
The following is a list of individual dogs.
Actors
Advertising
*
Banjo
The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and in modern forms is usually made of plastic, where early membranes were made of animal skin.
...
, portrayed Carlos, an
Irish Setter
The Irish Setter (, literally "red setter") is a setter, a breed of gundog, and family dog originating in Ireland. The term ''Irish Setter'' is commonly used to encompass the show-bred dog recognised by the American Kennel Club as well a ...
-
Golden Retriever mix and star of
Stroh's beer advertising in the 1980s. Also mentioned in the 1989
Tone Lōc
Anthony Terrell Smith (born March 3, 1966), best known by his stage name Tone Lōc (), is an American rapper and actor. He is known for his raspy voice, his hit songs " Wild Thing" and " Funky Cold Medina", for which he was nominated for a Gr ...
song "
Funky Cold Medina
"Funky Cold Medina" is a song written by Young MC, Matt Dike and Delicious Vinyl, Michael Ross, and first performed by American rapper, actor and producer Tone Loc, Tone Lōc. It was the second single from Tone Lōc's debut album, ''Lōc-ed Afte ...
".
*
Cheeka, a
Pug
The Pug is a breed of dog with the physically distinctive features of a wrinkly, short-muzzled face, and curled tail. An ancient breed, with roots dating back to 400 B.C., they have a fine, glossy coat that comes in a variety of colors, most ...
who appeared in the popular "You & I"
advertising campaign
An advertising campaign or marketing campaign is a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication (IMC). An IMC is a platform in which a group of people can group their ide ...
of
Hutch
Hutch may refer to:
Places
* Hutch, Kentucky, an unincorporated community located in Bell County, Kentucky, United States
* Hutchinson, Kansas ("Hutch"), a city in Kansas, United States
* Hutchinson, Minnesota ("Hutch"), a city in Minnesota, U ...
's cellular service in India, along with the child actor Jayaram.
*
Gidget
Gidget () is a fictional character created by author Frederick Kohner (based on his teenage daughter, Kathy) in his 1957 novel, ''Gidget, the Little Girl with Big Ideas''. The novel follows the adventures of a teenage girl and her surfing friend ...
, a female
Chihuahua, was featured in a
Taco Bell
Taco Bell Corp. is an American multinational chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell (1923–2010) in Downey, California. Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. The restaurants serve a variety of Mexican-inspired ...
advertising campaign as the "Taco Bell Chihuahua". She also played the role of Bruiser's mother in the 2003 film ''
Legally Blonde 2
''Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde'' (also referred to simply as ''Legally Blonde 2'') is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Charles Herman-Wurmfeld and written by Kate Kondell. It is a sequel to the 2001 film '' Legally Blonde'' and ...
''.
*
Honey Tree Evil Eye, a female
Bull Terrier, was known as
Spuds MacKenzie
Spuds MacKenzie ("The Original Party Animal") is a fictional bull terrier dog character used for an extensive advertising campaign marketing Bud Light beer in the late 1980s. The Spuds MacKenzie mascot and campaign was the idea of a 23-year-old a ...
in her role as the Budweiser spokes-dog.
*
Nipper
Nipper ( – September 1895) was a British dog.
He is best known as the subject of ''His Master's Voice'' (1898), painted posthumously by his second owner, Francis Barraud. The painting became a worldwide entertainment trademark, with Nip ...
, the dog with the gramophone in the 1901
His Master's Voice
His Master's Voice is an entertainment trademark featuring a dog named Nipper, curiously peering into the horn of a wind-up gramophone. Painted by Francis Barraud in 1898, the image has since become a global symbol used across consumer elect ...
logo.
*
Sam, 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.
*
Tinkerbelle, a Papillon/Maltese mix and canine model featured in advertisements for various companies.
Film
*
Ace the Wonder Dog
Ace the Wonder Dog was a German Shepherd dog actor in several films and film serials from 1938 to 1946. His first appearance was in the 1938 Lew Landers film '' Blind Alibi''. He is considered by many critics an attempt by RKO Pictures to cash ...
, appeared in numerous films and serials in the 1930s and 1940s.
* Blair, a
Collie
Collies form a distinctive type of herding dogs, including many related landraces and standardized breeds. The type originated in Scotland and Northern England. Collies are medium-sized, fairly lightly-built dogs, with pointed snouts. Many type ...
, the first dog screen star, starred in ''
Rescued by Rover
''Rescued by Rover'' is a 1905 British short silent drama film, directed by Lewin Fitzhamon, about a dog who leads its master to his kidnapped baby, which was the first to feature the Hepworth's family dog Blair in a starring role; following ...
'' in 1905.
*
Buddy
Buddy may refer to:
People
*Buddy (nickname)
*Buddy (rapper), real name Simmie Sims III (1993–Present)
* Buddy Cage (1946–2020), American pedal steel guitarist, member of the New Riders of the Purple Sage
*Buddy Holly (1936–1959), artistic ...
, a Golden Retriever, starred in the 1997 film ''
Air Bud
''Air Bud'' is a 1997 sports comedy-drama film directed by Charles Martin Smith. An international co-production of the United States and Canada, the film stars Kevin Zegers as a young boy who befriends a runaway Golden Retriever (portrayed ...
'' but died from cancer a year later.
*
Cosmo
Cosmo may refer to:
Business and media
* ''Cosmopolitan'' (magazine), a magazine for women, sometimes referred to as "Cosmo"
* ''Cosmo'' (book), 2012 short story collection
* Cosmo On-Line, a Brazilian generic Internet portal
* Cosmo Radio, ...
, a Jack Russell Terrier from the 2010 film ''
Beginners
''Beginners'' is a 2010 American romantic comedy drama film written and directed by Mike Mills. Based on the coming out of Mills' father at the age 75, five years before his death, it tells the story of a man reflecting on the life and death of ...
''.
*
Darla Darla is a female given name of English origin which is a variant of Darlene. Darla means “Darling”
Darla may refer to:
People
* Darla K. Anderson (), American film producer
* Darla Hood (1931–1979), American child actress, best known for ...
, a
Bichon Frise
A bichon is a distinct Dog type, type of toy dog; it is typically kept as a companion dog. Believed to be descended from the Barbet (dog), Barbet, it is believed the bichon-type dates to at least the 11th century; it was relatively common in 14t ...
best known for her role as Precious in the 1991 thriller ''
The Silence of the Lambs''.
*
Higgins, a small
Poodle
The Poodle, called the in German () and the in French, is a breed of water dog. The breed is divided into four varieties based on size, the Standard Poodle, Medium Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle, although the Medium Poodle is no ...
-
Schnauzer
A Schnauzer ( , ; plural , ; ) is a dog breed type that originated in Germany from the 14th to 16th centuries. The term comes from the German word for "snout" and means colloquially "moustache", mix, played the leading role of
Benji in the movie of the same name and had a recurring role on the TV series ''
Petticoat Junction
''Petticoat Junction'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 1963 to April 1970. The series takes place at the Shady Rest Hotel, which is run by Kate Bradley; her three daughters Billie Jo, Bobbie Jo, an ...
''.
*
Jean
Jean may refer to:
People
* Jean (female given name)
* Jean (male given name)
* Jean (surname)
Fictional characters
* Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character
* Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations
* J ...
, the
Vitagraph
Vitagraph Studios, also known as the Vitagraph Company of America, was a United States motion picture studio. It was founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York, as the American Vitagraph Company. By 1907 ...
Dog, a Scotch Collie who is the screen's first leading canine to have her name in the film title; starred in movies from 1908 to 1913.
*
Jed (1977–1995), a
wolfdog
A wolfdog is a canine produced by the mating of a domestic dog (''Canis familiaris'') with a gray wolf (''Canis lupus''), eastern wolf (''Canis lycaon''), red wolf (''Canis rufus''), or Ethiopian wolf (''Canis simensis'') to produce a ...
who appeared in ''
The Thing'', ''
The Journey of Natty Gann
''The Journey of Natty Gann'' is a 1985 American adventure film directed by Jeremy Paul Kagan, produced by Walt Disney Pictures and released by Buena Vista Distribution. The film introduced Meredith Salenger and also starred John Cusack, Lainie ...
'' and ''
White Fang
''White Fang'' is a novel by American author Jack London (1876–1916) about a wild wolfdog's journey to domestication in Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush. First serialized in ''Outing'' magazin ...
''.
*
Keystone Teddy, a dog actor in the early 20th century, including in the namesake 1917 film ''
Teddy at the Throttle
''Teddy at the Throttle'' is a 1917 American silent comedy short film starring Bobby Vernon, Gloria Swanson, and Wallace Beery. Wallace Beery and Gloria Swanson were briefly husband and wife offscreen during this period.
Cast
* Bobby Vernon ...
''.
*
Koko, a red
Australian Kelpie
The Australian Kelpie, or simply Kelpie, is an Australia, Australian Herding dog, sheepdog capable of Muster (livestock), mustering and droving with little or no guidance. It is a medium-sized dog and comes in a variety of colours. The Kelpie ha ...
, played
Red Dog in the 2011
film adaptation
A film adaptation transfers the details or story of an existing source text, such as a novel, into a feature film. This transfer can involve adapting most details of the source text closely, including characters or plot points, or the original sou ...
based on the eponymous
novel
A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...
.
*
Lightning
Lightning is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges occurring through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions. One or both regions are within the atmosphere, with the second region sometimes occurring on ...
, a
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
who played Prince in the first
Perry Mason
Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and four short stories, all of which involve a ...
film, ''
The Case of the Howling Dog
''The Case of the Howling Dog'' is a 1934 American mystery film directed by Alan Crosland, based on the 1934 novel of the same name by Erle Stanley Gardner. It is first in a series of six Perry Mason films Warner Bros. made between the years 193 ...
'' (1934) and appeared in many other films.
*
Messi, a
Border Collie
The Border Collie is a British list of dog breeds, breed of herding dog of the collie type of medium size. It originates in the region of the Anglo-Scottish border, and descends from the traditional Sheep dog, sheepdogs once found all over the ...
, played service dog Snoop in Justine Triet's 2023 film ''
Anatomy of a Fall
''Anatomy of a Fall'' () is a 2023 French psychological legal drama film, directed by Justine Triet from a screenplay she co-wrote with Arthur Harari. It stars Sandra Hüller as a writer trying to prove her innocence in her husband's death. A ...
''. Messi won the 2023
Palm Dog Award
The Palm Dog Award is a yearly award presented by the international film critics during the Cannes Film Festival. Begun in 2001 by Toby Rose, it is awarded to the best performance by a canine (live or animated) or group of canines. The award cons ...
.
*
Moose
The moose (: 'moose'; used in North America) or elk (: 'elk' or 'elks'; used in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is the world's tallest, largest and heaviest extant species of deer and the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is also the tal ...
and his son
Enzo
Enzo is an Italian given name derivative of the German name Heinz. It can be used also as the short form for Lorenzo, Vincenzo, Innocenzo, or Fiorenzo. It is most common in the Romance-speaking world, particularly in Italy and Latin America. ...
, both Jack Russell Terriers, in ''
My Dog Skip My Dog Skip may refer to:
* My Dog Skip (book), a 1995 memoir by Willie Morris
* My Dog Skip (film), a 2000 American comedy-drama film, based on the book
{{dab ...
'' and the TV series ''
Frasier
''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey (screenwriter), Peter Casey, and David Lee (scr ...
''.
*
Pal
Phase Alternating Line (PAL) is a color encoding system for analog television. It was one of three major analogue colour television standards, the others being NTSC and SECAM. In most countries it was broadcast at 625 lines, 50 fields (25 ...
, a
Collie
Collies form a distinctive type of herding dogs, including many related landraces and standardized breeds. The type originated in Scotland and Northern England. Collies are medium-sized, fairly lightly-built dogs, with pointed snouts. Many type ...
, played
Lassie
Lassie is a fictional female Rough Collie dog and is featured in a 1938 short story by Eric Knight that was later expanded to a 1940 full-length novel, '' Lassie Come-Home''. Knight's portrayal of Lassie bears some features in common with anot ...
in the 1943 film ''
Lassie Come Home
''Lassie Come Home'' is a 1943 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Technicolor feature film starring Roddy McDowall and canine actor Pal, in a story about the profound bond between Yorkshire boy Joe Carraclough and his rough collie, Lassie. The film was d ...
'' (based on
the 1940 novel by
Eric Knight
Eric Mowbray Knight (10 April 1897 – 15 January 1943) was an English novelist and screenwriter, who is mainly known for his 1940 novel ''Lassie Come-Home'', which introduced the fictional collie Lassie. He took American citizenship in 1942 sh ...
), six more Lassie films, and two Lassie television show pilots.
*
Peggy, actor in ''
Deadpool & Wolverine
''Deadpool & Wolverine'' is a 2024 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Deadpool and Wolverine (character), Wolverine. Produced by Marvel Studios, Maximum Effort, and 21 Laps Entertainment, and distributed ...
'' and considered "Britain's ugliest dog".
*
Pete the Pup
Pete the Pup (September 9, 1929 – January 28, 1946), also called the Mississippi Man Mauler, was an American dog actor known to portray "Pete, the dog with the ring around his eye" in Hal Roach's ''Our Gang'' comedies series (later known as '' ...
, portrayed by several
American Pit Bull Terrier
The American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) is a dog breed recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) and the American Dog Breeders Association (ADBA), but not the American Kennel Club (AKC). It is a medium-sized, short-haired dog, of a solid build, ...
s in the ''
Our Gang
''Our Gang'' (also known as ''The Little Rascals'' or ''Hal Roach's Rascals'') is an American series of comedy short films chronicling a group of poor neighborhood children and their adventures. Created by film producer Hal Roach, who also pr ...
'' (''Little Rascals'') series.
*
Red Dog (Pilbara), appeared in the 2011 film ''
Red Dog'' and 2016 film ''
Red Dog: True Blue'', based on the true life story of a
Kelpie
A kelpie, or water kelpie (Scottish Gaelic: '' each-uisge''), is a mythical shape-shifting spirit inhabiting lochs in Scottish folklore. Legends of these shape-shifting water-horses, under various names, spread across the British Isles, appea ...
who wandered around the outback Western Australia, looking for its owner.
*
Rin Tin Tin
Rin Tin Tin or Rin-Tin-Tin (October 10, 1918 – August 10, 1932) was a male German Shepherd born in Flirey, France, who became an international star in motion pictures. He was rescued from a World War I battlefield by an American soldier, ...
(1918–1932), an internationally famous German Shepherd actor who starred in many
silent film
A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...
s and a few sound films. His descendants carried on in film, radio and television roles.
*
Skippy Skippy may refer to:
People
* Skippy (nickname), a list of people
Arts and entertainment
* ''Skippy'' (comic strip), an American strip published from 1923 to 1945.
** ''Skippy'' (film), based on the comics strip, released in 1931 and star ...
, a
Wire Fox Terrier
The Wire Fox Terrier (also known as Wire Hair Fox Terrier, Wirehaired Terrier or simply Fox Terrier) is a dog breed, breed of dog, one of many terrier breeds. It is a fox terrier, and although it bears a resemblance to the Smooth Fox Terrier, th ...
who, among other roles in 1930s films, played Asta in ''
The Thin Man
''The Thin Man'' (1934) is a detective novel by Dashiell Hammett, originally published in a condensed version in the December 1933 issue of '' Redbook''. It appeared in book form the following month. A film series followed, featuring the main ...
'' film and sequels.
*
Shelby, the dog who acted Bella in ''
A Dog's Way Home
''A Dog's Way Home'' is a 2019 American adventure drama film directed by Charles Martin Smith from a screenplay by W. Bruce Cameron and Cathryn Michon, based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Cameron. The film stars Bryce Dallas Howard, ...
''. She was found in a dumpster and then later taken to a shelter, before being trained for acting (of which she eventually did).
*
Strongheart
Etzel von Oeringen (October 1, 1917 – June 24, 1929), better known as Strongheart, was a male German Shepherd that was one of the early canine stars of feature films.
Biography
Born October 1, 1917, Etzel von Oeringen was a male German Shephe ...
, also known as Etzel von Oeringen, was the first
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
with name-above-the-title billing in a film. He starred in an adaptation of ''
White Fang
''White Fang'' is a novel by American author Jack London (1876–1916) about a wild wolfdog's journey to domestication in Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush. First serialized in ''Outing'' magazin ...
'', released in 1925, and ''
The Return of Boston Blackie
''The Return of Boston Blackie'' is a 1927 low-budget, silent, drama film starring Bob Custer. Based upon a character created by Jack Boyle for short stories appearing in ''The American'', ''Cosmopolitan'' and ''Redbook'' magazines in the 190 ...
'', released in 1927.
*
Sykes "Sykes" is a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origins, which generally has topographical roots as it original linguistic origin. The name derives from the Old Norse word "sík" or "síkja", meaning a small stream, marshy hollow, or gully. It eventua ...
, star of several films, adverts and TV series.
*
Terry
Terry is a unisex diminutive nickname for the given names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence (given name), Terence, Terrance (masculine).
People
Male
* Terry A. Canales, American politician
* Terry A. Doughty (born 1959), American district ...
, a
Cairn Terrier
The Cairn Terrier is a terrier breed originating in the Scottish Highlands and recognised as one of Scotland's earliest working dogs.
The name "Cairn Terrier" was a compromise suggestion when the breed was brought to official shows in the Unite ...
, played
Toto in the 1939 film ''
The Wizard of Oz
''The Wizard of Oz'' is a 1939 American Musical film, musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Based on the 1900 novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' by L. Frank Baum, it was primarily directed by Victor Fleming, who left pro ...
''.
*
Uggie
Uggie (February 14, 2002 – August 7, 2015) was a trained Parson Russell Terrier famous for his roles in ''Water for Elephants'' and '' The Artist''. His memoir ''Uggie, My Story'' was published in the United States, the UK, and France in Octo ...
, a Jack Russell Terrier, played Jack in the 2011 film ''
The Artist'' and Queenie in the film ''
Water for Elephants
Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known liv ...
''.
Television
*
Bouncer
A bouncer (also known as a door supervisor) is a type of security guard, employed at licensed or sanctioned venues such as bars, nightclubs, cabaret clubs, strip clubs and casinos. A bouncer's duties are to provide security, to check legal ag ...
, played a dog also called Bouncer in the Australian soap opera ''
Neighbours
''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera that has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons and ...
''.
* 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
''The Roy Rogers Show'' is an American Western television series starring Roy Rogers. 100 episodes were broadcast on NBC for six seasons between December 30, 1951, and June 9, 1957. The episodes were set in the prevailing times (1950s) in the ...
''; his taxidermic remains (along with
Trigger
Trigger may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities
* Trigger (''Only Fools and Horses''), in the TV sitcom
* Trigger Argee, in science fiction short stories by James H. Schmitz
* Devil Trigger, a transformation ability of ...
) were displayed at The Roy Rogers & Dale Evans Museum and he was sold in 2010 at
Christie's
Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, and it has additional salerooms in New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Milan, Geneva, Shan ...
for $35,000.
*
Happy
Happiness is a complex and multifaceted emotion that encompasses a range of positive feelings, from contentment to intense joy. It is often associated with positive life experiences, such as achieving goals, spending time with loved ones, ...
, furry white dog playing Happy on the TV show ''
7th Heaven''.
*
Inky
Inky may refer to:
People People with the given name Inky
* Inky Mark (born 1947), Canadian politician
* Inky Moore (1925–2000), American conservationist
People with the nickname Inky
* Pete Incaviglia (born 1964), American professional basebal ...
, a police dog who appeared in the British police drama ''
Softly, Softly: Taskforce'' during 1969–70.
*
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
* Madison (footballer), Brazilian footballer
Places in the United States
Populated places
* Madi ...
, a
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...
, best known for playing the role of Vincent on the television series ''
Lost''.
** Pono also played Vincent, which features in flashback scenes.
*
Moose
The moose (: 'moose'; used in North America) or elk (: 'elk' or 'elks'; used in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is the world's tallest, largest and heaviest extant species of deer and the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is also the tal ...
and his son Enzo played Eddie on the TV show ''
Frasier
''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey (screenwriter), Peter Casey, and David Lee (scr ...
''.
*
Petra
Petra (; "Rock"), originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu (Nabataean Aramaic, Nabataean: or , *''Raqēmō''), is an ancient city and archaeological site in southern Jordan. Famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit systems, P ...
, a
mixed breed
A mixed breed is a domesticated animal descended from multiple breeds of the same species, often breeding without any human intervention, recordkeeping, or selective breeding. Examples include:
* Mixed-breed dog
A mongrel, mutt, or mixed ...
, the first ''
Blue Peter
''Blue Peter'' is a British children's television entertainment programme created by John Hunter Blair. It is the longest-running children's TV show in the world, having been broadcast since October 1958. It was broadcast primarily from BBC ...
'' 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.
*
Shep, a
Border Collie
The Border Collie is a British list of dog breeds, breed of herding dog of the collie type of medium size. It originates in the region of the Anglo-Scottish border, and descends from the traditional Sheep dog, sheepdogs once found all over the ...
, featured on the ''
Blue Peter
''Blue Peter'' is a British children's television entertainment programme created by John Hunter Blair. It is the longest-running children's TV show in the world, having been broadcast since October 1958. It was broadcast primarily from BBC ...
'' television series.
*
Soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
, a
Jack Russell Terrier, star of the PBS show ''
Wishbone
Wishbone commonly refers to the furcula, a fork-shaped bone in birds and some dinosaurs
Wishbone, Wish bone or Wish Bone may also refer to:
* Wish-Bone, an American salad dressing and condiment brand
* Wishbone formation, a type of offense in Ame ...
''.
*
Tiger
The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is a large Felidae, cat and a member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Asia. It has a powerful, muscular body with a large head and paws, a long tail and orange fur with black, mostly vertical stripes. It is ...
, appeared in ''
The Brady Bunch
''The Brady Bunch'' is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired five seasons from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974, on ABC. The series revolves around a large blended family of six children, with three boys and three gir ...
'' and played a dog named Blood in the movie ''
A Boy and His Dog
''A Boy and His Dog'' is a cycle of narratives by author Harlan Ellison. The cycle tells the story of an amoral boy (Vic) and his telepathic dog (Blood), who work together as a team to survive in the post-apocalyptic world after a nuclear ...
''.
*
Yukon King, an
Alaskan husky
The Alaskan husky is a breed of medium-sized working sled dog, developed specifically for its performance as such.
Alaskan huskies are the most commonly used type of dog for competitive sled dog racing, both in short-distance sprint racing as well ...
, played the lead
sled dog
A sled dog is a dog trained and used to pull a land vehicle in Dog harness, harness, most commonly a Dog sled, sled over snow.
Sled dogs have been used in the Arctic for at least 8,000 years and, along with watercraft, were the only transpor ...
and faithful sidekick of Sergeant Preston in ''
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
''Challenge of the Yukon'' is an American radio adventure series that began on Detroit, Michigan, Detroit's WXYT (AM), WXYZ and is an example of a Northern (genre), Northern genre story. The series was first heard on January 3, 1939. The title ...
''.
*
Zeltim Odie Peterson, aka Odie the Talking Pug, a pug that said "I Love You" on various talk shows.
Athletes
*
Ashley Whippet, the first
disc dog
Disc or disk may refer to:
* Disk (mathematics), a two dimensional shape, the interior of a circle
* Disk storage
* Optical disc
* Floppy disk
Music
* Disc (band), an American experimental music band
* ''Disk'' (album), a 1995 EP by Moby
Other ...
, was a canine athlete of the 1970s and three-time winner of the
Canine Frisbee Disc World Championships.
* Cindy, a
Greyhound
The English Greyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a dog breed, breed of dog, a sighthound which has been bred for coursing, greyhound racing and hunting. Some are kept as show dogs or pets.
Greyhounds are defined as a tall, muscular, smooth-c ...
who earned
Guinness World Record
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...
's Highest Jump by a Dog. Cindy cleared a hurdle.
* King Buck, a
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...
, successfully completed an unprecedented 63 consecutive series in the National Championship Stake and was the National Retriever
Field Trial
A field trial is a competitive event for gun dogs. Field trials are conducted for pointing dogs and setters, retrievers and spaniels, with each assessing the different Dog type, types various working traits. In the United States, field trials a ...
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 Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is a List of federal agencies in the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior which oversees the management of fish, wildlife, ...
duck stamp, which always featured a water fowl.
*
Master McGrath
Master McGrath (1866–1873) was a famous Greyhound in the sport of hare coursing.
Early days
Master McGrath was born in County Waterford, Ireland. A small, weak pup, he went on to become the most celebrated and successful dog of his time. Mast ...
, an Irish Greyhound whose racing victories and fame gained him an audience with the British Royal Family.
*
Mick the Miller
Mick the Miller (29 June 1926 – 6 May 1939) was a male brindle greyhound. He is celebrated as the first great greyhound racing, racing greyhound to compete in England (although he was born in Ireland). Despite a short three-year racing career ...
, a racing
Greyhound
The English Greyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a dog breed, breed of dog, a sighthound which has been bred for coursing, greyhound racing and hunting. Some are kept as show dogs or pets.
Greyhounds are defined as a tall, muscular, smooth-c ...
, was the first greyhound to win the
English Derby in successive years and the first greyhound to run a course in under 30 seconds.
*
Snip Nua, an Irish racing Greyhound partly owned by comedian
Dara Ó Briain
Dara Ó Briain ( , ; born 4 February 1972) is an Irish comedian and television presenter based in the United Kingdom. He is noted for performing stand-up comedy shows all over the world and for hosting topical panel shows such as ''Mock the Wee ...
. Snip Nua's racing was viewed by 3 million UK viewers on the show ''Three Men Go to Ireland''.
Faithful dogs
Faithful after owner'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.
* Capitán, a
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
, ran away from his home in central
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
, 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. Capitán died in 2018.
*
Dżok ("Jock"), the dog. Throughout the entire year (1990–1991) Dżok was seen waiting in vain at the Rondo Grunwaldzkie roundabout in
Kraków
, officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
, Poland, to be fetched back by his owner, who had died there.
*
Fido, a
mixed-breed dog
A mongrel, mutt, or mixed-breed dog is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized Dog breed, breed, including those that result from intentional Dog breeding, breeding. Although the term ''mixed-breed dog'' is sometimes preferred, m ...
, whose owner, Carlo Soriani, had died in an air raid over
Borgo San Lorenzo
Borgo San Lorenzo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Florence in the Italy, Italian region Tuscany, located about northeast of Florence. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 18,085 and an area of .All demograph ...
(near
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
, in Italy) in 1943, during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Fido waited in vain, for the following 14 years, for Soriani's return, going daily to the bus stop in Luco del Mugello (a of Borgo) where the man used to get off after coming home from work.
*
Greyfriars Bobby
Greyfriars Bobby (4 May 1855 – 14 January 1872) was a Skye Terrier or Dandie Dinmont Terrier who became known in 19th-century Edinburgh for spending 14 years guarding the grave of his owner until his death on 14 January 1872. The story conti ...
, a
Skye Terrier
The Skye Terrier is a Scottish dog breed that is a long, low, hardy terrier with short legs. It is "one of the most endangered native dog breeds in the United Kingdom" according to the Kennel Club.
Appearance
Coat
The Skye is double c ...
in
Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
, was loyal to his owner long after his owner's death in 1858. Until Bobby's death 14 years later, he reportedly spent every night at his owner's grave.
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
was a Japanese Akita dog remembered for his remarkable loyalty to his owner, Hidesaburō Ueno, for whom he continued to wait for over nine years following Ueno's death.
Hachikō was born on November 10, 1923, at a farm near the city of Ō ...
, 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 owner
Hidesaburō Ueno
was a Japanese agricultural scientist, famous in Japan as the guardian of Hachikō, a devoted Akita dog.
Life and career
Ueno was born on January 19, 1872, in Hisai-shi (present-day Tsu), Mie Prefecture. In 1895, he graduated from Tokyo Im ...
, 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.
* Kostya, in the mid-1990s in
Tolyatti
Tolyatti or Togliatti ( , ; , ), known before 1964 as Stavropol, is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city in Samara Oblast, Russia. It is the largest city in Russia which is neither the administrative center of a federal subjects of Rus ...
, Russia – a man and a girl died in a car crash during the summer of 1995, leaving their dog as the only survivor. The
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
, named Constantine aka Kostya or Faithful Kostya by the locals, kept coming to the same spot for the next seven years braving freezing winters and hot summers. ''
Loyalty
Loyalty is a Fixation (psychology), devotion to a country, philosophy, group, or person. Philosophers disagree on what can be an object of loyalty, as some argue that loyalty is strictly interpersonal and only another human being can be the obj ...
'' – a bronze statue honouring the dog's loyalty was placed on that spot in 2003 by the city authorities.
*
Ruswarp
Ruswarp ( ) is a village in the civil parish of Whitby, in North Yorkshire, England. It is around from Whitby, at the junction of the B1410 and B1416 roads, on the River Esk and the Esk Valley Line, with trains stopping at Ruswarp railwa ...
, a
Border Collie
The Border Collie is a British list of dog breeds, breed of herding dog of the collie type of medium size. It originates in the region of the Anglo-Scottish border, and descends from the traditional Sheep dog, sheepdogs once found all over the ...
who disappeared while hiking with his owner Graham Nuttall in the
Welsh Mountains near
Llandrindod Wells
Llandrindod Wells (; ; ; ) is a town and community (Wales), community in Powys, Wales. It serves as the seat of Powys County Council, and is therefore the administrative centre of Powys. The town was Historic counties of Wales, historically in ...
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. There is a statue of Ruswarp on a platform of
Garsdale railway station
Garsdale is a railway station in Cumbria, England (historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire), on the Settle–Carlisle line, Settle and Carlisle Line, which runs between and via . The station, situated south-east of Carlisle, serves the v ...
.
*
Pikeman's dog, a terrier that stayed with his owner who fought as a pikeman at the
Battle of the Eureka Stockade
The Battle of the Eureka Stockade was fought in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, on 3 December 1854, between gold miners and the colonial forces of Australia. It was the culmination of the 1851–1854 Eureka Rebellion during the Victorian gold rus ...
and accompanied the corpse to the cemetery.
*
Seaman
Seaman may refer to:
* Sailor, a member of a marine watercraft's crew
* Seaman (rank), a military rank in some navies
* Seaman (name) (including a list of people with the name)
* ''Seaman'' (video game), a 1999 simulation video game for the Seg ...
, the
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
belonging to explorer
Meriweather Lewis, would not eat or leave his owner's grave, and died of grief.
*
Shep, belonging to a sheepherder who died in
Fort Benton, Montana
Fort Benton is a city in and the county seat of Chouteau County, Montana, United States. Established in 1846, Fort Benton is the oldest continuously occupied settlement in Montana. Fort Benton was the most upstream navigable port on the Miss ...
, in August 1936 followed his owner'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
''Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' is an American franchise founded by Robert Ripley, which deals with bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims. Originally a newspaper panel, the ''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 12 Jan. 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.
*
Theo
Theo is a given name and a hypocorism.
Greek origin
Many names beginning with the root ''Theo-'' derive from the Ancient Greek word (), which means God, for example:
*Feminine names: Thea, Theodora, Theodosia, Theophania, Theophano and The ...
, an
English Springer Spaniel
The English Springer Spaniel is a breed of gun dog in the Spaniel group traditionally used for flushing and retrieving game. They are descended from the Norfolk or Shropshire Spaniels of the mid-19th century; the breed has diverged into sepa ...
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
The PDSA Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom by Maria Dickin to honour the work of animals in World War II. It is a bronze medallion, bearing the words "For Gallantry" and "We Also Serve" within a laurel wreath, carried ...
, Britain's highest award for bravery by animals.
*
Waghya, meaning "tiger" in
Marathi
Marathi may refer to:
*Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India
**Marathi people (Uttar Pradesh), the Marathi people in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh
*Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Mar ...
, was the pet dog of Maratha king
Chhatrapati Shivaji
Shivaji I (Shivaji Shahaji Bhonsale, ; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680) was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle dynasty. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the Sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the ...
. After Shivaji's death, the dog mourned and is said to have jumped into his owner's funeral pyre and immolated himself. A statue was put up on a pedestal next to Shivaji's tomb at
Raigad Fort
Raigad, seen in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, India, is a hill fort located in the city of Mahad. It is one of the strongest fortresses on the Deccan Plateau and was historically referred to as Rairee or Rairy fort.
Chhatrapati Shivaj ...
.
*
K9 Big Wolf () -
Police Dog
A police dog, also known as a K-9 (phonemic abbreviation of canine), is a dog that is trained to assist police and other law enforcement officers. Their duties may include searching for drugs and explosives, locating missing people, findin ...
of the (now-defunct)
People's Armed Police
)
, abbreviation = PAP ("People's Armed Police") CAPF ("Chinese Armed Police Force"), formerly abbreviated''Wujing'' ( zh , s = 武警 , p = Wǔjǐng , l = Armed Police , labels = no ), or WJ as on vehicle license plates
, patch ...
Dehong
The Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture in western Yunnan province, China. It is bordered by Baoshan to the east and Myanmar's Kachin State to the west. Its titular ethnic minorities are the Dai and Jingpo ...
detachment. On August 22, 2011, his handler Private
Yao Yuanjun
Yao Yuanjun (; March 17, 1993 – August 22, 2011) was a border police officer with the rank of Private who served in the (part of the Ministry of Public Security Active Service Forces). Yao drowned in the Shweli river while attempting to arrest ...
(姚元军) drowned while fighting with drug traffickers, and several months later "Big Wolf" was filmed on national TV, still waiting for his handler to return at their training location near the
Shweli River
Shweli River (; zh, 瑞丽江) is a river in China and Myanmar (Burma). Also known as the Nam Mao (; ) in Shan or Dai, and Ruili River or Longchuan River (龙川江) in Chinese, it forms 26 km of the boundary between Burma and China. It is on ...
, gaining fame on Chinese social media; "Big Wolf" continues to wait at the same training site for over a decade.
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 seven months.
*
Bobbie the Wonder Dog
Bobbie the Wonder Dog (1921–1927) was a dog who is acclaimed for walking on his own to return home to Silverton, Oregon, United States, after he was lost while his owners were visiting family in Wolcott, Indiana. ''Ripley's Believe It or N ...
, after accidental abandonment on a cross-country trip, Bobbie made his way back over to his family's home.
Other faithful dogs
*
Bob the Railway Dog
Bob the Railway Dog (also known as "Terowie, South Australia, Terowie Bob") is part of South Australian Railways folklore. He travelled the South Australian Railways system in the latter part of the 19th century, and was known widely to railwa ...
, a loyal traveller and drivers' companion on the
South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways (SAR) was the organisation through which the Government of South Australia built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 until March 1978, when its non-urban railways were incorporated into Australian Natio ...
in the late 19th century.
*
Fidèle, a famous dog that could usually be seen sleeping out of his window in
Bruges
Bruges ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders, in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is in the northwest of the country, and is the sixth most populous city in the country.
The area of the whole city amoun ...
.
* Kelsey, a dog, was 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.
*Mari: ''
A Tale of Mari and Three Puppies
is a 2007 Japanese film directed by Ryuichi Inomata. It was released in Japanese cinemas on 8 December 2007. It is based on a true story in the 2004 Chūetsu earthquake. This story has frequently been reported in the media and has also made into ...
'' is based on a true story in the
2004 Chūetsu earthquake
The occurred in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, at 17:56 local time (08:56 UTC) on Saturday, October 23, 2004. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) named it the . . 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.
*Nig, a
mixed-breed dog
A mongrel, mutt, or mixed-breed dog is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized Dog breed, breed, including those that result from intentional Dog breeding, breeding. Although the term ''mixed-breed dog'' is sometimes preferred, m ...
taken in as a puppy in 1932 by the construction workers of the
Hoover Dam
The Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado, Black Canyon of the Colorado River (U.S.), Colorado River, on the border between the U.S. states of Nevada and Arizona. Constructed between 1931 and 1936, d ...
. Considered their mascot, he accompanied workers daily to and from the site, even carrying a sack lunch. In 1941, he died and was buried at the dam, where he remains commemorated with a plaque.
*
Patsy Ann
Patsy Ann (October 1929 - March 1942) was a well-known Bull Terrier, bull terrier in Juneau, Alaska, Juneau, Alaska, celebrated for her unique role as the "Official Greeter of Juneau." Born in Portland, Oregon, Portland, Oregon, Patsy Ann was bro ...
, known as the "Official Greeter of Juneau". She was a
bull terrier that greeted ships as they docked in
Juneau
Juneau ( ; ), officially the City and Borough of Juneau, is the capital of the U.S. state of Alaska, located along the Gastineau Channel and the Alaskan panhandle. Juneau was named the capital of Alaska in 1906, when the government of wha ...
.
*
Old Drum, a
hunting dog
A hunting dog is a Dog, canine that hunts with or for hunters. There are several different Dog type, types of hunting dog developed for various tasks and purposes. The major categories of hunting dog include hounds, terriers, cur type dogs, and ...
whose death at the hands of a neighbor was the subject of a lawsuit and
George Graham Vest
George Graham Vest (December 6, 1830August 9, 1904) was an American politician. Born in Frankfort, Kentucky, he was known for his skills in oration and debate. Vest, a lawyer as well as a politician, served as a Missouri Congressman, a Confede ...
's famous
summation to the jury, known as "Eulogy of the Dog", 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.
*
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey ( ) or Pompey the Great, was a Roman general and statesman who was prominent in the last decades of the Roman Republic. ...
, a
Pug
The Pug is a breed of dog with the physically distinctive features of a wrinkly, short-muzzled face, and curled tail. An ancient breed, with roots dating back to 400 B.C., they have a fine, glossy coat that comes in a variety of colors, most ...
that foiled an assassination attempt on the life of
William The Silent
William the Silent or William the Taciturn (; 24 April 153310 July 1584), more commonly known in the Netherlands as William of Orange (), was the leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish Habsburg Netherlands, Habsburgs that set off the ...
,
Prince of Orange
Prince of Orange (or Princess of Orange if the holder is female) is a title associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France and subsequently held by the stadtholders of, and then the heirs apparent of ...
.
*
Red Dog (Pilbara), a Kelpie who wandered around the outback Western Australia looking for its owner.
*
Saint Guinefort
Saint Guinefort () was a legendary 13th-century French greyhound that received local veneration as a folk saint.
Legend
Guinefort's story is a variation on the well-travelled "dog defends master's child against animal assailant" motif, as indexed ...
, a legendary French dog, is venerated with a tradition almost identical to that of
Gelert
Gelert () is a legendary hound in a Welsh folk-tale. He is associated with the village of Beddgelert in Gwynedd in north-west Wales, the name of which was formerly believed to mean "Gelert's grave". In the legend, Llywelyn the Great returns fr ...
, above.
*
Taro and Jiro
Taro (タロ; 1955–1970) and Jiro (ジロ; 1955–1960) were two Sakhalin Husky, Sakhalin Huskies who survived for eleven months in Antarctica after being left behind by the 1958 Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition. Due to poor weather co ...
, 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 owner in a room inside the hospital where he had been lying for several days recuperating from an illness.
Working dogs
War dogs
*
Antis, a
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
, served with
Václav Robert Bozděch
Colonel Václav Robert Bozděch (15 July 1912 in Soběkury– 27 February 1980 in Devon) was a Czech people, Czech air gunner of World War II. He was a British Royal Air Force (RAF) squadron gunner and commander of training centers.
Early life
...
, a Czech airman, in the French Air Force and the
No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF in Britain, and helped his owner escape after the death of
Jan Masaryk
Jan Garrigue Masaryk (14 September 1886 – 10 March 1948) was a Czech diplomat and politician who served as the Foreign Minister of Czechoslovakia from 1940 to 1948. American journalist John Gunther described Masaryk as "a brave, honest, turbule ...
; winner of the Dickin Medal.
*
Bamse
is a Swedish cartoon created by Rune Andréasson. The highly popular children's cartoon first emerged as a series of television short films as well as a weekly half-page Sunday strip in 1966, before being published periodically in its own com ...
, a
Saint Bernard, was a symbol of the
Free Norwegian Forces
The Norwegian armed forces in exile () were remnants of the armed forces of Norway that continued to fight the Axis Powers, Axis powers from Allies of World War II, Allied countries, such as United Kingdom, Britain and Canada, after they had escap ...
in World War II.

* Bart, a
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
working with
SEAL Team Six
The Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG), abbreviated as DEVGRU ("Development Group") and unofficially known as SEAL Team Six, is the United States Navy component of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). The unit is often r ...
who was killed along with 38 people which consisted of U.S. special operation troops, aviators and Afghan commandos in
2011
The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
.
*
Becerrillo, a
Castilian attack dog during the time of the Spanish
conquistadors
Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (; ; ) were Spanish Empire, Spanish and Portuguese Empire, Portuguese colonizers who explored, traded with and colonized parts of the Americas, Africa, Oceania and Asia during the Age of Discovery. Sailing ...
.
*
Bing
Bing most often refers to:
* Bing Crosby (1903–1977), American singer
* Microsoft Bing, a web search engine
Bing may also refer to:
Food and drink
* Bing (bread), a Chinese flatbread
* Bing (soft drink), a UK brand
* Bing cherry, a varie ...
, a
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
and
Collie
Collies form a distinctive type of herding dogs, including many related landraces and standardized breeds. The type originated in Scotland and Northern England. Collies are medium-sized, fairly lightly-built dogs, with pointed snouts. Many type ...
cross who parachuted with the
6th Airborne Division
The 6th Airborne Division was an airborne infantry
Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who m ...
on
D-Day
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...
and winner of the
Dickin Medal
The PDSA Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom by Maria Dickin to honour the work of animals in World War II. It is a bronze medallion, bearing the words "For Gallantry" and "We Also Serve" within a laurel wreath, carried ...
.
*
Caesar (the Anzac Dog), was taught to locate wounded soldiers on the battlefields of the
Western Front and guide them back to safety.
*
Cairo
Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
, a
Belgian Malinois
The Belgian Shepherd (), also known as the Belgian Sheepdog () or the Chien de Berger Belge, is a Belgian breed of herding dog of medium size. It is bred in four distinct varieties based on coat type and colour: the long-haired black Groenen ...
used by
U.S. Navy SEALs
The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the United States Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the United States Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main fun ...
in
Operation Neptune Spear
On 2 May 2011, the United States conducted Operation Neptune Spear, in which SEAL Team Six shot and killed Osama bin Laden at his " Waziristan Haveli" in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Bin Laden, who founded al-Qaeda and orchestrated the September ...
, in which
Osama bin Laden was killed.
*
Kurt
Kurt is a male given name in Germanic languages. ''Kurt'' or ''Curt'' originated as short forms of the Germanic Konrad/Conrad, depending on geographical usage, with meanings including counselor or advisor. Like Conrad, it can also a surname an ...
, a
Doberman Pinscher
The Dobermann is a German breed of medium-large working dog of pinscher type. It was originally bred in Thuringia in about 1890 by Louis Dobermann, a tax collector. "
Devil Dog
Devil Dog is a nickname for a United States Marine coined during World War I.
History
Multiple publications of the United States Marine Corps claim that the nickname "Teufel Hunden"—"Devil Dogs" in English—was bestowed upon the M ...
" credited with saving the lives of at least 250 U.S. Marines during the
1944 Battle of Guam by alerting them to Japanese soldiers. Kurt was mortally wounded on patrol, on 23 July, becoming the first Marine K-9 combat casualty. He was the first to be buried in what would become the
National War Dog Cemetery
The National War Dog Cemetery is a memorial to war dogs located at Naval Base Guam and is the first official war dog monument in the U.S. The cemetery honors the dogs—mostly Doberman Pinschers—that were killed in service with the United States ...
in Guam, where his likeness in bronze sits atop the World War II War Dog Memorial that includes names inscribed for the Dobermans who died while serving with the U.S. Marine Corps on Guam.
* Chesty, one of a family of
bulldog
The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is a stocky, muscular dog of medium size, with a large head, thick folds of skin around the face and shoulders and a rel ...
s, 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.
*
Chips
''CHiPs'' is an American crime drama television series created by Rick Rosner and originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. After the final first-run telecast on NBC in May 1983, the series went into reruns on Sundays fr ...
, the most decorated hero war dog of World War II.
*
Conan
Conan may refer to:
People
* Saint Conan (died 684), bishop of the Isle of Man
* Conan of Cornwall (c. 930 – c. 950), bishop of Cornwall
* Conan I of Rennes (died 992), duke of Brythonic Brittany
* Conan II, Duke of Brittany (died 1066), duke ...
, a
Delta Force
The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta (1st SFOD-D), also known as Delta Force, Combat Applications Group (CAG), or within Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) as Task Force Green, is a Special operation forces, special operat ...
dog who participated in the
Barisha raid in 2019.
*
Crumstone Irma, a German Shepherd who assisted in the rescue of 191 people trapped under blitzed buildings, awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945.
*
Gander, a
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
, was posthumously awarded the
Dickin Medal
The PDSA Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom by Maria Dickin to honour the work of animals in World War II. It is a bronze medallion, bearing the words "For Gallantry" and "We Also Serve" within a laurel wreath, carried ...
for his feats during the
Battle of Hong Kong
The Battle of Hong Kong (8–25 December 1941), also known as the Defence of Hong Kong and the Fall of Hong Kong, was one of the first battles of the Pacific War in World War II. On the same morning as the attack on Pearl Harbor, forces of the ...
in World War II.
*
Gunner, Canine air-raid early warning system during the
bombing of Darwin
The Bombing of Darwin, also known as the Battle of Darwin, on 19 February 1942 was the largest single attack ever mounted by a foreign power on Australia. On that day, 242 Empire of Japan, Japanese aircraft, in two separate raids, attacked the ...
in 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
Jet of Iada a.k.a. Jet (21 July 1942 – 18 October 1949) was a German Shepherd Dog, who assisted in the rescue of 150 people trapped under The Blitz, blitzed buildings. He was a pedigree dog born in Liverpool, and served with the Civil Defe ...
a
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
, who assisted in the rescue of 150 people trapped under blitzed buildings. He was awarded both the
Dickin Medal
The PDSA Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom by Maria Dickin to honour the work of animals in World War II. It is a bronze medallion, bearing the words "For Gallantry" and "We Also Serve" within a laurel wreath, carried ...
and the RSPCA's Medallion of Valor for his rescue efforts.
*
Judy, a ship's dog who served with the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
, was the only animal to have been officially registered as a Japanese
prisoner of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...
. She survived the death camps on the
Burma Railway
The Burma Railway, also known as the Siam–Burma Railway, Thai–Burma Railway and similar names, or as the Death Railway, is a railway between Ban Pong, Thailand, and Thanbyuzayat, Burma (now called Myanmar). It was built from 1940 to 1943 ...
and was awarded the Dickin Medal in 1946.
*
Just Nuisance
Just Nuisance (1 April 1937 – 1 April 1944) was a South African dog and the only dog ever to be officially enlisted in the Royal Navy. He was a Great Dane who between 1939 and 1944 served at HMS ''Afrikander'', a Royal Navy shore establishmen ...
, a Great Dane, the only dog to have been officially enlisted in the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
, 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
The 3d Littoral Combat Team (formerly 1st Battalion, 3d Marines) is an infantry unit in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Nicknamed the "Lava Dogs", the unit consists of approximately 800 Marines and sailors a ...
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.
*
Lex
Lex or LEX may refer to:
Computing
* Amazon Lex, a service for building conversational interfaces into any application using voice and text
* LEX (cipher), a stream cipher based on the round transformation of AES
* Lex (software), a computer pro ...
, the first actively working
Military Working Dog
Dogs have a very long history in warfare, beginning in ancient times. From being trained in combat, to their use as scouts, sentries, messengers, mercy dogs, and trackers, their uses have been varied, and some continue to exist in modern milit ...
to be adopted by family members of their handler, prior to being retired.
*
Lucca
Città di Lucca ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its Province of Lucca, province has a population of 383,9 ...
, a dog working for the U.S. Marine Corps who was awarded the
Dickin Medal
The PDSA Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom by Maria Dickin to honour the work of animals in World War II. It is a bronze medallion, bearing the words "For Gallantry" and "We Also Serve" within a laurel wreath, carried ...
, the equivalent of the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...
for dogs.
*
Moustache
A moustache (; mustache, ) is a growth of facial hair grown above the upper lip and under the human nose, nose. Moustaches have been worn in various styles throughout history.
Etymology
The word "moustache" is French language, French, and i ...
, a
barbet said to have participated in several battles of the
French Revolutionary and
Napoleonic Wars
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Napoleonic Wars
, partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
, image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg
, caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
.
*
Nemo A534
Nemo A534 was a German Shepherd that served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War.
Airman Robert Throneburg
Airman Robert "Bob" Throneburg was born September 22, 1944, in North Carolina to R.A. Throneburg and Mary Brooks Throneb ...
, a
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
who saved the life of his handler in battle despite having been shot in the nose and losing an eye.
*
Nigger
In the English language, ''nigger'' is a racial slur directed at black people. Starting in the 1990s, references to ''nigger'' have been increasingly replaced by the euphemistic contraction , notably in cases where ''nigger'' is Use–menti ...
, a black
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...
belonging to
Guy Gibson
Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson, (12 August 1918 – 19 September 1944) was a distinguished bomber pilot in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. He was the first Commanding Officer of No. 617 Squadron, which he led in the "Dam ...
, 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.
*
Patron
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, art patronage refers to the support that princes, popes, and other wealthy and influential people ...
, an explosives detection dog that received the
Order for Courage
The Order for Courage () is a Ukrainian award established by Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma on August 21, 1996. Design by Ukrainian artist Mykola Lebid.
Awards of the President of Ukraine for Courage
Before August, 1996, personal bravery ha ...
third class during the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...
.
*
Philly
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, a mutt and World War I "hero";
mascot of Company A of the 315 Infantry, 79th Division ("Philadelphia's Own").
*
Rags
Rag, rags, RAG or The Rag may refer to:
Common uses
* Rag, a piece of old cloth
* Rags, tattered clothes
* Wash rag, a small cloth used for bathing
* Rag (newspaper), a publication engaging in tabloid journalism
* Rag paper, or cotton paper
Arts ...
, a Signal Corps mascot during World War I.
* Rex (E168), a U.S. Marine military working dog handled and later owned by
Corporal Megan Leavey whose story was chronicled in the 2017 film ''
Megan Leavey
Corporal Megan Leavey (born October 28, 1983) is a former active duty United States Marine Corps corporal who served as a Military Police K9 handler.
Life and career
Leavey enlisted in the Marine Corps in August 2003 and completed recruit trai ...
.''
*
Rifleman Khan
Rifleman Khan was a German Shepherd Dog who was lent to the War Office to become a military dog during World War II, and was a Dickin Medal recipient. He was assigned to the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and took part in the Battle of the Scheld ...
, a German Shepherd who won the Dickin Medal for bravery.
*
Rip
To rip is the act of tearing an object.
Rip may also refer to:
Places
* Nioro du Rip, a town in the southern Kaolack Region of Senegal
* 7711 Říp, an asteroid
* Rip Bridge, New South Wales Australia
* Říp, a mountain in the Czech Republic
...
, a World War II search and rescue dog.
*
Rob, a
Collie
Collies form a distinctive type of herding dogs, including many related landraces and standardized breeds. The type originated in Scotland and Northern England. Collies are medium-sized, fairly lightly-built dogs, with pointed snouts. Many type ...
working dog on a farm in Shropshire until 1942, when his owners enlisted him as a war dog. Assigned to the Special Air Service at the base in Wivenhoe Park, Essex. Subsequently awarded the Dickin Medal in February 1945.
*
Sallie Ann Jarrett
Sallie Ann Jarrett was the canine mascot of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry, accompanying the soldiers throughout nearly the entire American Civil War, until she was killed in action in February 1865. Sallie, as the men would come to call her, wa ...
, Civil War mascot of the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry regiment, whose bronze statue is part of the regimental monument at
Gettysburg.
*
Sarbi
Sarbi (11 September 2002 – 27 March 2015) was an Australian special forces explosives detection dog that spent almost 14 months missing in action (MIA) in Afghanistan having disappeared during an ambush on 2 September 2008. Sarbi was later ...
, an
Australian special forces explosives
An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An exp ...
detection dog
A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, semen, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones. The sense most use ...
who spent almost 14 months
missing in action
Missing in action (MIA) is a casualty (person), casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoner of war, prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire. They may have been ...
(MIA) in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
before being recovered in 2009.
*
Sasha, bomb-sniffing dog, posthumously awarded the
Dickin Medal
The PDSA Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom by Maria Dickin to honour the work of animals in World War II. It is a bronze medallion, bearing the words "For Gallantry" and "We Also Serve" within a laurel wreath, carried ...
.
*
Sinbad
Sinbad the Sailor (; or Sindbad) is a fictional mariner and the hero of a story-cycle. He is described as hailing from Baghdad during the early Abbasid Caliphate (8th and 9th centuries A.D.). In the course of seven voyages throughout the sea ...
, the
U.S. Coast Guard's most famous mascot. He was adopted by a crewman from the cutter 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.

*
Smoky, hero war dog of World War II, was a
Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier, also known as a Yorkie, is a British breed of toy dog of terrier type. It is among the smallest of the terriers and indeed of all dog breeds, with a weight of no more than . It originated in the nineteenth century in the ...
who served with the
5th Air Force
The Fifth Air Force (5 AF) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the U.S. Air Force's oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organiz ...
in the Pacific after she was adopted by Corporal
William Wynne. Smoky was credited with twelve
combat mission
''Combat Mission'' is a series of computer wargames simulating tactical battles. The series has progressed through two distinct game engines. The original game engine, referred to as 'CMx1' by the developer, Battlefront.com, powered a trio of g ...
s and awarded eight
battle star
A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or service period. T ...
s. Wynne authored a book about his adventures with Smoky entitled ''Yorkie Doodle Dandy: Or, the Other Woman Was a Real Dog''.
* Stubby, aka
Sergeant Stubby
Sergeant Stubby (1916 – March 16, 1926) was the unofficial mascot of the 102nd Infantry Regiment (United States), 102nd Infantry Regiment and was assigned to the 26th Infantry Division (United States), 26th (Yankee) Division in World War I and ...
, a
Boston Terrier
The Boston Terrier is a breed of dog originating in the United States of America. This "American Gentleman" was accepted in 1893 by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting breed. Boston Terriers are small and compact with a short tail and ere ...
/
American Pit Bull Terrier
The American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) is a dog breed recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) and the American Dog Breeders Association (ADBA), but not the American Kennel Club (AKC). It is a medium-sized, short-haired dog, of a solid build, ...
, the most decorated
war dog
Dogs have a very long history in warfare, beginning in ancient times. From being trained in combat, to their use as scouts, sentries, messengers, mercy dogs, and trackers, their uses have been varied, and some continue to exist in modern milit ...
of
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
and the only dog to be nominated for rank and then promoted to
sergeant
Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...
through combat.
He was also a mascot at
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private Jesuit research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic higher education, Ca ...
.
*
Tich,
Dickin Medal
The PDSA Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom by Maria Dickin to honour the work of animals in World War II. It is a bronze medallion, bearing the words "For Gallantry" and "We Also Serve" within a laurel wreath, carried ...
winner of the
King's Royal Rifle Corps
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army that was originally raised in British North America as the Royal American Regiment during the phase of the Seven Years' War in North America known in the United Sta ...
during the Second World War.
*
Treo, awarded
Dickin Medal
The PDSA Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom by Maria Dickin to honour the work of animals in World War II. It is a bronze medallion, bearing the words "For Gallantry" and "We Also Serve" within a laurel wreath, carried ...
for work as an
Arms and Explosives Search dog in
Helmand Province
Helmand (Pashto language, Pashto/Dari language, Dari: ; ), also known as Hillmand, in ancient times, as Hermand and Hethumand, is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, in the south of the country. It is the largest province by area, covering ...
, Afghanistan.
*
Willie
Willy or Willie is a masculine, male given name, often a diminutive form of William or Wilhelm, and occasionally a nickname. It may refer to:
People Given name or nickname
* Willie Allen (basketball) (born 1949), American basketball player and ...
,
George S. Patton
George Smith Patton Jr. (11 November 1885 – 21 December 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, then the Third Army in France and Germany after the Alli ...
's faithful
bull terrier.

*
Zanjeer, was a
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...
who served as a detection dog with the
Mumbai Police
The Greater Mumbai Police (Marathi language, Marathi: बृहन्मुंबई पोलीस, IAST: ''Brihanmumbaī Pulīs'', formerly ''Bombay City Police'') is the Police, police department of the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is a cit ...
in
Maharashtra
Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
state of
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. 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.
* K9 Big Wolf - See
#Faithful after owner's death
Rescue dogs
* Aspen, a search-and-rescue
Golden Retriever who assisted in searching for survivors of the
Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building
The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was a United States federal government complex located at 200 N.W. 5th Street in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. On April 19, 1995, the building was the target of the Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McV ...
bombing in Oklahoma City in 1995.
* Baillie, an active search and rescue
Border Collie
The Border Collie is a British list of dog breeds, breed of herding dog of the collie type of medium size. It originates in the region of the Anglo-Scottish border, and descends from the traditional Sheep dog, sheepdogs once found all over the ...
on one of Canada's all hazards disaster response teams, Canada Task Force 2 (CAN-TF2), where she specialises in
Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (HUSAR). She is also a member of
Canmore Canmore may refer to:
*Canmore (database), a Scottish national online database of ancient monuments;
*Canmore, Alberta, a town in Canada;
*the House of Dunkeld, a royal house that ruled Scotland in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries, including
**Malc ...
Fire Rescue and mascot for
Banff Emergency Medical Services
Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services, pre-hospital care or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to d ...
in the
Banff National Park
Banff National Park is Canada, Canada's first National Parks of Canada, national park, established in 1885 as Rocky Mountains Park. Located in Alberta's Rockies, Alberta's Rocky Mountains, west of Calgary, Banff encompasses of mountainous ter ...
. Baillie has represented Canada at the
UNISDR
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) was created in December 1999 to ensure the implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. Americas conference and has been honoured with an exhibit on her
wearable technology
Wearable technology is any technology that is designed to be used while worn. Common types of wearable technology include smartwatches, fitness trackers, and smartglasses. Wearable electronic devices are often close to or on the surface of the s ...
in the
Canada Science and Technology Museum
The Canada Science and Technology Museum (abbreviated as CSTM; ) is a national museum of science and technology in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The museum has a mandate to preserve and promote the country's scientific and technological heritage. The m ...
in Ottawa.
*
Balto
Balto ( – March 14, 1933) was an Alaskan husky and sled dog bred by musher and breeder Leonhard Seppala. Balto achieved fame when he was reported to have led a team of sled dogs driven by Gunnar Kaasen on the final leg of the 1925 serum r ...
, a famous
sled dog
A sled dog is a dog trained and used to pull a land vehicle in Dog harness, harness, most commonly a Dog sled, sled over snow.
Sled dogs have been used in the Arctic for at least 8,000 years and, along with watercraft, were the only transpor ...
, was the lead dog on the final leg of the 1925 serum run to Nome (which relayed diphtheria antitoxin by dog sled across Alaska Territory, Alaska to combat an epidemic). Balto was memorialized with a List of sculptures in Central Park, statue in New York's Central Park.
The Iditarod Race is a commemoration of the 1925 serum run. An Balto (film), animated film was produced in 1995, telling a somewhat dramatized version of the dog's life.
* Barry (dog), Barry, a famous
Saint Bernard rescue dog, reportedly saved 40 people.
*Bilbo, a lifeguard Newfoundland dog on Sennen beach in Cornwall, credited with saving three lives.
* Dakota, a American Pit Bull Terrier, pit bull search and rescue dog who responded to over 100 search missions including the search for the astronauts who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' disaster.
* Frida (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.
* Gandalf, a black Shiloh Shepherd search and rescue dog owned by Misha Marshall, who found missing Boy Scouts of America, Boy Scout Michael Auberry in March 2007.
*Kira (2019), an English
Golden Retriever, who 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.
*Mancs (dog), Mancs (1994–2006), a German Shepherd, the most famous rescue dog of the Spider Special Rescue Team of Miskolc, Hungary. Became famous when he helped rescue a 3-year-old girl who spent 82 hours under the ruins after the 1999 İzmit earthquake, Izmit earthquake of 1999 in Turkey.
*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.
* Peter (dog), Peter, a Collie, who was a search and rescue dog during World War II.
* Swansea Jack, a Welsh dog, who rescued people from Swansea Bay and the River Tawe.
* Togo (dog), Togo, a Siberian Husky, who was the lead dog that led the longest track while the team had the antitoxin, during the 1925 serum run to Nome (which relayed diphtheria antitoxin by dog sled across Alaska Territory, Alaska to combat an epidemic).
* Wilson, a Belgian Shepherd military search and rescue dog who, separated from his handlers, independently located and protected four children lost in the Colombian jungle after the 2023 Caquetá Cessna Stationair crash, 2023 crash of their aircraft, but was lost during the operation and never recovered.
* Approximately 350 search and rescue dogs worked at the World Trade Center site following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Rescuers relied on the dogs' sense of smell and agility in tight spaces to seek survivors and recover the remains of victims.
** Ana (search dog), Ana, the first of the first responder dogs at the World Trade Center (1973–2001), World Trade Center.
** Apollo (dog), Apollo, a search and rescue dog who worked at World Trade Center site following the September 11, 2001 attacks.
** Jake (rescue dog), Jake, a black Labrador who served as a search and rescue dog following the September 11, 2001 attacks and Hurricane Katrina.
** Trakr, a German Shepherd detection dog, survivor detection dog who found the last survivor of the World Trade Center attack on 11 September 2001.
**Bretagne (rescue dog), 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 6 June 2016, at age 16, following kidney failure.
Guide, service, and facility dogs
* Buddy, a female
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
, the first formally trained guide dog in the United States. She belonged to Morris Frank, who worked to establish The Seeing Eye, the first dog guide school in America.
* Endal (Dog), Endal, a yellow
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...
Service dog voted "Dog of the Millennium", famous for his 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.
* Orca (dog), Orca, a
Golden Retriever assistance dog awarded a PDSA Gold Medal for saving his owner's life.
* Professor Beauregard Tirebiter, University of Southern California's Official Wellness Dog. Beau is USC's first full-time canine faculty member and comes from a "Hypoallergenic dog breed, hypoallergenic" mix between a
Golden Retriever and a
Poodle
The Poodle, called the in German () and the in French, is a breed of water dog. The breed is divided into four varieties based on size, the Standard Poodle, Medium Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle, although the Medium Poodle is no ...
, also widely known as a "Goldendoodle". Beau is professionally trained as a facility dog and creates well-being throughout his facility, USC.
*Salty and Roselle, Roselle, a
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...
guide 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.
*Salty and Roselle, Salty, a
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...
guide dog who led his blind owner Omar Rivera from the 71st floor of Tower 1 of the World Trade Center on 9/11.
*Sully (dog), Sully, former President George H. W. Bush's yellow
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...
service dog during his last six months of life. Noted for his role during the President's state funeral. Subsequently, serving at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
* Trixie Koontz, the
Golden Retriever companion of Dean Koontz, was a retired guide dog and the purported author of ''Life Is Good''. 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.
* Wanda the Yellow Retriever/Lab cross, guide dog to Mhairi Thurston. Wanda was The Guide Dogs 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.
Dogs that aided exploration
*Bothie (dog), Bothie, a
Jack Russell Terrier who was the first dog to travel to both the South Pole, South and North Pole, North Poles.
* Bud (dog), Bud, part of the Horatio Nelson Jackson#Cross-country drive, first automobile trip across the United States in 1903.
* Chinook (dog)#History, Chinook was the dog team leader for the Richard E. Byrd, 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.
* Leoncico ("Little Lion"), was the dog of the Spain, Spanish explorer and conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa, exploring and struggling with him across the Isthmus of Panama, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, in 1513.
* Obersten ("The Colonel"), a Greenland Dog who was a part of Roald Amundsen's expedition to the South Pole. He was one of eleven dogs that survived and returned. He was brought home by Oscar Wisting and spent the rest of his life as his family pet. He is mounted and exhibited at the Holmenkollen ski museum.
* Seaman (Newfoundland dog), Seaman, Meriwether Lewis's
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
who accompanied the Lewis and Clark Expedition from the Mississippi River to the Pacific coast in modern Oregon, across the northwestern U.S., from 1804 to 1806. He protected them from bears and buffalo, and was popular with the Native Americans they came in contact with.
Police dogs
* Agata (dog), Agata, a decorated Colombian Labrador
detection dog
A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, semen, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones. The sense most use ...
who was so effective in detecting drugs that a bounty of $10,000 was offered.
* Diesel (dog), Diesel, a Belgian Malinois RAID assault dog deployed by the French police, was 2015 Saint-Denis raid, killed in a shootout with suspected terrorists in the Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, Saint-Denis area of Paris, while searching for suspects involved in the November 2015 Paris attacks.
* Finn (dog), 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".
* , a German Shepherd of the Hungarian police, the most successful police dog ever in service from 1954 to 1963. He died after stepping on a landmine on the Austrian border, which was heavily fortified at the time. His body is preserved at the , the Hungarian national police service's museum in Budapest.
* K9 Big Wolf - See
#Faithful after owner's death
* Rajah (dog), Rajah, a
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
, was the first police dog to serve in New Zealand.
* Sirius (police dog), Sirius, a
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...
Detection dog, explosive detection police dog of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department was the only documented canine fatality during the September 11 attacks.
* Sombra, a German Shepherd
detection dog
A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, semen, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones. The sense most use ...
, of the National Police of Colombia is credited for over 200 arrests and the seizure of over 9 tons of Prohibition of drugs, illegal drugs. The Clan del Golfo paramilitary group placed a bounty on her life.
*
Zanjeer was a Labrador Retriever who served as a detection dog with the Mumbai Police in
Maharashtra
Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
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 Federal Police (Mexico), Mexican Federal Police; his body is preserved at the Museo del Enervante drug-trafficking museum.
Other working dogs

*Bunkō, a Japanese 'firefighting dog' who lived with and assisted the Otaru Fire Service during the early 20th century.
*Don, aka Don the Talking Dog, who vocalized several words.
* Gabi (dog), Gabi, a German Shepherd who worked as a guard dog at the Belgrade Zoo and managed to defeat an escaped jaguar.
* Help (dog), Help, a Rough Collie, Scotch Collie who collected for the Orphans Fund of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants.
* K9 Killer, a Belgian Malinois dog that works with the Kruger National Park's Special Operations team to prevent rhinoceros poachers in South Africa; awarded a PDSA Gold Medal.
* Lucky and Flo, a pair of black
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...
detection dog
A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, semen, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones. The sense most use ...
s, notable for being the first animals trained to detect optical discs by scent. They are sponsored by the Motion Picture Association of America, MPAA and Federation Against Copyright Theft, FACT, as part of an initiative to combat copyright infringement relating to motion pictures and DVD discs.
* Oscar, "Hypnodog", a black Labrador Retriever, famous for performing as a "canine hypnotist".
* Owney (dog), Owney, an official United States Postal Service dog and mascot, rode the Railway post office, trains with the mail in the 19th century, traveled around the world and more than 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.
* Sirrah, a black border collie, who herded sheep with James Hogg, the "Ettrick Shepherd," in Scotland in the early 1800s.
*
Smoky, a Yorkshire Terrier, the first therapy dog.
* Station Jim, a popular and successful Charitable organization, collector for the Widows' and Orphans' fund of the Great Western Railway.
* Hansel, a 'firefighting dog' and first pit bull arson detection K-9 in the U.S. The dog's handler is New Jersey firefighter Tyler Van Leer of the Van Leer (surname), Van Leers.
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
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
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.
* 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.
* 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 language, Swahili for "savior", and taken in by the local SPCA.
Others
* Flash, a
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
, was a two-year-old loyal companion donated to the war on September 10, 1942, by Eleanor (Hildenbrand) and Paul F. Demerski. He was honored for his services and awards by the ''Syracuse Herald Journal'' newspaper. Dogs for Defense out of Washington D.C. awarded Flash for his bravery and loyalty in the field during World War II. He began his service at the train station in Solvay, New York, and continued on to Hicksville, Long Island, then deployed with his handlers. Mr. and Mrs. Demerski received a letter to inform them of Flash's completion of sentry duty training for the army located at the War Dog Reception and Training Center, Quartermaster Depot, Front Royal, Virginia.
* Buddy, a
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
, 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.
* Duke, a mixed breed rescue dog in Portland, Connecticut who had been with his family for six 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.
* George (dog), George, a Jack Russell Terrier who shielded a group of children in Manaia, Taranaki, Manaia, New Zealand, from a pair of attacking pit bulls. He was killed by the pit bulls.
* Gnarley, an American Staffordshire Terrier mix from Tennessee, Sunbright, Tennessee, saved his owner's life when his coworker and roommate attacked him with a machete while working out of state on 26 July 2019. Gnarley made a full recovery from his injuries. An emergency surgery for a fractured skull and long laceration was needed.
* 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.
*Lucy, a pit bull who shielded her owner's mother-in-law from an ex-boyfriend with a knife. The man stabbed Lucy multiple times, and she died on 19 December 2015, after going into cardiac arrest from blood loss.
*Polo, a 6-year-old mixed breed in Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, who 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.
* 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.
*Susie's Law, Susie, part Pit Bull, rescued after being set on fire in Greensboro, North Carolina, Greensboro, North Carolina; her plight led to passage of Susie's Law.
* Velvet (dog), Velvet, a black
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...
and shepherd mixed breed cattle dog, who helped save three climbers when they became stranded on Mount Hood in Oregon on 18 February 2007.
* 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.
*List of wolf attacks in North America#Non-fatal attacks, 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 habituation, habituated to the presence of people. John received 19 laceration and puncture wounds on the back, legs, and buttocks.
* Leo, a Dachshund, on March 9, 2014, in the city of Pančevo, Serbia, saved the life of an 11-year-old girl from the jaws of a Bullmastiff. He weighed 12 kg, and the Bullmastiff weighed 50 kg. After the fight, Leo had a broken pelvis, distended intestines, and was completely crushed. He succumbed to his injuries after two days. The city of Pančevo erected a monument in the park where the owners constantly sat. The monument reads 'For all the little heroes with big hearts.
Real dogs in literature
* Beautiful Joe, an abused Airedale Terrier, Airedale who was rescued from a brutal master, inspired an 1894 bestselling novel of the same name.
* Charley, a poodle owned by John Steinbeck, was made famous by the book ''Travels With Charley''.
* Endal; a paperback book entitled ''Endal'', published by HarperCollins, was released on 9 February 2009 and went straight to Number 5 in the UK Paperback bestsellers list.
* Jock of the Bushveld, a Staffordshire bull terrier from South Africa in the 1880s, whose owner wrote a book about their travels together.
* Lad, a Rough Collie made famous by three of the novels, including ''Lad, A Dog'', written by owner Albert Payson Terhune.
* Marley, a yellow
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...
, was featured in the memoir ''Marley and Me''.
*
Rin Tin Tin
Rin Tin Tin or Rin-Tin-Tin (October 10, 1918 – August 10, 1932) was a male German Shepherd born in Flirey, France, who became an international star in motion pictures. He was rescued from a World War I battlefield by an American soldier, ...
, the famous dog actor who had films written for him and who was the subject of the 2007 film ''Finding Rin Tin Tin''.
*
Seaman
Seaman may refer to:
* Sailor, a member of a marine watercraft's crew
* Seaman (rank), a military rank in some navies
* Seaman (name) (including a list of people with the name)
* ''Seaman'' (video game), a 1999 simulation video game for the Seg ...
, the
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
who travelled across the continent with the Lewis and Clark Expedition, has been the subject of a Seaman (dog)#Creative literature about Seaman, number of children's books.
* Stickeen, a companion of John Muir in 1880s Alaska. Muir wrote about him in ''Stickeen: An Adventure with a Dog and a Glacier'', one of Muir's best-known writings.
* Tulip, J. R. Ackerley's
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
, was the subject of Ackerley's 1956 memoir ''My Dog Tulip'', based on his relationship with his own dog ''Queenie''; adapted as the 2009 animated feature My Dog Tulip, film of the same name.
* Wheely Willy, a paraplegia, paraplegic Chihuahua (dog), chihuahua who was the subject of two bestselling children's literature, children's books.
* Zdreanță, Tudor Arghezi's pet dog, and the subject of a beloved eponymous children's poem.
Mascots
* Argo (dog), Argo, a mixed-breed stray dog who wandered the ruins of Pompeii and was considered the site's mascot.
*
Bamse
is a Swedish cartoon created by Rune Andréasson. The highly popular children's cartoon first emerged as a series of television short films as well as a weekly half-page Sunday strip in 1966, before being published periodically in its own com ...
, a St. Bernard (dog), St. Bernard who was a mascot to the Royal Norwegian Navy minesweeper ''Thorodd'' in WWII; became the heroic mascot of the
Free Norwegian Forces
The Norwegian armed forces in exile () were remnants of the armed forces of Norway that continued to fight the Axis Powers, Axis powers from Allies of World War II, Allied countries, such as United Kingdom, Britain and Canada, after they had escap ...
.
* Butler Blue, a succession of Bulldog, English Bulldog mascots of Butler University from 2000 on.
* Bullseye (mascot), Bullseye, a Bull terrier known for being the mascot of the Target Corporation.
* Bully (mascot), Bully, a Bulldog, is the Mississippi State University mascot.
* Chase (dog), Chase "That Golden Thunder", a
Golden Retriever, was the mascot of the Trenton Thunder.
* Chesty (mascot), Chesty is the name given to the bulldogs who serve as the official mascot of the United States Marine Corps. They are named after Marine Corps legend Lieutenant General Chesty Puller.
* George Tirebiter, former mascot of the University of Southern California.
* Handsome Dan, a
bulldog
The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is a stocky, muscular dog of medium size, with a large head, thick folds of skin around the face and shoulders and a rel ...
, is the Yale University mascot.
* Hank (dog), Hank, unofficial mascot of the Milwaukee Brewers.
* Jack the Bulldog is the mascot of Georgetown Hoyas#Mascot, Georgetown University.
* Jiggs II, Sergeant Major Jiggs II, Silent White Richard, was the second of a number of English bulldogs to serve as mascots of the United States Marine Corps.
* Jonathan the Husky, Jonathan, a husky, is the University of Connecticut's mascot, and is named after the state of Connecticut's first governor.
*
Nigger
In the English language, ''nigger'' is a racial slur directed at black people. Starting in the 1990s, references to ''nigger'' have been increasingly replaced by the euphemistic contraction , notably in cases where ''nigger'' is Use–menti ...
, a black Labrador, the mascot of No. 617 Squadron RAF, The Dambusters.
* Reveille (dog), Reveille, a Rough Collie, the mascot for Texas A&M University.
* Smokey (University of Tennessee), Smokey, mascot of the University of Tennessee.
* Smoky (Olympic mascot), Smoky, mascot of the 1932 Summer Olympics, 1932 Summer Olympic Village and later the event as a whole, often considered the first Olympic mascot.
*
Spuds MacKenzie
Spuds MacKenzie ("The Original Party Animal") is a fictional bull terrier dog character used for an extensive advertising campaign marketing Bud Light beer in the late 1980s. The Spuds MacKenzie mascot and campaign was the idea of a 23-year-old a ...
, a
Bull Terrier mascot for Bud Light.
* Uga (mascot), Uga, a
bulldog
The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is a stocky, muscular dog of medium size, with a large head, thick folds of skin around the face and shoulders and a rel ...
, serves as mascot for the University of Georgia.
* Zeke the Wonder Dog, a Labrador retriever, serves as a mascot for Michigan State University.
Models
* Archie (dog), Archie, owned by Andy Warhol and Jed Johnson (designer), Jed Johnson, modeled for Warhol
* Boo (dog), Boo, a Pomeranian (dog), Pomeranian and social media icon with the tagline of "World's Cutest Dog".
* Man Ray and Fay Ray, Weimaraners, subjects of their owner, photographer William Wegman (photographer), William Wegman.
* Mickey, an Irish Wolfhound, and Cracker, a
bull terrier, acquired in 1925 by Cecil Aldin and the models for his popular book, ''Sleeping Partners'', which humorously illustrated the dogs’ habit of sleeping on, under, around, or tangled up with each other.
* 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.
Dogs in science
* Bonn–Oberkassel dog, a prehistoric dog in Germany
* Brown Dog affair, Brown Dog, killed after vivisection in February 1903. A memorial statue provoked riots.
* Ch. Fiacre's First and Foremost, low uric acid show dog.
* Marjorie, a depancreatized dog, was the subject of experiments by Frederick Banting and his assistant, Charles Best (medical scientist), 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.
* Ivan Pavlov, Pavlov's dogs, who were subjects of Pavlov's research on classical conditioning.
* Snuppy, an Afghan Hound, was the first cloned dog.
Space dogs
The Soviets favored dogs for early space flights, as opposed to the Americans, who preferred monkeys and chimpanzees.
* In 1951 Dezik and Tsygan became the first dogs to enter suborbital spaceflight.
* In 1957 Laika, a female
mixed-breed dog
A mongrel, mutt, or mixed-breed dog is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized Dog breed, breed, including those that result from intentional Dog breeding, breeding. Although the term ''mixed-breed dog'' is sometimes preferred, m ...
, 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.
* In 1960 Belka and Strelka, two Russian Mixed breed dog, mixed breeds, went into space aboard Sputnik 5 and returned. They were, along with their mice, rats, and rabbit traveling companions, the first animals to survive an orbital flight.
Strelka later gave birth to a litter of puppies, one of which, Pushinka, was given to U.S. president John F. Kennedy's daughter Caroline Kennedy, Caroline by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev.
[
]
Dogs of unusual size
Small dogs
*Boo Boo (dog), Boo Boo, a female Chihuahua, was listed in the 2007 Guinness World Records as the smallest living dog in terms of height.
* 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 long, from her nose to the tip of her tail.
* Sylvia, a matchbox-size Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier, also known as a Yorkie, is a British breed of toy dog of terrier type. It is among the smallest of the terriers and indeed of all dog breeds, with a weight of no more than . It originated in the nineteenth century in the ...
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 tall at the shoulder, measured from nose tip to tail, and weighed .
Heavy dogs
* Benedictine, a male Saint Bernard, who weighed is recognized as the heaviest dog to have ever lived.
* Zorba (Mastiff), Zorba, a male English Mastiff, was recognized by Guinness World Records as the heaviest dog in the world at . 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 .
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.
* Gibson (Great Dane), 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 . Standing on his hind legs, the dog was over tall.
* Titan (dog), Titan, a Great Dane who was previously recognised as the world's tallest dog.
*Zeus (dog, born 2008), Zeus, a Great Dane who claimed the tallest dog record on 13 September 2012.
Intelligent dogs
* Betsy (dog), Betsy, one of the most intelligent dogs, who knows over 340 words.
* Chaser (dog), Chaser, a Border Collie
The Border Collie is a British list of dog breeds, breed of herding dog of the collie type of medium size. It originates in the region of the Anglo-Scottish border, and descends from the traditional Sheep dog, sheepdogs once found all over the ...
, had a vocabulary of 1,022 words, could reason by exclusion, and could recognise objects by the groups they belong to.
* Donnie (dog), Donnie, a Doberman Pinscher
The Dobermann is a German breed of medium-large working dog of pinscher type. It was originally bred in Thuringia in about 1890 by Louis Dobermann, a tax collector. featured on the National Geographic Channel show ''Dog Genius'' for his penchant for arranging his toys in geometric forms.
* Jim the Wonder Dog, an intelligent dog honored by a statue in Marshall, Missouri.
* Rico (Border Collie), Rico could recognize the names of more than 250 toys and fetch them on command.
Long-lived dogs
* Bluey (long-lived dog), Bluey, an Australian Cattle Dog who was verified as the world's oldest dog by Guinness World Records. She died in 1939 at 29 years and 5 months of age.
* Bobi (dog), Bobi, a Rafeiro do Alentejo who was claimed to be the oldest dog ever. He died in 2023 at a claimed age of 31 years, 165 days.
* Bramble, a Welsh Collie who lived a vegan diet to 25 years old and at the time of her death was the world's oldest dog.
* Chanel (dog), Chanel, a Dachshund, who was the world's oldest dog in 2009 at 21 years old,
* Max (American dog), Max, a Beagle, Dachshund and terrier mix, unverified to have lived to the age of 29 years and 282 days.
* Spike, a Chihuahua mix, who is the oldest living dog as of 17 March 2025, reaching the age of 25.
Show dogs
* Araki Fabulous Willy, a Tibetan Terrier who was Best in Show at Crufts in 2007.
* Baledda Ever Ready, the first Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier, also known as a Yorkie, is a British breed of toy dog of terrier type. It is among the smallest of the terriers and indeed of all dog breeds, with a weight of no more than . It originated in the nineteenth century in the ...
to achieve Supreme Champion status.
* Canigou Cambrai, an English Cocker Spaniel who was Best in Show at Crufts in 1996.
* My Own Brucie, an American Cocker Spaniel show dog.
* Pulaski's Masterpiece, a toy poodle that disappeared on 29 May 1953.
* Tickle Em Jock, the first Scottish Terrier to win Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
* Yakee A Dangerous Liaison, a Pekingese who was Best in Show at Crufts in 2003.
Notorious dogs
* Bane and Hera, a pair of Presa Canarios owned by Marjorie Knoller and Robert Noel that were involved in the death of Diane Whipple.
* 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.
* Dempsey (dog), Dempsey, condemned to death under the United Kingdom's Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 but finally reprieved after three years of legal battles.
* Dormie (dog), Dormie, a purebred Airedale Terrier accused of "murdering" 14 cats, resulting in a sensational and landmark 1921 California trial by jury.
* Jackie (dog), Jackie, a Dalmatian (dog), Dalmatian mix whose ability to give a Nazi salute garnered negative attention from Nazi Germany in World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
* Pep (dog), Pep, a Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...
that was sent to the Eastern State Penitentiary by Pennsylvania governor Gifford Pinchot and falsely accused of murdering a cat.
Ugly dogs
* Elwood (dog), Elwood, a Chinese Crested– Chihuahua, mixed breed, was a winner of the World's Ugliest Dog Contest in 2007.
* Miss Ellie (dog), Miss Ellie, a blind Chinese Crested dog that won the pedigree section of the World's Ugliest Dog Contest in 2009.
* Peggy, a dog that won the title of "Britain's ugliest dog".
* Sam (ugly dog), Sam, a blind Chinese Crested Dog, Chinese Crested hairless, was the three-time winner of the World's Ugliest Dog Contest.
Unique dogs
* Faith (dog), Faith, a bipedal dog.
* Heart-kun is a Chihuahua in Japan born with a heart (symbol), heart-shaped patch of brown hair on its white coat (dog), coated body.
Foundation sires and early dogs
* Abuwtiyuw, one of the earliest dogs whose name is known.
* Horand von Grafrath, the first registered German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
, and the foundation sire of the breed.
* Huddersfield Ben, an early Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier, also known as a Yorkie, is a British breed of toy dog of terrier type. It is among the smallest of the terriers and indeed of all dog breeds, with a weight of no more than . It originated in the nineteenth century in the ...
, is universally regarded as the foundation sire of the breed.
* Obo II, foundation sire for all American Cocker Spaniels.
* Old Hemp, an early Border Collie
The Border Collie is a British list of dog breeds, breed of herding dog of the collie type of medium size. It originates in the region of the Anglo-Scottish border, and descends from the traditional Sheep dog, sheepdogs once found all over the ...
.
* Old Jock, an early Fox Terrier.
Other notable dogs
* Auditor (dog), Auditor, a feral dog who lived in the mining area of Butte, Montana.
*Balltze, a Shiba Inu from Hong Kong and face of the "Cheems" meme.
* Baltic (dog), 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.
*Bella, a Shih Tzu owned by 17 year old Mia Leimberg, that accompanied her while she was held captive by Hamas and later freed in exchange of Palestinian prisoners.
*Bum, a three-footed St. Bernard (dog), St. Bernard and Spaniel mix stray who became the 19th-century town dog of San Diego.
* Bummer and Lazarus, a pair of famous stray dogs who lived in San Francisco during the 1860s, often associated with Emperor Norton.
*Dog on the Tuckerbox.
* 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, 15 May 2011.
* Eclipse (dog), Eclipse, a female Mastador (half Mastiff, half Labrador Retriever, Labrador) who independently rode 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.
* Joy (dog), Joy, a Spaniel, belonging to the Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia, last Tsesarevich of Russia, with whom he often appears in photographs and from whom he was inseparable. 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 movement, 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.
* Jonas, a mongrel dog who saved his owner's life from a possible drowning in December 2017.
* Kabosu (dog), Kabosu (Japanese: かぼす), a female Shiba Inu most known as the face of Doge (meme), Doge.
*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.
* Kratu (dog), Kratu, a rescue dog from Romania, whose appearances at Crufts became a viral phenomenon.
* Lila, British General Howe's fox terrier who 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, with a cordial note from General Washington.
* Loukanikos, a dog who was active during Anti-austerity movement in Greece, from 2010 through 2012. He was featured in the Time Person of the Year, ''Time'' Person of the Year 2011 issue.
* Malchik, a mongrel street dog who resided in the Moscow Metro, and whose stabbing death sparked a public outcry.
* Max (English Springer Spaniel), Max, an English Springer Spaniel
The English Springer Spaniel is a breed of gun dog in the Spaniel group traditionally used for flushing and retrieving game. They are descended from the Norfolk or Shropshire Spaniels of the mid-19th century; the breed has diverged into sepa ...
who was the first pet dog to be awarded the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals#Awards, PDSA Order of Merit.
* Talking animal#Dogs, 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.
* 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.
* Negro Matapacos, a dog who participated at many street demonstrations in Santiago, Chile.
* Oscar, a Pug
The Pug is a breed of dog with the physically distinctive features of a wrinkly, short-muzzled face, and curled tail. An ancient breed, with roots dating back to 400 B.C., they have a fine, glossy coat that comes in a variety of colors, most ...
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.
* 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.
* Peanut Butter, a Shiba Inu trained by speedrunning, speedrunner JSR to press buttons on a special-built video game controller. Called the world's first speedrunning dog, Peanut Butter has appeared at two Games Done Quick events, playing ''Gyromite'' and ''Ken Griffey Jr. Presents: Major League Baseball'' for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
* Pickles (dog), Pickles, discovered the Jules Rimet trophy (the Football World Cup) after it had been stolen in England in 1966.
* Pickles (pickleball), Pickles, a dog often cited as the name origin for the sport of pickleball.
* Presley, the boxer (dog), boxer, won the title of the ''Greatest American Dog'' in the 2008 CBS television show of the same name.
* 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 (dog), Rigel, erstwhile but perhaps mythical Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
pet of first officer William Murdoch aboard the . Murdoch went down with the ship, but Rigel swam for three hours next to a lifeboat until it was rescued by the . Rigel is renowned as a hero, alerting the ''Carpathias captain of the weakened survivors before the ship hit them. Rigel was adopted by crewman Jonas Briggs.
* Robot, a dog who belonged to a boy named Simon, discovered the cave paintings at Lascaux in 1940.
* Rosie, an Australian Silky Terrier who saved her owners' lives during a house fire in Launceston, Tasmania in 2010.
* Sansão case, Sansão, whose hind legs where both severed in a case of animal cruelty in Brazil.
* Saucisse, a candidate at the 2001 election of mayor in Marseille and also a candidate in the TV reality show ''Secret Story 2009 (France), Secret Story 2009''.
* Sensation, the Pointer (dog breed), English Pointer featured on the logo of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
* Star (dog), Star was 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.
* 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.
* Tika (dog), Tika, an Italian Greyhound with a large social media following
* Tubby, a cocker spaniel, was the only fatality of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)#Collapse, Tacoma Narrows Bridge disaster. Tubby died when the bridge fell and his body was never recovered.
* Tuna (dog), Tuna, a Chihuahua/Dachshund cross and internet celebrity.
* 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 three years later was pivotal in police identifying them, and bringing their killer Stephen Swaim to justice.
* Willie Bean, a Golden Retriever, was the focus of several political satires during 2008.
* 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 Records, Guinness World Record for the longest time on dog death row.
* Whitney Chewston, a Dachshund originating on Instagram that later became known as the "Homophobic Dog" in internet meme culture.
* Manny the Frenchie, American French Bulldog that achieved Internet celebrity via the posting of his photographs on various social media websites.
Fame by proxy to a famous owner
Some dogs are made famous by frequently or prominently appearing in the media with their famous owner.
Dogs of actors and entertainers
* Buster, a Shih Tzu owned by British television presenter Paul O'Grady.
* Chalky (dog), Chalky, a Jack Russell Terrier belonging to English chef and presenter Rick Stein.
* 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.
* Gary, a French Bulldog, companion of the late Carrie Fisher.
* Giggy, a Pomeranian (dog), Pomeranian belonging to London-born Beverly Hills businesswomen and television personality (''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'', ''Vanderpump Rules''), Lisa Vanderpump.
* Google, a Poodle
The Poodle, called the in German () and the in French, is a breed of water dog. The breed is divided into four varieties based on size, the Standard Poodle, Medium Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle, although the Medium Poodle is no ...
whose master was actor, writer, director and producer Ben Hecht.
* Jazmín was a Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier, also known as a Yorkie, is a British breed of toy dog of terrier type. It is among the smallest of the terriers and indeed of all dog breeds, with a weight of no more than . It originated in the nineteenth century in the ...
owned by popular Argentine television presenter Susana Giménez. Jazmín lived with Giménez, accompanied her on television, and in photographic productions and on her international trips.
* Meatball, an English Bulldog owned by Adam Sandler, starred in the short ''A Day with the Meatball''.
* Mr. Famous, a Yorkshire Terrier owned by Audrey Hepburn, who made an appearance in the film ''Love in the Afternoon (1957 film), Love in the Afternoon'' (1957).
* Olga, the dog who was owned by British television presenter Paul O'Grady.
* Pilaf, a long-haired Chihuahua owned by American actress and producer Demi Moore.
* Puffy, a Pomeranian (dog), Pomeranian belonging to London-born Beverly Hills businesswomen and television personality (''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'', ''Vanderpump Rules''), Lisa Vanderpump.
* Spike, a Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier, also known as a Yorkie, is a British breed of toy dog of terrier type. It is among the smallest of the terriers and indeed of all dog breeds, with a weight of no more than . It originated in the nineteenth century in the ...
was the former canine sidekick of television celebrity Joan Rivers. 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.
* Steve Irwin#Marriage and family, Sui, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier owned by Steve Irwin who was featured in ''The Crocodile Hunter'' series on Animal Planet.
* Tank, a Pit Bull mix, is owned by Sydney Sweeney and makes frequent appearances on her social media.
* Tinkerbell, Chihuahua of Paris Hilton, was featured on ''The Simple Life'' reality show.
* Vida, Supermodel, Model Gisele Bündchen's Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier, also known as a Yorkie, is a British breed of toy dog of terrier type. It is among the smallest of the terriers and indeed of all dog breeds, with a weight of no more than . It originated in the nineteenth century in the ...
, has often been photographed with her famous owner.
* Zero was Humphrey Bogart's dog and appeared with him in ''High Sierra (film), High Sierra'' (1941).
* Schnorbitz, St. Bernard (dog), 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.
Dogs of artists
* Lump (dog), Lump, dachshund of a friend of Pablo Picasso, featuring in and inspiring several of his paintings.
* Archie (dog), Archie and Amos, dachshunds of Andy Warhol and his partner Jed Johnson (designer), Jed Johnson, were featured in Warhol's paintings. Warhol would take Archie to his studio, art openings, and restaurants. He also took him to press conferences as his "alter ego."
* Trump (dog), Trump, William Hogarth's pug, made several appearances in Hogarth's paintings, including two 1745 paintings, ''Painter and his Pug'' and ''Captain Lord George Graham in his Cabin''.
Dogs of musicians
* Koji and Gustav, two of Lady Gaga's French Bulldog, French bulldogs, were stolen from their Dog walking, dogwalker, Ryan Fischer, while out for a walk in Los Angeles, California. Fischer was attacked and shot in the chest, severely wounding him. The dogs were found and returned to Gaga by Jennifer McBride, who was falsely accused of the crime, for a $500,000 reward. The true attackers were later found and arrested.
* Lolabelle, Laurie Anderson's Rat Terrier, is the major focus of her 2015 documentary film ''Heart of a Dog (2015 film), Heart of a Dog''.
* Lou dog, a Dalmatian (dog), Dalmatian, Bradley Nowell's (Sublime (band), Sublime's vocalist and guitarist) dog, often featured on the band's CD art.
* Martha, Paul McCartney's Old English Sheepdog, which inspired the Beatles' song "Martha My Dear".
* Mate, Miley Cyrus's German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
, was named after her favorite Australian word, mate.
* Max, David Bowie's dog, has heterochromia, a condition frequently attributed to Bowie (who in reality had anisocoria).
* Mercy, Fiona Apple's dog, who contributed "vocals" to her 2020 album ''Fetch The Bolt Cutters'', and features regularly in social media posts.
* Mina, Sir Edward Elgar's Cairn Terrier
The Cairn Terrier is a terrier breed originating in the Scottish Highlands and recognised as one of Scotland's earliest working dogs.
The name "Cairn Terrier" was a compromise suggestion when the breed was brought to official shows in the Unite ...
, after whom he named his final orchestral work.
* Mocha, Kelly Rowland's Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier, also known as a Yorkie, is a British breed of toy dog of terrier type. It is among the smallest of the terriers and indeed of all dog breeds, with a weight of no more than . It originated in the nineteenth century in the ...
, was featured on an episode of ''MTV Cribs, Cribs'' on MTV.
* Sage, Jim Morrison's Shepherd mix, the dog owned by Jim Morrison from music group The Doors and his partner Pamela Courson.
* Seamus, the dog of singer Steve Marriott, can be heard on the Small Faces track "The Universal" and more prominently on the Pink Floyd track "Seamus".
* Strider, Robert Plant's dog, is the "blue-eyed merle" mentioned in the 1970 Led Zeppelin track "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp".
* Veela, Shirley Manson's dog, a terrier adopted from the streets of Los Angeles.
* Ziggy, Molly Meldrum's dog, played himself in the 2016 miniseries ''Molly (miniseries), Molly''. It is the fourth dog who Meldrum has named after the David Bowie character Ziggy Stardust (character), Ziggy Stardust
* Global superstar Celine Dion's labradors Charlie and Bear. They were represented in numerous magazines with the singer and her family, becoming pets celebrities in their own names.
Dogs of political figures
* Bailey (dog), Bailey, pet of U.S. senator Elizabeth Warren
* Babydog, pet Bulldog, English Bulldog of List of governors of West Virginia, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice.
* Blondi, Adolf Hitler's German Shepherd
The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...
dog.
* Boye (dog), Boye, Prince Rupert of the Rhine's poodle, who went into battle with him.
* Caesar (dog), Caesar, Fox Terrier owned by King Edward VII.
* Conan (Javier Milei's dog), Conan, an English Mastiff adopted by current Argentinian president Javier Milei, and cloned multiple times after his death.
* Dash (spaniel), Dash, King Charles Spaniel owned by Queen Victoria.
* Dilyn, the Jack Russell Terrier, Jack Russell cross of Boris Johnson.
* Dookie (dog), Dookie, the first of many Pembroke Welsh Corgis owned by Queen Elizabeth II.
* Dylan (dog), Dylan, pet rough collie of Argentinian president Alberto Fernández
*Foks, the first President of the Republic of Turkey Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s dog.
* Koni (dog), Konni, Russian President Vladimir Putin's Labrador Retriever.
* Lennu, the Boston Terrier
The Boston Terrier is a breed of dog originating in the United States of America. This "American Gentleman" was accepted in 1893 by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting breed. Boston Terriers are small and compact with a short tail and ere ...
dog of President of Finland Sauli Niinistö.
* Looty (dog), Looty, the Pekingese dog looted from the Summer Palace and gifted to Queen Victoria.
* Lupo (dog), Lupo, an English Cocker Spaniel owned by William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales.
* Nemo (dog), Nemo, a black Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...
-Griffon (dog type), Griffon dog owned by French President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron.
* Orla (dog), Orla, an English Cocker Spaniel owned by William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales.
* William Lyon Mackenzie King#Personal life, Pat, Irish Terrier owned by former Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. After Pat died, King had séances to "communicate" with Pat.
* Resistência Lula da Silva, pet mongrel owned by President of Brazil, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
* , the pet dog of Francis II Rákóczi.
* Seamus (dog), Seamus, Mitt Romney's Irish Setter
The Irish Setter (, literally "red setter") is a setter, a breed of gundog, and family dog originating in Ireland. The term ''Irish Setter'' is commonly used to encompass the show-bred dog recognised by the American Kennel Club as well a ...
, which was the subject of controversy during the 2008 United States presidential election, 2008 US presidential election and the 2012 United States presidential election, 2012 U.S. presidential election.
*Susan (dog), Susan, Pembroke Corgi owned by Queen Elizabeth II. All of Queen Elizabeth's corgis descended from Susan.
* Sutter Brown, Pembroke Welsh corgi pet of Governor of California Jerry Brown and his wife, Anne Gust Brown.
*Tongdaeng, a stray dog that was owned by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX of Thailand, he wrote a book about her in 2002.
* Ulk (dog), Ulk, a Great Dane owned by Chilean President Arturo Alessandri during his second presidency.
Dogs of U.S. presidents and their families
* Barney (dog), Barney and Miss Beazley, President George W. Bush's Scottish Terriers.
* Bo (dog), Bo and Sunny (dog), Sunny, President Barack Obama's Portuguese Water Dogs.
* Buddy (Bill Clinton's dog), Buddy, President Bill Clinton's chocolate Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...
.
*Champ (dog), Champ, Major (Joe Biden's dog), Major, and Commander (dog), Commander, Joe and Jill Biden's German Shepherds. Major is the first shelter dog to ever live in the White House.
* Checkers, President Richard Nixon's Cocker Spaniel, was made famous in the Checkers speech.
* Dash (collie), Dash, First Lady Caroline Harrison's collie mix.
* Fala (dog), Fala, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Scottish Terrier, was a gift from Roosevelt's cousin, Margaret Suckley. Fala is depicted in the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial.
* Fido (Abraham Lincoln's dog), Fido, family pet of President Abraham Lincoln.
* Him and Her, President Lyndon Johnson's Beagles, were famous for the public uproar Johnson caused by lifting them by their ears.
* Laddie Boy, a famous Airedale terrier owned by Warren G. Harding.
* Liberty (dog), Liberty, President Gerald R. Ford's Golden Retriever, gave birth to eight puppies in the White House in 1975.
* Major (Franklin D. Roosevelt's dog), Major, Franklin D. Roosevelt's dog which was moved from the White House back to Roosevelt's Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, Hyde Park, New York, home in 1933 due to biting incidents.
* Manchu, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, Alice Roosevelt's small black Pekingese, was a gift from the last Empress of China.
* Millie (dog), Millie, First Lady Barbara Bush (First Lady), Barbara Bush's English Springer Spaniel
The English Springer Spaniel is a breed of gun dog in the Spaniel group traditionally used for flushing and retrieving game. They are descended from the Norfolk or Shropshire Spaniels of the mid-19th century; the breed has diverged into sepa ...
, credited as author of the #1 New York Times non-fiction bestseller ''Millie's Book''.
* Pete (Theodore Roosevelt's dog), Pete, President Theodore Roosevelt's Bull Terrier, bit so many people he was exiled from the White House.
* Pushinka, President John F. Kennedy's mix (Soviet space dog Belka and Strelka, Strelka's puppy).
* Rex (Ronald Reagan's dog), Rex, Ronald Reagan's dog while in office.
* Rob Roy (dog), Rob Roy, President Calvin Coolidge and first lady Grace Coolidge's pet collie
* Spot Fetcher, Spot "Spotty" Fetcher, President George W. Bush's English Springer Spaniel
The English Springer Spaniel is a breed of gun dog in the Spaniel group traditionally used for flushing and retrieving game. They are descended from the Norfolk or Shropshire Spaniels of the mid-19th century; the breed has diverged into sepa ...
, was named after Scott Fletcher (baseball), Scott Fletcher, a former Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers baseball player.
Dogs of writers and poets
* Boatswain, the favorite pet of George Gordon Byron, Lord Byron, Lord Byron, was the subject of the poet's ''Epitaph to a dog''.
* Cabal, the white German Shepherd belonging to Neil Gaiman, who frequently features in his blog.
* Flush, Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Flush: A Biography, 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. Shortly thereafter, a young Lewis began calling himself Jacksie. Lewis was known to friends and family as Jack for the rest of his life.
* Josephine, a black miniature Poodle belonging to author Jacqueline Susann, and subject of her memoir ''Every Night, Josephine!''.
* 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''.
* Marlowe, Stephen King's Pembroke Welsh Corgi, inspired the character of Oy in King's fantasy series ''The Dark Tower (series), The Dark Tower''.
* Nero, who belonged to Thomas Carlyle, 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.
* Norbert (dog), Norbert, a dog who appears in his own picture book series.
* Phiz, a Boston Terrier
The Boston Terrier is a breed of dog originating in the United States of America. This "American Gentleman" was accepted in 1893 by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting breed. Boston Terriers are small and compact with a short tail and ere ...
, was given to Helen Keller by some of her classmates from Radcliffe College.
* Pippin, whose carsickness inspired K. V. Johansen's series of picture books.
* Trixie Koontz, a retired Canine Companions for Independence, 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.
Others
* Bambi, a Chihuahua owned by prominent Northern Irish Ulster loyalism, loyalist Sammy 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.
* Ben Herbstreit, Ben, a Golden Retriever owned by Kirk Herbstreit who made several appearances on ''College GameDay (football TV program), College GameDay'' and other various broadcasts.
* Blue (Don Cherry's dog), Blue, Don Cherry (ice hockey), Don Cherry's dog.
* Daddy (dog), Daddy, owned by rapper Redman (rapper), Redman, who is famously part of Cesar Millan's pack when his master is travelling.
* Decoy Ohtani, the pet Kooikerhondje of Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani.
* Diamond (dog), Diamond, Sir Isaac Newton's favorite dog.
* Jofi, a Chow Chow belonging to Sigmund Freud. Jofi often sat in on therapy sessions and assisted in calming patients.
* Nash, a three-year-old male Alaskan husky
The Alaskan husky is a breed of medium-sized working sled dog, developed specifically for its performance as such.
Alaskan huskies are the most commonly used type of dog for competitive sled dog racing, both in short-distance sprint racing as well ...
, was part of Jeff King (musher), Jeff King's Iditarod team, which also saw injuries to Crosby, a three-year-old male, and Banjo, a two-year-old male.
* Peritas, Alexander the Great's favourite dog.
* Roscoe, vegan bulldog
The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is a stocky, muscular dog of medium size, with a large head, thick folds of skin around the face and shoulders and a rel ...
owned by Lewis Hamilton, who makes frequent appearances at Formula One grands prix.
* Scipio, St. Bernard (dog), St. Bernard of Orville Wright.
* The 75 Dachshunds of William Randolph Hearst, who lived at his ranch, Hearst Castle.
* Klondike bar, Klondike, Sundae, and Chipwich, the three American Eskimo Dog, American Eskimo dogs owned by YouTube personality Jack Douglass (jacksfilms)
* Marbles, Kermit, Peach, Bunny, and Loni, the five dogs owned by internet personalities Jenna Marbles and Julien Solomita
* Buffy, a Pomeranian dog, pomeranian owned by Telegram CEO, Pavel Durov.
* Chica, owned by YouTuber Markiplier.
See also
* Dickin Medal
The PDSA Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom by Maria Dickin to honour the work of animals in World War II. It is a bronze medallion, bearing the words "For Gallantry" and "We Also Serve" within a laurel wreath, carried ...
* Dogs in the American Revolutionary War (not war dogs)
* List of dog breeds
* List of dog types
* List of Labrador Retrievers
* List of oldest dogs
* List of fictional dogs
* List of wolves
* List of individual cats
* List of wealthiest animals
* Pets of Vladimir Putin
* PDSA Gold Medal, animal award for bravery and devotion to duty
* Portal:Dogs, Dogs portal
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Individual dogs
Individual dogs,
Lists of dogs, Individual
Lists of individual animals, Dog