Toto
Toto, one of the most coveted canine actresses. She was born in California, around 1933. Her original name was Terry. When she was younger, her family were planning on getting rid of her. They got irritated with her because she kept ruining their rug. The family decided to call Carl Spitz, who was a Hollywood dog trainer. Carl Spitz trained the dog in a very short time. After Toto’s training, Spitz expected the owners to come pick her back up. They never showed up and never paid Spitz for his work. She ended staying Spitz’s dog Kennels. But this didn’t last long. Toto started to visit the house and bonding with the family. In 1943, she tried out for her first role. It was Bright Eyes with Shirley Temple. Toto worked with some of the biggest stars, during her time. She even worked with Julie Garland, in Wizard of Oz. She was casted in 17 films. She lived to be 11 years old.
Lassie
Did you know Lassie was supposed to be a female Collie, but is played by male Collies? This is true. The first ever Lassie was born in 1940, named Pal. He was a trouble maker. One of his owners thought that Pal was only ever be considered a “pet”. But Weatherwax decided to train him. After Pal’s training, Weatherwax called his owners to come pick him up. But the owners found peace without Pal. They asked Weatherwax if they would take the dog instead of paying for the training. Weatherwax agreed. Weatherwax ran a dog training school. Pal was part of this, but it wasn’t long that he started to feel like family. Weatherwax trained Pal to help the family out, specifically the youngest Weatherwax, Bob, out. Bob liked to explore the property, so the family wanted someone with him. When it was dinner time, Pal would take Bob’s arm. This was a hint to Bob that it was time to head back for dinner. But this was only the start for him. Later on, Weatherwax saw that there was a movie coming out and they needed a Collie. He went to go get Pal, but got a surprise instead. Pal’s fur was matted and tangled. It was filled with burrs. This was because Pal went on a vacation with one of the neighbors, to a ranch. But Weatherwax was determined, so he tried his best to clean Pal. At the end, Pal’s fur was all cut up (because of the burrs). But Weatherwax still took him to the audition. He didn’t end up getting it. But 6 months later, Pal tried out for another role. He landed this role and became Lassie. There are a few movies made after him. In 1958, Pal passed away. He was 18 years old. In present time, all the Collies that play Lassie are male. This is because of how big they are and their fur. Male Collies are usually bigger. This helps make the children look smaller, for a longer period of time. Also, if they use male collies for their fur. Female Collies’ fur start to change, with age. But male Collies last longer. Also, all the Collies that you see playing Lassie are descendants of Pal, the original Lassie.
Balto
In 1925, there was an outbreak of diphtheria, in Anchorage, Alaska. There was a cure, but it was miles away from where it needed to be, Nome. It was impossible to get the cure to Nome with an airplane. This was because the plane wouldn’t be able to handle the conditions. The only way that the cure could get to Nome would be by sled dogs. So, they got the sled dogs ready. There would be different stops where the dogs would pass on the cure. Balto and his team were the last dogs to take the cure to Nome. It was about 54 miles, with a temperature around -40 degrees Fahrenheit. The wind was blowing snow everywhere. The human that was with Balto couldn’t see anything, but Balto kept on going. Balto was honored with a statue, but his fame did not last. His owner took him and the other dogs on a circuit, to make some money. He was mistreating the dogs. They were in bad shape, but George Kimble found them in Los Angeles Dime Museum. Mr. Kimble started a campaign to raise money for the dogs. This campaign was a success. Balto and his team ended up in Cleveland. Balto ended up living here for the rest of his life. He passed away in 1933, at the age of 14. His body was taxidermied. It is kept in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. His body is still in the museum.
Fun Fact: The part that Balto ran wasn’t the most hazardous part of the race. The environment was extremely rough for everyone, but Togo and his team experienced the most hazardous part of the race.