner".[9] Stallone credits Butkus for inspiring the screenplay.[10]
Moonie, a Chihuahua, played the role of Elle Woods' tiny dog Bruiser in Legally Blonde and Legally Blonde 2.[11] Moonie died 10 March 2016 in Los Angeles, California. He is survived by his trainer Sue Chipperton who got him when he was a puppy. He was 18 years old.[12]
Red Dog (Pilbara), appeared in Red Dog and Red Dog: True Blue, based on the true life story of a Kelpie who wandered around the outback Western Australia, looking for its owner
Rin Tin Tin (1918–1932), an internationally famous German Shepherd actor who starred in many silent films and a few sound films. His descendants carried on in film, radio and television roles.
Skippy, a wire haired fox terrier who, among other roles in 1930s films, played Asta in The Thin Man film and sequels.
Strongheart, also known as Etzel von Oeringen, was the first German Shepherd with name-above-the-title billing in a film. He starred in an adaptation of White Fang, released in 1925, and The Return of Boston Blackie, released in 1927.
Zip, a Blue Heeler Australian Cattle Dog famous for his role in the 1995 film Last of the Dogmen. Zip's character is named Zip and has a touching storyline many viewers remember.[17]
Television
"Beauregard the Wonder Dog", appeared regularly though unspectacularly on Hee Haw.
Beejay, a German Shepherd, was the first Rex on Inspector Rex. His formal name is Reginald Von Ravenhorst, which also serves as Rex's full name in the show.
Bullet, "the Wonder Dog", a black and silver AKC registered German Shepherd (originally: "Bullet Von Berge") was a regular on the '50s TV show The Roy Rogers Show; his taxidermic remains (along with Trigger) were displayed at The Roy Rogers & Dale Evans Museum and he was sold in 2010 at Christie's for $35,000[19]
Comet, a Golden Retriever, who played Comet on the TV show Full House. He also played Fluke in the film Fluke.[20]
Molly, a Bichon Frise, played alongside Bruce Gyngell in the Australian mini-series Meweth
Moose and his son Enzo, played Eddie on the TV show Frasier
Petra, a mixed breed, the first Blue Peter dog; the 'original' Petra died after making one appearance and was replaced by a look-alike; this was kept secret until many years after the substitute's death
Pippin, a female mixed breed dog, half Tibetan Terrier, half Bearded Collie in the TV series Come Outside
King Buck, a Labrador Retriever, successfully completed an unprecedented 63 consecutive series in the National Championship Stake and was the National Retriever Field Trial Club champion for two successive years (in 1952 and 1953), which accomplishment was not duplicated for nearly 40 years. He was also the first dog to appear on a United States Fish and Wildlife Serviceduck stamp, which always featured a water fowl.[25]
Master McGrath, an Irish Greyhound whose racing victories and fame gained him an audience with the British Royal Family.
Mick the Miller, a racing Greyhound, was the first greyhound to win the English Derby in successive years and the first greyhound to run a 525-yard (480 m) course in under 30 seconds.[26]
Snip Nua, an Irish racing Greyhound partly owned by comedian Dara Ó Briain. Snip Nua's racing was viewed by 3 million UK viewers on the show Three men go to Ireland.
Faithful dogs
Faithful after master's death
Canelo in Cádiz, Spain, used to walk with his owner to the hospital where he was receiving dialysis treatment. In 1990 his owner died at the hospital. Canelo died outside the hospital after waiting for 12 years. The town of Cádiz put his name to a street and a plaque in his honor.[28][29]
Capitán, a German Shepherd, ran away from his home in central Argentina, after the death of his owner Miguel Guzmán in 2006. About a week later, Guzmán's family found Capitán standing guard at Guzmán's grave after finding the cemetery on his own. When brought home, Capitán again ran away back to the grave of his former owner. He stood vigil over his owner's grave and received provisions from the cemetery staff so he did not need to leave.[30][31][32] Capitán died in 2018.[33]
In the mid-1990s in Togliatti, Russia – a family died in a car crash during the summer of 1995, leaving their dog as the only survivor. The German Shepherd, named Constantine aka Kostya or Faithful Kostya by the locals, kept coming to the same spot for the next 7 years braving freezing winters and hot summers. Loyalty – a bronze statue honouring the dog's loyalty was placed on that spot in 2003 by the city authorities.[34][35]
Dżok, the dog.[36][37] Throughout the entire year (1990–1991) Dżok was seen waiting in vain at the Rondo Grunwaldzkie roundabout in Kraków, Poland, to be fetched back by his master, who had died there.
Fido, a mixed-breed dog, whose master, Carlo Soriani, had died in an air raid over Borgo San Lorenzo (near Florence, in Italy) in 1943, during World War II. Fido waited in vain, for the following 14 years, for Soriani's return, going daily to the bus stop in Luco del Mugello (a frazione of Borgo) where the man used to get off after coming home from work.[38]
Greyfriars Bobby, a Skye Terrier in Edinburgh, Scotland, was loyal to his master long after his master's death in 1858. Until Bobby's death 14 years later, he reportedly spent every night at his master's grave.[39] A statue in memorial of Greyfriars Bobby was erected near the graveyard. Several films have been made dramatising the life of Greyfriars Bobby, and in folklore he is popularly remembered throughout Scotland as a symbol of loyalty.
Hachikō, an Akita who became a symbol of loyalty in Japan, is now honored by a statue in Tokyo. Hachikō is famous for his loyalty to his long dead master Hidesaburō Ueno, by returning to the train station and waiting for his return, every day for the next nine years during the time the train was scheduled to arrive.[40]
Hawkeye, a Labrador retriever, stayed by the coffin of his owner, Jon Tumilson, a Navy SEAL who was killed in Afghanistan on 6 August 2011 when the CH-47 Chinook he was riding on was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade.[41]
Heidi, a Jack Russell Terrier, made her way down a 500-foot (150 m) drop in Scotland to get to the body of her owner (after he fell to his death while hiking) and stood guard over his body for 2 days in 2001.[39]
Heihei (黑黑; Chinese for 'Black Black'), a black dog, gave evidence to police to identify the killer of his old mistress. He was later buried with her.[42]
Leão, a mix breed who stayed by the side of her owner who died in January 2011 during Brazil's flood. Her owner was Cristina Cesário Maria Santana. Her body and the bodies of three of her family members were retrieved by the rescuers after seeing the dog digging in some mud.[43]
Ruswarp, a Border Collie who disappeared while hiking with his master Graham Nuttall in the Welsh Mountains near Llandrindod Wells on 20 January 1990. On 7 April, a hiker discovered Nuttall's body near a mountain stream, where Ruswarp had been standing guard for 11 weeks. The 14 year-old dog was so weak he had to be carried off the mountain, and died shortly after Nuttall's funeral.[44] There is a statue of Ruswarp on a platform of Garsdale railway station.
Shep, belonging to a sheepherder who died in Fort Benton, Montana, in August 1936 followed his master's casket to the train station and fashioned a den under the depot platform after the body was shipped back east. For the next five and a half years, Shep met every passenger train arriving there—four a day—sniffing at the passengers and baggage car doors. His vigil became widely publicized including a feature in "Ripley's Believe It or Not." Passengers took the Havre to Great Falls rail line just to see the dog, and he received so much fan mail that the Great Northern Railroad assigned a secretary to help with responses. On Jan. 12, 1942, Shep was struck and killed by an arriving train. AP and UPI issued his obituary nationwide; thousands sent condolences and hundreds attended his funeral. The Great Northern erected an obelisk at his gravesite on a bluff overlooking the depot and town. In 1994, the citizens of Fort Benton further memorialized the dog with a heroic bronze erected on the town's steamboat levee.[46]
Spot, In November 2010, five months after his owner, Wayne Giroux of Lone Oak, Texas, was killed by a drunk driver, a local television station reported that Giroux's Great Dane-mix, Spot, was still traveling daily to wait for Giroux at a spot on a country lane where Giroux used to meet him.[47] The story was quickly picked up and disseminated by international media outlets such as CNN.[48]
Squeak, a Jack Russell Terrier who would not leave the body of his owner, Zimbabwean farmer Terry Ford,[49] after Ford was murdered in 2002 by a violent mob carrying out Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe's land seizure programs.[50] The photo of little Squeak guarding Ford's bloody body raised worldwide awareness of land-related violence in Zimbabwe.[51]
Talero is a German shepherd who loyally stayed next to his owner, Bernardo Leónidas Quirós, for 23 days, after Quirós died in a snow storm in Argentina. According to El Patagonico, Talero appears to have prevented wild animals from attacking the body of his owner and survived by hunting small animals. The loyal companion also seems to have slept by his owner's side, attempting to keep him warm and shelter him from the winds. When police approached the body, Talero growled and barked at them, continuing to protect his owner.[52][53]
Theo, an English Springer Spaniel belonging to Lance Corporal Liam Tasker of the British Army. Theo was used to sniff out roadside bombs in Afghanistan. In 2010, Theo and Tasker were in a firefight with insurgents, killing Tasker. Theo died later at a British army base from a fatal seizure, although many believe he died from a broken heart. Tasker's body and Theo's ashes were returned to England, where Tasker's family was presented with Theo's ashes in a private ceremony. In October 2012, Theo was posthumously honored with the Dickin Medal, Britain's highest award for bravery by animals.[54]
Tommy, a 7-year-old German Shepherd, continued to visit the church where his owner's funeral had been held. The owner, Maria Margherita Lochi, used to come with Tommy, to the Santa Maria Assunta church in San Donaci, Italy. After she died, the dog was present at her funeral service and followed after Maria's coffin. The father of the church, Donato Panna, said, "he waits patiently by the side of the altar and just sits there quietly. I didn't have the heart to throw him out—I've just recently lost my own dog, so I leave him there until Mass finishes and then I let him out."[55] Tommy died 20 January 2014 after an illness.[56]
Waghya, meaning “tiger” in Marathi, was the pet dog of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji. After Shivaji's death, the dog mourned and jumped into his master's funeral pyre and immolated himself. A statue was put up on a pedestal next to Shivaji's tomb at Raigad Fort.Statue of Waghya, symbol of pure loyalty and devotion in India[57]
Wiley, a wolf-dog, was videotaped making sob-like noises at his owner's grandmother's grave.[58][59]
An unnamed dog drowned itself after its master, aged 77, died after 18 years with it.[60]
Kuvi, an indian mixed breed female dog who helped police to find the dead remains of her human friend 2 year old Dhanushka after the landslide happened at 10.45 pm on August 6 at Pettimudi, a hamlet in Rajamala ward under Munnar village panchayat in Kerala's Idukki district in India. Kuvi was later taken over by kerala police and given proper care under kerala dog squad
Homing dogs
Baekgu, the Korean Jindo Dog, after being sold by the original owner due to economic hardship to a new owner 300 km away, came back to the original owner after 7 months.
Bobbie, the Wonder Dog, after accidental abandonment on a cross-country trip, Bobbie made his way back over 2,551 miles (4,105 km) to his family's home.
Gelert, a legendary dog associated with the village of Beddgelert, Wales. According to the legend, King Llywelyn returned from hunting angry that his wolfhound, Gelert, had gone missing, only to be greeted joyously by the dog at the front door. The King noticed that Gelert had blood around his mouth but went straight to his infant son's room and found his baby missing, the cradle overturned, and more blood. Imagining that Gelert had killed his baby, Llywelyn drew his sword and killed the dog, whose dying yelp was answered by a baby's cry. Llywelyn lifted the cradle and found his heir under the cradle, along with a dead wolf that had tried to lift and run off with the infant, but had been stopped and killed by Gelert. Overcome with remorse, Llywelyn buried the dog with great ceremony, but never smiled again, plagued by the memory of the Gelert's dying cries. Although experts doubt the legend and the authenticity of Gelert's Grave, Beddgelert people honor and maintain it to this day, and popular Welsh belief in the legend still serves as a warning in that culture against acting rashly in anger when things are not as they seem.[61]
Kelsey, a dog, is being hailed a hero after he rescued his owner who became paralyzed when he slipped and fell in the snow. Kelsey stayed by his side licking his face to keep him warm for nearly 20 hours.[62]
Mari: A Tale of Mari and Three Puppies is based on a true story in the 2004 Chūetsu earthquake. Mari gave birth to three puppies. That spring, animals behaved strangely, foreshadowing something major to come. On 23 October 2004, a major earthquake, which later became known as the Chūetsu earthquake struck and devastated the whole village. At that time, only grandfather and Aya were at home, and they were pinned down by a wardrobe that collapsed onto them. Mari quickly moved her puppies to a safe place and successfully rescued grandfather and Aya from that disaster.
Old Drum, a hunting dog whose death at the hands of a neighbor was the subject of a lawsuit and George Graham Vest's famous summation to the jury, known as "Eulogy of the Dog",[63] which asserts that a man's unique relationship with his dog should influence how the law is interpreted and implemented in such cases. The case has been influential in courts ever since.[64]
Red Dog (Pilbara), a Kelpie who wandered around the outback Western Australia looking for its owner.
Saint Guinefort, a legendary French dog, is venerated with a tradition almost identical to that of Gelert, above.
Taro and Jiro, two Sakhalin huskies that survived a year of abandonment on the frozen continent of Antarctica until members of a Japanese Expedition team rescued them.
Zander, a 70-pound (32 kg), approximately 7-year-old Samoyed-husky mix who escaped his home and traveled more than two “hard miles” (fording a stream, crossing a busy highway, and navigating complex neighborhoods) to arrive at a hospital in an area where he had never been, where he was stopped by a hospital employee who called the cell phone number on his dog tag and reached Zander's master in a room inside the hospital where he had been lying for several days recuperating from an illness.[65]
Bart, a German Shepherd working with SEAL Team Six who was killed along with 38 others which consisted of U.S. special operation troops, aviators and Afghan commandos in 2011.[66][67]
Cappy, a Doberman Pinscher "Devil Dog" credited with saving the lives of at least 250 U.S. Marines during the 1944 Battle of Guam by alerting them to Japanese soldiers. Cappy was mortally wounded on patrol, July 23, becoming the first Marine K-9 combat casualty. He was the first to be buried in what would become the National War Dog Cemetery in Guam, where his likeness in bronze sits atop the World War II War Dog Memorial that includes names inscribed for the Dobermanns who died while serving with the US Marine Corps on Guam.[70][71][72]
Chesty, one of a family of bulldogs, serving as the official mascot of Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. These dogs are actually enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, most attaining the rank of corporal.[73]
Chips, the most decorated hero war dog of World War II.
Horrie the Wog Dog, found in Egypt by Australian Forces in 1942 during World War II, saved the lives of many Australian soldiers. Horrie was refused admission back to Australia after service in Europe; he was saved by his mates smuggling him to his new home in Australia.
Jet of Iada an Alsatian, who assisted in the rescue of 150 people trapped under blitzed buildings. He was awarded both the Dickin Medal and the RSPCA's Medallion of Valor for his rescue efforts.
Judy, a ship's dog that served with the Royal Navy, was the only animal to have been officially registered as a Japanese prisoner of war. She survived the death camps on the Burma Railway and was awarded the Dickin Medal in 1946.
Just Nuisance, a Great Dane, the only dog to have been officially enlisted in the Royal Navy, was buried with full military honours upon his death in 1944.
Lava, a mixed breed dog, was adopted as a puppy by the 1st Battalion 3rd Marines Unit nicknamed the Lava Dogs. He was rescued from Iraq in 2005 by Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman. Lava is the subject of the book From Baghdad, With Love by Kopelman and Melinda Roth.[74]
Lex, the first actively working Military Working Dog to be adopted by family members of its handler, prior to being retired.
Lucca, a dog working for the U.S. Marine Corps who was awarded the Dickin Medal, the equivalent of the Victoria Cross for dogs.
Nemo A534, a German Shepherd that saved the life of his handler in battle despite having been shot in the nose and losing an eye.
Nigger, a black Labrador Retriever belonging to Guy Gibson, gave his name as the codename for the Dam Busters mission in World War II. His name is usually edited out of modern versions of the film about the mission due to the offensiveness of the term to modern viewers.
Philly, a mutt and World War I "hero";[75] mascot of Company A of the 315 Infantry, 79th Division ("Philadelphia's Own").[76]
Statue at Gettysburg of Sallie Ann Jarrett, Civil War mascot of the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer InfantrySallie Ann Jarrett, Civil War mascot of the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry regiment, whose bronze statue is part of the regimental monument at Gettysburg.
Sinbad and crew, 1943Sinbad, the U.S. Coast Guard's most famous mascot. He was adopted by a crewman from the cutter Campbell prior to World War II. He was so beloved by the crew that they actually enlisted him in the Coast Guard. Sinbad had a book written about him.[79][80]
Smoky, hero war dog of World War II, was a Yorkshire Terrier that served with the 5th Air Force in the Pacific after she was adopted by Corporal William Wynne. Smoky was credited with twelve combat missions and awarded eight battle stars. Wynne authored a book about his adventures with Smoky entitled Yorkie Doodle Dandy: Or, the Other Woman Was a Real Dog.
Frida, a Mexican golden Labrador credited with saving 12 people's lives and locating more than 40 bodies during her 9 years of service; gained international fame for rescue and recovery efforts following the 2017 Puebla earthquake in Mexico.[91]
Kira (2019), an English Golden Retriever became a hero when on her own accord she twice assisted her owner in breaking through ice and rescuing two dogs separately stranded in a frozen lake, rounding up each animal and guiding them safely to shore.[93][94][95]
Nico (2015) a recently adopted Bernese mountain dog became a hero when he saved two people who were being swept out into the ocean by a rip current.[96][97]
Peter, a collie that was a search and rescue dog during World War II.
Trakr, a German Shepherd survivor detection dog that found the last survivor of the World Trade Center attack on 11 September 2001.
Bretagne, a Golden Retriever search and rescue dog, believed to have been the last surviving rescue dog of the World Trade Center attacks when she was euthanized on June 6, 2016, at age 16, following kidney failure.
Endal, a yellow Labrador RetrieverService dog voted "Dog of the Millennium", famous for extraordinary ability to help his human partner, a disabled veteran, with many aspects of his life, for over a decade, and his role in the promotion of service dog programs.
Professor Beauregard Tirebiter, University of Southern California's Official Wellness Dog.[100] Beau is USC's first full-time canine faculty member and comes from a "hypoallergenic" cross-over breed between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle, also widely-known as a “Golden Doodle.” Beau is professionally trained as a facility dog and creates well-being throughout his facility, USC.[101]
Roselle, a Golden Retrieverguide dog who led her blind owner Michael Hingson to safety from the 78th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center after the 9/11 attack.[102]
Salty, a Labrador Retrieverguide dog who led his blind owner Omar Rivera from 71st floor of Tower 1 of the World Trade Center on 9/11.
Trixie Koontz, the Golden Retriever companion of Dean Koontz, was a retired guide dog and the purported author of Life Is Good.[104] Trixie died 30 June 2007 at home, euthanized on her favorite couch with Koontz and his wife holding her in their arms. She had a tumor in her heart.[105]
Wanda the Yellow Retriever/Lab cross, guide dog to Mhairi Thurston. Wanda was Guide Dog for the Blind Association's first 'Overall Guidedog of the Year' in 2004. Wanda retired from service in 2011 and lived a happy retirement with owner Mhairi in Dundee, Scotland until her passing in 2017.[106]
Dogs that aided exploration
Bud Nelson, the first dog to travel across the United States by automobile.
Chinook was the dog team leader for the Byrd Antarctic Expeditions and dubbed an "All American Dog" in the 1920s
Laika, aka. Kudryavka, a Russian stray was the first animal to orbit the Earth, in 1957.
Finn, a German Shepherd of the Hertfordshire Constabulary in England. In 2016, Finn and his handler were both stabbed; the case started a campaign to improve legal protection for public service animals, resulting in a 2019 act of parliament known as "Finn's Law".[108]
Zanjeer was a Labrador Retriever who served as a detection dog with the Mumbai Police in Maharashtra state of India. Due to his impeccable service detecting many explosives and other weapons—in particular during the 1993 Mumbai bombings—he was honoured with a full state funeral.
Zuyaqui, a German Shepherd who served the Mexican Federal Police, his body is preserved at the Museo del Enervante drug-trafficking museum.
Oscar, a.k.a. "Hypnodog", a black Labrador retriever, famous for performing as a "canine hypnotist".
Owney, an official United States Postal Service dog and mascot, rode the trains with the mail in the 19th century, traveled around the world and more than 143,000 miles (230,000 km) in his lifetime. After death, his body was stuffed and is on display in the National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C. Featured on a Forever Stamp, and subject of many books.
Hansel, a 'firefighting dog' and first pit bull arson detection K-9 in the US. The pit's handler is New Jersey firefighter Tyler Van Leer of the Van Leers.[112]
Other heroic dogs
Not all dogs that are famous for saving lives are working dogs. Famous lifesaving dogs with no special training or job include the following:
Saved abandoned babies
Jade, a German Shepherd from Birmingham, England, who saved an abandoned baby. He was walking in a park with his owner when he ran off and laid down, not moving until his master approached, next to an abandoned baby in a bag in the woods. Jade's owner called an ambulance, which took the baby to the hospital, and the baby was saved.[113]
La China, a free-ranging dog who heard the cries of a newborn infant that had been exposed by her mother in a field near a shanty town outside of Buenos Aires, Argentina. La China found the baby and, without leaving any bite marks on her, brought her back to the relative shelter and warmth of a corner where she was keeping and nursing her litter of puppies. In so doing, La China had brought the baby close enough to people to be heard and saved.[114]
Mkombozi, a stray dog from the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, saved the life of an abandoned baby. On 9 May 2005, Mkombozi while scavenging for food along a road, found an abandoned baby in a package. She dragged it across a road, pulled it through a fence, into a village, to a shed where she was nursing newborn puppies. In doing so, she had brought the baby close enough for its cries to be heard by a woman and her children, who saved the baby. The baby was given the name "Angel" and adopted. The dog was named "Mkombozi", which is Swahili for "savior", and taken in by the local SPCA.[115]
Others
Buddy, the German Shepherd was hailed as a hero in 2010 for guiding Alaska State Troopers through winding back roads to a fire at his owners' workshop when their GPS had stopped working.[116]
Duke, a mixed breed rescue dog in Portland, Connecticut that had been with his family for 6 years saved the life of 9-week old Harper Brousseau. On the night of 7 October 2012, Duke jumped into the Brousseau's bed and began shaking uncontrollably. This caused the Brousseaus to wake up and get out of bed. Upon checking on their daughter, they found she had stopped breathing. They then called 911 and the paramedics were able to revive Harper.[117]
George, a Jack Russell Terrier who shielded a group of children in Manaia, New Zealand, from a pair of attacking pit bulls. He was killed by the pit bulls.[118]
Kabang, a shepherd mix Aspin from Zamboanga City, Philippines who became famous when she saved two children from a potentially fatal motorcycle crash. As a result of the accident, Kabang lost her upper snout.[119][120]
Lucy was a pitbull who shielded her owner's mother-in-law from an ex-boyfriend with a knife. The man stabbed Lucy, multiple times, and she died 19 December 2015, after going into cardiac arrest from blood loss.[121]
Polo, a 6-year old mixed breed in Baltimore, Maryland saved the life of 8-month old Vivian Poremski. On 15 August 2016, a candle sparked a fast moving fire in the Poremski home while the mother had stepped out to retrieve an item from her car. Polo protected Vivian from the flames by laying on top of her, dying in the process.[122]
Saihu (赛虎 = "like a tiger"), from Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province, southern China. On 28 November 2003, a chef was preparing dinner for almost 30 people at a driving school. The smell of the cooking meat attracted some nearby puppies to the school, along with their mother, Saihu. The chef threw some scraps of meat from the pot to the puppies, but strangely, the puppies' mother prevented them from eating. Saihu also kept barking at the chef, as well as the people who were preparing to eat. Confused but undeterred, the people prepared to eat the meal the chef had made. Saihu became panicked and ran around barking at the guests, before finally eating all the scraps the chef had thrown to the dogs. After just a few minutes, Saihu fell dead on the floor. The guests, shocked at the dog's death, stopped eating the meal. They called a policeman as well as some doctors, who discovered poison in the meat. No people or puppies died. Everyone was convinced that Saihu must have smelled the poison and had saved the people and her puppies by sacrificing herself. The people of Jiujaing were so grateful to Saihu that they set up a tomb in a human graveyard and a statue to memorialize the dog.[123]
Susie, part Pit Bull rescued after being set on fire in Greensboro, North Carolina; her plight led to passage of Susie's Law. The subject of a 2013 film by Uplifting Entertainment and now a certified therapy dog, Susie is regularly taken to schools, churches, and hospitals to warn of the danger of animal abuse and to promote kindness and respect.[124]
Wangwang (汪汪 Wāngwāng, meaning "wuff wuff"), a dog member of a Chang (張) family in Taipei who woke the family in a night fire. The family woke their neighbors and saved about 30 lives.[126]
Willie, Labrador retriever, who saved his friend, six-year-old John Stenglein, from a wolf attack at a logging camp nearby on 26 April 2000 in Icy Bay, Alaska. John and an older boy were playing near the edge of a logging camp when a wolf appeared and chased the boys, attacking John when he fell and dragging him towards the woods. Many came running, but only Willie arrived in time to confront the wolf, causing it to drop John before it could make off with him. The others then arrived, the wolf retreated, and John was saved; and then John's father arrived and tracked down and shot the wolf. The wolf was found to have been neither sick nor starving, but habituated to the presence of people. John received 19 laceration and puncture wounds on the back, legs, and buttocks.[127]
Real dogs in literature
Angelo, author Leland Dirks' Border Collie, who is the inspiration for the books Angelo's Journey: A Border Collie's Quest for Home, and Seven Dogs in Heaven. Part of the proceeds of Angelo's Journey audiobook goes to animal shelters.[128]
Beautiful Joe, an abused Airedale who was rescued from a brutal master, inspired an 1894 bestselling novel of the same name.[129]
Endal A paperback book entitled Endal,[131] published by Harper Collins was released on 9 February 2009 and went straight to Number 5 in the UK Paperback best sellers list.
Chesty is the name given to the bulldogs that serve as the official mascot of the United States Marine Corps. They are named after Marine Corps legend Lieutenant General Chesty Puller.
Dubs II, Dubs II is the University of Washington’s 14th live mascot was born on January 4, 2018. He resides with his family, composed of two human siblings, a feline brother and a canine sister in Sammamish, Washington.
Chalcy, a Weimaraner, is featured in hundreds of photos in books and DVDs in the "101 Dog Tricks" series by Kyra Sundance.
Fay Ray, a Weimaraner, was one of the photography subjects of her owner William Wegman. The name was a play on the name of Wegman's earlier dog Man Ray and the actress Fay Wray.
Girella, a female Portuguese Water Dog, has been photographed with numerous musicians, as displayed on her website.[138]
Man Ray, a Weimaraner who belonged to William Wegman, was often photographed by his photographer owner.
Mr. Winkle, a very small dog of uncertain breed, belongs to Lara Jo Regan, who has published many photos of Mr. Winkle in various costumes and poses.
Sparky, of The Sparky Project, has been photographed and painted by several artists.[139]
Dogs in science
Brown Dog, killed after vivisection in February 1903. A memorial statue provoked riots.
Marjorie, a depancreatized dog, was the subject of experiments by Frederick Banting and his assistant, Charles Best. Marjorie was kept alive for about 70 days on pancreas extract, which was the first success in the doctors' effort to uncover a means to control diabetes. Ultimately, this led Banting and Best to isolate insulin.[140]
The Soviets favored dogs for early space flights, as opposed to the Americans, who preferred monkeys and chimpanzees.
Belka and Strelka, two Russian mixed breeds, went into space aboard Sputnik 5 and returned. They were the first animals to survive an orbital flight.[141] Strelka later gave birth to a litter of puppies, one of which was given to Caroline Kennedy by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev.[141]
Laika, a female mixed-breed dog, became the first animal to enter orbit when she was launched into space aboard Sputnik 2. Laika's presence led to the mission being dubbed "Muttnik". She was also the first to die in orbit, as no provision was made to return her to the ground.
Dogs of unusual size
Small dogs
Big Boss, a Yorkshire Terrier, was listed as the smallest living dog in the 2002 edition of Guinness World Records. Big Boss was listed at 12 centimetres (4.7 in) tall when he was registered with Guinness.[142]
Danka Kordak Slovakia, a long-haired Chihuahua, holds the Guinness World Record as of 2007 for the shortest (in terms of height) living dog. She measured 13.7 centimetres (5.4 in) tall and 18.8 centimetres (7.4 in) long on 30 May 2004.[143][144]
Heaven Sent Brandy, a female Chihuahua, is listed in the 2007 Guinness World Records as the smallest living dog in terms of length. She set the record on 31 January 2005, at 15 centimetres (6 in) long, from her nose to the tip of her tail.[144][145]
Sylvia, a matchbox-size Yorkshire Terrier owned by Arthur Marples of Blackburn, England, was the smallest dog in recorded history. The dog died in 1945 when she was almost two years old, at which point she stood 6 centimetres (2.4 in) tall at the shoulder, measured 9 centimetres (3.5 in) from nose tip to tail, and weighed 0.11 kilograms (3.9 oz).[146]
Zorba, a male English Mastiff, was recognized by Guinness World Records as the heaviest dog in the world at 155.6 kilograms (343 lb). The record was set in November 1989, when Zorba was 8 years old. Zorba also held a record for the world's longest dog at 2.5 metres (8.2 ft).[144][149][150]
Tall dogs
Giant George, a blue Great Dane that took over Gibson's record as the tallest living dog, measuring 109 cm (43 in) from paw to shoulder; 220 cm (7.2 ft) from head to tail.[citation needed]
Gibson, a Harlequin Great Dane who was the world's tallest dog until his death in August 2009. Gibson was certified by Guinness World Records as the tallest living dog at 107 centimetres (42.1 in). Standing on his hind legs, the 77 kilograms (170 lb) dog was over 2.13 metres (7 ft) tall.
Titan, a Great Dane who was previously recognised as the world's tallest dog
Zeus, a Great Dane who claimed the tallest dog record on 13 September 2012.
Intelligent dogs
Betsy, one of the most intelligent dogs, who knows over 340 words[151]
Chaser, had a vocabulary of 1,022 words, could reason by exclusion, and could recognise objects by the groups they belong to.[152][153][154]
Rico, a Border Collie, can recognize the names of more than 250 toys and fetch them on command.[155]
Long-lived dogs
Bluey, an Australian Cattle Dog that is officially the world's oldest dog. She died in 1939 at 29 years and 5 months of age.
Bramble, a Welsh Collie lived a vegan diet to 25 years old and at the time of her death was the world's oldest dog.[156]
Chanel, a dachshund, was thought to be the world's oldest dog as of 31 August 2009 at 21 years old,[157][158] but another dog, named Max, was later proven to be older.[159]
Max, a beagle, dachshund and terrier mix, who lived 29 years and 282 days.[160]
Show dogs
Araki Fabulous Willy, a Tibetan Terrier that was Best in Show at Crufts in 2007.
Baledda Ever Ready, the first Yorkshire Terrier to achieve Supreme Champion status[161]
Buddha, a Scottish pug trained to give a Nazi salute as a joke by the boyfriend of its owner, Suzanne Kelly. After filming the act and distributing it on YouTube, the boyfriend, Mark Meechan, was found guilty of a hate crime under UK's Communications Act 2003.[162]
Dempsey, condemned to death under the United Kingdom's Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 but finally reprieved after three years of legal battles
Dormie, a purebred Airedale accused of "murdering" 14 cats, resulting in a sensational and landmark 1921 California trial by jury.[163][164][165][166]
Baltic, whose rescue on the Baltic sea received worldwide attention, became the mascot and "crew-member" of Baltica, the Polish research vessel that rescued him.[171][172][173]
Dozer, a male Goldendoodle, who raised $25,000 for the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center by joining the Maryland Half Marathon and crossing the finish line on Sunday, May 15, 2011.[177]
Eclipse, a female Mastador (half Mastiff, half Labrador) who independently rides a bus from a bus stop near her home to a dog park in downtown Seattle and back. She has become a favorite among commuters.[178][179]
Joy, a Spaniel, belonging to the last Russian crown prince Alexei Romanov, with whom he often appears in photographs and from whom he was inseparable.[180] Alexei was executed at the age of 13 with the rest of his family at Ekaterinburg in 1918. Joy was the only survivor of the massacre and was discovered wandering in the grounds of the house shortly after by White Russians who briefly occupied the town too late to rescue the Romanovs. Joy was taken by one of them into exile in Britain where he died at Windsor several years later, still pining for his young master.[181][182]
Jonas, a mongrel dog who saved his owner life from a possible drowning in December 2017.[183]
Kabosu (Japanese: かぼす), a female Shiba Inu most known as the face of Doge.[184]
Kalu, a dog rescued and rehabilitated by the nonprofit animal rescue organization Animal Aid Unlimited after he was found at a construction site in Udaipur, India with almost his entire face destroyed by maggots. The organization makes videos of their rescues, and this went viral due to the horrible injury and his miraculous recovery. After his recovery, he lived the rest of his life happily and healthily at Animal Aid Unlimited. He died of a sudden heart attack in September 2018.
Lila, British General Howe's fox terrier that wandered off during the 1777 Battle of Germantown; the dog was recovered by American troops and was fed, cleaned and brushed before being returned to the British camp under a flag of truce,[185] with a cordial note from General Washington.[186]
Loukanikos, a dog who has been present at nearly every recent protest in Athens, Greece, in the last few years.
Mishka, a Siberian Husky. Mishka has a YouTube channel with over 500 videos. Mishka became popular from a video of her saying "I love you." Mishka has made several appearances on TV Talk Shows.[188]
Natividad, an emaciated stray dog featured in a controversial display by artist Guillermo Vargas Habacuc in the Visual Arts Biennial of Central America, later the subject of widespread rumours on the Internet that he was starved to death by the artist.[189]
Oscar, a Pug belonging to a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, was the center of public controversy after his owner assigned an advertising class to make the dog famous.[190]
Paddy the Wanderer, an Airedale Terrier who roamed the streets of Wellington, New Zealand, during the Great Depression and was known for taking trips on visiting ships.
Peter, an Australian "black and fawn colored kelpie sized dog" that was exhumed and taxidermied to be exhibited for a murder trial in Brisbane's Supreme Court; currently at the Queensland Police Museum.[191]
Red Dog, a kelpie–cattle-dog cross who travelled around the Pilbara region of Western Australia from 1975 (when his truck-driver owner died), befriending many locals, until his death in 1979, believed to have been caused by deliberate strychnine poisoning.
Rigel, erstwhile but perhaps mythical Newfoundland pet of first officer William Murdoch aboard the RMS Titanic. Murdoch went down with the ship but Rigel swam for three hours next to a lifeboat until it was rescued by the RMS Carpathia. Rigel is renowned as a hero alerting the Carpathia's captain of the weakened survivors before the ship hit them. Rigel was adopted by crewman Jonas Briggs.[193]
Star is a mixed-breed female pit bull who was shot by the New York City Police Department in 2012 while she was protecting her homeless owner who was in the midst of a seizure. Star's shooting was captured on video, and went viral, leading to controversies over police handling of companion dogs.[196]
Tawny, a yellow Labrador Retriever who in 1999 gave birth to 18 puppies in her very first litter. For this she received the "Iams Mother of the Year" Award.[197]
Willie, a handicapped dachshund who was killed alongside his owner Barbara Weston in 1993. The discovery of his wheelchair alongside their skeletal remains in a septic pit 3 years later was pivotal in police identifying them, and bringing their killer Stephen Swaim to justice.[199]
Willie Bean, a Golden Retriever, was the focus of several political satires during 2008.[200]
Word, a male Lhasa Apso, was sentenced to death on 4 May 1993 following two biting incidents. He was incarcerated at the Seattle Animal Control Shelter for a total of eight years and 190 days before being released on 10 November 2001, which is the Guinness World Record for the longest time on dog death row.[201]
Fame by proxy to a famous owner
Some dogs are made famous by frequently or prominently appearing in the media with their famous owner.
Commissioner, a Dachshund whose mistress was actress Carole Lombard. Commissioner ignored Clark Gable completely. After Lombard's death in 1942, the dog would not leave Gable's side.[202][203]
Gary, a french bulldog, companion of the late Carrie Fisher.
Spike, a Yorkshire Terrier was the former canine sidekick of television celebrityJoan Rivers.[206] The corporate logo of Rivers' PGHM (Please God Help Me) Productions featured an image of her beloved Spike in a prayerful pose with a halo over his head.[207]
Schnorbitz, St Bernard owned by Bernie Winters, an English comedian and the comic foil of the double act Mike and Bernie Winters with his older brother, Mike. Winters later performed solo, often with the aid of his dog. Following his death, Winters bequeathed Schnorbitz to showman Richard De Vere.
Ziggy, Molly Meldrum's dog played himself in the miniseries Molly. It is the fourth dog that Meldrum has named after the David Bowie character Ziggy Stardust.
Veela, Shirley Manson's dog, a terrier adopted from the streets of Los Angeles.[216]
Yeontan, Kim Taehyung's dog known for being a very loyal and mischievous pooch, is loved by millions of people across the world. He often appears in content and has even had a photoshoot with Dispatch Magazine before.
Cabal, the white German Shepherd belonging to Neil Gaiman, who frequently features in his blog.
Flush, Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Cocker Spaniel who was the subject of Virginia Woolf's Flush: A Biography, published in 1933.
Jacksie, a small dog belonging to C. S. Lewis in his childhood, died in an accident when Lewis was four years old.[223] Shortly thereafter, a young Lewis began calling himself Jacksie.[224] Lewis was known to friends and family as Jack for the rest of his life.
Marley, a yellow Labrador Retriever, was owned by journalist John Grogan. Marley was a neurotic dog, but proved himself to be a great and memorable pet, as stated in Grogan's book 'Marley & Me'.
Nero, who belonged to Thomas and Jane Carlyle. He was small, 'part Maltese terrier, part mongrel', black and white, and described by Jane as having 'long white silky hair hanging all about him – and over his eyes which are very large and black'. Arriving in 1849, he stayed with them until his death in 1860.[225]
Pippin, whose carsickness inspired K. V. Johansen's series of picture books.
Trixie Koontz a retired service dog who died 30 June 2007, purported author of Life is Good: Lessons in Joyful Living and Christmas is Good, companion of Dean Koontz[105]
Other
"Bambi", was a chihuahua owned by prominent Northern Irish loyalistSammy Duddy. "Bambi" received much media attention when he was shot dead in 2002 by rival loyalists during a gun attack on Duddy's home in Belfast.[228]
Jo-Fi, a Chow Chow belonging to Sigmund Freud. Jo-Fi often sat in on therapy sessions and assisted in calming patients[229]
Nash, The three-year-old male Alaskan husky Nash was part of Jeff King's Iditarod team, which also saw injuries to Crosby, a three-year-old male, and Banjo, a two-year-old male,[230]
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^Tamara (13 February 2012). "Mkombozi the stray dog saved the life of a newborn baby". DogHeirs. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014. Gilchrist speculated that the dog was possibly trying to care for the child because most of her puppies had died. 'She reckoned it was a young animal and possibly wanted to bring it up,' Gilchrist said. 'It is something to do with the canine-human bond. Other dogs might have just left her there to die. ... She's obviously a very special dog...'
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