The Monkees: Davy Jones Revealed Mike Nesmith Had a ‘Killer Dog’ Who Bit Him on the Head ‘Without Leaving the Ground’
After The Monkees split, Davy Jones wrote a tell-all and revealed Mike Nesmith had a German Shepherd so large it once bit his head without leaving the ground.
Read on to learn what Jones said about the incident with Nesmith’s “killer dog,” Fraak, and about the spoiled pooch’s wild birthday party. Plus, more about their other pets.
The Monkees and their pets
It’s important to note that Jones, who died in 2012, seemed to like dogs, even German Shepherds. He had one named Susie in the ’60s. But a former editor of Tiger Beat, Ann Moses, reported that fans stole Susie and Jones got a Doberman Pinscher named Diablo.
Nesmith also liked dogs before his death in 2021 and eventually developed a soft spot for German Shorthaired Pointers. But in 1967, he had that German Shepherd, Fraak, and a former stray he named Spotte (per Monkee Spectacular via Sunshine Factory).
Meanwhile, Micky Dolenz, the only surviving member, would bring his dog, You, to the set of The Monkees. And Peter Tork was an animal lover, helping injured critters when he could in his younger days. He had a Boxer at one point but also had a “soul” connection with a cat (per Sunshine Factory).
Davy Jones said Mike Nesmith’s dog ‘sank his teeth’ into his head
According to Jones, who Nesmith called the group’s unofficial leader, Nesmith had style. And one of the ways he supposedly showed it off was through his dog, Fraak.
In his book They Made a Monkee Out of Me, Jones claimed that Nesmith had to have everything bigger and better. “Something about being from Texas, I suppose,” he shared. And Fraak was seemingly no exception.
Jones, who was about five feet and three inches tall according to most sources, said the “killer dog” once “sank his teeth into [his] head without leaving the ground.”
Davy Jones once revealed Mike Nesmith threw a wild party for his dog
Jones didn’t seem to hold a grudge for the bite, and he scored an invite to Fraak’s extravagant birthday party. He noted that Nesmith “was doing alright” before joining The Monkees, which showed in his lifestyle compared to the rest of the band. Notably, he had a $50 million net worth when he died in 2021.
In his book, Jones recalled the extravagance of Nesmith’s home, where he extended his swimming pool from outside to inside. When he’d been there about three weeks earlier, it was only an outdoor pool. “So now it comes in underneath this giant picture window and stops just short of the bar,” he described.
That is to say, Nesmith spared no expense when it came to preparing for the party for Fraak’s birthday. And Jones said the bash was fun for all, except those who might have suffered the wrath of the “killer dog” and his bite.
But it sounded especially enjoyable for Nesmith, who Jones said disappeared to fly to his home state of Texas — from California — for hamburgers at his favorite spot.
