Al Bundy (Ed O’neill) Kind Heart with Buck the Dog

I did not know this but Buck the beloved dog (played by a brilliant Briard named Mike), was a massive fan favorite. By Season 5, Mike was getting older and starting to slow down. Because Ed O’Neill was an enormous dog lover in real life, he became incredibly protective of his canine co-star on set. O’Neill noticed that the hot studio lights were exhausting the dog during the long filming blocks, so he personally negotiated with the producers to establish strict “Buck Rules.” These rules mandated shorter rehearsal times for the dog and required the crew to keep the soundstage significantly cooler whenever Mike was on set.