What breed of dog played Toto in the 1939 film?

The dog that played Toto in the 1939 film was a Cairn Terrier.

The performer was a female Cairn Terrier named Terry, owned and trained by Hollywood animal handler Carl Spitz. Although the character is called Toto, the dog herself was credited as Terry in the film. Her small size and shaggy appearance helped define the familiar screen image of Dorothy’s companion.

Terry performed in several films, but Toto became her best-known role. During production, a Winkie guard accidentally stepped on one of her paws, and she needed time to recover; a substitute dog was reportedly used while she healed.

A common mix-up is confusing the film dog with the literary Toto. L. Frank Baum did not clearly specify Toto’s breed in the original 1900 novel, while the 1939 movie’s performer is specifically identified as a Cairn Terrier.