The best dogs of TV and movies

Starring alongside a young Elizabeth Taylor, Lassie first became a movie star in "Lassie Come Home" in 1943. Since then, Lassie has become part of American culture, starring in movies, television shows and books. 

Whether you fell in love with Annie from the comic strip, Broadway show or any of the movies, you probably also fell in love with Sandy, her similarly street-tough dog. Sandy was no "Dumb Dog," as Annie sang, but the perfect companion for a lonely girl and her orphan friends. 

Petey first joined the cast of "Our Gang" back when he was a little pup and Max Factor drew a circle around his eye. He was a key part to the early movies, as he helped the gang both find trouble and get out of it.  

Uggie, who plays George Valentin's sidekick in "The Artist," was also in "Water for Elephants," and is so popular that he has his own memoir named "Uggie--My Story." He lived with two different families and was going to be sent to the pound when he was adopted by trainer Omar von Muller, who tamed the puppy and helped him become a star. 

You might have first met White Fang in the Jack London book, the film starring Ethan Hawke, or the more recent Netflix series with Nick Offerman's voice work. However he came into your life, you probably want to spend some time tromping around the Yukon with White Fang as your guide. 

Rosco P. Coltrane's dog reminded the world of the beauty of a basset hound: long ears, droopy eyes and short legs. Flash made Rosco much more likable, as dogs tend to do. There was even an episode where Flash was dognapped, and Rosco was never more motivated to find the bad guys than when his beloved Flash was missing. 

When Martin Crane moved in with his highfalutin' son Frasier, there was no question that Eddie, Martin's dog, was coming with him. Martin, played by John Mahoney, had a close relationship with Eddie, and they helped each other through the toughest of times. 

Moose, the dog who played Eddie on "Frasier" was also the star of "My Dog Skip," with Frankie Muniz. When Muniz's Willie Morris struggles making friends in his small town in 1940s Mississippi, Skip comes through. The town falls in love with the pup, making Morris' task of making friends much easier.  

It's not easy to be the star next to Tom Hanks, but Beasley, the French mastiff who played Hooch, did it. Hanks' character wants no part of having a dog as a partner in the buddy cop movie, but to the surprise of no one, Hooch wins his partner over and solves the case. 

It's OK to admit you cried at "Marley and Me." We all did. Sure, he was trouble when he was first adopted, but he became the most important part of his family. We won't say anymore because we don't want to start crying again. 

Look, we're not going to talk about the ending. Didn't happen. Instead, we'll focus on the attributes that made Yeller the "best doggone dog in the West." He saved his people from a bear and Travis from a bunch of hogs. 

Rescued from a World War I battlefield, Rin Tin Tin was made into a silent movie actor who starred in 29 different films. After the original died, his work continued through descendants, including the '50s TV show "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin." Along with Lassie and Uggie, Rin Tin Tin is among the three dogs with paw prints outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. 

Cruella de Ville's quest to get puppy pelts was terrifying, but it was worth sitting through the live-action version of the story because there were just so many good dogs to check in on. Perdy and Pongo not only bring together their owners, but they also fight hard to save their puppies. Every single one deserved not just to be saved but also a lifetime of "skritches."

Beethoven taught us that St. Bernards are big, slobbery messes and, still, the absolute best. Even Charles Grodin's stubborn character can't help but fall in love with Beethoven, and moviegoers were treated to seven sequels, a television series and a video game. 

How talented is Buddy, the star of Air Bud? He was also Comet on "Full House." Buddy was found as a stray dog in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and his owner taught him to play several sports, including, of course, basketball. 

Over the course of several movies and television specials, Benji taught us that mutts are pretty great. In the first film, Benji is a stray dog who helps save the neighborhood kids who have been taking care of him from kidnapping. Higgins, who played the original Benji, also starred in "Petticoat Junction" and came out of retirement to film the first movie. 

Dorothy ran away from her family's farm to make sure Toto was OK, and it was worth it. The little Cairn terrier helped her over the rainbow, down the yellow brick road and showed much more bravery than the Cowardly Lion. 

God loves a terrier, and the judges loved Hubert the Bloodhound, but we're not choosing just one of the fantastic dogs from the Christopher Guest mockumentary. The dogs continually showed much more sense than their owners and trainers. Every one of the dogs at the Mayflower Kennel Dog Club Show deserves plenty of love and a Busy Bee. 

Imagine it's the 1930s. The United States is in the throes of the Great Depression, and the country is in need of a reason to smile. Enter Skippy — the dog who played Asta, one of the stars of the "Thin Man" movies and many others — a wire fox terrier who shared the screen with Myrna Loy, Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant. Directors loved working with Skippy because he was so smart, responding to hand signals as well as verbal commands. 

While Elle Woods was a capable and creative problem solver, she would have been lost without her tiny Chihuahua, Bruiser. Not only did Bruiser pull off some great outfits, but he also took good care of Elle through her ups and downs. Bruiser even served as the inspiration for Elle's crusade for animal rights in the movie's sequel.