TOP 10: Cartoon Dogs
This week on the podcast we discussed our favorite episodes of Bluey, currently one of the most popular cartoons on TV. The characters in Bluey are all dogs — and all lovable. That made us realize that we should look back at animation history and pick some of our OTHER favorite cartoon dogs. There have been a slew of iconic ones over the years!
Read on for our list of cartoon dogs. Note that we focused exclusively on American cartoons (sorry, no Tintin) that aired on television, so not animated movies (with one exception).
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Best “Bluey” Episode
Honorable Mention: 101 Dalmations
I don’t know how you pick one from the dozens of adorable puppies, but we need to at least tip our caps to Disney’s 1961 animated feature, which was re-released as a live-action film in the 90s.
10. Huckleberry Hound
The Hanna-Barbera properties have increasingly been disappearing from pop culture, but Huckleberry Hound was among the most popular of their characters in the 50s and 60s. Noted for his slow Southern drawl and penchant for singing “Oh, My Darling Clementine,” Huck got into various hijinkx, and was ultimately paired with his more fabulous feline friend, Snagglepuss. On the Hanna-Barbera tip, we’ll also mention Hong Kong Phooey and Muttley, the snickering companion of Dick Dastardly.
9. Ren
Gen X could have never guessed how prescient irrationally angry and anxious chihuahua Ren, of Nickelodeon’s The Ren & Stimpy Show, would be at predicting their own existence. In the 2020s, every new day has me shaking my fist and nearly apoplectic with rage. I learned it from watching you, Ren.
8. Santa’s Little Helper
Santa’s Little Helper was introduced on the very first episode of The Simpsons, which aired in — wait for — December 1989. That means that Santa’s Little Helper is now 35 years old. The Simpsons improbably continues to go along, and while Santa’s Little Helper is rarely a featured character on the show, he has had a few notable moments, including fathering his own greyhound of 101 Dalmations, and Bart using him to commit credit-card fraud as “Santos L. Halper.”
7. Max
The Grinch’s trusty pet in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Max has only appeared in a handful of projects — and even then as a minor role — but the image of him with an antler tied to his head is the definition of iconic. And given how many times the animated How the Grinch Stole Christmas has been viewed over the decades, that makes him a pup worth mentioning.
6. Courage the Cowardly Dog
Shout out to the Millennials. This one’s for you.
5. Clifford the Big Red Dog
Who am I to discount a massive red dog? Clifford is a star of TV, film, and books, and we are always grateful for anything that gets children to actually read.
4. Pluto
We have to acknowledge the strange dynamic between Disney’s Pluto — who is a dog in the way we understand dogs in the real world — and Goofy (and his family), who are also dogs, but behave essentially like humans. What is going on there? Regardless, Pluto is the definition of a good dog. He’s helpful, loving, and protective of his friends. We could all use a Pluto in our lives.
3. Brian
Speaking of strange dynamics, Family Guy pooch Brian is treated as, essentially, a person. He speaks and interacts as a person — he is arguably more of a human than human son Chris — while most of the other dogs in the universe seem capable of doing so. He also has an intense attraction to Lois Griffin, which is…really weird. But he’s smart and caring, and probably the most moral of the male characters on the show.
2. Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo has been an icon for 55 years. Since his debut in 1969 he has starred in several eponymous TV cartoons, successful live-action films, comic books, etc. No other dog on this list has met Batman, the Addams Family, the Three Stooges, and Phyllis Diller. Scooby-Doo has connections, y’all. He is also a useful dog, as he assists Mystery Inc. in solving various mysteries. Is he usually the one to crack them? No. Is he often getting high on his supply of Scooby Snacks with Shaggy? He is. But we celebrate him for it.
Snoopy
Listen, I don’t make the rules. If you have a list of cartoon dogs, Snoopy is going to be the No. 1 answer. It’s just the truth. Snoopy is in fact the oldest dog on this list, having been introduced in the Peanuts comic strip back in 1950. Snoopy is Charlie Brown’s trusted friend, a fierce fighter pilot (in his mind), a purveyor of snow cones (in real life), and the subject of multiple Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons. When you think of cartoon dogs, you think of Snoopy. It’s science.
Who are your favorite cartoon dogs? Leave a comment below!