Planet of the Apes Inspired Dog Names

If you hadn’t taken a clue from the fact that apes rule the earth, the Planet of the Apes universe is certainly bizarre. Although evolution of simians and humanity show many parallels, there are several large elements that separates the two, and dogs happen to stand front and center.

For anyone familiar with the franchise, it’s well-known that domesticated animals, namely dogs and cats, were flushed from existence thanks to a space-borne plague that occurred some time during the planet’s prehistory — it stands as a thematic aspect that defines the direct dynamic between humans and their simian counterparts by removing the traditional “pet” role, and replacing it with something that falls somewhere between a pet, a servicer, and a slave.

However, despite the fact that dogs have been eradicated, there stands one glaring continuity issue within the context of the Planet of the Apes universe: Arno’s dog. Arno is a chimpanzee and the son of Veska in the Planet of the Apes television series and happens to be the very first character the audience is introduced to. While out playing with his dog, Arno encounters his first human: Farrow. The dog quickly chases Farrow up a tree and the duo run back to Veska to report their findings. It is one of few times dogs are ever seen anywhere in the Apes universe, but did spawn a fair amount of fan speculation as to how the dog came to be. 

Arno’s dog isn’t the only one, however. In Rise of the Planet of the Apes, there is another important moment that deals with dogs as well: Caesar’s introduction to a dog — yes, Caesar the eventual leader and ruler of the Apes. In Rise, Caesar is saved by scientist Will Rodman, who is attempting to cure Alzheimer’s through a viral-based drug. One of Rodman’s former subjects, a chimp named Bright Eyes, had shown intellectual improvements, but after giving birth to Caesar — which was unknown to Rodman until after her death— went on a rampage that ended in her destruction. 

After reluctantly agreeing to take the chimp in, Will soon discovers that Caesar inherited his mother’s intelligence. A few years into his development, Caesar and Will run into a German Shepherd who barks at the former in the park, and due to their both being leashed, forces Caesar into deep introspection about his existence — it would become the moment that changed the history of the narrative arc, thrusting Caesar into a dynamic that would forever after set the tone and theme of the prior films.