Video posted on YouTube by Reel Dogs

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Photograph of Skippy a.k.a. Asta of The Thin Man fame, my personal reel dog fav.

Skippy was trained by his owners Henry East and Gale Henry East, and also by Frank Weatherwax and assistant trainersRudd Weatherwax and Frank Inn.

In 1936, Skippy and several other movie dogs were profiled in the book Dog Stars of Hollywood by Gertrude Orr.At the time Skippy was said to be four and a half years old, giving him a birth year of 1931-32.

He was said to be one of the most intelligent of animal stars then working in pictures.In addition to verbal commands, he also worked to hand cues, essential for a dog performing in sound films. According to Orr, his training began when he was three months old, and he made his first professional film appearances at the age of one year, in 1932 – 1933, as a bit player providing “atmosphere.” In Orr’s book Skippy was shown in a series of photo stills from otherwise unidentified 20th Century Fox films starring Mae Clarke and Mary Carlisle, as well as publicity shots with Wendy Barrie from It’s a Small World and Myrna Loy from The Thin Man.[1] ” Wikipedia

When we were growing up there were only reel dogs, no real dogs.  We had a goldfish or two, a turtle or three, but no dogs.  Our experience and impressions of dogs came from Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, King, and Asta. All fine examples.  

Moving on from reel dogs, it’s time to pay homage to our near and dear real dogs. August 28 is National Dog Day.  Don’t say I didn’t give you enough of a heads up. How do I know?  It’s in Monthly Residence Bulletin, so it must be true, eh?