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Famous Dogs – Popular and Historic

Famous Dogs – Popular and Historic
by
August 06, 2025
in Humane Education Column
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By: Judy Lore, AVHS Volunteer columnist

Let’s explore some of the most well-known dogs in history and in the media with a brief note about each.

Togo and Balto – remembered for their hard-earned trip taking vital diphtheria vaccine serum to Nome Alaska. It was Togo, a 12-year-old Siberian Husky, who was the lead dog for most of the long journey one hundred years ago in 1925 along the now famous Iditarod Trail. Balto did the last 50 miles into Nome. Togo lived out his life in a kennel in Maine, while Balto lived out his days at the Cleveland Zoo. There are statues to both in various places around the country.

Chips – a mixed breed dog of German Shepherd, collie and Siberian husky who was given by his owner to be a sentry dog in World War II. Chips saved his handler from a machine gun attack. The attackers ended up surrendering. He earned a Distinguished Service Cross and a Purple Heart and was returned to his owner after the war ended.

Sergeant Stubby – During WWI, Stubby, of Boston terrier and Staffordshire terrier parentage was the unofficial mascot of the 102 Infantry Regiment and the official mascot of the 26th Yankee Division who was a stowaway to France. He was allowed to stay after “saluting” the commander with a trick he’d been taught.

Rin-Tin-Tin – He was in France in WWI and returned to the US when very young. His name was really Rin-Tin-Tin and he became famous in movies, books, and in ads. He appeared in his first film in 1923 called, Where the North Begins and was credited with saving Warner Brothers production company.

Rags – Rags was another WWI hero dog who alerted his infantry buddies of incoming shelling. He also was a messenger-carrying dog on the battlefield. Rags was a terrier mix.

Terry aka Toto – Terry was a Cairn Terrier renamed Toto in The Wizard of Oz. She performed her own stunts and after an injury, she recuperated in her co-star’s home, Judy Garland. She was paid $125 weekly – equivalent to $2,400 today making her one of the most highly paid actors in that film.

Hachiko – Every day, Kachiko would meet his owner, a professor at Tokyo Imperial University, at the train station. Sadly, his owner passed away at work and Hachiko continued to meet the train for the next ten years. He was a testament to loyalty until his very end. There are many statues commemorating his undying loyalty.

Bobbie the Wonder Dog – Bobbie traveled with his family from Oregon to Indiana to visit relatives and when he arrived, he was attacked by multiple dogs and ran off. His family searched for him but did not find him. Six months later, Bobbie turned up at his home in Oregon after traveling 2,551 miles. He was worse for wear, but at home. Bobbie was a Collie/English Shepherd mix.

The Loyal Duke- In 1889, an American Water Spaniel named Duke made the Salida train depot his office; meeting and greeting the trains coming through. Duke would visit around town as well as wander up Tenderfoot Hill with visitors. Duke was adopted by the manager of the Hotel Monte Cristo, which sat right between the narrow-gauge tracks and the river. At the opera, the residents would let Duke in the back door and he’d take naps behind the curtain. He would go to dances, plays, and when he was young, he would even chase home run balls at the baseball games. Duke was Salida’s ambassador for 13 years, welcoming visitors and accompanying the locals. Loyal Duke passed away on October 2, 1902. His loyalty to the town earned him the name we remember him by now – Loyal Duke.

I shall continue this in my next column as I have several more to mention.

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