25 most filmed dog breeds infographic

by MikeB · January 25, 2022

The German Shepherd is the most popular dog breed to be employed in films and television. This breed is way ahead of the others. If you click on the infographic you are taken to another version which can be dramatically enlarged by clicking on it.

25 most filmed dog breeds. Credit: see base of Infographic

The Infographic begs the question as to why the German Shepherd dog is streets ahead of the other dog breeds when selecting a dog for a film. I guess it must be down to two main reasons (1) their appearance is very suitable for film and television work and (2) their temperament is also highly suited.

Appearance

This is a large dog with “presence”. They have a large stature which means that they can be scary to some people. This breed has a reputation for being tough but also great companion animals. They have a long history of being guard dogs and they are working dogs. They are easy to train. They can both be a hero in a film and a villain. They can play the good and bad. And if a dog is going to defend somebody in a film, they’ve got to have stature which more or less precludes the smaller dogs. Although smaller dogs have also been actors in films.

My guess is that on an all-round basis they are the highly suited to film work. And clearly their appearance is a big factor in the selection process.

Temperament

It is said that they enjoy learning and obeying orders. This makes training easy. There are said to be more trainable than many other dog breeds. In fact, research indicates that the German Shepherd is one of the easiest breeds to train. A highly important factor as to why they are the most popular film work.

There are also said to be smart and loyal. And they love to play. These are all very big positives which I would expect to see when somebody writes about this dog breed.

Strongheart with Jane Murfin his owner. Photo in the public domain due to lapse of time.

The breed originates in Germany as you might expect, also. They are known for their police work in tracking criminals and patrolling dangerous areas. In 1921 a German Shepherd featured in the film Strongheart. Here are some details about Strongheart:

Etzel von Oeringen, better known as Strongheart, was a male German Shepherd who was one of the early canine stars of feature films.
Born: 1 October 1917, Germany
Died: 24 June 1929, Los Angeles, California, United States
Owner: Jane Murfin

And in one of the earliest dog films, a German Shepherd starred in Rin Tin Tin (1922).

The first skydiving anti-poaching dog is Arrow, a German Shepherd! In the UK this dog breed was called the Alsatian Wolf Dog until 1977. The name was changed back to German Shepherd at that date.

Their lifespan is 9-13 years.