The 20 Most Famous Dogs in History

Everyone who knows this story—including us—breaks down in tears when they think back on it, but that doesn’t mean we should forget Laika. This adorable dog became famous around the world in 1957, when the Soviet Union sent her into space aboard Sputnik 2, making her the first animal to orbit the Earth. She was a stray dog from Moscow, and her mission was to test whether a living creature could survive a spaceflight before humans attempted it. The problem was that the flight wasn’t designed to ensure her safe return, and Sputnik 2 carried Laika away as part of the frantic early days of the space race.

Balto became famous in 1925 after leading Gunnar Kaasen’s dog team during the final leg of the serum run to Nome, Alaska. The mission involved transporting diphtheria antitoxin hundreds of kilometers across hostile winter terrain, and Balto’s arrival made him the symbol of this life-saving operation. 

Togo is, in a way, Jordan’s “Pippen”; he, too, took part in the 1925 Nome race, but it took a little longer for him to gain fame. Alongside musher Leonhard Seppala, he successfully navigated a particularly perilous stretch of the journey, which is why many modern accounts consider him the true athletic hero of that expedition. Balto got the parade, but it was Togo who received a historical reevaluation—not bad for a second act for a sled dog.

Beyond his hilarious name, Sergeant Stubby served with the 102nd Infantry Regiment during World War I. He distinguished himself between 1917 and 1918 on the Western Front, where he is credited with locating the wounded, alerting troops, and even helping to capture a German soldier near the Allied lines. By the end of the war, Stubby had participated in 17 battles, met with presidents, and earned his place in the Smithsonian’s collection.

Chips may have had a simple name, but his reputation was anything but. He was a U.S. Army dog during the Allied landing in Sicily in 1943. He was later entrusted to the organization “Dogs for Defense” and went on to receive the Dickin Medal for his bravery during the Sicilian campaign. 

Judy, a hunting dog, was one of the animals that survived World War II—between 1942 and 1945—in the most remarkable way. This poor dog was the only dog officially registered as a prisoner of war, after surviving the sinking of the HMS Grasshopper and her captivity in Sumatra. She, too, was awarded the Dickin Medal in 1946.

We may not think much of the humble Yorkshire Terrier these days, but back then? Smoky would have proven you wrong. She served with the Allied forces during World War II after being rescued in New Guinea in 1944. She was highly regarded for her role in boosting troop morale, for accompanying Corporal William Wynne, and for facilitating communications in tight spaces. 

Nemo A534 is not a piece of artillery, but the name of an exceptional dog who served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. He became particularly famous after the attack on Tan Son Nhut Air Base in 1966. Alongside his handler Bob Throneburg, Nemo was wounded but continued to protect his handler until help arrived, and to this day, the U.S. Air Force continues to honor the legacy of this duo.

Make no mistake: dogs were excellent messengers, and Rags was no exception. Originally a stray found in Paris in 1918, he eventually became the mascot of the 1st U.S. Infantry Division. During World War I, he carried messages and distinguished himself during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, where accounts credit him with delivering crucial communications under perilous conditions. 

Whether you know him as Gander or by his original name, Pal, he was the mascot of the Royal Rifles of Canada during World War II and distinguished himself through his heroic deeds in Hong Kong in 1941. This big guy grabbed a grenade on the battlefield and ran off with it, protecting the troops and losing his life in the process. He was later awarded the Dickin Medal and became one of Canada’s most decorated war dogs.

Almost everyone knows the story of Hachikō, even if they don’t know his name. His story became a huge sensation in Japan in the late 1920s and early 1930s; he would return to Shibuya Station after the death of his owner, Professor Hidesaburō Ueno, in 1925. But he didn’t just go back once: Hachikō waited there for years, and by the time he died in 1935, he had become a national symbol of loyalty.

Greyfriars Bobby became famous in Edinburgh in the 19th century for, according to legend, keeping watch over the grave of his master, John Gray, after Gray’s burial in 1858. The original story claims that Bobby remained at Greyfriars Cemetery until his own death in 1872, but historians have not yet reached a consensus on this point. In any case, his statue has become firmly rooted in the Scottish collective memory.

Mountain rescue dogs are certainly not a new idea, but Barry served in this capacity at the Great St. Bernard Pass hospice as early as the beginning of the 19th century, at a time when these crossings could be deadly. Born in 1800, this brave dog lived at the Grand Saint Bernard Pass hospice and distinguished himself so greatly in mountain rescues that his name remains a benchmark to this day.

The next time you’re thinking about adopting a German Shepherd, think of this breed’s ambassador. Rin Tin Tin was born in France in 1918. He was eventually rescued from a World War I battlefield by an American soldier named Lee Duncan, and in the 1920s, he became one of Hollywood’s biggest canine stars. He starred in all kinds of silent films, helping to popularize German Shepherds in the United States. 

Rin Tin Tin wasn’t the only puppy to make a name for himself. Strongheart, another German Shepherd movie star, actually helped pave the way for Rin Tin Tin’s success. He appeared in silent films as early as 1921 and became one of the first major canine stars of American cinema.

What’s the matter, sweetie? Did Timmy fall down the well? Meet Pal, the male long-haired collie who played Lassie in the 1943 film Lassie Come Home. He continued to play the role of Lassie on screen throughout the 1940s and into the early 1950s, creating the image that the dogs who succeeded him would later inherit. 

Fala, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Scottish Terrier, became one of the most famous presidential pets in the United States during the 1940s. You probably already knew this, since a statue honors him alongside Roosevelt at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C. In 1944, Fala even made election campaign history when Roosevelt joked about the attacks his four-legged companion had been subjected to during a famous speech.

Checkers also made American political history on September 23, 1952, when Senator Richard Nixon delivered the televised speech now known as the “Checkers speech.” Nixon had mentioned the family dog to defend himself against allegations regarding campaign funds. It is certainly unfair that Checkers was dragged into all of this, but we are straying from the subject.

Bobbie, the prodigious dog, became a true national sensation after his return to Silverton, Oregon, in 1924. Legend has it that he reappeared at his owners’ home after wandering as far as Indiana. He eventually found his way back home, however, and his cross-country journey, as it was reported, made him famous in the newspapers.

Let’s give a round of applause to Buddy, the little dog who paved the way for the heroes of tomorrow. In 1928, he became known as Morris Frank’s guide dog, helping to raise awareness of the Seeing Eye movement in the United States. Originally named Kiss, Frank had trained with her in Switzerland before returning to America.