Not every cartoon has an animated dog in it, and if you ask me, that’s a major drawback. A cartoon dog, even if playing a villain in the story, makes everything so much better, just like a real-life dog, and that’s just hard facts.
While there are many different cartoon pets in the history of animation, both as sidekicks to the human protagonist and heroes in their own right, cartoon dogs remain the undisputed favorites of writers and animators, and we as the audience don’t object to it at all. Moreover, we often name our own pets with cartoon dog names, just to honor our favorite characters.
By the way, do you prefer anthropomorphic dogs or dogs that behave like they do in everyday life? Both are fun to watch in a cartoon, but I am interested to hear your opinion.
Scroll down to take a look at some of the most famous cartoon dogs. Which one is your favorite? Make sure to vote for them to help them reach top positions. Share this article with friends, and let us know what other cute cartoon dogs should definitely be on this list in the comments.
#1 Lady – Lady And The Tramp
They say that opposites attract, and that’s exactly what happened to Lady, a pampered house dog, when she met the street-smart Tramp. Their love story is probably one of the most romantic things put on celluloid. And though Lady didn’t grow up on the streets, when the time comes, she will do anything to protect Tramp.
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#2 The Tramp – Lady And The Tramp
Tramp grew up on the streets and doesn’t believe in people. And though life has been tough, he is still fun-loving and loyal to his friends. When love finds him in the form of Lady, Tramp will learn to trust more and will find out that not all people are bad.
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#3 Scooby-Doo – Scooby-Doo!
You are already singing that song in your head, aren’t you? Even though the franchise was first launched over 50 years ago, this furry detective with a love for snacks remains popular and is probably on his way to solve more mysteries.
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#4 Snoopy – Charles M. Schulz Peanuts Universe
Another veteran, Snoopy first appeared alongside his human friend Charlie Brown in a comic strip, but with time also appeared in film and television. In some countries, Snoopy is considered more popular than Charlie Brown, who was supposed to be the principal character of the universe.
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#5 Pongo – 101 Dalmatians
Before there were 101 Dalmatians, there were only two: Pongo and Perdita. Pongo, the male of the duo, is the reason his owner Roger met his wife Anita. While much like Roger he is fun and laid-back, but when the situation calls for it, Pongo is courageous and will prove his loyalty in the face of danger.
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#6 Perdita – 101 Dalmatians
Another great example of how opposites attract, Perdita is much more refined and elegant than her partner Pongo. And yet, they make a perfect couple and great parents to all the puppies. At times she may worry way too much, but she is a fearless warrior when her loved ones need to be protected.
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#7 Pluto – Disney
Pluto is probably Disney’s most popular dog. Unlike most anthropomorphic animals in the Disney universe, Pluto is actually Mickey’s pet and behaves as such, though his various facial expressions are hilarious to watch.
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#8 Slinky Dog – Toy Story
Most of Slinky’s body might be a spring, but he is as much of a dog as you could expect from a canine. He is playful, barks, and is extremely loyal to Woody. Interestingly, Slinky only appeared in the script during rewrites.
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#9 Max – How The Grinch Stole Christmas!
More and more people start to agree that Grinch was not, in fact, all that bad; he was just bullied into evilness by the townsfolk. On the other hand, Max, his dog, stays by his side, even though Grinch is not always on his best behavior with him. Max even acted as a reindeer for him!
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#10 Gromit – Wallace And Gromit
Gromit may not be a talking dog, but his facial expressions and body language will let you know precisely what he thinks. He also has numerous hobbies, from knitting and playing chess to reading the newspaper and cooking. Living with inventor Wallace, Gromit is also a skilled engineer with a degree from a dog university.
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#11 Dino – The Flintstones
Yes, he is technically a dinosaur, but he is from the Stone Age, so he still counts as a dog. His behavior with the Flintstones, his family, only confirms this. One of Dino’s favorite things to do is welcome Fred Flintstone back from work, knock him over, and lick his face — like any overexcited pup.
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#12 Bolt
Bolt lived his life using his superpowers to save the world. But one day, when he gets lost, he suddenly has to learn that he is a normal dog who plays a superhero in movies and that all the perils were constructed on the set. Now Bolt has to find his true self.
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#13 Trusty – Lady And The Tramp
Trusty’s service days may be well past him, but his loyalty and support to friends are as strong as ever. Being Lady’s neighbor and old friend, he helps her out of many misadventures before she and Tramp can happily come together.
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#14 Copper – The Fox And The Hound
Copper is a great hunter but he is an even greater friend. Even though there has been some negative influence in his life, he retained his moral principles throughout his life and came to the rescue of his friend, who everyone else considered his natural enemy.
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#15 Jock – Lady And The Tramp
Jock may be irritable at times, but he loves those he considers his family. He is there for Lady from day one as she comes to live with her humans, teaching her all the things a respectable dog should know. Jock might be small in size but that doesn’t stop him from being fearless.
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#16 Spike And Tyke – Tom And Jerry
Spike and Tyke live in the Tom and Jerry universe. Like any pup, Tyke is playful and cute. He loves spending time with his father and often treats him like his role model. Despite looking fierce, Spike is generally very friendly and kind, but his protective side comes into play immediately when Tyke is in any way involved in Tom and Jerry’s shenanigans.
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#17 Charlie B. Barkin – All Dogs Go To Heaven
Charlie is your perfect protagonist: loveable, smart, charming, a bit of a con man, but with a heart of gold. His life is full of adventures, and even if Charlie sometimes tricks others, he always ends up doing the right thing.
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#18 Colonel – 101 Dalmatians
Colonel usually acts very much in sync with his name. Together with his friends, a horse and a cat, he forms and commands a pseudo-military unit. When his assistance is needed in finding Pongo and Perdita’s puppies, Colonel doesn’t hesitate to organize a rescue mission, which, after overcoming all obstacles, succeeds.
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#19 Santa’s Little Helper – The Simpsons
Santa’s Little Helper was there from day one. Homer and Bart adopted him at the racetrack where the poor pup was abandoned by his owner. The fact that it happened on Christmas day adds to the miracle vibe. Unlike many other cartoon dogs, Santa’s Little Helper is not anthropomorphized and mostly behaves like any normal dog.
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#20 Snowy – The Adventures Of Tintin
It’s impossible to imagine Tintin without his trusted sidekick Snowy. Snowy was there from the very first issue of the comic strip and stayed by Tintin’s side. Snowy can also understand human speech and communicate through speech bubbles.
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#21 Goofy – Disney Universe
Goofy might seem awkward, clumsy, and a little slow, but his heart is definitely in the right place. He is also a great father to Max. Together with Mickey and Donald, Goofy is part of Disney’s original comedy trio.
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#22 Courage – Courage The Cowardly Dog
When Muriel found a little purple pup, she was convinced he was very brave, so she named him Courage. Years later, Courage lives with Muriel and her husband Eustace on a farm in the middle of a literal Nowhere. Courage hides a secret: he is scared of almost everything. And yet, it is up to him to protect Muriel and Eustace from all the freaky stuff that happens in Nowhere.
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#23 Odie – Garfield
Garfield may detest Odie’s huge tongue and slobbers, but you have to admit, he’s one of the cutest things about the whole series. He used to belong to Jon Arbuckle’s friend, but after he moved to the jungle, Odie found his new family with Jon and Garfield.
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#24 Clifford The Big Red Dog
Clifford is a joyous 2-year-old pup and often behaves as such. Except, he is 25 feet (7.5 m) tall. Together with his owner Emily Elizabeth, he goes on many adventures. Clifford first started out as a children’s book series but later had several movies and TV series centered around him.
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#25 Peg – Lady And The Tramp
Peg is prone to being caught, yet somehow Tramp manages to save her each time. She may seem helpless, but when Lady is in trouble, Peg steps up and defends her from other dogs.
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#26 Droopy Dog – MGM Cartoons
Droopy, the animated basset hound, is the personification of pessimism. Always looking at the sad side of things and never anticipating a positive account, he will still surprise you with the range of skills he has, but most importantly, with his unusual strength that he doesn’t hesitate to display.
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#27 Mr. Peabody – Mr. Peabody & Sherman
Mr. Peabody has a very important role as an adoptive father to his human son Sherman. Unlike what you might imagine, he actually takes his responsibilities very seriously. On a different note, they have a Wayback Machine aka WABAC that they use to travel to the past and explore historical events. And we all know that time travel always comes with lots of mischief.
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#28 Barnyard Dawg – Looney Tunes Universe
Barnyard Dawg is a feisty, energetic, and passionate basset hound who can pick a fight with literally anyone, though his archnemesis (but also best friend) is Foghorn Leghorn. Although it is usually Foghorn who taunts Barnyard Dawg, the latter is not above pulling a good prank on him.
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#29 Seymour – Futurama
Seymour was Fry’s dog back in Old New York. Fry found him as a pup and adopted him. After Fry fell into the cryogenic tube, Seymour was inconsolable. In the 31st century, Fry managed to create a time duplicate and send him back in time to stay with Seymour.
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#30 Underdog
He may be known to anyone as Shoeshine Boy, but the villains know him as Underdog, a brave superhero. He does use his superpowers only in case his love interest Polly Purebred is in trouble, though, which, surprisingly, happens quite often.
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#31 Astro – The Jetsons
Astro’s journey started like a classic “dad doesn’t want a dog in the house” story. But after an eventful incident with a burglar, Astro was allowed to stay and soon became everyone’s favorite. Apparently, in the future dogs will become more advanced, because Astro has a rudimental grasp of the English language and communicates with his family.
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#32 Snowball – Rick And Morty
It is not often that you see a dog antagonist, and Snowball is one of them. Originally known as Snuffles, he changed his name once he gained power over the Smiths. Initially bent on getting revenge on the family for removing his reproductive organs, Snowball decides to forgive them when Morty is threatened with a similar surgery. He then decides to leave for another universe and take all of the other dogs with him.
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#33 Chief – The Fox And The Hound
Chief takes raising young Copper very seriously and turns him into a great hound. Initially, he strongly opposes the unusual friendship between his adopted son and a fox living in the neighborhood, but by the end of the cartoon, he comes to accept it.
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#34 Pal – Arthur
Pal was literally born in front of Arthur, who at the time was pet-sitting Pal’s mother. As a reward for his good job, the owner allowed Arthur to pick a puppy, and this is how the friendship between Pal and Arthur began. They became inseparable friends, and Pal often sleeps on Arthur’s bed, comforting him when Arthur has a nightmare.
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#35 Sam Sheepdog – Ralph Wolf And Sam Sheepdog
Sam Sheepdog may be large and mainly slow, but he is more than capable of catching Ralph Wolf and preventing him from stealing another sheep, if need be. The funny part is that for both of them, it is a routine job, not something they are passionate about.
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#36 Huckleberry Hound – The Huckleberry Hound Show
Huckleberry is blue, speaks with a Tennessee accent, and sings (admittedly, out of tune) “Oh My Darling, Clementine!” He is still looking for his path, as most of his adventures include him trying to perform various job positions. And though he is not particularly skilled in any of them, somehow Huck always manages to come out on top.
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#37 CatDog
He may be part cat, but he is still part dog. While having completely different personalities, the two parts of this unusual creature are best friends. Still, the cat part doesn’t always approve of the things the dog part loves to eat or do.
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#38 Goddard – The Adventures Of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
Goddard is so much more than a dog. Being a robot, he can do literally everything, while still retaining puppy-like energy and playfulness. He remains Jimmy’s trusted friend and sidekick who can turn into a phone booth and beg for treats with equal ease.
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#39 Marmaduke
Marmaduke may be huge in size but he is as playful and messy as a little puppy. Originally created for a comic strip, he later starred in his own movie. Together with his friend Carlos the cat, Marmaduke lives with the Winslows, and is often the cause of a lot of commotion in and outside the house.
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#40 Augie Doggie – Augie Doggie And Doggie Daddy
Augie is surely mischievous, but he also admires his dad and tries not to disappoint him all that often. He also has some knowledge of science. Together, the father-son duo go through tons of adventures.
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#41 Ace The Bathound – DC Universe
In the universe of superheroes, they come in all shapes and sizes. Ace was found and adopted by Batman and Robin, and became Batman’s ally in fighting the crime of Gotham. He would also often team up with other superhero animals in pursuit of justice.
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#42 Muttley – Dastardly And Muttley In Their Flying Machines
You remember Muttley for his mischievous laughter, which you probably also tried to mimic as a kid. But he also is a flying ace and can operate all sorts of aircraft. Muttley may not be your classic protagonist, but don’t you love watching all the shenanigans he and Dick Dastardly create?
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#43 Wylie Burp – An American Tail: Fievel Goes West
There was a time when Wylie Burp’s name evoked terror among the gangsters of the Wild West. With time, his glory has faded and he spends his days drinking. But when Fievel asks him for protection from a cat gang, Wylie remembers his heroic past and comes up with a plan.
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#44 Marc Anthony – Looney Tunes Universe
Marc Anthony is huge and as ferocious as you would expect a bulldog to be. Yet, he turns into a doting mother figure around Pussyfoot the kitten. But if anyone makes the mistake of messing with the little feline, Marc Anthony will make them regret it till the end of time.
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#45 Brian Griffin – Family Guy
Brian may be the pet of the Griffin family, but often he is the only sane member. He is anthropomorphic, but more than that, he mostly acts as a regular human being. You may often see him with a dry martini or arguing with his best frenemy Stewie.
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#46 Jake The Dog – Adventure Time
Describing Jake’s appearance is not a very productive thing to do as he can shape-shift any part of his body into any form and size. Together with his adoptive brother Finn the Human, he uses his powers for various purposes, from combat to having fun.
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#47 Mr. Morris – Arthur
Mr. Morris used to work as a dog groomer before he became a school janitor. He also got interested in aliens after he encountered corn circles. He is also friendly with kids and has an accordion he named Beatrice.
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#48 Earl – Mutts
Earl’s life in the comic strip is simple. He is best friends with Mooch the cat and loves his human, Ozzie. Together with Mooch, he explores life, one day at a time.
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#49 Dogbert – Dilbert
If you think all dogs want is for people to be happy, meet Dogbert. All Dogbert wants is to conquer and enslave humanity. He even achieved this several times! But he also quickly gets bored and gives up his position to go sleep on a soft pillow or save his own human, Dibert.
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#50 Goliath – Davey And Goliath
Goliath is a talking dog, though no one apart from his owner Davey and the viewer can hear him. Their show was dedicated to issues like prejudice, respect for authorities, sharing, and later even graver subjects like racism and death. Religious faith was a big part of the show, where the characters would overcome their problems by trusting themselves to God.
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#51 Beagle Beagle – Grape Ape
With a fancy bone on his collar and a red hat, Beagle Beagle (you never would have guessed that he is a beagle, would you?) is a companion to Grape Ape. As a true friend, he’s always got Grape Ape’s back anytime there is trouble.
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#52 Ren Höek – The Ren & Stimpy Show
Unlike the usual dynamics between a dog and cat duo, Ren is the short-tempered, scheming, and spiteful one. He dreams of having big muscles, and bosses Stimpy the cat around a lot.
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#53 Poochie – The Simpsons
Poochie has two things: an attitude and a rap song. He was brought in to liven up the Itchy & Scratchy Show, with Homer chosen after a large-scale audition to voice him.
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#54 Polly Purebred – Underdog
TV news reporter Polly Purebred is the one who can make Shoeshine Boy turn into Underdog, a superhero dreaded by all evildoers. She is often the target of Simon Bar Sinister or Riff Raff, but she knows that no matter what happens to her, her hero will come to save her.
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#55 Mr. Peanutbutter – Bojack Horseman
The world of Bojack Horseman has its very own definition of normal, that’s why it comes as no surprise that Mr. Peanutbutter walks on his hind legs, marries a human woman, or is friends with a talking horse. He may be Bojack’s rival in the entertainment industry, but they still keep their friendship.
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