From the adorable yet vicious CX404 in 'Fallout' to Lassie: The best dogs in film and TV

• "Fallout" features an adorable yet vicious canine sidekick called CX404.

• He's saved from horrific experiments by a scientist who cares for him.

• Here are some other great dogs in film and TV.

Everyone knows dogs are man's best friend, and there are plenty of movies and TV shows that put cute canine sidekicks in the spotlight.

Amazon's "Fallout" is no exception thanks to the vicious yet adorable CX404, a Belgian Malinois who wanders the postapocalyptic wasteland with the protagonists.

He's a nod to the beloved companion called Dogmeat in the video games that the series is based on.

Animals, including dogs, have been entertaining us for centuries, dating all the way back to gladiator battles in Ancient Rome. And Hollywood wouldn't have existed without them — photographer Eadweard Muybridge made the first piece of video footage in 1878 by piecing together photos of a horse galloping — and they've stuck around in film and TV ever since.

Here are 11 dogs from film and TV that have won audiences over.

CX404 in 'Fallout'

CX404 had a rough start in life after being bred solely for experimentation by the Enclave, a group of geniuses who are experimenting with radiation and DNA in the postapocalyptic wasteland. Luckily, scientist Wilzig (Michael Emerson) saves him, and he repays that kindness by becoming a very faithful sidekick.

He also tags along with the trio of protagonist survivors, The Ghoul (Walton Goggins), Lucy (Ella Purnell), and Maximus (Aaron Moten) on their journey across the wasteland.

Daisy in 'John Wick'

The first "John Wick" film starts with Keanu Reeves' titular ex-hitman struggling to cope with the death of his sick wife, Helen (Bridget Moynahan), when a puppy is delivered to his door.

Helen arranged for the dog to be sent to John after she died to give him something to live and care for.

It's devastating, then, when Daisy is killed by a mobster who breaks into John's home to steal one of his valuable cars. But her death makes John's murderous rampage even more understandable.

Fun fact, Daisy was actually played by a male beagle called Andy.

Snoop in 'Anatomy of a Fall'

"Anatomy of a Fall" was nominated for best picture at the 2024 Oscars, and much of the buzz surrounding the film was down to its canine star, Messi the Border Collie, who plays Snoop in the French thriller.

The film revolves around Sandra (Sandra Hüller), who tries to prove that she didn't kill her husband, Samuel (Samuel Theis), and it's heavily implied that he died by suicide.

Snoop is a guide dog for the couple's visually impaired son, Daniel (Milo Machado-Graner).

The Collie is a key part of the plot because he falls ill after eating Samuel's vomit, which leads the family to think that Samuel overdosed on medication.

This is all without mentioning Messi's appearance at the Oscars, where he stole the show.

Marley in 'Marley & Me'

Unlike other entries on this list, "Marley & Me" isn't a high-concept adventure that puts a dog in an utterly bizarre situation.

No, the 2008 comedy is just about John (Owen Wilson) and Jenny Grogan (Jennifer Aniston), a normal couple who are trying to build a family together while raising their Labrador puppy, Marley.

Marley grows up to be an energetic, mischievous pet — whether he's tackling a snowman in the garden or humping the dog trainer's legs.

So when he gets old and starts getting ill, it's an utter gut punch. It's a wonderful yet heartbreaking movie.

Lou in 'Cats & Dogs'

The 2001 cinematic masterpiece, "Cats & Dogs," revolves around two warring spy agencies made up of… cats and dogs.

When the feline agency, M.E.O.W.S., schemes to usurp dogs as man's best friend, the agents of D.O.G., try to stop them. The secret agent dogs are led by pup-and-coming agent Lou (Tobey Maguire), a Beagle.

There are plenty of cute moments with Lou in the film, but the best is when his owner, Scotty (Alexander Pollock) is sulking outside after being rejected at soccer tryouts. To cheer him up, Lou starts playing with the football, which instantly puts a smile on Scotty's face.

It's simple but so heartwarming.

Sam in 'I Am Legend'

Another dog that survived an apocalypse is the German Shepherd, Sam, in "I Am Legend." She keeps scientist Robert Neville (Will Smith) company in the ruins of New York, while he tries to find a cure for the vampire plague that has decimated the city.

In the film's most upsetting scene, Neville has to euthanize Sam when she gets bitten by one of the vampires. RIP Sam.

It'll be interesting to see if Neville has another dog in "I Am Legend 2," which Smith is developing with Michael B. Jordan, but it doesn't have an official release date.

Frank in 'Men in Black'

Will Smith had a canine friend in another one of his most popular movies: "Men in Black." The titular organization monitors aliens that live on Earth, and that includes Frank the talking Pug. He even gets to become an agent like J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones).

Come on, who doesn't find a Pug in a suit cute?

Lassie

What's that Lassie? This list wouldn't be complete without you?

The iconic Rough Collie was the star of the 1943 classic "Lassie Come Home" and its five sequels.

The character also jumped over to TV with the 1954 "Lassie" series, which revolved around young Jeff Miller (Tommy Retig) and his adventures with the titular dog. The original show ran for 352 episodes until 1973.

Lassie earned her place in pop culture, and the character later returned in an animated TV show, another live-action show in the 1990s, and a 2005 remake of the original movie.

Fly in 'Babe'

"Babe" is the surprisingly emotional story of a pig (Christine Cavanaugh), who wants to become a sheepdog just like his adoptive mother Fly (Miriam Margolyes).

The dynamic between Fly and Babe is adorable, as she mentors him on the inner workings of sheepherding and even saves his life when he's framed for the death of one of the ewes.

Cheddar in 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine'

Cheddar the Corgi stole fans' hearts on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," as the cute dog was a stark contrast to Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) and his deadpan nature.

The Corgi shows up throughout the series, and he even helps Holt win the squad's annual Halloween heist, where they compete to steal an item from the office.

Cheddar basically becomes the squad's unofficial mascot, and they should've absolutely put him on the team's payroll.

Rex in 'Hudson & Rex'

Rex is a German Shepherd who helps Detective Hudson (John Reardon), a police detective, solve crimes in every episode.

The show is often as lighthearted as it sounds. Hudson and Rex even go undercover in a prison in season six when someone they previously put away is assassinated.

Rex even sniffs out a drug smuggling operation within the prison. It's a miracle the network hasn't ditched Hudson entirely at this point.

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