Are you a dog lover? Then you may already know about National Dog Day, which is celebrated every August 26th. For those of you who may not know, it was established in 2004 by Colleen Paige, an animal advocate and pet lifestyle expert, to raise awareness about dogs. It has become a global celebration for pet lovers to recognize their best furry friends and appreciate the wonderful relationship between humans and animals.
Whether you are a dog lover or not, I think we all can agree that dogs are revered by many, and when they are a part of a household, they are a beloved family member indeed! Like man, dogs have taken on many roles in society since their domestication first began over 15,000 years ago. They are hunters, military companions, herders, load pullers, protectors, emotional supporters, and so much more! So, it is no wonder they have also played a wonderful role in books and movies too!
To celebrate National Dog Day this month, I thought it would be fun to look at some of the incredible characters in films and books. Here are seven that you may not be familiar with but should check out and see if you love them, too!
1. Underdog
A Saturday morning cartoon from 1964 that features the adventures of a Shoeshine Boy, a canine superhero who transforms into Underdog to protect his love interest, Sweet Polly Purebred, from the bad guys. He is known for speaking in rhyme, “There’s no need to fear, Underdog is here!” A poet dog superhero, you gotta love that!
2. Benji
An adorable golden mixed breed dog that stole our hearts back in 1974! He didn’t have an owner but roamed freely in a friendly Texas town delighting in annoying the local widow’s cat and relying on the handouts from a local shopkeeper. The story gets rolling when two children he loves dearly are kidnapped and he springs into action to save them both! It was such a big hit that there were 4 more movies made about this adorable hero!
3. Kitty in A Dog Called Kitty
Published in 1980, it is a heartwarming story about a boy named Ricky who is afraid of dogs after being attacked by one as a small child. He lives on an Oklahoma farm where he feeds cats that his father brings to scare the rats away. A starving puppy shows up and initially, Ricky tells the puppy to leave but cannot help but try to play with it. Eventually, he overcomes his fear to feed it, and the rest of the story all you kids out there can read for yourself! It won several awards and is a wonderful story to teach children about respecting animals.
4. Chance & Shadow in Homeward Bound
Chance, an American bulldog, and Shadow, a golden retriever, stole the hearts of many back in 1993 in the wonderful family film Homeward Bound. The family goes on a trip to San Francisco leaving their beloved pets at a family ranch. This story also includes a cat named Sassy. When they get worried that they have been left behind for good, they decide to set out on a journey to find their way home, and the rest is history. The movie was a hit, and in 1996, a sequel came out, Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco. If you are in the mood for a heartwarming and fun family film, both of these are worth checking out!
5. Eddie on Frasier
Eddie's given name was Moose. Moose was a Jack Russel Terrier who was the youngest of a litter of four but got his name because he was the biggest. Although he was a handful as a young pup, he found his way to stardom at Birds & Animals Unlimited, where he got his start as Eddie on ‘Frasier’ –a hit series that ran from 1993 to 2004. He was one of two dogs that played Eddie. If you have never seen it, you can check it out from the library and see what a star Moose truly was!
6. Balto
A brave sled dog that families came to know and love in 1995 when the animated movie came out. The plot is loosely based on a true story from 1925 when there was a deadly diphtheria epidemic in the remote town of Nome, Alaska. The life-saving medicine was located hundreds of miles away, and the only way to get there was by sled. It is known as the Great Race of Mercy. There are some differences between the storyline in the movie and the real-life event but both are heartwarming and inspiring.
7. Slinky in the Toy Story series
A Dachshund with a stretchy slinky as his middle, he was Woody’s sidekick in Toy Story. This hit movie came out in 1995 at the same time as Balto. Like every boy’s dog, Slinky was loyal to Woody and was willing to help his toy friend. He was often the first to side with him. Toy Story went on to do 4 films, and like all dogs I know, Slinky is in them all ready to help his friends!
Bonus Bow Wows
Here are some old favorites and other canine characters I just couldn’t leave out.
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