Possibly the original cinematic dog, Lassie made her first appearance in the 1943 feature film Lassie Come Home, telling the story of some struggling Yorkshire farmers selling their beloved dog, and her subsequent journey back to them. This film earned itself an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography and Lassie even got a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame!
2. Toto from The Wizard of Oz (1939)
This little dog has been stealing the hearts of audiences long before Messi was on the scene. An incredibly recognisable little Cairn terrier, Terry (the dog behind the character) has been in over 20 films outside of Wizard of Oz, including Bright Eyes and Bad Little Angel. She now has a memorial in the Hollywood Forever cemetery in LA.
3. Hachi from Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (2009)
A piece of classic 2000s cinema with Richard Gere, this tale of Hachi the Akita broke the hearts of audiences around the world. Based on a true story, it recounts the tale of Professor Parker Wilson, who on his way home one night, finds a lost dog at the train station, and they begin to bond. No spoilers here; if you’re curious, I highly recommend the film.
4. Verdell from As Good As It Gets (1997)
This little Griffon Bruxellois is at the heart of this 90s classic starring Jack Nicholson and Greg Kinnear. As well as being absolutely adorable, he is an important part of the plot, as his brings Jack Nicholson’s character of the obsessive-compulsive novelist out of his shell. A proper sweetheart, he’s definitely an iconic figure.
5. Cujo from Cujo (1983)
A slight departure from the sweet dogs we’ve been discussing, Cujo is nevertheless an iconic dog. Based on the Stephen King novel, this film is an hour and a half of rabid St Bernards and a lot of gore. The actors behind the character of Cujo consisted of five St Bernards, a mechanical head, and a Black Lab-Great Dane mix that was wearing a St Bernard costume. Hey, it takes a village, right?