Famous Dogs

Dogs and films go back a long way. Many dog movies have been made since the birth of film making. Dogs in movies are a favorite subject with many film makers and Hollywood has made many such Dog movies, some of which have gone on to be blockbusters. During the era of silent movies, dogs played small parts. However in 1925, a German Shepherd named “Rin Tin Tin” became a huge star with the release of the movie ‘Where the North begins’. With the success of Rin Tin Tin, many other dog movies were made but they did not make a mark at the box office and dog movies began to decline.

In the 1970s the Walt Disney studios decided to once again recreate the doggy magic and make Dog movies aimed primarily for kids. Into the spotlight came Benji, and five Disney movies were made about Benji and his wild adventures. In the 1990s, a big Saint Bernard called Beethoven became the new dog hero for kids.

Since then many such dog movies have been made. Given below, is a list of some classic dog movies in alphabetical order with a synopsis on each.

101 Dalmatians: This animated classic revolves around the pet Dalmatians Pongo and Perdita, and their 15 pups that are stolen by the devious Cruella De Vil. Pongo with the help of his canine connections manages to rescue his pups and 86 others that were stolen by Cruella. The 101 Dalmatians then make their way home. The hit tune “Dalmatian Plantation” was composed for this movie. The animated movie 102 Dalmatians was released by Disney as a sequel to 101 Dalmatians.

Air Bud: This is the story of Buddy, who befriends a small boy. With his incredible talent for basketball, Buddy soon becomes a star. With the success of Air Bud, many movies were made on Buddy like Air Bud Golden Receiver, Air Bud Seventh Inning Fetch, Air Bud Spikes Back, Air Bud World Pup etc.

Babe: This movie made in 1995 is a story about a piglet called Babe who is separated from his family. Adopted by a friendly dog, Babe grows up thinking it is a dog and defies tradition to become a sheep dog er....pig. Babe's stirring story was loved by both, audiences and critics, and the movie won an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

Beethoven: This is the story of a runaway Saint Bernard pup who is adopted by a suburban family and how he disrupts their life with his actions. However he does manage to save the family business and ends up as the hero of the house. Beethoven became the next dog hero for kids and a sequel Beethoven’s 2nd was also released.

Benji: This family classic is the story of Benji a spunky little Pyrenean Shepherd mix. Benji is an intelligent little dog who is adopted by a loving family. When the kids in the family are kidnapped, it is Benji who comes to their rescue. The role of Benji was played by a dog named Higgins who with his charismatic performance soon became the favorite of every kid. Benji: Off the Leash, a sequel to Benji did not fare as well.

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey: This is the touching story of three pets who plan to return to their family and set out on their own on an incredible journey. The sequel, Homeward Bound II, Lost in San Francisco, had several breeds of dogs like a Golden Retriever, an American Bulldog, a Bullmastiff, a Boxer etc acting in it.

Lassie Come Home: An old classic, this movie made in 1943, is set during the time of the 1st World War. The extremely poor McDowall family is forced to sell their pet Lassie. However Lassie, repeatedly escapes from the home of her new owners and keeps heading back to the McDowall home, depending upon the kindness of strangers on the way. Lassie is a legend. The latest Lassie movie was made in 2005. Since female dogs shed while in heat, all the collies who played the doggy heroine Lassie were actually males in disguise. Pal, a splendid collie was the screen's first Lassie.

Old Yeller: This Walt Disney live-action movie is again the story of an incredible dog that wanders into a farm and is adopted by a little boy and finds a loving family. With the runaway success of Old Yeller, Walt Disney began to make live-action films rather than animated ones. In 1963, Disney released a sequel to Old Yeller titled Savage Sam.

Zeus and Roxanne: This is the story about a dog and a dolphin who become very good friends. The dog, Zeus belongs to a rare breed known as Portuguese Podengo.

Turner and Hooch: This movie stars Tom Hanks and a French Mastiff named Hootch. Hanks plays Turner, a detective who is investigating the murder of John McIntyre. The only witness to the murder is McIntyre’s pet Hootch. Turner hates dogs in general but he now has to teem up with Hootch to find the bad guys. This movie won two Oscars.

Lady and the Tramp: This classic is the story of Lady a pampered female dog who begins to feel neglected when a baby arrives in the family. Add to that an insufferable Aunt and two nasty Siamese cats, and Lady’s life becomes a torment. She runs away from home and meets Tramp, a dashing male dog and they spend an idyllic romantic evening. However disillusion and despair await Lady as the story moves forward but culminates with a happy ending. This movie was Disney studio's first Cinemascope animated feature, and it was also their first complete cartoon based on an original story.

Snow Dogs: This is the story of Ted Brooks a Miami dentist played by Cuba Gooding Jr. who finds out that he has been named in a will. However he needs to travel to Alaska to claim his mystery inheritance: helped by a mischievous team of sled dogs led by an alpha dog named Demon!

Having dogs in movies is not very easy and requires a lot of patience and perseverance from the dog trainers and the ones shooting the film. A dog may not always understand what is required and may not be consistent in doing what it is supposed to do. Today there are various professional training schools that train dog actors in everything from basic obedience to acting for the camera. Here thousands of hours are spent on training them in every aspect of acting as well as in their grooming. Having dogs in movies has become easier with these special training schools.

However all movies featuring animals are monitored by animal protection organizations to ensure the welfare and safety of the animal actors and all movie houses need to abide by the laws set down by these organizations. Although many dog movies may not win Oscars, most movies are well-liked by audiences all over the world because of the tone set by dogs in movies that touch the heart and make us love dogs even more.

The Truth

Animal actors have been around as long as there have been movies, starring with and often upstaging their human colleagues. Originally listed as mere "props," animal actors were soon treated as celebrities in their own right, as studio executives recognized their power to draw moviegoers. Dogs, in particular, have proved successful and enduring stars of the silver screen, television and even radio. Two of the most famous are Rin Tin Tin and, of course, the venerable Lassie. These are their stories.

Rin Tin Tin: Up from the Trenches

With grateful affection, Rin Tin Tin's associates at Warner Bros. called the canine the "mortgage lifter" for his money-making ability. He sported a diamond-studded collar, had his own production unit, limo and driver and ate steak, prepared by his personal chef.

The doughty German shepherd starred or appeared in 30 films, and his acting career lasted from 1922 until 1931.

In fact, while other actors did not survive the transition from the silent era to "talking pictures," Rin Tin Tin made several movies before loping off to retirement in Beverly Hills.

Rin Tin Tin might rank as one of the luckiest dogs in history. When he was found in 1918, the puppy that would be Rin Tin Tin was huddled with his mother and four siblings in an abandoned German trench in France. An American army captain named Lee Duncan found the litter while he was scouting the area at the end of World War I. Duncan took two pups and named them both after the dolls French soldiers carried for good luck. Their names were Nanette and Rin Tin Tin. Both displayed amazing intelligence. Nanette soon died, but Rin Tin Tin went on to make movie history.

Rin Tin Tin is credited with keeping Warner Bros., then a young and struggling company, afloat. Signed by the studio in 1923, he reportedly earned $1,000 a week and had the benefit of such famous screenwriters as Darryl Zanuck.

His performance in movie after movie kept crowds returning for more. Rin Tin Tin's personality was in character for a major motion picture star: he could be aloof (except to Duncan) and temperamental, but he was a consummate professional while the camera was rolling. He often remained motionless for as long as 30 minutes to shoot the perfect scene.

As far as actors go, Rin Tin Tin belonged to a rare breed. Though more than a dozen look-alikes were kept on-hand, Rin Tin Tin performed most of his own stunts, and he starred in pictures long after many actors retired. He was 13 when his last film was made in 1931, which is 91 years old for a human being. (Subsequent films and a television series were portrayed by other shepherds, including Rin Tin Tin's offspring, named Rin Tin Tin, Jr. II, IV and Hey You.)

Rin Tin Tin died in 1932 in the arms of actress Jean Harlowe. He had been playing with Lee Duncan, his longtime companion and owner, in the yard of their Beverly Hills home.

Lassie: A Dynasty is Born

The "Lassie phenomenon" is the longest, most enduring dog dynasty in Hollywood. Eight generations of Lassies have thrilled families since the 1943 movie, Lassie Come Home, was adapted from the book (written by Eric Knight in 1938).

Unlike Rin Tin Tin, the dog that the world would know as "Lassie" was trained and groomed for the silver screen. But Lassie is unique in another way – the world's most famous collie is perhaps the world's most famous female impersonator: Lassie was a male, and his real name was Pal. In fact, all of Pal's descendents who played Lassie were male as well. Male collies were preferred for the role because they tend to be larger and more outgoing than females.

Pal was trained by the best in the dog-training business: Frank and Rudd Weatherwax. The brothers had made a name for themselves in Hollywood for their skill in training movie studio animals. They trained thousands of animals in some of the most beloved movies of all time, including Toto, in "The Wizard of Oz," and Old Yeller himself (his actual name, incidentally, was Spike.)

To supplement their income, they also trained dogs for the public. Pal's owner brought the collie in to be trained. Pal had a penchant for chasing motorcycles, and his owner wanted an end to the habit. But midway through the training, the owner said he couldn't afford to pay for their services. He left the collie with them as compensation.

In 1941, MGM had bought the rights to Knight's book to make a movie under the same title. The Weatherwax brothers auditioned their collie for the leading role, but studio executives were unimpressed because Pal was smaller than what they wanted for a hero dog. They had actually chosen another collie, but this dog wasn't yet trained for the movie.

The studio gave Pal and the Weatherwax brothers a shot because the Sacramento River had flooded, giving them a chance to shoot realistic scenes. The producers reasoned that audiences wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a wet collie and a dry one, so they gave Pal the chance to show what he could do. The director wanted the dog to emerge from the river wet and exhausted, too tired even to shake himself dry. For a dog, this is a tough instinct to overcome. Pal not only managed to do it with aplomb, he fell to the ground so realistically that the scene has since become a classic. A star was born. The movie was such a hit that in 1944 a B-17 serving with the U.S. Eight Air Force in England was named "Lassie Come Home."

"Lassie" and his offspring went on to more movies, a radio show, a long-running television series and a cartoon show. The "Lassie" character was the first multi-media dog, and the first to receive star billing, even working next to such greats as Elizabeth Taylor and Jimmy Stewart.

History

Dog History

Dogs are undeniably man’s best friend, and dog history goes back centuries. While each individual breed has a unique history that explains the specific origins of its characteristics (size, temperament, coat, etc.), all breeds share some common dog history based on their ancient ancestors, the wolves.
From Wolves to Dogs

Dogs and wolves share 99% of their genetic structure, and archeological evidence supports the fact that wolves were man’s original companions more than one hundred thousand years ago. Wolves are naturally pack animals, and it has been theorized that lone wolfs – particularly abandoned puppies – would be drawn to human tribes for care and companionship. Human compassion led ancient people to care for the animals, and in doing so, they discovered a canine’s enormous capacity for bonding and loyalty, which could then be exploited for service: guard dogs, hunting, and so forth.

More History

The dog is part of a family of similar animals that include wolves, coyotes, foxes, jackals and wild hunting dogs such as the Dingo and African Wild Hunting Dog, who all share common characteristics. Many of these wild dogs have been claimed to be the domestic dog's wild ancestor but the exact origins of the dog and domestication history of the dog are uncertain.

Paleontologists and archaeologists have determined that Miacis, a weasel-like animal, is the ancestor of the canids as well as other families such as bears, raccoons, civets, hyenas and cats. From Miacis evolved Cynodictis, a dog-like animal from which later evolved the dog family.

All canids share common characteristics - they bear live young, have similar dental structures, walk on their toes rather than the soles of their feet, and are homeothermic (able to maintain their body temperature at a constant level).

The domestic dog has been represented in art for many years with the earliest being sculptures of dogs found in Iraq and dating back to 6500 BC. Dog bones have been discovered dated at around 8300 BC in the USA, 7500 BC in the UK with similar finds in Czechoslovakia. One thing is certain, the domestic dog spread rapidly all over the world.

The dog's natural hunting instincts have been used by humans over the years to hunt a variety of prey in different environments and this led to the development of different groups of dogs, and ultimately to different dog breeds.

"Sight Hounds" or "Gaze Hounds" were an early group of dogs developed whose characteristics included a deep chest, long legs and a keen sense of sight. These dogs were used to spot prey from a distance and then to sprint swiftly and silently to run down prey in open, treeless countries. From this group dog breeds such as the Afghan, Saluki and Greyhound emerged.

"Scent Hounds" with an exceptional sense of smell provided by large noses with well opened nostrils were later developed in Europe. These dogs were not bred for speed but stamina, and were used to track and hunt prey over long periods of time. From this group of hounds dog breeds such as the Otter hound, Elkhound, Basset Hound and Dachshund emerged.

Hunting dogs were also developed, mostly in Britain, to hunt burrowing prey such as badgers, foxes and rabbits, and to control many types of vermin. These dogs needed to be feisty and energetic and so the group of dogs known as Terriers were developed. Most breeds of Terrier are descended from the Old English Black and Tan Terrier and the White English Terrier, both now extinct. Over the years two distinct types of terrier developed: smaller earth terriers with short legs who would go to ground after badgers, foxes and rabbits and larger terriers for hunting otters, water rats and wildlife that lived near rivers and around farms. Today many breeds of Terrier exist and these include the Fox Terrier, Welsh Terrier, Airedale Terrier and West Highland White Terrier.

Following the invention of the gun, dogs with sensitive noses were developed to locate and indicate the location of prey, to flush out prey or retrieve the prey once shot which required a soft mouth. For this purpose Pointers and Retrievers were developed.

Although hunting has been responsible for the development of many dog breeds, dogs were also used to aid humans in protecting and working with other domesticated animals kept by man and so guard dogs and herding dogs were developed. In addition breeds were also developed to aid humans in other activities such as sled dogs, war dogs, dogs of burden, guide and rescue dogs and toy dogs developed as small companion dogs.

As a result of the wide diversity of roles in which the dog has been selectively bred to perform over the years many different breeds of dog emerged throughout the world and exist today.

Which Hollywood dogs where the most famous and were they portrayed correctely?

How many dogs have been portrayed in Hollywood movies as Heroes, Detectives, and Rescuers. Were they portrayed as realistic dogs or as fantasies created by the human mind.

Famous dogs such as Lassie and Rin tin tin were portrayed as dogs whose work never ended. They were always shown as the dogs that were always on call saving the lives of the people around them. Lassie has been a hit T.V. show since it was shown in 1943. The Famous Lassie was created by Erik Knight in 1938.Rin Tin Tin also is a famous dog from around the same time period as Lassie.

Unlike other dog actors from/around this era Rin Tin Tin and Lassie were the only ones who made the transition from silent movies to 'talking pictures'.

Unlike the old days, the young minds today are more intrigued by cartoons rather than black and white movies. Characters such as 101 Dalmatians, Lady and the Tramp, The fox and the hound and many more are what has developed since dogs have been in movies. Movies such as these show dogs as murders, lovers, and heroes, which is somewhat a truth but the director often takes these truths to the edge and show a dog with super powers flying around and saving lives.

Not all dogs in movies are portrayed non-realistically, some are portrayed as normally as can be but only to the next level. Movies such as Air Bud, Homeward Bound, and Snow Dogs are examples of this next level reality.

Most dogs in Hollywood are not portrayed as natural as they should be and are often times overworked by the Hollywood schedule. Movies that involve dogs should not have the dogs flying around and rushing to save a person at every moment of the movie but they should have the dog just being a dog and not a super hero.

Which Dogs do people prefer?

Types of Small Dogs

Many people prefer small dogs to larger dogs either because of space issues, children in the home or a plethora of other reasons. Keep in mind that you should always do your research before inviting another living thing into your home. To get you started, following is a list of small dogs that to look into:

Affenpinscher
American Bullnese
American Hairless Terrier
American Lo-Sze Pug
Aussie Bulldog
Australian Terrier
Bassett Hound
Bichon Frise
Bichon/Yorkie
Biewer
Bolognese
Boston Terrier
Brussels Griffons
Bull Dog
Cavachon
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cesky Terrier
Chi-Poo
Chihuahua
Chinese Crested
Cockapoo
Corgi
Coton De Tulear
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Dachshund
German Spitz
Hairless Khala
Havanese
Italian Greyhound
Japanese Chin
Lancashire Heeler
Lhasa Apso
Lowchen
Maltese
Mi-Ki
Miniature Pincher
Miniature Poodle
Miniature Schnauzer
Ori Pei
Papillon
Pekingese
Peruvian Inca Orchid
Pomeranian
Pug
Schipperke
Scottish Terrier
Shih Tzu
Schnauzer
Tibetan Spaniel
Toy Poodle

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Tuesday, January 8, 2008

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