History Literature / OldYeller

* AdaptationalAngstDowngrade: In the film version, Travis sees that Old Yeller has ''clearly'' contracted rabies, so putting him down, sad as it is, is the only safe and humane thing to do. In the book Travis shoots him as soon as he realizes his dog has been bitten by a rabid wolf, even though it means destroying Yeller before he has visibly sickened.
* AdaptationExpansion: In the book, Travis shoots Old Yeller immediately, knowing he will contract rabies, and the scene takes up less than a page. In the film, [[HopeSpot he delays the inevitable for two weeks, hoping Old Yeller won't develop rabies, and shoots him only when it's clear that he has.]]

* DeathByNewberyMedal: Travis ends up having to shoot Old Yeller due to rabies.
* DeterminedHomesteader: She cooks and cleans, works the farm, is able to handle a gun, settles disputes between Travis and Arliss, and doesn't bat an eye at stitching a wound shut.

* GoodParents: The father goes off to earn money for the family and gives his son a sympathetic speech at the end. The movie focuses more on the mother, who is very understanding and helps when Old Yeller is injured. She is willing to shoot him at the end when he gets rabies.

* AdaptationalAngstDowngrade: In the film version, Old Yeller has ''visibly'' contracted rabies, so putting him down is the only safe and humane thing to do. In the book Travis puts him down as soon as he realizes his dog has been bitten by a rabid wolf, even though it means destroying Yeller before he has visibly sickened.

15-year-old Travis Coates is the new-made man of the house while his father is away on a cattle drive. Then the wilderness blows a stray "yeller" dog into his life whom he initially distrusts... until Old Yeller saves his little brother Arliss from a MamaBear (kids shouldn't play with bear cubs). The two become inseparable partners, hunting and facing the dangers of TheWildWest together, until tragedy forces Travis to make his hardest decision.

* AdaptationalAngstDowngrade: In the film version, it's confirmed that Old Yeller has contracted rabies and putting him down is sad but necessary as the only safe and humane thing to do for both dog and family. In the book Travis puts him down immediately, knowing rabies is inevitable, but suffering the pang of destroying the dog before he has visibly sickened.
* AdaptationExpansion: In the book, Travis shoots Old Yeller immediately after the fight with the wolf, knowing he will inevitably contract rabies, and the scene takes up less than a page. In the film, [[HopeSpot he delays the inevitable for two weeks, hoping Old Yeller won't become rabid, and shoots him only when it's clear that he has to do it.]]

* BearsAreBadNews: Arliss messes with a bear cub, attracting a MamaBear. Good thing Old Yeller comes between him and the MamaBear.

* BrattyHalfPint: Arliss brings a lot of trouble on himself, and Travis, their mother, and Old Yeller have to save him more than once.

* HeroicDog: Old Yeller won't stand down to save his family from any threat, even if it has a negative impact on him.
* HeroicSacrifice: Old Yeller fends off a rabid wolf to protect his family, but since he's bitten in the process, is infected and has to be put down.
* HopeSpot: In the movie, Yeller is quarantined to see whether he will catch rabies. After some lingering days where he seems healthy, he finally succumbs, forcing Travis to shoot him. The novel averts this with Travis' mother urging him that they must not take any chances and kill Old Yeller immediately.

* MercyKill: Travis shoots Old Yeller to save him from a lingering death via rabies and prevent his loyal dog now turned from mauling and infected everyone.

* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Old Yeller protects the family from a rabid wolf, only for him to turn rabid as a result of getting bitten. The family is forced to put him down.

* WhamShot: Unlike the novel, Travis succeeds in getting his mother to agree with his idea to lock up Old Yeller and check on him just to see if he might be rabid. [[HopeSpot For a while, it does seems like Old Yeller is fine and happy to see his family visit him with food]]. But one night, as Travis is coming over to feed him, Old Yeller greets his best friend with a savage and terrifying growl. [[OhCrap Travis' reaction says it all]].

* FriendToAllLivingThings: Arliss loves spending time with dogs, wants to make a bear cub his pet, is upset in the sequel when he thinks their mule is dead (although he tends to yell at that mule other times), and squirts milk into the barn cats' mouths while he's milking a cow.

* AllDogsArePurebreds: In the book, Yeller is an Original Mountain Cur.

* AllDogsArePurebred: In the book, Travis finds a random stray who happens to be a purebred Original Mountain Cur.

* DeadGuyJunior: The family is gifted with Old Yeller's son, but the puppy is not named until the end of the movie. By then Old Yeller has died, but is named Young Yeller.

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** We get a tearjerking moment with father and son comfort one another over Old Yeller's death… Oh wait, his PreciousPuppy of a son is still around!

** But Travis insists they keep Old Yeller in quarantine if there MIGHT be a chance their dog isn't rabid. In the film we're given a HopeSpot that seems like Old Yeller is perfectly healthy… until the night Travis is greeted by a snarling and terrifying Old Yeller, and nearly lunges at Arliss when he tried to free him. Their mother managed to stop him by a hair, but comes back with a gun and tells Travis one last chilling line over Old Yeller's fate.

** Travis and Old Yeller become a working partnership, though even when he comes to respect the dog, it takes him a while to move on to real affection. After Old Yeller is put down, Travis accepts the former’s pup sired by Lisbeth’s dog and names him Young Yeller.
** While Travis and Old Yeller had a rocky start, Arliss takes an instant shine to the dog, and is especially happy to accept Old Yeller’s offspring.

* DeadGuyJunior: The family is gifted with Old Yeller’s son, but the puppy is not named until the end of the movie. By then Old Yeller has died, but is named Young Yeller.

* HeroicSacrifice: Old Yeller fends off a rabid wolf to protect his family, but since he’s bitten in the process, is infected and has to be put down.
* HopeSpot: In the movie, Yeller is quarantined to see whether he will catch rabies. After some lingering days where he seems healthy, he finally succumbs, forcing Travis to shoot him. The novel averts this with Travis’ mother urging him that they must not take any chances and kill Old Yeller immediately.
* FriendToAllLivingThings: Arliss loves spending time with dogs, wants to make a bear cub his pet, is upset in the sequel when he thinks their mule is dead (although he tends to yell at that mule other times), and squirts milk into the barn cats’ mouths while he's milking a cow.

** We get a tearjerking moment with father and son comfort one another over Old Yeller’s death… Oh wait, his PreciousPuppy of a son is still around!

* ObliviousToLove: Lisbeth Searcy has an obviously crush on Travis, who either doesn't notice or doesn't care. At least not until the third book, anyway. They are said to be married.

** The cow’s reaction to Old Yeller’s DeathGlare, scarring her into submission.
** When Travis comes by to feed the now quarantined Old Yeller, he’s greeting not by his loyal furry friend, but snarling and now rabid beast. He’s petrified into silence, but lies to his mother over what happened, but it doesn’t take long for the ruse to be discovered.
* PapaWolf: Near literal for Old Yeller. Nothing will stop this dog from protecting his new family, wether it be fighting a literal MamaBear from mauling little Arliss, fending off a herd of wild hogs or staring down a cow in defense of Travis, Old Yeller never backs down from a fight if it means protecting his family. Tragically this gets him killed, as he’s put down by Travis himself after Old Yeller fought against a rabid wolf that tried to attack Travis’ mother and Lisbeth.

** After Old Yeller’s death, Lisbeth brings up that the puppy Old Yeller sired by her dog is still a part of him, but Travis reminds her that the pup still isn’t Old Yeller. After his father’s consolation, Travis comes around and accepts the pup and names him Young Yeller.

* WhamShot: Unlike the novel, Travis succeeds in getting his mother to agree with his idea to lock up Old Yeller and check on him just to see if he might be rabid. [[HopeSpot For a while, it does seems like Old Yeller is fine and happy to see his family visit him with food]]. But one night, as Travis is coming over to feed him, Old Yeller greets his best friend with a savage and terrifying growl. [[OhCrap Travis’ reaction says it all]].
* WhamLine: After Old Yeller’s fight with the wolf, the lovable dog comes trotting up to the very much relieved Travis and his concerned mother, but the latter seals Old Yeller’s fate with this realization-

** But Travis insists they keep Old Yeller in quarantine if there MIGHT be a chance their dog isn’t rabid. In the film we’re given a HopeSpot that seems like Old Yeller is perfectly healthy… until the night Travis is greeted by a snarling and terrifying Old Yeller, and nearly lunges at Arliss when he tried to free him. Their mother managed to stop him by a hair, but comes back with a gun and tells Travis one last chilling line over Old Yeller’s fate.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Young Yeller is the family’s new dog following the death of his father. But the sequel has the family with a different dog, Old Yeller’s other son, Savage Sam, and does not bring up what happens to Young Yeller. According to the novels, Savage Sam and Young Yeller are the same character, as the previous novel did not give a name to the puppy Lisbeth gifted to Travis after the wild hog attack.

* WhamShot: unlike the novel, Travis succeeds in getting his mother to agree with his idea to lock up Old Yeller and check on him just to see if he might be rabid. [[HopeSpot For a while, it does seems like Old Yeller is fine and happy to see his family visit him with food]]. But one night, as Travis is coming over to feed him, Old Yeller greets his best friend with a savage and terrifying growl. [[OhCrap Travis’ reaction says it all]].

* ZombieInfectee: The reason Yeller must die, substituting "rabies" (or "hydrophobia" as it was called in both book and movie) for "zombie".

* WhamLine: After Old Teller’s fight with the wolf, the lovable dog comes trotting up to the very much relieved Travis and his concerned mother, but the latter seals Old Yeller’s fate with this realization-

* SavageWolves: The DownerEnding is brought about by a rabid wolf whom Yeller fights and drives away from the family, contracting rabies himself. Justified as it's remarked that no ordinary wolf would act as it did, meaning it had to be rabid.

* AdaptationalAngstDowngrade: In the film version, it's confirmed that Yeller has contracted rabies and putting him down is sad but necessary as the only safe and humane thing to do for both dog and family. In the book Travis puts him down immediately, knowing rabies is inevitable, but suffering the pang of destroying the dog before he has visibly sickened.
* AdaptationExpansion: In the book, Travis shoots Yeller immediately after the fight with the wolf, knowing he will inevitably contract rabies, and the scene takes up less than a page. In the film, he delays the inevitable for two weeks, hoping Yeller won't become rabid, and shoots him only when it's clear that he has to do it.

* BearsAreBadNews: Arliss messes with bear cubs, attracting a MamaBear.

* FaceMonsterTurn: Old Yeller, thanks to the rabies he contacts.

* TheHeroDies: After all he's been through, Yeller dies of a MercyKill after he fends off a rabid wolf.
* HeroicDog: Yeller won't stand down to save his family from any threat, even if it has a negative impact on him.
* HeroicSacrifice: Yeller fends off a rabid wolf to protect his family, but gets bitten in the process, contracts rabies and has to be put down.
* HopeSpot: In the movie, Yeller is quarantined to see whether he will catch rabies. After some lingering days where he seems healthy, he finally succumbs, forcing Travis to shoot him.

* MercyKill: In the book and the film, Travis shoots Yeller to save him from a lingering death by rabies.
* MoodWhiplash: Poor Old Yeller, having to be shot for contracting rabies... Hey, look! Papa has come home!

* PapaWolf: Near literal for Old Yeller. Nothing will stop this dog from protecting his new family, weather it be a fighting a literal MamaBear from mauling little Arliss, fending off a herd of wild hogs or staring down a cow in defense of Travis, Old Yeller never backs down from a fight if it means protecting his family. Tragically this gets him killed, as he’s put down by Travis himself after Old Yeller fought against a rabid wolf that tried to attack Travis’ mother and Lisbeth.

* BittersweetEnding: Old Yeller dies after Travis is forced to shoot him for contracting rabies, but at the very end the family bonds with Old Yeller's puppy, named Young Yeller.
* ABoyAndHisX: Travis and Yeller become a working partnership, though even when he comes to respect the dog, it takes him a while to move on to real affection.
* BrattyHalfPint: Arliss brings a lot of trouble on himself, and Travis and their mother have to save him more than once.

* CubCuesProtectiveParent: Arliss plays around with and tries to catch a bear cub, resulting is a rather displeased mother bear showing up. This bear might have killed Arliss had not Yeller been there to fight the bear off.

* MoodWhiplash: Poor Yeller, having to be shot for contracting rabies... Hey, look! Papa has come home!

* ObliviousToLove: Lisbeth Searcy has an obviously crush on Travis, who either doesn't notice or doesn't care. At least not until the third book, anyway. They are said to be married there.

* RandomSpeciesOffspring: Savage Sam is portrayed by a purebred bluetick coonhound even though old yeller was portrayed by a dog that was half Labrador and Mastiff. In the novels, Old Yeller is described as a yellow cur while his mate is a blue tick trail hound, while Savage Sam [[PatchworkKids resembles both of them]].

** After Old Yeller’s death, Lizabeth brings up that the puppy Old Yeller sired by her dog is still a part of him, but Travis reminds her that the pup still isn’t Old Yeller. After his father’s consolation, Travis comes around and accepts the pup and names him Young Yeller.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Young Yeller is the family’s new dog following the death of his father. But the sequel has the family with a different dog, Old Yeller’s other son, Savage Sam, and does not bring up what happens to Young Yeller.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Young Yeller is the family’s new family dog following the death of his father. But the sequel has the family with a different dog, Old Yeller’s other son, Savage Sam, and does not bring up what happens to Young Yeller.

* BittersweetEnding: Old Yeller dies after Travis is forced to shoot him for contracting rabies, but at the very end the family adopts Old Yeller's puppy son.

* ReplacementGoldfish: Yeller's son Savage Sam takes his father's place in the family.

* AdaptationalAngstUpgrade: Inverted. In the film version, it's confirmed that Yeller has contracted rabies and putting him down is sad but necessary as the only safe and humane thing to do for both dog and family. In the book Travis puts him down immediately, knowing rabies is inevitable, but suffering the pang of destroying the dog before he has visibly sickened.

* BigBad: Probably the rabid wolf that attacked the farm and bit Old Yeller since he is the cause for the titular character's death.

* DeterminedHomesteadersWife: She cooks and cleans, works the farm, is able to handle a gun, settles disputes between Travis and Arliss, and doesn't bat an eye at stitching a wound shut.

* SeldomSeenSpecies: Yeller in the book is an American hunting dog breed known as the "Original Mountain Cur".

%%* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Little Arliss.

* AdaptationExpansion: In the book, Travis shoots Yeller immediately after the fight with the wolf, knowing he will inevitably contract rabies, and the scene takes up less than a page. In the film, he delays the inevitable for two weeks, hoping Yeller won't become rabid, and shoots him only when it's clear that he has.