From Laika to the Hollywood Goldens: These dogs that changed history đŸđ
Updated 17 October 2026
In short: Laika was the first animal put into orbit, on 3 November 1957, aboard Sputnik 2; she died a few hours after launch. In 1960, Belka and Strelka were the first to return alive from an orbital flight. Sergeant Stubby, an American WWI mascot dog, is on display at the Smithsonian. Of the twelve dogs known to be aboard the Titanic, three small dogs survived. Some famous stories, like the Titanic's heroic Newfoundland, are only legends.
Which dogs went to space?
- 1957Laika, a stray from Moscow, is launched on 3 November aboard Sputnik 2. No return was planned.
- 2002It's revealed that she died of overheating and stress a few hours after launch, not after several days as claimed at the time.
- 1960Belka and Strelka return alive after 17 orbits (Sputnik 5): a first.
- 1961Pushinka, one of Strelka's puppies, is given by Khrushchev to the Kennedy family.
These missions showed that a living creature could survive launch and weightlessness, ahead of Yuri Gagarin's flight in April 1961. Laika's fate also sparked, even then, a debate on using animals in research.
Who was Sergeant Stubby?
He served in France with the US Army.
TRUEA stray adopted by Connecticut soldiers, he followed the 102nd Infantry Regiment to the front in 1918. He's described as a Boston Terrier or a "bull terrier" mix.
He warned of gas attacks.
TRUEAccording to accounts from the time, after being gassed himself, he reacted to the smell of gas and alerted the soldiers.
He caught a German spy.
UNPROVENThe story is famous, but rests on few detailed sources.
He was officially promoted to sergeant.
UNPROVENHis rank was mostly honorary; no official promotion record is known.
He met three presidents (Wilson, Harding, Coolidge) and his mounted body is now on display at the National Museum of American History in Washington.
Did any dogs survive the Titanic?
The three survivors were small dogs, taken into the lifeboats by their owners: two Pomeranians (Margaret Hays's and Elizabeth Rothschild's) and a Pekingese, Sun Yat Sen, belonging to Henry and Myra Harper. A dog show was planned for the morning of 15 April; the ship sank before dawn.
Legend: the story of Rigel, a Newfoundland said to have swum beside a lifeboat to guide rescuers, is widely told. No contemporary record proves this dog existed.
Why are Goldens movie stars?
From Homeward Bound (1993, with Shadow) to Air Bud (1997), the Golden Retriever has become the image of the loyal dog. Its strength: a cooperative, highly reward-driven temperament that makes learning scenes easier. And like all dogs, it has a muscle above the eye that creates the "puppy eyes" we melt for (see the sad look).
For the most famous loyalty story, read the true story of Hachiko; for everyday heroes, our dogs' superpowers.
Frequently asked questions
Did Laika come back from space?
No. Her return wasn't planned and she died a few hours after launch, from overheating and stress.
Which were the first dogs to return alive from orbit?
Belka and Strelka, in August 1960, aboard Sputnik 5.
How many dogs survived the Titanic?
Three: two Pomeranians and a Pekingese.
Where can you see Sergeant Stubby?
At the National Museum of American History (Smithsonian) in Washington.
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