Dog Names Ending in O

Toto, Dorothy's little canine companion, was played by a female Cairn Terrier and she accompanied Dorothy on her imaginary journey from the "Land of Oz" back home.  But this little story of mine is not about Dorothy and her experiences (we've all grown up with that story), but it is rather about Terry, the Cairn Terrier who played the character "Toto" in the movie.  Terry's story will warm your heart and may even change the way you may feel about or remember the "Oz" story.  Terry was born in 1933 in Alta Dena, California.  She was adopted by a married couple who had no children and who had no experience in training dogs.  When Terry began to display the typical wetting on the carpet behavior that goes along with puppy-hood, they became aggravated and frustrated with her.  They took her to a trainer, who kept her for a short period of time, and when the training was successfully completed, he called the couple to pick up their pup.  It seems, they not only had no intention of picking up Terry but they also had no intention of paying for the training!  The dog trainer had acquired a new furry family member.  

Terry adjusted quite well to her environment, which included associating with the dogs in the training kennels and visitors to the facility.  She soon became quite the loving lap sitter and utilized that talent frequently, further endearing herself to her new human family.  The trainer was Carl Spitz who ran the Hollywood Dog Training School, which not only trained regular folks' pets but, as it's name suggests, also provided specialized training for dogs in show business. Needless to say, this latter aspect of Carl's business is what eventually brought her before the directors of the movie "The Wizard of Oz".  Terry's first movie performance occurred in the movie "Bright Eyes" in 1934 with child star Shirley Temple and she appeared in four movies before she was cast in the "Oz" movie.

Her fame as "Toto" in "The Wizard of Oz" was so great that people began referring to her as "Toto" instead of Terry.  Carl eventually gave in and just officially changed her name to Toto and she has continued to warm and wiggle her way into the hearts of millions over the years since the "Oz" movie.  This little dog's life began innocently enough when she was purchased by the couple, but could have taken quite a downward and devastating turn if not for the animal love held by Carl Spitz when he took her in, basically as a rescue dog.  Having been abandoned by her original owners and human family, Toto/Terry showed the amazing adaptability of canines to form new bonds and relationships with Carl's family in difficult circumstances.  This situation also revealed her intelligence and adaptability to the world as she played wonderfully in her roles, especially that of Toto, earning her a great deal of public and private fame.  So many of us grew up with Dorothy and Toto and the great lessons they taught us in the movie, "The Wizard of Oz".