Dog Names Meaning Sly

Butkus, a Bull Mastiff, shared a rundown apartment with Sly. The dog's companionship is what spurred Sly to pen the hit screenplay, "Rocky." Stallone wrote about Butkus, "1971... Since we're on the subject of "man's best friend" this is myself and Butkus as a puppy, we were both, thin, hungry and living in a flophouse above a subway stop, I used to say this apartment had "Hot and cold running roaches," anyway there was not much to do except spend time with each other and that's where I started to learn the craft of screenwriting. Since I never went out, I relied on his companionship, and actually, it was his idea to write Rocky, but don't tell anyone… Years later when things got even worse I had to sell him for $40 in front of a 7-Eleven store, because I couldn't afford food, then like a modern day miracle, the screenplay for Rocky sold, and I could buy and buy him back, but the new owner knew I was desperate, and charged me $15,000… He was worth every penny!" 

Stallone goes on to say about his early life with Butkus, " Butkus and I had some lean years together. I kept promising him that if we made the big time, he’d always go first class. We got him when he was about six weeks old. He was a ferocious-looking little devil, and when he ate his security blanket, we decided to name him after Dick Butkus, possibly the fiercest football player in history. We became very well acquainted because, in addition to me, there was my wife Sasha and another giant dog, all living in the third tiniest apartment in New York."  

After Butkus was returned to Sly, the canine even appeared in the original Rocky movie and again in Rocky II. The dog star had his wardrobe for the films. Butkus died in 1981 in Los Angeles, California from a heart attack.