Pal (dog) Pal (June 4, 1940 – June 1958) was a Rough Collie performer and the first in a line of such dogs to portray the fictional female collie Lassie in film and television. Pal was born in California in 1940 and eventually brought to the notice of Rudd Weatherwax, a Hollywood animal trainer. In 1943, the dog was chosen to play Lassie in MGM's feature film, Lassie Come Home.