Though Dr. Seuss's Christmas tale has cheered people for decades, the most heartwarming story to come out of the 2000 live-action version of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" may be that of Kelley the dog, who played the Grinch's overworked and under-appreciated companion, Max.

Kelley was abandoned at an animal shelter in Southern California, according to a "People" magazine profile of the now-famous canine. The hyperactive one-year-old didn't do well in a cage, but luckily, Hollywood animal trainer Roger Schumacher found out about her and realized that her energetic personality would make her a natural film star.

That personality, though, is the result of pure chance -- Kelley is a mutt, and so her temperament is the result of a blend of various breeds in her background.

The "People" article estimated a mix of Airedale and Wheaten terrier, but that's just a guess. The blend explains her wire-haired coat, as well as her size and coloration.

And though it does not explain her long ears, there's another explanation for those: they were prosthetics. (As rough as they must have been for her, they were nothing compared to the three hours' worth of makeup Carrey had to wear every day.)

Her ears weren't the only thing faked, though. All of the voice parts for Max the dog were actually done by great Hollywood voice actor Frank Welker.

Welker is a legend in the business and has been doing voices since 1969. His first and probably greatest role was Fred Jones in a series of shows and films based around another famous canine, Scooby-Doo (he's since taken on the role of the dog himself in recent incarnations).

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