34 Famous Dogs In Movies & Real Life
Dogs have long been making a mark in history through both their real-life service and on-screen presence. From cartoons like Lady and The Tramp to classics such as Lassie, there are so many famous pups who have captured our hearts and imaginations. Below are 34 of our favourite dog characters from movies, TV shows, and real life.
Famous Dogs In Movies
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1. Beethoven (Beethoven)
Name: Beethoven
Breed: St Bernard
About: Beethoven is a classic film that many people grew up watching. Beethoven is a large, clumsy, slobbery dog who works his way into the hearts of his family. People loved the Beethoven film so much there were four sequels made!
Take a look at our guide on St Bernards.
2. Fly (Babe)
Name: Fly
Breed: Border Collie
About: In the film Babe, Fly the Border Collie adopts the pig (Babe) and teaches him sheep herding to win over the farmer. Fly is kind and patient and is one of the best characters in this family film.
Take a look at our guide on Border Collies.
3. Marley (Marley and Me)
Name: Marley
Breed: Labrador Retriever
About: Marley is a high energy Labrador who wreaks havoc at home. This excitable puppy likes to do whatever he wants but still brings so much love to his family.
Take a look at our guide on Labrador Retrievers.
4. Pit Bull (John Wick)
Name: Unnamed Pit Bull
Breed: Pit Bull
About: This Pit Bull can be seen in all of the John Wick films faithfully by his owner’s side. Although the dog doesn’t have a name, John Wick calls him “dog” or “boy” when talking to him.
5. Samantha (I Am Legend)
Name: Samantha
Breed: German Shepherd
About: In I Am Legend, Samantha the German Shepherd stays by her master’s side as they search for a cure for the genetically altered virus that has destroyed the world’s population.
Take a look at our guide on German Shepherds.
6. Slinky (Toy Story)
Name: Slinky
Breed: Dachshund
About: Although not a real dog, we can’t overlook Slinky when talking about famous dogs in movies. Slinky is a toy Dachshund with a slinky body and helps the Toy Story toys through their journeys. Slinky is a loyal and charming character who is bound to make you smile.
Take a look at our guide on Dachshunds.
7. Pongo, Perdita, Puppies (101 Dalmatians)
Name: Pongo, Perdita, and Puppies
Breed: Dalmatians
About: Let’s be honest, all of the Dalmatians in this film deserve to be on our list. The dogs are the stars of this film and we couldn’t single out just one of them. The dogs in this film are all about family and helping each other.
Take a look at our guide on Dalmatians.
8. Chance and Shadow (Homeward Bound)
Name: Chance and Shadow
Breed: American Bulldog and Golden Retriever
About: Homeward Bound is a children’s film about Chance, Shadow, and a cat travelling across the wilderness to find their family. The personalities of these pets shine through as they form strong bonds, help each other, and ultimately keep each other on track back to their humans.
Take a look at our guide on American Bulldogs and Golden Retrievers.
9. Lady and the Tramp (Lady and the Tramp)
Name: Lady and Tramp
Breed: Cocker Spaniel and Mixed Breed
About: This Disney film is a love story of a pampered cocker spaniel and a stray dog. The kiss during the spaghetti scene is iconic and these two dogs get the happy ending they deserve.
Take a look at our guide on Cocker Spaniels and Mixed Breeds.
10. Frank (Men In Black)
Name: Frank
Breed: Pug
About: Although Frank is an alien on the inside, this adorable pug makes it onto our list of famous dogs. Frank manages to get a promotion to become Agent F and wears a suit too.
Take a look at our guide on Pugs.
11. Lassie (Lassie)
Name: Lassie
Breed: Rough Collie
About: Lassie has been seen in stories, films, and TV shows. At one point this loyal and heroic collie was one of the most famous dogs in the world. Lassie was a loved family dog that would always be ready to adventure and help those in need.
Take a look at our guide on Rough Collies.
12. Dug (Up)
Name: Dug
Breed: Golden Retriever
About: Dug is a talking dog with a quirky personality. This loveable dog says what we think most dogs would say if they were able to speak. He makes viewers laugh with his sudden loss of thought when he sees a squirrel and definitely gives off golden retriever energy.
Take a look at our guide on Golden Retrievers.
13. Padfoot (Harry Potter)
Name: Padfoot (A.K.A Sirius Black)
Breed: Scottish Deerhound
About: In Harry Potter, Sirius Black’s Animagus is a large, shaggy dog. Padfoot is sweet and friendly but does appear intimidating at times. Other dogs in Harry Potter include Fang, a Neapolitan Mastiff, and Fluffy, a mythical three-headed dog that in the film was based on a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Take a look at our guide on Deerhounds.
14. Toto (The Wizard of Oz)
Name: Toto
Breed: Cairn Terrier
About: Toto is an integral part of the Wizard of Oz as Dorothy comes up with a plan to save her dog from being euthanised but the two of them end up in the land of Oz after they get caught in a tornado. Toto is faithful, devoted, and well-loved.
Take a look at our guide on Cairn Terriers.
15. Buddy (Air Bud)
Name: Buddy
Breed: Golden Retriever
About: After escaping from his evil clown owner, Buddy joins a middle school basketball team where he leads the team to victory. There are many Air Bud spin-offs where Buddy plays other sports including baseball, football, and volleyball.
Take a look at our guide on Golden Retrievers.
16. Bruiser (Legally Blonde)
Name: Bruiser
Breed: Chihuahua
About: Although Bruiser isn’t the focus of the film, we all loved seeing this cute Chihuahua. Bruiser is seen more in the second Legally Blonde film where he reunites with his mother and has a romance with a Rottweiler.
Take a look at our guide on Chihuahuas.
17. Snoopy (Peanuts)
Name: Snoopy
Breed: Beagle
About: Snoopy is a loyal, good-natured, and imaginative character found in the Peanuts comics and cartoons. This cartoon dog imagines himself in other lives from flying planes in the war to being an author or a college student. Snoopy is best known for his pilot persona where he wears an aviator’s helmet and goggles has a scarf wrapped around his neck and carries a swagger stick.
Take a look at our guide on Beagles.
Famous Dogs On TV
1. Clifford (Clifford the Big Red Dog)
Name: Clifford
Breed: Labrador Retriever/ Bloodhound
About: Although originally a book, Clifford became hugely popular thanks to the cartoon TV series. Clifford is a giant-sized dog who means well but often gets into trouble because of how big he is. There is even a new Clifford film that was released in 2021 too.
Take a look at our guide on Labrador Retrievers and Bloodhounds.
2. Santa’s Little Helper (The Simpsons)
Name: Santa’s Little Helper
Breed: Greyhound
About: Santa’s Little Helper was adopted by Homer and Bart at a racetrack and became a beloved member of the Simpsons family from the very first episode. This greyhound is one of the few cartoon dogs that acts like a dog and the character has done everything from passing obedience school, becoming a father and, of course, he became a Duff Beer mascot too.
Take a look at our guide on Greyhounds.
3. Scooby-Doo (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?)
Name: Scooby-Doo
Breed: Great Dane
About: Since the 1960s, Scooby-Doo has been a much-loved cartoon character that has been seen on TV and in movies. Most people know him from the TV shows though. Scooby-Doo is known for being scared of everything, he also loves ‘scooby’ snacks and helps his friends unmask monsters.
Take a look at our guide on Great Danes.
4. Spike (The Rugrats)
Name: Spike
Breed: Siberian Tiger Hound (Fictional)
About: Spike may be overlooked in Rugrats but he is always there, offering his protection and ensuring Tommy and the rest of the children are safe. Spike does not speak but is consistently there for the children, he helps to prevent accidents and ensure they are having fun.
5. Blue (Blue’s Clues)
Name: Blue
Breed: Not specified
About: In this children’s TV show, puppy Blue leaves clues in the form of pawprints allowing viewers to solve puzzles. Blue communicates through barking and she is energetic and playful like most puppies.
6. Rin Tin Tin (The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin)
Name: Rin Tin Tin
Breed: German Shepherd
About: Rin Tin Tin the German Shepherd appeared in 27 silent films in the 1920s and 1930s. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and, in 1950, a show about his adventures aired called The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin.
Take a look at our guide on German Shepherds.
7. Pippin (Come Outside)
Name: Pippin
Breed: Mixed Breed - Tibetan Terrier x Border Collie
About: Pippin is Aunt Mabel’s dog and gets up to mischief each episode without Mabel knowing. Whether she’s hiding soap to avoid bath time or stealing food from Mabel’s lunchbox, there’s always something happening. Pippin is a mixed breed dog that is friendly, helpful, and cheeky.
Take a look at our guide on Mixed Breeds.
8. Eddie (Frasier)
Name: Eddie
Breed: Jack Russell Terrier
About: Eddie is a Jack Russell that knows lots of commands but generally only listens to one person and is extremely mischievous. Eddie was famous for his lengthy stares at Frasier, something his puppies do too.
Take a look at our guide on Jack Russel Terriers.
9. Pluto (Mickey Mouse)
Name: Pluto
Breed: Bloodhound
About: Pluto has been a popular Mickey Mouse character since the 1930s. This dog is intelligent, well-trained and, unlike most Disney characters, Pluto is not human-like and is not dressed as a human either. Pluto has a yellow-orange short hair coat and black ears.
Take a look at our guide on Bloodhounds.
10. Brian (Family Guy)
Name: Brian
Breed: Labrador
About: Brian is one of the members of the Griffin family, he walks and talks and only acts like a dog sometimes. Brian is depicted as intelligent although he does silly things at times.
Take a look at our guide on Labradors.
Famous Dogs In Real Life
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1. Hachiko
Name: Hachiko
Breed: Akita
About: After his owner passed away, Hachiko returned to the train station every day for nine years waiting for his owner to return. He waited each day at the time the train was due to arrive. Hachiko became a symbol of loyalty and is honoured by a statue in Tokyo.
Take a look at our guide on Akitas.
2. Trakr
Name: Trakr
Breed: German Shepherd
About: Trakr and his handler were credited with finding the last survivor under Ground Zero’s rubble. The woman had been trapped under concrete and steel for more than 24 hours. Trakr was recognised as one of the ten most heroic animals of all time by Time magazine and was even cloned by BioArts International.
Take a look at our guide on German Shepherds.
3. Bobbie
Name: Bobbie
Breed: Collie and English Shepherd Cross
About: After an encounter with stray dogs, Bobbie ran away during a family holiday and had not returned by the time the family were due to travel back home. 6 months later, Bobbie turned up at the front door after he had travelled the 2,500 miles during winter to reunite with his family.
Take a look at our guide on Border Collies.
4. Balto
Name: Balto
Breed: Siberian Husky
About: When the town of Nome experienced an outbreak of diphtheria, the antidote needed to be picked up from Anchorage 483 miles away. Due to the weather conditions, a relay of sled dogs was used and Balto led a team of dogs along the final leg of a journey. Balto became the symbol of the teamwork, courage, and tenacity of the teams. There is even a statue of him in Central Park.
Take a look at our guide on Siberian Huskies.
5. Laika
Name: Laika
Breed: Cross breed
About: Arguably the first famous dog, Laika was the first animal to go into orbit around the Earth. Rescue dog Laika was sent into space by the Soviet Union in 1957.
Take a look at our guide on Mixed Breeds.
6. Obama’s Dogs
Name: Bo and Sunny
Breed: Portuguese Water Dogs
About: President Obama had promised his daughter a puppy for dealing with the election and in April 2009 got Bo, a Portuguese water dog. In 2013, they got their second dog Sunny. After adopting Bo, the requests for Portuguese water dogs were said to have increased 100%+ in the UK and USA.
Take a look at our guide on Portuguese Water Dogs.
7. Doug the Pug
Name: Doug
Breed: Pug
About: Doug is a very cute pug who rose to fame thanks to social media. Doug has over 18 million followers, has met many celebrities and has a book out as well as a line of dog toys. The chances are you’ve seen this adorable celebrity dog at one point or another.
Take a look at our guide on Pugs.
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