In 2000, Hollywood decided audiences needed a live-action movie starring Jim Carrey as the terrifying-looking green creature from Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas. The film later won multiple Oscars, became one of the highest-grossing holiday films of all time, and remains one of the most beloved Christmas specials to date. But the real star of the movie isn’t Carrey as the Grinch; it’s Max the Dog, his ever-loyal best friend.
According to the Animal Humane Association, Max is played by six different mixed-breed shelter rescue dogs: Kelly, Chip, Topsy, Stella, Zelda, and Bo. Lots of harnesses and precautions were employed to bring Maxs scenes to life, and it was worth it, too — that pup is the best part of the movie. “Max is much more than just the Grinchs loyal dog and unwitting accomplice,” the Animal Humane Association wrote on its website. “In fact, Max may be the true hero of the story, as his humor, devotion, and likeability outshine even the Whos down in Whoville.”
This pup stands by his owner through it all — even the Grinchs deranged plan to, you know, steal Christmas from Whoville. “Max is the world’s greatest dog, let alone the Grinchs best companion,” actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who voiced the Grinch in a 2018 animated adaptation, told USA Today. “Anyone should be so lucky to have a Max in their life.”
He’s Willing To Try New Things
The Grinch dresses Max up as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to lead his stealing-Christmas sleigh, and Max is kind of willing to roll with it — until his owner realizes the whole thing is a bad idea.
Written in 2018 by Astrid Holm, I Am Max is the story of How the Grinch Stole Christmas but from the point of view of Max himself. And if you couldn’t tell, this is a Dr. Seuss style book, but obviously not written by the author himself.
In fact, we are kind of obsessed with the Grinch’s dog and he is why we love the story so much. Max is proof that dog’s are truly the most loyal companions anyone can ever have.
Are you a fan of Dr. Seuss? Do you enjoy How the Grinch Stole Christmas? Are you a fan of his dog Max? I know we are! But did you know Max his own book?
Over on Amazon, the book will cost you about $3.99, although the list price is $7.99, and it truly gives us a new look at the classic story. And if you are anything like us, then you already know that we want as much Max content as we can get.
It’s been quite a journey for the “Max” dogs. They’ve been rescued from shelters, trained to be movie stars, snagged a major motion picture, adopted into loving, secure homes, and finally—at least for Topsy, Stella, Zelda, and Bo—retired from show business. Although it was a brief career, their paw print has been made—and judging by the potential blockbuster-status of the Dr. Seuss classic, it won’t go unnoticed.
Many television and movie star dogs are actually “discovered” as orphans at local animal shelters or pounds. Happy, who stars in TV’s “7th Heaven” was rescued from a veterinarian’s office, and J.J. is a yellow lab that was rescued from the pound and stars in the upcoming movie “The Mexican” with Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts. Schumacher often finds dogs with star potential at pounds, and actually discovered all six “Max” dogs at local shelters. Although he does look for qualities such as playfulness and a lack of shy and skittish behavior, Schumacher states that he does not wait to find one particular “fit” for a role. The “Max” dogs, after all, had their hair dyed and trimmed to resemble one another, and each had their own distinctive personality.
While the Grinch’s heart literally—and painfully—grows to match his newfound love for humanity, Max barks and whines in distress along with his master. For this scene, Max’s part was filmed separately so that she wouldn’t be frightened by the Grinch’s sudden attack. The dog was reacting to the trainer’s cues rather than to the Grinch’s antics. Soon after, however, the Grinch finally professes his love for his canine companion, and Max affectionately licks his master’s face. The trainer prompted the dog to do this by placing baby food on the actor’s cheek. Yet Max’s ultimate reward, perhaps, is his hearty serving of “roast beast,” as he revels in the Christmas celebration in Whoville. The dog obediently sat at the crowded dinner table after the trainer told her to “stay,” and enjoyed a helping of ham.
The Grinch’s loyal dog Max is back as well, and is played by six different mixed-breed shelter rescues: Kelly, Chip, Topsy, Stella, Zelda, and Bo. The dogs all wore a lightweight headpiece with long ears attached, and for the flying sequences wore an additional antler headpiece as well as fur-covered harnesses to secure the dogs in place. Kelly also wore a fur-covered harness in a scene where the Grinch and Max hide in the mailroom. They were suspended in the upper corner near the ceiling, while a crewmember held cables connected to four points on the harness from his position behind both the Grinch and the ceiling. The crewmember securely held the cables for the entirety of the scene, ensuring that there was no chance of Kelly falling.
Still in the cave, Max dons a hard hat with a miner’s light and carries a wrench in his mouth to hand over to the Grinch. Both the welding hat and the wrench were made of lightweight plastic, and there was a treat waiting in the toolbox for Max when he deposited the wrench back into the box. To get Max to watch the Grinch during his monologues, Jim Carrey’s stand-in would give the dog plenty of treats for being attentive during rehearsal, so that when filming began, the dog knew she’d be rewarded for her behavior.
FAQ
Is Max in The Grinch a real dog?
What is the Grinch’s dog’s name?
Max was actually played by six different dogs, and all were mixed-breed shelter rescues. The two lead dogs were Kelly and Chip—with Kelly doing most of the stunts—and the other four were Topsy, Stella, Zelda, and Bo.
How did the Grinch get Max the dog?