Terry the Terrier – A Terrier For Sale
During the early years of the film industry, many canine performers trained at Carl Spitz’s Hollywood Dog Training School. Spitz was a German who had trained police and military dogs during World War I. He later immigrated to the U.S. and trained many dogs in the movie industry. This is where Terry met Spitz. Spitz eventually trained Terry and taught him a few tricks. Unfortunately, his owners were unable to pay the bill and never returned calls.
Even though Terry was prone to accidents inside the house, she did not allow herself to be defined by her inability to hold her bladder. By channeling her insecurities into her training, she was transformed from an insecure carpet-wetter to a beloved animal that starred in the classic movie The Wizard of Oz. That film, which debuted in U.S. theaters 75 years ago, turned Terry the terrier into one of Hollywood’s most famous dogs.
Since the dog had suffered from apparent neglect and suffering, Manitoba Animal Alliance, which was previously known as Norway House Animal Rescue, rescued Terry the Terrier from a home in northern Manitoba. When the animal rescue workers first came upon him, they discovered that he had suffered broken bones, a broken tail, and a hip infected with the disease. According to Debra Vandekerkhove, executive director of Manitoba Animal Alliance, Terry was suffering from broken hips and tails.
During Terry’s first week with us, she was heartworm positive.
The owners had taken her to the shelter after she showed positive results for heartworms. Luckily, she is now heartworm-negative and is on a preventative medicine called Advantage Multi-Preventative. Terry has a long road ahead of him. We wish you all the best! It is a wonderful day to save a life. So, come join us in welcoming Terry into your family!
After being trained for several years, Spitz’s wife decided to keep Terry as a family pet. But Terry had other plans. When an entourage of Hollywood executives visited Spitz’s kennel to visit Buck, Terry caught the attention of the executives. Spitz then sent Terry to Paramount Studios for auditions. He landed his first part in the 1934 romantic comedy Ready For Love. With her charm, she landed a role in the sequel, Bright Eyes.
Although Terry’s parents had no intention of adopting her, she was housebroken and eager to go home. When the Spitz family saw the film, they had no intentions of picking her up, but Terry soon became a regular guest. Terry was a favorite of Judy Garland. She soon became the center of attention and was accepted into the Hollywood Dog Training School. Aside from the famous Hollywood Dog Training School, she starred in 16 films and earned more than $125 a week, which was more than the average American household income in the early 1950s.
Spitz trained many dogs, including Terry. He was assigned to the film Call of the Wild, which featured Buck, a Saint Bernard.
Photoplay magazine claimed that Spitz stole the show from the lead actors. He commanded the dogs with silent hand gestures, allowing him to communicate with the actors without disturbing the audio. Spitz later introduced Terry to Hollywood producers, and he got a role in Bright Eyes with Shirley Temple.
As the film continued, Terry earned $125 a week for his work, far more than any human actor. He also starred in many other films, including Bright Eyes with Shirley Temple and Tortilla Flat with Spencer Tracy. Interestingly enough, Terry was only given a credit for his performance in the latter film, after one of the Wicked Witch’s soldiers accidentally stepped on him. Terry eventually returned to the set a few weeks later but was plagued with anxiety for the rest of the shoot.
Several films starring Toto have featured him as a mascot. In the film “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” Max is the adorable sidekick of the Grinch. This lovable dog brought the moviegoers much laughter while watching the movie, and he also kept a watchful eye on his human. While his human was battling the evil witch, he also did his best to prevent the disaster.
