what kind of dog is toto from wizard of oz

Toto from The Wizard of Oz is generally considered a small terrier , and in the famous 1939 film he was specifically played by a Cairn Terrier.

Book vs. movie Toto

• In L. Frank Baum’s original book, Toto is only described as a “little black dog with long silky hair,” and no exact breed is given.

• Early illustrations make him look like a small black terrier, which led many readers to think of Cairn Terriers or Yorkshire Terriers.

The 1939 film dog

• The real dog who played Toto in the 1939 movie was a female Cairn Terrier named Terry.

• Because of that performance, most people now say “Toto was a Cairn Terrier,” even though the character in the book was never officially assigned a breed.

How fans usually answer

• For quick answers, fans and pet sites almost always say Toto is a Cairn Terrier, since that matches the beloved movie version best.

• More detailed discussions add that on the page he’s simply a small black dog, visually terrier-like, without a confirmed pure breed.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.