Dogs have always been the most popular pets in the world. It has always been like that, and such a close relationship between man and dog dates thousands of years back. As such, it is not uncommon for you to read fictional stories about dogs in books that have been around for hundreds of even thousands of years already. Even in modern times, stories about dogs live in characters born out of the imagination of different people around the world.
That is why cartoon dogs exist. From our childhood all the way to adulthood, we have grown to love cartoon character doggies due to how we can closely relate their personalities to that of the dogs we have in our homes. However, due to the fact that there are simply plenty of cartoon dogs, we have narrowed down the ten we believe are the most popular and most memorable.
Scooby Doo
If you grew up watching cartoons sometime during the 70s up to the present day, there is no doubt that you are familiar with this brown Great Dane. Scooby Doo is his name, and so is the name of the cartoon he appears in. He is one of the most legendary cartoon characters in existence and stands as arguably the most popular dog in all of the cartoon world.
Scooby Doo is the dog of a mystery-solving group called “the gang,” which is composed of Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Scooby Doo’s best friend, Shaggy. Together with the gang, Scooby rides a van called the Mystery Machine to solve different kinds of paranormal mysteries all over the world. This is what gives him his iconic cowardly personality. And with his best friend Shaggy, he is popular for his appetite and for his hunger for the iconic Scooby Snacks.
Snoopy
One of the most iconic cartoon dogs of all time, the white Beagle named Snoopy, has been a fixture in the cartoon world for many decades already. He has been living in our hearts since the 1950s and has transcended generations after generations to become one of the most popular characters in history. Surprisingly, he is even more popular than his human, Charlie Brown.
Snoopy the Beagle appears in the cartoon Peanuts and is the dog of Charlie Brown, one of the lead characters. This dog is fond of airplanes. As such, he has become the official mascot of Aerospace safety. In fact, there is even a lunar module named after his honor due to the dog’s love of flying. Other than that, Snoopy is known to love spending time sleeping on top of his doghouse.
Pluto
If you happen to love Disney, you would surely know who Pluto the Dog is. As the faithful companion of the iconic cartoon character Mickey Mouse, Pluto has been around for almost a hundred years already. There is some ambiguity to his breed, but Pluto is regarded as a mixed breed dog that represents the entire population of mixed breeds all over the world.
What makes Pluto such a popular character is not only because he has been around for decades and decades but because he is seen as the prototype kind of dog that is lovable, sweet, loyal, and downright cute. In fact, he is one of the only few characters that could get to the good side of the usually grumpy and disagreeable Donald Duck. As such, you would understand why and how this planet-named dog is one of the best cartoon worlds has ever had.
Goofy
Throughout the character’s existence, there has been quite a confusion as to what kind of animal he is. But the truth of the matter is that Goofy is a dog, and he is an anthropomorphic canine who walks on both of his two hind legs instead of on all fours as Pluto does. Goofy was first introduced to the cartoon scene in 1932 as one of the friends of Mickey Mouse. Since then, he has only risen to fame as one of the most well-known cartoon characters in all of existence.
What has made Goofy such a popular character is not only because he is a dog but also because he has a unique personality of his own? He is usually seen as the goofy character in the group and is clumsy and funny at the same time. Of course, his iconic laugh is arguably what gets people over to his side as no other character in cartoon history laughs like Goofy.
Brian Griffin
In modern times, one of the most popular animated adult-oriented television shows is Family Guy, which stars Peter Griffin and his family of misfits. One such member of the family is their dog named Brian, who is now regarded as one of the more iconic modern-day cartoon dogs. Created and voiced by showrunner Seth MacFarlane, Brian Griffin represents the more cultured and intelligent side of the Griffin family and is one of the more level-headed characters in the show despite being a dog.
Brian Griffin may be a dog but, in the show, he acts just as human as any other character. He walks on both of his hind legs, talks like a human, and has dreams and ambitions just like any other human. Brian is a frustrated writer and has seen his share of moments in the show. But one of the most memorable moments that Brian has is usually his interactions with the Family’s baby Stewie Griffin.
Odie
Arguably the most popular cartoon cat in all of history is the fat, lazy, lasagna-loving orange feline named Garfield. But not a lot of people remember that he actually lives together with a dog named Odie, a Beagle. But while Garfield is often described as intelligent and cunning, Odie is the down-to-earth character who rarely speaks and really just acts like any other dog.
While Odie is known as the victim of Garfield’s antics, he is lovable on his own precisely because he is just like any other dog and acts like your usual fun-loving and playful canine pet. And even though he and Garfield did not get along initially, they eventually became the best of friends.
Santa’s Little Helper
Santa’s Little Helper may not have a lot of scenes and may not do a lot, but he is one of the most popular cartoon dogs by default because he is a member of primetime TV’s most popular family, the Simpsons. Not a lot of people remember the name of this dog, but Santa’s Little Helper is still as popular as any other cartoon dog. Most people regard him as that brown dog in The Simpsons, but this little fella actually has a heartwarming backstory
Abandoned and left by his previous owner, Santa’s Little Helper got into the good side of the usually grumpy Homer Simpson, who cannot help but adopt this little dog and make him a huge part of the most popular animated family in history.
Dug the dog
One of the most unforgettable animated films in the last 20 years is Disney and Pixar’s Up. And one of the reasons why that film is such a favorite in most kids and adults today is the friendly and fun-loving Golden Retriever named Dug, who served as one of the main protagonists of the film.
Dug may be a Golden Retriever, which is regarded as one of the most intelligent dog breeds in the world, but his character in the show was often shown to be quite dumb yet fun-loving and good-hearted compared to all of the other dogs in the show. And what makes Dug so popular is not only his good heart but also that collar that allows him to talk and speak his mind in the cutest and funniest way.
Clifford the Big Red Dog
Not only one of the most popular cartoon dogs, but arguably, the biggest dog you could see in any cartoon is Clifford, the Big Red Dog. Popularized in children’s books, Clifford made his way to the television screen in the year 2000 to captivate audiences worldwide. This gigantic dog might look intimidating, but he has always been described as a good-natured and gentle giant that shows a loving side just as any dog would. Of course, what makes Clifford so popular is the fact that he has made children all over the world know what it is like to have a gigantic yet sweet canine pal.
Blue
Rounding up our list of the top 10 most famous cartoon character dogs is Blue from the popular children’s show Blue’s Clues. While the show itself is not a cartoon as it features a real-life host who helps Blue solve cases, Blue has always been an animated cartoon dog. She is the fun-loving face of one of the most well-known interactive children’s shows in history and has garnered fans of all ages because of how she has been around for a decade already.
