What is a Toto dog?

A Toto dog is a small terrier-type dog that resembles Toto from The Wizard of Oz, which was a Cairn Terrier. In the classic 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz, Toto was played by a female Cairn Terrier named Terry, born in 1933, who was a Hollywood animal actor. Cairn Terriers are small, sturdy, scruffy dogs originally bred in Scotland to hunt vermin among cairns, which are piles of rocks. They are about 10 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh 13 to 14 pounds, with a wiry, weather-resistant double coat that can be brindle, gray, black, or wheaten, with pointy ears and a bold, alert expression. Because of the film's fame, any small, scruffy, dark-colored terrier mix is often affectionately called a Toto dog by the general public, even if it is not a purebred Cairn Terrier. Yorkshire Terriers, Norwich Terriers, and mixed-breed terriers are often mistaken for Toto dogs. The term Toto dog has become cultural shorthand for a loyal, brave, small companion dog that goes everywhere with its owner, just as Toto accompanied Dorothy to Oz. The Cairn Terrier breed saw a huge increase in popularity after the film's release, and the American Kennel Club recognizes it as an affectionate, intelligent, and feisty breed that makes a good family pet.