Red Dog Names

Since there are a limited number of dog breeds with red coats, they are not that heavily featured in pop culture works. One of the earliest and most popular examples that was documented in history was “Red Dog” from Western Australia. Although his origin remains a mystery, Red Dog became well-known in the Pilbara region due to his frequent travels in the area. He is believed to be an Australian Kelpie who was born around 1971 in Paraburdoo.

Red Dog got his name from his color and the red dirt that was common in Pilbara. A man named Colin Cummings, who called the dog “Tally Ho”, was suspected to be Red Dog’s first owner. However, he was passed on from one owner to another throughout his lifespan. One of the people who adopted Red Dog was a bus driver named John Stazzonelli, who brought the dog along with him across Australia. When Stazzonelli died, Red Dog started to travel on his own, possibly in search for Stazzonelli, not knowing he has passed. Red Dog was recognized in the town of Dampier, where he was usually spotted. Unfortunately, people suspected that he was intentionally poisoned and passed away in 1979.

Soon after Red Dog’s death, a statue of him was erected in Dampier. Moreover, author Nancy Gillespie wrote a book entitled Red Dog, which chronicled the dog’s life his adventures throughout Pilbara. Other books written about Red Dog include Beverly Duckett’s Red Dog: The Pilbara Wanderer and Louis de Bernieres’ Red Dog.

Another recognizable “red dog” in modern pop culture is Clifford, described as a “big red dog”. Clifford first appeared in the 1963 children’s book series, called Clifford the Big Red Dog. The novels are focused on the life of the titular character, who is a gigantic “all-around” dog. He is a friendly and gentle dog who is clumsy at times. He is owned by an eight-year-old girl named Emily Elizabeth, who is well-known for her skating and soccer skills.

The book series became a major success and spawned 80 individual stories. It also helped catapult Scholastic Corporation as a leading publishing company. In fact, they made Clifford the company’s official mascot. Due to the series’ immense accomplishment, and how well-received the character of Clifford was, several adaptations of the story were made. In 1988, a videotape series entitled Clifford’s Fun With… was released. An educational television series based on the book was also created. The show, called Clifford the Big Red Dog, aired from 2000 to 2003 on PBS Kids and revolved on Clifford, his owner Emily and his canine friends, named T-Bone and Cleo.

Other adaptations of the book series include the 2004 animated film Clifford’s Really Big Movie and the children’s television series Clifford’s Puppy Days, which aired from 2003 to 2006.