Einstein, the dog who played Cain in Red Dead Redemption 2, has died

pcgamer.com:

Einstein Barnes, the dog who played Cain in Rockstar's Western epic Red Dead Redemption 2, has died. News of Einstein's passing was shared on Instagram by his owner and coworker, RDR2 animator Jason Barnes.

«Einstein was truly one of a kind,» Barnes wrote. «From the moment we met, we formed a deep bond, and it was clear that we were destined for countless adventures together.

»Though our time together has come to an end, your memory will live on forever. Red Dead Redemption 2 may immortalize you as Cain, but it is the memories we created together that truly preserve your spirit. The lessons you taught me about loyalty, love, and living life to the fullest will never be forgotten."

Barnes told PC Gamer that he first encountered Einstein, then named Hero, at a shelter when he was still a puppy. Inspired by Cowboy Bebop and Back to the Future, he renamed him to Einstein—Ein for short—and trained him as a service dog. 

Einstein got involved in the production of Red Dead Redemption 2 after Barnes was promoted from Rockstar San Diego to the New York office. The move was a «big adjustment» for both of them but he was able to bring Einstein to the office every day, where he became known «as being the best dog.» His only issue, Barnes said, was that «he would occasionally 'glee pee' when he saw certain members of the team,» particularly ingame cinematography director Luke Howard.

When Barnes started working on the RDR2 motion capture set on Long Island, Einstein would often accompany him on the drive out. His turn as Cain began as just a fitting for testing the dog mo-cap suit, but «he was known by all of the actors at this point and because of his service training, he was very used to sitting and waiting patiently which made him