Sign inFamous dogs in history
Real dogs who made history: loyal companions, working dogs, explorers, and royal pets. Every story here is checked against published sources.
What is TimeWalkies?
TimeWalkies paints your dog into a famous moment from history and sends it as a postcard. A new place and time every morning.
How TimeWalkies works
Choose a photo of your dog.
You get your first TimeWalkies postcard immediately!
Then you get another one for free.
If you like them, keep them coming every day for $99 for a whole year (about 27¢ per day, one‑off payment, no auto‑renewal).
2 free postcards. No credit card.
Contents
34 guides
Balto and Togo: the true story of the 1925 serum run to Nome
Learn how Togo and Balto led sled dog teams during the 1925 serum run to Nome, and why history remembers one of them far more than the other.
Barney: the true story of the Bush family's Scottish terrier
Learn who Barney the Scottish terrier was, how he joined the Bush family at the White House, his Barney Cam fame, and what happened after 2009.
Bo Obama: the true story of the Obama family's Portuguese water dog
Learn who Bo Obama was, how he came to the White House as a gift from Senator Kennedy, and what happened to him after his family left office.
Bobbie the Wonder Dog: the true story of his 2,551-mile trek home
Learn the true story of Bobbie the wonder dog, the collie mix who walked 2,551 miles home to Oregon in 1924, and how his route was later confirmed.
Bummer and Lazarus: San Francisco's famous stray dogs
Learn who Bummer and Lazarus were, how these Gold Rush-era stray dogs became San Francisco celebrities, and what happened to them.
Checkers Nixon: the true story of Richard Nixon's famous dog
Learn who Checkers really was, why Richard Nixon mentioned him in a 1952 televised speech, and what happened to the cocker spaniel afterward.
Chips: the true story of World War II's most decorated war dog
Learn how Chips, a family dog from New York, became a decorated sentry dog in World War II, and why the US Army later took his medals away.
Fala Roosevelt: the true story of FDR's famous Scottish terrier
Learn who Fala was, how he joined the Roosevelt White House, and why his name became part of a famous 1944 campaign speech.
Famous Akitas in history beyond Hachiko
Learn about the Akitas who shaped history alongside Hachiko, from Helen Keller's Kamikaze-Go to the wartime years that nearly ended the breed.
Famous Bernese mountain dog in history: origins and notable dogs
Learn how the Bernese mountain dog began as a Swiss farm dog, nearly disappeared, and was later recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1937.
Famous border collies in history: Wiston Cap, Rico, and more
Meet the border collies behind the breed's smart reputation, from champion sheepdog Wiston Cap to word-learning dogs Rico and Chaser.
Famous cartoon dogs: Pluto, Goofy, and Scooby-Doo's history
Learn how famous cartoon dogs such as Pluto, Goofy, and Scooby-Doo got their names, their looks, and their long-running fame on screen.
Famous chihuahuas in history: notable dogs across the decades
Learn how chihuahuas entered the historical record, which ones became famous through advertising and celebrity ownership, and which records still stand.
Famous dachshunds in history: notable dogs across the centuries
Learn about famous dachshunds in history, from Waldi the Olympic mascot to Picasso's beloved companion Lump, and how the breed became a cultural icon.
Famous Dobermans in history: war dogs and breed origins
Learn about Kurt, the Doberman who served on Guam in World War II, and Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, the tax collector who created the breed.
Famous dogs in movies: the real stories behind the stars
Learn the true stories behind famous movie dogs like Rin Tin Tin and Toto, including who trained them, what they were paid, and what happened after filming.
Famous golden retrievers in history: notable dogs and their stories
Learn about famous golden retrievers in history, including Liberty at the White House, the breed's Scottish origins, and its rise in popularity today.
Famous goldendoodles in history: notable dogs since the 1990s
Learn how the goldendoodle began, who bred it first, and why no single dog has the documented fame of older, historic breeds.
Famous greyhounds in history: notable dogs across the centuries
Discover famous greyhounds across history, from an ancient Egyptian dog named Abutiu to the champions of Britain's early greyhound racing tracks.
Famous Labrador retrievers in history: notable dogs and their stories
Learn how the Labrador retriever rose from Newfoundland's fishing boats to America's top breed, and meet Endal, a Labrador famed for his service work.
Famous pit bull mix dogs in history: Stubby to Pete the Pup
Learn about Sergeant Stubby and Pete the Pup, two dogs tied to the pit bull type, and why pit bull describes a type of dog rather than one breed.
Famous pugs in history: Pompey and Trump
Learn about Pompey, the pug credited with saving William the Silent, and Trump, William Hogarth's beloved pug who appeared in his paintings.
Famous rottweilers in history: notable dogs across the centuries
Learn where rottweilers came from, how they served as police and military dogs, and how their reputation and popularity have shifted over the decades.
Famous shiba inu in history: notable dogs and their stories
Learn about famous shiba inus like Kabosu, the dog behind the Doge meme, plus the breed's ancient roots and near extinction in Japan.
Frederick the Great's greyhounds: the Prussian king's beloved dogs
Learn how Frederick the Great kept Italian greyhounds at Sanssouci, why he loved them, and how his long-delayed wish to be buried beside them was granted.
Greyfriars Bobby: the true story behind Edinburgh's loyal dog
Learn who Greyfriars Bobby really was, what happened at his owner's grave, and why historians now question parts of Edinburgh's famous loyal-dog story.
Hachiko statue in Shibuya: history, location, and visiting tips
Learn where the Hachiko statue stands in Shibuya, what happened to the original 1934 bronze, and how to plan a calm visit today.
Hachiko true story: the real history behind the loyal Akita
Learn what is verified about Hachiko, the Akita who waited at Shibuya Station, and where films and legend went beyond the historical record.
Nipper the RCA dog: the true story behind the trademark
Learn who Nipper the RCA dog really was, how his portrait became the His Master's Voice trademark, and which parts of his story are myth.
Old Yeller: the true story behind the book and the dog
Learn how Fred Gipson's 1956 novel Old Yeller became a Disney classic, who played the dog on screen, and what breed he was meant to be.
Queen Elizabeth II's royal corgis: her dogs, one by one
Queen Elizabeth II's first corgi, Susan, was an 18th-birthday gift in 1944 and became the ancestor of the more than 30 corgis she later owned.
Smoky the Yorkie: the true WWII war dog hero story
Learn how a four-pound Yorkshire terrier found in a New Guinea foxhole became a WWII war dog hero and one of the first therapy dogs on record.
Toto the dog: the true story behind the Wizard of Oz's terrier
Learn who really played Toto in the 1939 film, how the character started in L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel, and what happened to the dog after fame.
What breed is Snoopy? The beagle behind Peanuts, explained
Snoopy is a beagle from Charles Schulz's Peanuts comic strip, inspired by his childhood dog Spike; learn how his cartoon look differs from a real beagle.