What kind of dog is Indy from Good Boy? Details from the horror film explored

In the freshly released horror film Good Boy, audiences might be wondering what breed the dog, Indy, is. Well, our good boy, Indy, is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, also commonly known as "Toller."

The film features the poignant story of a lovable and resilient dog named Indy, who strives his best to protect his pet parent, Todd, amidst the eerie supernatural events that take place. In this debut directorial of Ben Leonberg, the director involved his own dog Indy to portray himself in the film.

Keep reading to find out more about the latest movie star in town — Indy the Toller, of Good Boy.

“We certainly didn’t think he was going to be a movie star," says helmer Ben Leonberg about Indy from Good Boy

Indy’s breed, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, is often mistaken for a Golden Retriever due to their similar appearance. However, the Toller is the smallest member of the Retriever family. Tollers are also likely to be a blend of Farm Collie, Setter, Retriever and Spaniel.

This eight-year-old pooch has already won hearts everywhere and become a bona fide star. His delicate, fierce and emotive gaze is bound to leave a lasting impact on the viewer's mind. Due to his impeccable performance in Good Boy, Indy has been honored with SXSW's “Howl of Fame” award.

This breed is a great dog for family settings, since they are highly attentive, diligent and spirited furballs of love. One distinct quality about this breed is their screechy bark, which is quite a quintessential element in a horror flick.

All of these qualities certainly make Indy the perfect cast in the horror film. Not only that, the fact that Indy is the dog of director Ben Leonberg makes it feel even more wholesome and personal. There’s nothing more compelling than seeing a dog and human’s real-life bond come alive on screen.

As reported by American Kennel Club, this is what Leonberg says about Indy becoming an actor in his film, by stating:

“We certainly didn’t think he was going to be a movie star. I’d been thinking about this idea for a haunted house movie told from the perspective of a dog. We got Indy to be our friend and trained him just for basic obedience and to go on walks and hikes with us, and the idea to make a film with him slowly came about."

Also, the whole idea of showcasing a story from the POV of a dog is an interesting, pioneering area to explore. In another interview with BBC Culture, Leonberg talked about the origin of the idea behind Good Boy, as he mentioned:

"The idea started as a concept after watching Poltergeist [1982] for probably the 100th time. In the opening of that film, the family's dog clearly senses the presence of the ghost before anyone else. That trope of 'the dog who knows better' appears in so many horror films, and I thought, 'Someone should really tell that story from the dog's perspective.'"

After its global premiere at the SXSW on 10th March 2025, Good Boy came to the big screens on 3rd October 2025. The film garnered an impressive rating of a whopping 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 6.8/10 in IMDb.