Famous Male Dogs and the Gals that Played Them

In the tough world of show business, most actors have to fight hard for those prized roles they want so badly. Dog show business is as cut throat as the next, but these furry actors have one distinct advantage of an ambidextrous nature. Dogs can play both male and female roles and many do so very convincingly. In fact, some of pop culture's most famous dog roles were played by a dog of the opposite sex.

One popular dog actor appeared in 1995 as the new Taco Bell spokes...dog. The Taco Bell Chihuahua coined the famous phrase "Yo quiero Taco Bell" thanks to the modern technology of special effects. The voice who spoke these words was clearly masculine, but it is rarely known that the dog who we see is actually a female Chihuahua named Gidget. Gidget went on to do several supporting roles in commercials after her run as the Taco Bell star and even got the chance to play a female part as a mother dog in Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde.

The 1980s ushered in a cool, ladies-dog by the name of Spuds MacKenzie as the new representative of Bud Light beer. This beer-guzzling, shades-wearing, chick magnet was actually played by a female Bull Terrier named Honey Tree Evil Eye. Budweiser employees actually worked to keep her away from media cameras in an effort to hide her genitals when she relieved herself. However, word got out that Spuds was in fact a she and the story became a media controversy.

One of pop culture's most beloved dogs is Toto from 1932's The Wizard of Oz. And yes, though it may hurt to learn the truth, Toto too was a female. The Cairn Terrier named Terry was paid $125.00 a week for her role as Dorothy's best friend. This was a far higher salary than most of the human actors. In fact, the Munchkin actors were paid only $50.00 a week. Terry was injured during filming when she was stepped on by one of the witch's guards resulting in a broken foot and a dog-double was brought in to shoot the remaining scenes. The role made her so famous that her name was eventually changed to Toto. This name change may have been what helped to score her 13 additional film roles.

Not all credit for our most beloved dog characters can go to the females, however. All nine Lassie's were portrayed by male dogs. Males were the preferred sex for the role of this "good girl" due to the fact that the female collie loses her coat at least once a year making them unsuitable for year round use. Another benefit of having a male fill this lady's role is that the male collie is larger, making it easier for a child actor to play opposite the dog for a longer period of time.

Whether it was females playing males or vice versa, these famous dog actors performed their roles so convincingly that it really didn't matter if there was a little gender bending going on. They performed the dog-role of a lifetime, became household names and all the while we the viewers were unaware of the dogs in drag.