Dogs have always appeared in the favorite comic strips and cartoons of children (and adults!). The very first comic strip, published in a New York daily in the early twentieth century, takes place at a dog show. This was the beginning of fame for dogs, who later became the heroes of cartoons. Since then, they have appeared in roles of growing importance, sometimes as the main character of the story.
Everyday Hero
Some comic strip dogs remain true dogs, used essentially to help develop the main character. The first was Pluto, who later appeared in cartoons. Apart from being Mickey's companion, Pluto is the source of both disasters and happy endings.
A similar character to Pluto is the Fox Terrier Snowy, the faithful companion of Tintin. Snowy expresses himself not through speech, but by barking at his master and through thought bubbles when he wants to communicate with the reader. He is so famous in France that his adventures have been made into cartoons and even animated films. Other dogs play a similar role in French comic strips: Rantanplan, a supporting character to cowboy Lucky Luke, is not too smart and follows his master without speaking to him. Although Ratanplan does sometimes have thoughts, the other characters are not aware of them. In this aspect, Ratanplan is similar to Jolly Jumper, the thinking horse. Another French comic strip dog, Idefix, is a tiny mutt who is inseparable from his master, the imposing Obelix. This little dog with a big heart is very loveable because he never causes trouble. The canine characters mentioned above have an important role among humans, yet retain their doglike qualities.
Almost Human
In other cases, dogs are depicted as more or less human. This is usually true when the dog is the main character of the story. Some comic strip dogs, like Charlie Brown's Snoopy, have philosophical thoughts, just like humans. But Snoopy is still a dog: He sleeps in - or on - his doghouse, eats dog food and lives like other dogs. The wise Cubitus walks on his hind legs and speaks, like the other characters in the French comic strip. He also teaches lessons. With all his good sense, Cubitus could be human, except that he looks like an Old English Sheepdog.
In the French comic Boule et Bill [Boule and Bill], Bill the Cocker Spaniel - probably the first purebred comic strip canine - acts like a human around other dogs but like a playful puppy at home. Still, on walks he flirts with attractive female dogs and fights off rivals, mimicking his owners and other humans.
Some comic strip dogs are hardly dogs at all. For example, the perpetually sad-faced Gai Luron, created by Gotlib, gets caught up in the events of the world around him.
Animated Films
Some comic strip dogs have become so popular that their adventures have been made into animated films. One such character is Dingo, a dog who stands on two legs like a human but has a dog's head with long, droopy ears. He has often appeared as a "spokesdog" for educational purposes, including car safety campaigns targeting young children. Sad-looking Droopy, the dog in Tex Avery's cartoons, repeatedly announces his presence with the famous line, "You know what? I'm happy!" He is the cartoon equivalent of Gai Luron, a French comic strip dog.
Other cartoon dogs live with humans, just like real pets or watchdogs. This is true of Lady and the Tramp, who live with their owners but share a romantic dinner and lead their own lives among other dogs. When Lady's owners bring home a new baby, they ignore her and humiliate her by forcing her to wear a muzzle. This serves as a brutal reminder that she is "only" a dog.
Perdita and Pongo, the leading dogs in 101 Dalmatians, perhaps the most famous cartoon canines, are also companion animals to humans. But they become romantically involved with each other, just like their owners.
Nana the Saint Bernard protects the children in Peter Pan while leading a life like that of other dogs.
Sometimes, the dogs in animated features are almost caricatures in their appearance and actions. They may look generally like dogs, but one of their physical characteristics is exaggerated. Rarely the main character, they are more likely to serve as a watchdog for their owner or for another animal. Cartoons featuring a cat and mouse often include a big, burly, unfriendly dog who sits around licking his chops. In Tom and Jerry, for example, a bulldog defends Jerry by getting Tom into trouble. Dogs appear frequently in Disney cartoons. Disney's Beagle Boys are members of an international crime ring. All have the same physical features, are clumsy and not too smart and are constantly planning evil schemes to steal money.
By giving dogs many human qualities, both good and bad, the creators of comic strips and cartoons seem to use canine characters to represent our changing society.
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