Buzz
Dogs have played heroic roles throughout history, from battling in wars and crossing vast continents to taking on the role of explorers and displaying bravery that would be astonishing even for a human hero. These extraordinary dogs are sure to win the hearts of even the most dedicated cat lovers.
10. Swansea Jack
Swansea Jack, a black retriever, lived with his owner William Thomas near the River Tawe in Swansea, Wales, during the 1930s. One day, Jack noticed a young boy drowning in the river, so he rushed in and pulled the boy to safety by grabbing him by the scruff of the neck. With no one around to witness the act, the boy would have likely spent his life telling a story that no one would believe. But Jack's heroism didn’t stop there. Within weeks, Jack rescued another swimmer, this time with witnesses present. Then he did it again. And again. Over the following decade, Jack was credited with saving at least 27 people from what was considered one of the most perilous rivers and docks in Wales.
In recognition of his lifetime of heroic actions, Jack was awarded a silver collar by the Swansea council, the Bravest Dog of the Year Award, a silver cup from the Mayor of London, and his very own statue. With all those accolades, he might have more honors than your average superhero. Jack's legacy lives on today—he may even have inspired the nickname for the Premier League football team Swansea FC, known as "The Swansea Jacks."
9. Bamse
Bamse, a Saint Bernard, served aboard a Norwegian minesweeper during World War II. Though he had an adorable, cuddly look—Bamse means “cuddly bear” in Norwegian—he was tough as nails. Brought on board by the ship’s captain, Bamse became so beloved by the crew that when the captain tried to take him with him to another post, the crew threatened to abandon ship rather than part with him.
Bamse became a local legend in Dundee and Montrose, where the ship was stationed during WWII. He rode buses alone with a special bus pass around his neck, ensured drunken sailors made it back to their posts, and reportedly broke up bar fights. Once, he jumped into the sea to rescue a crewman who had fallen overboard, and another time, he saved a crewman from a knifeman by charging into the attacker and dragging him into the water. Bamse was also a peacemaker—whenever sailors fought aboard the ship, he’d stand on his hind legs and place his paws on their shoulders, as if to say, “Relax, it’s not worth it.” His fame wasn’t confined to Scotland; every Christmas, he’d don a little sailor’s hat and get photographed for Christmas cards sent to the crewmates’ families in Norway. How sweet is that?
8. Bob The Railway Dog
Bob, born in South Australia in 1882, had a special fondness for trains. After spending his early years as a stray, following railway workers to their jobs, he was eventually captured by a dogcatcher. It seemed his fate was the pound, but fortunately, a kind station guard bought him and allowed Bob to ride on the train with him every day in the guard’s van. However, when his master received a promotion and moved on, Bob took matters into his own paws and began to jump trains solo.
Bob became a well-known figure as he traveled up and down Southern Australia. He became a regular sight on trains and, at times, if he wanted some alone time, he’d choose an empty carriage and scare off anyone who tried to sit there by barking uncontrollably. The station masters and guards, all familiar with Bob, let him roam freely. At night, he followed the engine driver home for a warm meal and a comfortable spot to sleep, returning to the train the next day. Bob lived life on his own terms, and as he became more famous, he was received with great fanfare when he visited different towns. He was invited to banquets as a guest of honor, given a special bracelet engraved with a message allowing him to go wherever he pleased, and children ran after him like he was a celebrity whenever they spotted him on the train. Bob’s life was full of adventure, and he passed away as the most famous dog in Australian history.
7. Bummer And Lazarus
In the 1860s, two stray dogs named Bummer and Lazarus roamed the streets of San Francisco, enjoying a freedom that other stray dogs could only dream of. While most strays were rounded up and sent to the pound, Bummer and Lazarus were treated like celebrities. Their antics were covered in the newspapers as though they were the Brad and Angelina of the time. Fights with rival dogs would make headlines, often with exaggerated stories, eyewitness accounts, and even dramatic cartoons. Mark Twain, busy writing *Huckleberry Finn*, also took a break to write about them.
The dogs’ fame stemmed from their deep bond of friendship. Bummer, a tough mutt known for begging for scraps, earned his name through his antics. When another stray dog lost a fight, witnesses thought he would be finished—until Bummer came charging in and chased off the attacker. The injured dog, nursed back to health by Bummer, was named Lazarus. Their friendship became legendary, with the newspapers covering every detail. When Bummer was shot in the leg and Lazarus didn’t tend to him, the city was outraged and turned on Lazarus. The public's obsession with their lives continued even after both dogs passed away, with rival newspapers accusing each other of publishing incorrect reports about the dogs’ deaths.
6. Barry
The Saint Bernard breed was specifically created for one purpose—search and rescue. Monks at the Saint Bernard Pass, a perilous snowy gap between Switzerland and Italy, carefully bred these dogs for hundreds of years, possibly as early as 1695, to rescue lost travelers trapped in snow. The dogs worked in pairs: one would dig out the victim and provide warmth by sitting on them, while the other would rush back to the monastery for help. That brings us to Barry, the Saint Bernard who saved 40 lives over a span of 12 years in the early 1800s.
Barry’s most famous rescue involved a young child who had become lost and was stuck on a dangerous ice shelf. Barry managed to reach the child, revive him, and keep him warm until help arrived. But even when rescuers couldn’t reach them, Barry allowed the boy to climb onto his back and carefully pulled him to safety, step by step. Barry’s remarkable service as a rescue dog was so impactful that, following his departure, every Saint Bernard at the monastery was named Barry, a tradition that continues today.
5. Bud Nelson
One glance at Bud Nelson and you’d know he was no ordinary dog. Captured in a vintage black-and-white photo, the old-timey dog with goggles looks as if he could have been plucked from a steampunk novel or a Bioshock game. The man by his side is Bud’s owner, Dr. Horatio Nelson, who, in 1903, became the first person to drive across America by car. Alongside his co-driver, the amusingly named Sewall K. Crocker, and of course, Bud, they made history, with Bud becoming the first dog to cross the United States by car.
During its early days, the automobile was far from reliable, offering neither safety nor enjoyment. The car was an open-air behemoth with minimal suspension to cushion its passengers from the rough, often unpaved roads, and it would produce a cacophony of noise while emitting toxic fumes. Despite these conditions, Bud Nelson exhibited more courage than many people of the time when interacting with the vehicle. He wore protective goggles to shield his eyes and appeared as content as he does in the photo, traversing all the way across North America.
4. Owney
Owney’s origins are often thought to trace back to a mail clerk, as Owney, much like Bob the Railway Dog, became infatuated with the scent and feel of mailbags, following them wherever they went, whether by land, train, or boat. After his owner departed for unknown reasons, Owney chose to remain at the post office with his treasured mailbags. In time, Owney started to accompany the bags, first on mail carts and later on mail trains, traveling across the country, state by state, and eventually, the entire United States. Mail clerks welcomed his travels, as Owney had become known for bringing good luck—none of the trains he traveled on ever met disaster. To show their appreciation, clerks began giving him small trinkets and medals to adorn his collar, representing the many places he visited. When the medals accumulated to the point where they no longer fit, Owney was given a special jacket to wear instead.
As part of a promotional stunt, Owney embarked on a world tour, taking a 120-day-long voyage that was reminiscent of a Jules Verne adventure, traveling aboard an ocean liner. This journey took him across America, Europe, and Asia before returning home. To further commemorate his extraordinary feats, Owney was honored with his very own postage stamp.
3. Fido
Throughout history, there have been numerous accounts of dogs who remained by their deceased masters’ gravesides for years, steadfast in their loyalty. Two of the most famous dogs are Hachiko, from Japan, and Greyfriars Bobby, from Scotland, both of whom have inspired books and films. However, the most famous dog of his time, who remains relatively unknown today, is probably Fido. Born in Italy during World War II, Fido was discovered near death by a kiln worker who took him in and nursed him back to health. This act of kindness earned the worker Fido’s undying devotion. Every day, Fido would wait for his owner at the same bus stop, never moving until he saw him get off the bus—even while Italy endured frequent bombings. But one fateful day, Fido’s master didn’t return. He had perished in an air raid while working. Despite this, Fido continued his ritual, waiting faithfully every day. For 14 years.
Fido’s story spread throughout Italy, capturing the public’s heart and attention both during the war and in the years that followed. News footage from that time shows large crowds gathering daily to watch Fido make his way to the bus stop, observe him watching the passengers disembark, then watch him walk away in disappointment as the bus drove off. He was awarded honors and medals, but all he ever wanted was for his master to come home. Sadly, he never did. It’s okay to shed a tear for Fido.
2. Rolf
Rolf was either the most intelligent dog to ever live or the star of a massive deception that tricked an entire nation—Nazi Germany, to be exact. In either case, he was undeniably remarkable. The Nazis claimed that Rolf could talk. To understand this claim, it’s essential to remember that the Nazis were involved in a number of bizarre and ridiculous experiments during World War II, and one of their most far-fetched was attempting to train an army of super-intelligent dogs to embody their ideals.
The most brilliant of these so-called “super dogs” was Rolf. According to the story, Rolf could communicate by tapping his paw on a board, using a version of dog Morse code to interact with humans. It was through this peculiar method that Rolf could converse, appreciate poetry, express his loyalty to the Nazi regime, and even voice his intense dislike of the French. Supposedly, Rolf even showed an interest in enlisting in the war and fighting on the front lines. While we certainly don’t expect anyone to believe that a dog could talk, Adolf Hitler certainly did. He became fascinated with Rolf, and the fact that history’s most infamous dictator wasted time on the absurd idea of training the world’s first racist dog is, in itself, somewhat of a bizarre victory for reason.
1. Pickles
In 1966, the World Cup was being hosted in England, which, as you can imagine, was a huge deal to the English. They were likely feeling extra confident about their chances of winning—something they ultimately did—but things took a serious turn when the World Cup was stolen just four months before the tournament began. In a state of panic, there was an all-out search to recover the cup and save face internationally. Eventually, it was found by a clever collie named Pickles. While out for a walk with his owner, Pickles sniffed something unusual in the bushes—and that’s when he uncovered the missing World Cup.
Once Pickles had located the Cup, his fame exploded almost overnight. He became a national hero, showered with media attention for his crucial role in saving England from disgrace. Pickles even attended a banquet in his honor, where he was gifted a bone and a cheque for £1,000—footage from the event shows the cheque being shoved into his face, so we hope it was cashed by his owner rather than becoming an impromptu chew toy. Pickles went on to appear in several TV shows and even movies.
