San Diego dwellers love their canine pals, and as your groomers, we love them too. We all think our own pups are fabulous, but only a special few of the really awesome dogs in the world qualify as famous. Can you name 10 of them?  We gave it a think, and here’s what we came up with. 

 Our Hometown Hound

As San Diego residents, we would be remiss if we didn’t start with a great pup-shout out to “Bum,” our own hometown mascot from around the turn of the (previous) century. Go to the William Heath Davis House Museum and see the bronze statue honoring our “local city dog.”

 Fidos of Fictional Fame

Turning to more well-known figures, Lassie, Rin-Tin-Tin, Spuds, Gidget and Asta earned their fame as fictional characters of some sort or another. Lassie was famous for saving the kid in the well, while Rin-Tin-Tin was the brave and noble German shepherd that kept the neighborhood safe. Spuds MacKenzie was the skateboard riding, woman-loving, beer-selling hound that made the term “party animal” take on new meaning. Going back a few decades, we come across Asta, made famous by the Dashiell Hammett novel “The Thin Man” and the film that followed. Asta was the loveable terrier that kept Nick and Nora Charles on the case. And most people today are familiar with Gidget, whether they know it or not. No, not the beach babe. We’re referring to the chalupa-loving chihuahua from the Taco Bell commercials. 

Athletic Wonders

 The real-life athletes of this canine Who’s Who are Ashley Whippet and Balto. Ashley Whippet gained fame as the Frisbee dog champion par excellence. In the late 1970s and early 80s, no Frisbee dog competition was complete without Ashley Whippet sailing over 30 feet through the air to catch a wayward Frisbee. Balto was also an athlete, but of the working variety. When an influenza outbreak hit Nome, Alaska in 1925, vaccine had to be brought in from Anchorage via dog sled. Balto was the brave lead dog that navigated the team carrying the life-saving serum through snowbound Norton Sound and into the village, thus saving the day. Balto has a statue honoring him in New York City.

Heroes

And rounding out our list of famous canines are the heroes. These are the dogs that through training and diligence helped sift through the rubble of the Oklahoma City bombing and the 9/11 destruction of the Twin Towers. For example, without the astute Aspen in Oklahoma City, more would have died, and thanks to Apollo’s nose and dedication, lives were spared from the tragic events of 9/11. Really, so many lives have been saved by working dogs, that it’s hard to stop naming doggie heroes once you get started. 

 We’d love to hear who your favorite famous doggies are. Drop us a line and let us know!