Bob Weatherwax, a distinguished dog trainer, is celebrated for his role in continuing his father’s legacy of breeding and training the iconic collies that portrayed Lassie. Born into a legacy of canine stardom, Weatherwax’s early years were steeped in the world of Lassie, as his father, Rudd Weatherwax, had famously trained the original collie, Pal, who became the beloved screen star.
Bob Weatherwax was just a toddler when the first Lassie film, Lassie Come Home, premiered in 1943. As his father’s apprentice, Weatherwax learned the art of dog training from one of Hollywood’s most revered trainers. Following Rudd Weatherwax’s passing in 1985, Bob took over the family business, ensuring the Lassie legacy continued.
Despite the end of the original Lassie series and TV show in the mid-‘80s, Weatherwax was instrumental in the Lassie revival. He played a key role in the 1989 TV series The New Lassie and the 1994 film Lassie, introducing the canine star to a new generation. Working with Howard, a direct descendant of the original Pal, Weatherwax helped Lassie make a notable return to television in the Canadian series after The New Lassie concluded.
Bob Weatherwax’s expertise extended beyond Lassie. He trained Tiger, the dog who played Einstein in Back to the Future, and contributed his skills to films like The Thing and Dennis the Menace. Additionally, Weatherwax was a cousin to Ken Weatherwax, who portrayed Pugsley on The Addams Family.
In an autobiographical essay on his IMDb profile, Weatherwax reflected on his father’s influence: “Due to my father’s genius, we transformed the training of dogs from simple props on a movie set into actors who seemed to behave with human-like emotions.”
Tributes continue to honor Bob Weatherwax’s remarkable contributions to dog training and the entertainment industry.