In 1920, after years of searching for the right dog to star in their planned adventure film, movie director Laurence Trimble ...

Rico is a 12-year-old German Shepherd, and a member of the Beckley family. Age has caught up with the pup. His sight, his hearing, even his hips are all that of a dog who’s lived a long life.

"Even though we have different technology, we're still relying on dogs for sight, for hearing and for smell abilities," historian Nolan Watson told Newsweek.