Profiles of individual famous, viral, and historic dogs.
In summary: Sergeant Stubby was a Boston Terrier mix who served 18 months with the U.S. 102nd Infantry in World War I, took part in 17 battles, warned troops of gas attacks, and became the only dog promoted to sergeant through combat. His preserved coat is held at the Smithsonian. A stray with no papers…
In summary: Pal was a male Rough Collie trained by Rudd Weatherwax who played the female role of Lassie in “Lassie Come Home” (1943). His direct descendants played Lassie for decades afterward, making him the founder of an unbroken canine acting line. The most famous female dog in film history was played by a male…
In summary: Rin Tin Tin was a German Shepherd born on a French battlefield in 1918 and rescued by American soldier Lee Duncan. In Hollywood he became one of the silent era’s biggest stars across 27 films, and his box office helped keep a struggling Warner Bros. solvent. The first true dog movie star was…
In summary: Bluey is a Blue Heeler (Australian Cattle Dog) puppy and the star of the Australian preschool series created by Joe Brumm at Brisbane’s Ludo Studio. In 2024 and 2025 “Bluey” was the most-watched series across all US streaming platforms — kids’ show or not. Bluey is the only cartoon dog in decades to…
In summary: Scooby-Doo is the talking Great Dane from Hanna-Barbera’s “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!”, created in 1969. Designer Iwao Takamoto deliberately drew him as the opposite of a prize Great Dane, and the franchise has been rebooted more times than almost any show in television history. Scooby-Doo is proof that a badly-built dog can be…
In summary: Snoopy is the beagle from Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts,” first drawn on October 4, 1950. Over 70-plus years he has been a World War I flying ace, a Macy’s parade balloon, and NASA’s real safety mascot — the honor behind the Silver Snoopy award given by astronauts. No living dog has been famous…
In summary: Balto was a Siberian husky who led the final sled-dog team into Nome, Alaska, during the 1925 serum run — a relay that carried diphtheria antitoxin nearly 700 miles through a blizzard to stop an outbreak. Balto got a statue in Central Park and lasting fame, though the longest, most dangerous leg was…
In summary: Kabosu was a Shiba Inu from Japan, rescued from a shuttered breeding operation and adopted in 2008 by kindergarten teacher Atsuko Sato. A 2010 blog photo of her side-eye became the “Doge” meme and later the face of Dogecoin. She died on May 24, 2024, at age 18, and is arguably the most…
In summary: Maxine is a fluffy Pembroke Welsh corgi from New York City, famous for riding the subway in a backpack — because the MTA requires dogs to be carried. Owner Bryan Reisberg turned the “commute with me” clips into a following of more than 5 million and a pet-backpack company, and now uses the…
In summary: Tucker Budzyn is a golden retriever from Michigan, born in 2018, famous for captioned videos that narrate his “inner monologue” as he judges owner Courtney Budzyn — nicknamed “Linda.” His audience runs to more than 11 million TikTok followers and over 5 million YouTube subscribers. Tucker invented, or at least perfected, a format…