Today, we’re decoding Toto, Dorothy’s pet dog and loyal companion in L. Frank Baum’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. If we ran an Embark Dog DNA Test on Toto, what would we find?
What breed is Toto from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz?
In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz book, published in 1900, author L. Frank Baum did not reveal Toto’s intended breed. He did write that Toto is a “little black dog, with long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose.”
In the original illustrations by W. W. Denslow, Toto looks like a terrier. Many people have concluded that he is meant to be a Cairn Terrier or a Yorkshire Terrier. In fact, in the 1939 film, Toto is played by a Cairn Terrier, one of the oldest Scottish dog breeds.
The illustrated Toto may be a mystery, but what does science tell us about his breed mix? It’s possible that Toto may be part West Highland White Terrier, Chihuahua, Poodle (Small), Scottish Terrier, or Shih Tzu. According to Embark data, these are the top five breeds that commonly appear in Cairn Terrier mixes.
Toto’s personality in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Toto plays several important roles in the story. He is the only character who appears in the introduction. At the beginning of the story, the joy that Toto brings to Dorothy’s life contrasts sharply with the dreary life of her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, who “did not know what joy was.”
“It was Toto that made Dorothy laugh, and saved her from growing as gray as her other surroundings.”
Toto is also crucial to the plot. In Chapter 1, he jumps out of Dorothy’s arms and runs away as the cyclone approaches, causing Dorothy to chase him. The two get caught in the cyclone, which takes them to the land of Oz.
While in Oz, Toto exhibits some of the characteristics that terrier breeds are famous for. He’s brave, stubborn, and protective of Dorothy:
“…there came a deep growl from some wild animal hidden among the trees. These sounds made the little girl’s heart beat fast, for she did not know what made them; but Toto knew, and he walked close to Dorothy’s side, and did not even bark in return.”
Terriers were bred to be hunting dogs. Like his ancestors, Toto has a strong prey drive and loves to chase mice:
“…seeing all these mice around him he gave one bark of delight and jumped right into the middle of the group. Toto had always loved to chase mice when he lived in Kansas, and he saw no harm in it.”
Toto carries a lot of personality in a tiny package. But besides his bravery, his silly antics, and his independent personality, perhaps Toto’s most memorable trait is how devoted he is to Dorothy, highlighting the special bond they share:
“Toto did not really care whether he was in Kansas or the Land of Oz so long as Dorothy was with him.”
“Toto played all day long, and Dorothy played with him, and loved him dearly.”
Keep reading to find out more about the classic illustrated Toto and his genetic traits!
Toto has a dark coat
Gene: TYRP1
Toto’s genetic result: BB or Bb
The TYRP1 gene helps determine whether a dog produces brown or black pigment. Illustrated Toto from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has a black coat, so he would likely have either a BB or Bb result for this gene.
In the illustrations, he has black hairs on his body but lighter brown hairs on his head, which might point to some hidden patterning.
Toto may have the genes for hidden patterning
K (Dominant Black) Locus
Gene: CBD103
Toto’s genetic result: KBKB or KBky
Brindle is a distinctive coat color pattern in dogs. It’s sometimes referred to as “tiger-striped,” though it is more subtle than a tiger’s pattern. While Embark does not test for brindle specifically, we do test for hidden patterning, which is governed by the CBD103 gene. This gene helps determine whether a dog has a black coat. Dogs with a KBKB or KBky result usually have solid black or brown coats, just like Toto.
The dog who played Toto in the film was a brindle Cairn Terrier. The illustrated Toto has two different shades of brown and black hair, suggesting that he may also have hidden patterning at play, so he might have the KBky result. Dogs with this result may be brindle rather than black or brown.
Toto has furnishings
Gene: RSPO2
Toto’s genetic result: FF or FI
The RSPO2 gene is responsible for “furnishings,” another name for the mustache, beard, and eyebrows that are characteristic of terriers and Schnauzers. The illustrated Toto sports a shaggy coat, complete with tufts of hair around his mouth and eyes, so he would likely have an FF or FI result for this gene.
Toto has a long coat
Gene: FGF5
Toto’s genetic result: LhLh
This gene affects hair length in many species, including cats, dogs, mice, and humans. In dogs, the long hair allele (meaning this version of the gene) is responsible for a long, silky coat across many breeds, including Yorkshire Terriers, Cocker Spaniels, and Golden Retrievers. This long hair allele is called Lh.
Toto probably has two Lh alleles, giving him his “long, silky hair.”
The Sh (short hair) allele is associated with a shorter coat. A dog who has an ShSh or ShLh result is likely to have a shorter coat, like a Boxer or American Staffordshire Terrier.
Toto’s coat texture
Gene: KRT71
Toto’s genetic result: TT or CT
Toto likely has a TT or CT result for this gene, giving him his curly or wavy coat.
Fun facts about real-life Totos
We also asked the Embark science team what our DNA database could tell us about real dogs named Toto. Here’s what we found:
- 271 dogs named Toto have tested with Embark
- 2 of those dogs named Toto are Cairn Terriers
- 10 of those dogs named Toto are Yorkshire Terriers
In addition to Totos, we also have:
- 210 dogs named Dorothy
- 184 dogs named Oz
- 20 dogs named Glinda
- 3 dogs named Scarecrow
- 30 dogs named Lion (and 1 dog named Cowardly Lion)
- 3 dogs named Tin Man
- 1 dog named Oz the Great and Powerful
- 1,758 dogs named Frank (like L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
Check out some of the real Totos who have tested with Embark:
Whatever his breed mix is, there’s no denying that Toto is unforgettable!
Get started with Embark
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