While it is the case that you come to this site in search of practical information for the animal you are bringing into your home or with whom you have lived with and whose behavior has been troubling you, sometimes we all need a little levity in our lives. While the following may not be rooted in pragmatism, it certainly underscores why dogs are so loved. In fact, so much so that they get to star in their scripts and get big salaries.
Isn’t it true that every dog has its day? Some of man’s best friends have become permanently etched in our subconscious, whether it be through their humble heroism, defying tremendous odds to save those they love. Or for those lovable, quirky dogs on Saturday morning cartoons and children’s programming that teach kids the meaning of bravery or how to share when playing with others. From cowardly to cute, from quirky to sinister, dogs, both real and fictional, have left an indelible mark on our ears and minds through the roles they have played in literature, film and television.
Argus
The tragic loyalty of Argos, Odysseus’s hound in Homer’s tale of the same name, shows us a sincere and immediate loyalty, despite the fact that Odysseus was twenty years away from home. Sadly, the once healthy and strong hound, the best of all hunters and trackers, had fallen on hard times and was found by the hero, lying in a manure heap, infested with lice and fleas. However, after so long, the bold beast recognized his master and greeted him in the manner of a dog, wagging its tail. Odysseus’ companion, Eumaeus, commented on the dog’s skill and tenacity and how, in his youth, he could not be beaten by any beast of the forest. Argus, after waiting patiently for two decades for his master, in a last act of devotion, quietly passes by as the hero passes, preserving Odysseus’s plan to drive his wife’s suitors out of his house.
Although The Odyssey was definitely not a ‘boy and his dog’ type of filmmaking or storytelling, there were numerous stories to that effect, from Disney and other sources. From the heartwarming and tearful story of the Labrador/Mastiff mix adopted by the poor Coates family in Old Yeller to the charming charm, tenacity and loyalty of Old Dan and Little Ann, the protagonist’s prized Redbone Coonhound hounds in Where the Red Fern grows, there is a rich and prosperous history to discover.
Disney and other animated hounds
But if you think the sweet, tearful tales of the dogs we love (and, especially in the case of the examples above, the lives they lose) are all an artist’s brush or author’s pen can evoke, we advise you to think again Animated works, from some of the best Disney classics to the fun and quirkiness of modern-day cartoons, aim to capture the tenacity and spirit of each dog in their tales. You’ve got the daring, daring cross-country chase from Dearly’s dogs, Pongo and Missis (Darling and Perdita in Disney’s animated film) in The One-Hundred and One Dalmatians, to Clifford the Big Red Dog, to Courage the anthropomorphic purple dog who lives in Nowhere, Kansas, defending his elderly owners from all sorts of surreal and sinister things in Courage the Cowardly Dog (Cartoon Network).
Here’s a bit of trivia for you: While Clifford was born small (he was the runt of the litter, after all), he eventually grew to be about 25 feet tall, though as with tales of giants in medieval literature, the inconsistency of its size is one of the most constant things about it. In the books and the toddler show, he was based on a red-hued Labrador retriever versus his friendly and helpful personality. In the latter series, which had the late John Ritter as his voice actor, Clifford was inspired by a Vizsla, a Hungarian pointer-retriever. Last but by no means in the exhaustive list (which would take too long to fully detail here) is Ace the Bat-hound, a black or black and straw GSD (depending on which comic or cartoon you’re watching) who is the sidekick of BruceWayne/Batman.
‘Real life’ dogs that have captured our hearts
But animated furry friends aren’t the real meat on the bone. They are just the icing on the cake. It’s the real stars, the dogs who played iconic figures like Lassie, who tend to strike a chord with dog lovers in the purest way. Of course Lassie was played by a male dog, despite what many believe. One of the best known, or at least most visible, dogs was Skippy, also known as Asta, who appeared in numerous movies during the 1930s. Asta, a wire-haired fox terrier, was the highest-paid dog star of his time. , not to mention possibly the smartest. In his heyday, this feisty, smart guy was making $250 a day. His filmography includes such greats as The Thin Man (and other entries in the Thin Man franchise), The Awful Truth, Bringing Up Baby, and Topper Takes a Trip (his last film of his before he retired).
Enjoying a minor but no less important role, especially for fans of the ’80s and sci-fi movies, is Freddie, the Catalan Sheepdog who played Doctor Emmett Brown’s Einstein in the Back to the Future movies. In the movies, he was just a normal dog named after the father of relativity, but in the cartoon that came out in the 90s after the success of the third movie, he became anthropomorphic and helps the good doctor in many adventures. . On a less misleading note, we can’t leave out other greats like Strongheart, the noble and talented GSD who was one of Hollywood’s first canine stars, working in the 1920s. Rin Tin Tin (and his descendants) followed suit. during decades. In fact, film producer Charles Jones thought that ‘Rinty’, as his owner called him, might serve as an excellent replacement for Strongheart (who died in 1932).
And we’ve barely scratched the surface. Whimsical, sweet, silly and memorable, the dogs of film and literature are just as endearing as your favorite pooch with lives full of stories to make even the most pampered pooch growl with envy.
