But on the big and small screen, Lassie has been played exclusively by male dogs — most famously by a dog named Pal, who appeared in seven Lassie movies. Pal was rejected in his initial audition ...

Bob Weatherwax, who trained dogs who played Lassie as a member of the famous family that also taught Hollywood hounds a thing or two in The Thin Man (Asta), The Wizard of Oz (Toto) and Old Yeller ...