National Dog Day: 5 Canines That Impacted The Corporate World

Aug. 26 is National Dog Day, and while canine companions have found their way into office environments, several dogs have played a significant role in the operations of several prominent companies.

To celebrate man's best friend, here is a tribute to five dogs who made a distinctive impact on the business world.

Rin Tin Tin: Rin Tin Tin was a German Shepherd rescued from a World War I battlefield by Lee Duncan, an American soldier. After the war, Duncan and his dog headed to Hollywood, where Rin Tin Tin got a remarkable break as the canine star of the 1923 "Where the North Begins," a Yukon-based melodrama. The film was produced by Warner Bros., a small and financially struggling studio, and to everyone's surprise, it became a major box office smash.

The studio rushed Rin Tin Tin into more films, and the dog was credited as singlehandedly saving Warner Bros. from bankruptcy. Some of the earnings from Rin Tin Tin's films were funneled into the production of the 1927 "The Jazz Singer," which forever changed the movie world with its use of sound recording.

Trouble: This Maltese was the object of affection of hotelier Leona Helmsley, who acquired her after the death of her husband Harry and her release from prison on tax evasion charges.

Trouble was a beloved companion to Helmsley in her final years — and Helmsley's fondness for her pet was so strong that she updated her will in 2005 to bequeath a $12 million trust to her dog, a far greater gift than her heirs received.

When Helmsley died in 2007 and the will was made public, there was a near-universal shock at Trouble's newfound wealth. The Helmsley family balked at the will's stipulation that either her brother Alvin Rosenthal or her grandson David Panzirer take care of Trouble — neither man wanted the dog and preferred to fight for Helmsley's money.

Trouble eventually was put in the care of Carl Lekic, the general manager of a Helmsley hotel property in Florida, and Helmsley's heirs successfully litigated for Trouble's trust fund to be reduced to $2 million; the litigation brought renewed attention to how high-profile corporate executives dispersed their fortunes after death.

Trouble died at age 12 in December 2010 and the remainder of the dog's trust fund was reverted to the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.

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Blue: It's not uncommon for pets to inspire entrepreneurs to create products, but the story of Blue is among the most poignant. Bill Bishop was an advertising executive who acquired Blue, an Airedale, in 1993. When Blue was seven, Bishop discovered a lump on his neck. A veterinary examination determined the lump was cancerous and Blue underwent chemotherapy.

As part of Blue's healing process, Bishop and his family sought to find better quality food to help Blue regain his health. Unsatisfied with what was on the market, the Bishops created their own dog food made from natural and wholesome ingredients, which they later marketed from the Wilton, Connecticut, home in 2003 as Blue Buffalo Pet Products.

In 2018, Blue Buffalo was the nation's largest natural pet food company when it was acquired by General Mills GIS for $8 billion.

Zinga: In April 2007, a sextet of digitally-focused entrepreneurs teamed up to launch a video game service. While they had no problems conceiving their games, they were stuck on what to call their company. Being based in San Francisco, they looked to one of the city's landmarks and called themselves Presidio Media.

However, Presidio Media lacked the zip to make it stand out from its competition. One of the co-founders, Mark Pincus, volunteered the name of his American Bulldog, Zinga, as the new corporate moniker. Pincus and his partners opted to use the name with a slight vowel adjustment, settling on Zynga ZNGA.

Zynga, with the silhouette of a bulldog as its logo, launched its first game, Texas Hold ‘Em Poker, the same month that it took on the canine-inspired rebranding. That game was released on Facebook, the first time a game was introduced on the social networking platform — and the rest, as the cliché lovers say, became history.

Romeo: The latest canine to make an impact on the corporate world is Romeo, a Lagotto Romagnolo addition to the family of Grammy-winning musician Ziggy Marley last year.

With the coronavirus pandemic forcing the cancellation of his touring schedule, Marley found himself at home with Romeo, who turned out to be an extremely high-energy puppy. The dog inspires a children's book by Marley titled "My Dog Romeo" and a song of the same name, and Marley partnered with the Austin-based botanical wellness company One Farm on the creation of pet care line Ziggy Marley Apawthecary.

The first product in this new line is Romeo's Agility Chews, a CBD-infused supplement designed to sustain a dog's physical and mental well-being while fighting inflammation. As Marley observed, "When I saw how active Romeo was as a puppy, I knew I needed to take care of his joint health now, to help prevent problems in the long run."

Photo: Rin Tin Tin, courtesy of Warner Bros.