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There's no "Little House on the Prairie" without the family dog, Jack, who plays a major role in the Netflix series (now streaming).
Jack, the fiercely loyal brindle bulldog from Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic book series, was portrayed by a cockapoo-terrier mix dog actor named Barney in the NBC series (1974–83). In the Netflix series adaptation, Jack is played by four border collie-Australian cattle dog mixes.
"We had quite a few Jacks, because all these dogs do different things for us," Netflix "Little House" executive producer Rebecca Sonnenshine tells USA TODAY. "One is really good at swimming, one is great at following, one is great for cuddling. They are very trainable dogs."
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Sonnenshine initially looked into casting a dog similar to the books' brindle bulldog for the faithful Netflix series. However, the breed was not a match for the shoot or the human costars – including Alice Halsey, 11, as Laura Ingalls, and Skywalker Hughes, 14, as sister Mary Ingalls.
"The dogs are kind of what a pit bull would be now: Big and muscular," Sonnenshine says. "Not many of these dogs are trained up. And we just couldn't find one that we felt comfortable being around the kids like that, or doing the water work. We needed a dog that swam well, too."
So Netflix's "Little House" moved to casting the border collie-cattle dog mix – which are lovable, trainable and logical for the setting.
"We wanted a dog who made sense as a working dog on the prairie," Sonnenshine says. "And these dogs swim so well. That's really Jack in the river."
How real Jack was protected in the 'Little House' river crossing scene
Jack has a big moment in the Episode 1 river-crossing scene, jumping from the wagon into the raging waters as Laura cries out, and swimming out of sight downstream.
The river-crossing scene, which required three days of filming, was shot in Manitoba's Whitemouth Falls Provincial Park and in a specially built 144,000-gallon tank of warm water, with pumps creating the swirling current.
Two trainers stood on either side of the dog in the waist-high water during the river scenes as an added safety precaution, Sonnenshine says.
"The dog was totally fine," Sonnenshine says. "In the final edit, we had to VFX-out the trainers on either side of the dog. They are literally standing on each side of him in the [shallow] water."
Jack the dog survives 'Little House' Netflix Season 1
Jack returns after his river escapade and remains by the family's side throughout the Netflix series. In the final Season 1 scene, Jack is trotting along the family wagon once again. Season 2 filming is now underway in Canada. If the series remains faithful to the books, there could be trouble ahead for dear old Jack.
Jack died in Season 4 of NBC's 'Little House'
In the NBC series, Jack the dog died in 1977's Season 4, Episode 1, prompting mourning from the Ingalls family and a dog-loving TV nation. In this NBC episode, Laura finds Jack motionless in the barn after he passes away in his sleep from natural old age.
The whole family tearfully buries Jack under a tree, scattering wildflowers over his small grave.
Following his death, Charles "Pa" Ingalls (Michael Landon) replaced Jack with Bandit, a border collie portrayed by an animal actor named Jeffrey, with distinct black facial markings which were the inspiration for the name.
How does Jack die in the 'Little House' book series?
In the original Wilder book series, the beloved family dog, Jack, dies of old age in the beginning of the fourth book, "By the Shores of Silver Lake," published in 1939.
The heartbreaking book passage reads:
"Don't cry, Laura," Pa said. "He has gone to the Happy Hunting Grounds."
"Truly, Pa?" Laura managed to ask.
"Good dogs have their reward, Laura," Pa told her.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Little House on the Prairie' dog Jack's happy lives — and heartbreaking deaths
