Sylvester Stallone Got His 'Best Friend' Dog Back after He Was Forced to Sell Him to Feed His Family

Sylvester Stallone is now a household name known across the world. But before he got his big break in "Rocky," the actor was homeless and lived paycheck to paycheck with his dog Butkus who he loved dearly. His financial situation forced him to sell Butkus, but he fought to get him back.

A year before getting his breakthrough role in the iconic film franchise "Rocky," Sylvester Stallone only had $106 in his pocket, a pregnant wife, and a bull mastiff to feed. He could not afford his rent, so the actor was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

However, throughout his struggle, his dog Butkus was his best friend. The actor shared a sweet picture with him and Butkus and opened up about how they survived the toughest moments together.

Stallone said at the time, he was 26 and only had two pairs of pants and a pair of torn shoes, but he was driven by his dream to become a successful actor and by the support of Butkus.

The actor continued his road down memory lane and posted another image with Butkus. This time he shared that he found personal growth with his dog by his side.

Stallone confessed, "We were both thin, hungry, and living in a flophouse above a subway stop…." His apartment located in New York City had roaches crawling over it, but his living situation and the motivation to make it big with Butkus led him to screenwriting.

The "Rocky" legend said he promised his best friend that he would only travel first class and get the best of the best once he gained success, and he kept his promise. He loved Butkus so much because he accepted him when he had nothing.

Sylvester Stallone Was Forced to Sell Butkus

Things took a while to take off for Stallone, and he was forced to sell Butkus at one point. He only made $36 a week, so feeding himself, his wife, and his furry best friend was difficult. No matter how poor he was, Stallone said he always needed a pet, but his financial situation did not allow him one.

Therefore, Stallone made the difficult decision to give Butkus a better life and earn more to feed his family. However, when he landed his big break with "Rocky," he started to make more money and went back to the family he sold Butlus to.

Stallone and his dog were only separated for six months, but Butkus' new family did not want to let him go, so the actor begged them and told them Butkus deserved to be in his "Rocky" movie.

However, Stallone said the man had initially given him $60 for Butkus, but the second time around, he said he would sell the dog back to him for $3000.

The actor told him he did not have that kind of money, so the second offer was that Stallon put him in the movie. Stallone was desperate, so he agreed. He described the man as short, so he made it into the beginning of the movie, and his opening line was a joke about his height.

After pleading to get Butkus back, the dog and his previous owner got a chance to be in what would become one of the biggest movie franchises,

Besides the fact that Stallone wanted to be reconnected with his dog, he needed Butkus to be part of the movie because the budget did not allow for them to find a dog to train. But the actor also revealed that he had already included Butkus in the script even before he gave him away.

Stallone got the idea to write "Rocky" after watching the boxing fight between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner, and ten months later, the script was ready.

Unfortunately, the actor only had limited time with Butkus. After delivering his promise to give him only the best, the actor's dog died from a heart attack in 1981.

However, Butkus is still a big part of Stallone's life and a part that he will never forget. He keeps him as his desktop wallpaper to remember their shared good days.

Sylvester Stallone Made It Big

Since the first "Rocky" movie was released, there have been four more sequels, and Stallone has made a successful actor and produced and written screenplays. The actor has also made real estate investments that paid off well.

As of 2022, his net worth was reportedly estimated at around $400 million. He started living a glamorous celebrity life with chefs and chauffeurs when he made it.

However, his wife, Jennifer Flavin, advised him to lead a more grounded and simple life, so he got rid of all his staff, including chefs, drivers, and security. The security that always surrounded him made the actor realize how he had excluded himself from interacting with people.

Now that he enjoyed a simpler life, Stallone explained that fans would be shocked at how normal he lives. He said, "You'd be surprised how unglamorous, or normal, my life is. My cars get flat tires, my dogs go to the bathroom on the carpet, and my shower doesn't always work".

Moreover, without the shadow of his security, he started to enjoy walking around town and interacting with his fans. Stallone also had the pleasure of driving his children to school even though it was not as normal because he dropped them off two blocks away with a bag over his head.