Lassie’s First Owner Was 83 Years Old

Robert Weatherwax, a professional dog trainer known for his work in film and TV productions, passed away on Thursday at the age of 83. He was noted for continuing the legacy of his father, Rudd, who was the original owner of Lassie.

Weatherwax was born on June 4, 1941, in Burbank, California, exactly one year before the birth of Pal, the dog that played Lassie in seven MGM films and the pilot of the “Lassie” TV series. From an early age, Weatherwax and his sister, JoAnne, were involved in assisting their father with his professional work, including teaching new routines to their pets. Animal training ran in the family, with their grandfather, W.S. Weatherwax, being an animal trainer during the silent film era.

The Weatherwax family trained several iconic dogs that appeared on screen, such as Skippy, also known as Asta, who starred in Golden Age comedies like “The Thin Man” and “The Awful Truth”; Terry, who played Toto in “The Wizard of Oz”; and Spike, the dog remembered as Old Yeller.

After serving in the U.S. Army, Weatherwax apprenticed under his father on the “Lassie” TV series. The show aired on CBS from 1954 to 1974 and featured numerous Weatherwax-trained dogs playing the role of Lassie during its two-decade run.

After returning to Southern California, Weatherwax worked on various projects with his father before eventually establishing his own business, Weatherwax Trained Dogs. Over his illustrious career, he contributed to notable productions including “Back to the Future,” “Nickelodeon,” “The Thing,” and “Dennis the Menace.”

In 2017, Weatherwax published a book titled “Four Feet to Fame: A Hollywood Dog Trainer’s Journey,” co-authored by Richard Lester. His last collie was a descendant of a former Lassie actor, marking a poignant end to his long career.