Hallmark/Heavy Finn the dog
While many characters stand out in Hallmark’s hit series “The Way Home,” perhaps one that has captured fans’ hearts the most is Finn the dog. Finn has played a large role in the time travel mystery, and even featured heavily in a “time travel rules” scene that was pivotal in the last episode of season 2. During a recent panel Q&A, the cast revealed that Finn has a surprisingly tragic back story in real life.
The panel took place on Saturday, June 2, at the ATX TV Festival, which Heavy attended in person. Chyler Leigh (Kat), Evan Williams (Elliot), Sadie Laflamme-Snow (Alice), showrunners and co-creators Alexandra Clarke and Heather Conkie, and co-creator Marly Reed all were part of the panel.
Finn Had a Tough Upbringing in Real Life
Animals aren’t always easy to work with on set, and Finn — adorable as he is — wasn’t an exception. In fact, the animal trainers had to give him special attention because he had a difficult upbringing.
“He had a very rough upbringing,” Chyler Leigh revealed. “He was very poorly treated before he was brought in… So he was a little bit skittish … a little apprehensive, but our trainers, they really did as great a job as you can with a dog that is also a herding dog.”
She didn’t elaborate further on Finn’s upbringing, but everyone on the panel was sympathetic about the dog’s early years.
Leigh then joked about how much energy Finn has because he’s a herding dog.
“He’s just got…stuff to do,” she said with a laugh. “He tries to do it. And so, it’s a little unruly.”
Despite his difficult past, Finn adapted to the loving environment on set. The cast and crew have a deep affection for him, and it was evident in the anecdotes the shared.
Laflamme-Snow said, “We’re dog people, animal people, so we’re happy to see [Finn].”
And Williams agreed. “He’s a sweet boy.”
He also joked that the camera operators don’t always love working with animals. “The dog’s going to take focus 100% of the time…” Williams admitted.
Laflamme-Snow added: “I think most shows would be like, ‘Oh, you know, then the dog went to another farm.’ But he’s the hero. He was the one that went into the pond.”
The cast agreed that Finn’s resilience and the tremendous work done by his trainers helped him adjust to his new life and his leading role on the show.
Leigh Recalled a Funny Moment Involving Finn
Working with animals on set is always a challenge, but Finn’s presence brought both joy and unique hurdles. Leigh recounted a particularly amusing incident during a serious scene by the pond. She said that Gwyneth McFall-Gorman (whom she referred to as Gwen) was working in the props department at the time, and had to come up with a very creative solution.
“Sadie and I had this really serious scene, and we’re out right by the pond…” she recalled. “And Finn, he just did not want to do it. It was like, ‘Not today.’ And so Gwen [one of the people in the props department] actually held the other end of his leash, and she’s … on the ground… holding [the leash] as if this is him… She had to hold it so it could move appropriately.”
They had to act serious while McFall-Gorman was on the ground, holding the leash and pretending to be Finn, Leigh recalled, mimicking what McFall-Gorman was doing.
“[It’s] serious dialogue, and there’s this woman who is squatting next to you,” Leigh said laughing.
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