Dog Names Meaning Handsome

Pal was a Rough Coated Collie born in June of 1940 at Cherry Osborne's Glamis Kennels in North Hollywood. The pretty puppy wasn't exactly a show quality dog because of a white blaze on his face, so he was sold to an animal trainer named Howard Peck. Unfortunately, Peck couldn't handle Pal. The young dog refused to stop barking or chasing motorcycles, so Peck sold the pooch to another animal trainer named Rudd Weatherwax. It wasn't long after purchasing Pal that Weatherwax decided not to keep the dog and traded him to a friend. However, Weatherwax soon learned that the 1940 novel by Eric Knight entitled, 'Lassie Come Home,' was set to be made into a major motion picture. The role of Lassie called for a Collie so he immediately thought of Pal. 

Weatherwax promptly repurchased Pal from his friend for $10 and started to train the dog in the hopes he would land the role of Lassie. From 1943 to 1954, Pal starred in six Lassie films. He also filmed the two television series pilots. Weatherwax and Pal also hit the road and were featured in numerous rodeos, shows, and fairs. Lassie became a household name across America. 

At the height of Pal's fame, Peck decided to fight Weatherwax for ownership of the dog. The case was taken to court but thrown out as the judge ruled in Weatherwax's favor. 

The relationship between Pal and Weatherwax was extremely close. Jon Provost, the star of the Lassie series stated,  "As young as I was, I recognized how much that dog meant to Rudd. Rudd loved that old dog as much as anyone could love an animal or person."

In 1958, Pal passed away. However, during his lifetime he sired innumerable puppies who would go on to play the lead parts in many Lassie shows and films. Robert Weatherwax, Rudd's son, talked about the relationship between Pal and his father in an interview. When asked about Pal's death and his father, he stated "It hit him very hard when Pal died. He buried him in a special place on the ranch and would often visit the grave. Dad would never again watch an MGM Lassie movie. He just couldn't bear to see Pal. He didn't want to have to be reminded of just how much he loved that dog."

Lassie has become iconic as a beautiful, handsome canine film star which always saves the day. Pal's descendants played Lassie all the way up until the late 1990s when the first non-Pal related Collie was cast in the role.