Old Yeller (1957 Film) - Differences From The Book

Differences From The Book

In the book, Mrs. Coates convinces Travis to shoot Old Yeller shortly after the dog fights the wolf and is exposed to rabies (during the incubation period), where as in the film, Travis insists on waiting until Old Yeller develops symptoms before killing him. In the book Travis and Yeller had not fully recovered from the wounds they received from the hogs. Mrs. Coates and Bud Searcy's granddaughter Lisbeth had gone to burn the cow carcass and return being chased by the rabid wolf which is kept at bay by Yeller. Travis shoots the wolf as it is about to kill Yeller but in a cruel twist of fate is then forced to kill Yeller because he has been exposed to rabies and will eventually become a deadly threat to the family. There is also the minor difference in that Old Yeller is bob-tailed in the book. Whereas, in the movie, he has a long tail that arches over his back (similar to the tails of Arctic sled dogs). Another major difference is that Old Yeller appears as a Lab/Mastiff mix, while in the book he is implied to be a Black Mouth Cur.