There are three things that people can unanimously agree are amazing: cartoons, dogs, and cartoon dogs. Some of the greatest cartoon characters are dogs and some of the most memorable animated stories involve dogs, so it’s only fair to give them the respect they deserve. The downside though is that with most lists celebrating animated pooches, what little there are, they almost always go for the “famous” dogs. Pluto, Scooby-Doo, Snoopy, the works. They’re all great characters in their own rights, but I feel it is important to acknowledge some of the cartoon canines who don’t get the same kind of love that the big dogs do.
There is some debate over whether bipedal, anthropomorphic dogs count as “cartoon dogs,” as they are very different from the usual dog. Most will argue Pluto’s a dog, but Goofy’s status is much more up in the air. But because #AllDogsMatter, and I’ve always felt LocoMag needed a stronger following with the Furry community, I might as well count bipedal dogs into the list as well.
Bitzer (Shaun the Sheep): Hailing from the Aardman Animation series Shaun the Sheep, Bitzer works as the second-in-command to the farmer, who always tries, but fails to stop Shaun from whatever wacky shenanigans he and the rest of the sheep get themselves into. Hailing from a show that mostly relies on slapstick and silent humor, Bitzer works as a terrific foil to Shaun’s crazy antics. What makes him interesting though is that he does have a fondness for Shaun and his friends, and is willing to put up with his crazy adventures. But he is still a dedicated worker, making him a loyal companion to both the sheep and the farmer, and an enjoyable presence within both Aardman’s fun and wacky shorts, and hilarious film adaptation (Seriously, if you can find that movie, go watch it. It deserves far more attention than it has right now).
Bolt (Bolt): The 2008 Disney film kind of came and went and has sadly gotten little acknowledgment from the Mouse House. This is a shame, as Bolt is easily one of their most endearing characters. A famous dog actor who actually believes he’s the superpowered canine he is depicted as in the series, ends up on a cross-country road trip in an attempt to “save” his owner Penny, played by Miley Cyrus. What makes Bolt so enjoyable is how earnest and sweet of a character he truly is. His world revolves entirely around his owner Penny, and he will go at great odds to comfort and protect her. He’s affectionate and loving, but also headstrong and impulsive, making him an enjoyable, if stubborn protagonist. When he is placed in the real world, unaware that his life is more or less a lie, it not only leads to great comedy, but also great pathos. Add on a fantastic performance from John Travolta, and you have the perfect recipe for a great character and an enjoyable movie.
Cú (Song of the Sea): Found within the 2014 film produced by Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon, this sheepdog is one of the most endearing dog characters to come in a long time. Originally forced to live on an island with his master while the master’s children, Ben and Saoirse, are forced to move into the city with their grandmother, Cú, being loyal to the children, manages to find a way to travel into the city to find his long-lost family members, which leads to the trio into an unforgettable fantasy adventure, involving fairies, selkies, and witches. It’s an utterly gorgeous and severely overlooked animated adventure, with one of the most severely overlooked animated dogs. Song of the Sea is a wonderful film, and Cú is a wonderful dog.
Dodger (Oliver and Company): This modern retelling of Oliver Twist sees the story told through the perspective of street animals in New York City, and sees the character of Dodger transformed into a mangy mongrel with the smooth voice of Billy Joel. Not only does Dodger have the best song in the film, “Why Should I Worry,” he’s just flat-out cool. He’s street-smart, he’s wisecracking, he’s a smooth talker, he is a good friend to Oliver and the other street dogs, and again, he’s voiced by Billy Joel, the textbook definition of cool. Basically, for a dog, Dodger’s a pretty cool cat.
Ladybird (King of the Hill): An elderly dog close to her death bed, Ladybird is one of Hank Hill’s most treasured family members. So treasured, Hank went out of his way to pay for surgery for her narrow uterus in an attempt to have kids, which is oddly enough better treatment than anything Hank ever gave to his wife Peggy. She’s a neutral being, saying and doing very little, but is still always willing to comfort whenever the situation needs it, making her a kind, if elderly figure, and one who stands out as a charming figure in a show filled with crazies and kooks.
Nana (Peter Pan): As the caretaker of the Darling children, this basset hound is an old, but kindly and sweet canine who considers her owners to be just as important as a puppy, willing to do whatever it takes to make sure Wendy, John, and Michael are well-fed and taken care of. And while most of the Darlings appreciate all that Nana does for the kids, Mr. Darling, the no-nonsense authority figure who hates anything and everything childhood, often threats Nana to stop taking care of the kids. But she’s still a strong mother and caretaker, arguably even more so than the actual Darling parents themselves, and is an enjoyable presence within the very beginning of the film. It’s unfortunate she couldn’t join in on the Neverland adventures.
Mr. Peabody (Rocky and Bullwinkle): The star of the Peabody’s Improbable History section in the show The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends, Mr. Peabody is the smartest being in existence, who along with his human son Sherman use the WABAC, a time machine that creates an alternate reality that allows the two to interact with past historical figures. Not only did it make kids learn about history in a fun and creative way, Mr. Peabody himself quickly became one of the most endearing parts of the series, delivering fun interactions with historical figures, and plenty of bad puns, something I will always appreciate. The 2014 film adaptation and the recent Netflix reboot only further cement how enjoyable Peabody is, as not only is he voiced by Ty Burrell in the film and Chris Parnell in the series, but both manage to expand upon Peabody’s relationship with Sherman, revealing a rather touching father-son relationship that’s a joy to watch. An intellectual and an overall fun character, Mr. Peabody deserves far more attention and appreciation as a genius and as a father.
Poochie (The Simpsons): In “The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show,” one of the best episodes of the series, the producers for The Itchy & Scratchy Show attempt to save the show’s ratings by introducing the new character Poochie, a dog with “attitude,” who ends up being voiced by Homer Simpson. The downside is that Poochie as a character stinks. Because the show’s producers spent more time trying to make him “hip” to the kids, the show itself suffers, as audiences soon begin to hate the show for ruining something that didn’t need any fixing, something a lot of television producers still fail to recognize. It’s the kind of satire that really made the golden age of Simpsons so funny and memorable. And that doesn’t even mention the show’s jabs at fanboy culture and its hilarious subversion of an ending. As a perfect satire to meddling executives, as well as being a part of one the show’s best episodes, Poochie may have been a dud, but he still holds an important spot on this list.
Sherlock Hound (Sherlock Hound): I’ve never watched a single episode of this show, but reading up about this character made me instantly put him as a contender. From the Japanese anime which had the great Hayao Miyazaki as a director and writer, Sherlock Hound is…well, Sherlock Holmes, but as an anthropomorphic dog. And much like Holmes, he’s an overly eccentric, yet highly knowledgeable detective and intellect. He’s calm and logical, but is also a step ahead of everyone else, including his companion Doctor Watson, and is always tinkering with a new invention or experiment within his wild and messy apartment. I admit that I haven’t seen much of the character, and I really only put him here because the idea of a dog version of Sherlock Holmes is too awesome of an idea, but with such a likable idea and having the blessing of Mr. Miyazaki himself makes me believe Sherlock Hound is an amazing canine worthy of this list.
Seymour (Futurama): In “Jurassic Bark,” one of the show’s most famous episodes, we learn that before Fry was cryogenically frozen, he had a pet dog named Seymour Asses. The rest of the episode sees Fry attempting to create a clone of him that would allow Seymour to return to the future, but the delivery boy ends up aborting the idea, believing that he had moved on, found a new owner, and lived a happy life. But, in one of the saddest endings in the show’s history, the viewers learn that Seymour was so loyal to Fry that he waited every single day outside of the former pizza place he used to work at, waiting in vain to see his owner again, never giving up on the hope that he would return. But alas, the episode ends with Seymour resting his head, and closing his eyes, failing to meet his master. It’s one of the most touching and devastating episodes that not only showed why Futurama was able to be such an emotional gutpunch of a series, but showed a dog who would stick through until the very end to see his master, no matter how unlikely the odds will be. It’s a beautiful canine from a beautiful episode from a beautiful series.
Snowy (The Adventures of Tintin): I am cheating a bit on this one, seeing as how Tintin originated as a comic, but since there’s an animated television series and an animated movie based on the series, I might as well include this little guy into the list. During Tintin and Haddock’s adventures, Snowy is the loyal and trustworthy companion to the boy adventurer and drunk sailor, always willing to fight whatever foe is coming their way and face off against the danger they find themselves in. He’s a tough adventurer, with just enough silly moments that make him endearing, and a highlight within both the HBO animated series and the 2011 animated film.
Steele (Balto): The antagonist from this 1995 animated film gets a spot over Balto or Jenna for one simple reason: his personality. He oozes over-the-top evil in every single scene, shown through the expressive character animation, where almost every frame he’s hamming up the evil factor. It’s also shown through Jim Cummings’ voice performance, who manages to pull off both comedy and threat exceedingly well, showing why he is one of the most entertaining voice actors ever. He’s easily the most entertaining character in the original film.
Zero (The Nightmare Before Christmas): Dogs are awesome. Ghosts are awesome. Therefore, Zero the ghost dog is awesome. As the pet of Jack Skellington, he is extremely caring of his bony master, to the point where he shows genuine concern once Skellington strays from his Halloween roots. But he still loves Jack, and is willing to do whatever he wishes, including him becoming Rudolph during Jack’s gift-giving escapades, and is a jubilant and supportive canine once Skellington realizes that his Halloween roots are what makes him unique and special. He doesn’t have much else to do, so what really makes him a special part of the list is his design. He’s a tiny white sheet, with a dog’s face and a red glowing nose protruding out, making it a ghoulish, yet adorable look. Going off of looks alone, Zero is a delightfully dead dog.
This is only scratching the surface of animated dogs. I’m sure there are hundreds more that I forgot about, but that’s what makes animation so great. It offers so many unique and endearing characters, and the countless dog characters are a perfect example of that.
