10 Famous Cartoon Dogs That Made Your Childhood Awesome

It is often said that you’re either a cat person or a dog person. Well I’m a staunch dog person. Why? Well because they’re just nice, that’s why. They are friendly and adorable and love you enough to brighten up even your worst days. Not like that diva Cat, who just sits on her throne hoping to be waited on and adulated by worshippers. No, Dogs love you and they aren’t afraid to show it. As children, we’ve all sought the comfort of our best dog friends. If not in real life, then at least the animated ones, the Famous Cartoon Dogs.

There are hundreds of cartoon dogs that have turned millions into dog lovers across the world. Many of these famous cartoon creations have made us fall in love with ‘Man’s Best Friend’ all over again.

10 Most Famous Cartoon Dogs

Here are some of the most popular and most adorable Famous Cartoon Dogs that we all grew to love and adore as children:

1. Scooby from “Scooby-Doo Adventures”

This is undeniable one of the most iconic of Dogs in the world. A Great Dane created by Hanna Barbara, the great thing about Scooby was how unabashedly, un-apologetically, scared he was! No false bravado from him! If a man in a bed sheet with eye holes came chasing after him, you can bet that he’d run from that place like his life depended on him, along with his partner-in-cowardice Shaggy. And what made him even more special is that he would inevitably end up tripping over some stray piece of rug or some such and end up unmasking the ‘ghost’ thereby proving himself an unwitting hero.

Scooby fulfilled everyone’s fantasy of being secretly discovered as a hero, and it made it okay for us to want to sleep with our night lights on.

2. Courage from “Courage the Cowardly Dog”

A pink little sausage shaped dog who has no earthly reason to be considered ‘cute’ and yet manages to be adorable! While his breed is unknown, he is generally thought to be a mutt. While he never achieved the cult status of Scooby, he did develop a cult following among a lot of children. This is probably because he had that quality which Scooby has, an unabashed sense of Cowardliness which always eventually turned to heroism.

However, what makes Courage so special is that heroism in his case was never unwitting, it was a result of a deep-seated loyalty to Muriel which always overpowered his fear, so much so that he would accomplish astonishing acts of bravery even though he was terrified!

Every kid wishes to have a friend half as loyal as Courage, and what’s more he was always an underdog character, from his looks, his undetermined breed to his behavior. Whereas Scooby was always traditionally attractive — a “Great Dane” — even his antics being adorable, Courage had none of that, making him a favorite among underdogs alike.

3. Brian Griffin from “Family Guy”

Okay I know that Brian, nor Family Guy, is strictly speaking a “children’s” cartoon. It’s more young-adult to full-blown-adult! But even so, he is still animated, and can talk, and is just so, well, ‘human’, in all respects that he couldn’t not be here.

A talking white Labrador, he often gives voice to the most astute observations of existential malaise in the show. He is prone to womanizing, he drinks, fancies himself a great ‘writer’, and has a semi-incestuous thing for Lois. But what makes him most endearing is his constant attempt to find happiness even when none seem forthcoming, chasing after wistful fantasies and the inevitable fallout of the same. It would be heartbreaking if it weren’t so damn funny!

4. Satan’s Little Helper from “The Simpsons”

Another slightly more “adult” entry into the list, he none the less deserves mention here because he is so criminally undermentioned in the show itself.

A greyhound by breed he is a pain-in-the-a-word for everyone in the family, especially Homer, who sees him as a good for nothing dog who can’t even run well enough to be a success, yet is more than happy to cash in on his runaway success when it comes by. With a general sense of wimpi-ness, a twisted stomach and a need to be loyal to a family that doesn’t appreciate him, he wins everyone’s heart as the stand-out underdog character.

5. Snoopy from “Peanuts”

A beagle that’s been around since the 50s, he would have deserved a spot for antiquity alone if nothing else. But who are we kidding, there’s so much to love about him!

First off, the hat, goggles and the scarf always draped behind him, flaying against the wind! And if that’s not all, then he comes as a symbol of all that is possible in the world. Made in a time when people were just starting to learn the wonders of being able to fly, and rockets to space were just starting to be a thing, he encapsulated the biggest mantra of life then, one that still finds relevance today “Keep looking up… That’s the secret of life…”

6. Pluto from “Mickey Mouse”

A mixed breed pet of Mickey Mouse, he is loyal and charming and a total goofball, a perfect accompaniment to Goofy!

He is around for no other reason than to please others with his goofy antics and his deep-seated loyalty. With all these traits he is one of the most Famous Cartoon Dogs.

7. Odie from “Garfield”

A lovable and sort-of stupid Beagle who often found himself a victim of Garfield’s taunts, who always saw him as an empty headed “moron” and thrived in sometimes giving him a little kick, not out of malicious intent, just plain boredom.

Odie generally bore it all with good humor, even though occasionally he exacted his revenge. Much opposed to what most cartoons taught us, Cats and Dogs weren’t natural enemies, the former being the dominant. In fact, if Garfield taught us anything it was that Dogs could very well be the victims and the submissive ones. I don’t think it is appreciated enough what a groundbreaking commentary this relationship was on the Civil Rights era.

8. Goofy from “Mickey Mouse”

Made in the likeness of a Bloodhound, he is another anthropomorphic dog that we all grew up with, loving and adoring.

His name stood as a standing Personification of who his most attributable characteristic – he was always, irrevocably, Goofy. There is nothing more to him. But when one was in dire need of some laughs, he happily obliged, even at his own expense and this is the exact reason why he is one of the most Famous Cartoon Dogs.

9. Lady and the Tramp

A lovely, classic romance tale about the rich girl who meets and falls in love with the poor guy. Lady is an American Cocker Spaniel whereas Tramp is a mixed breed street dog.

This is an iconic pairing, and the list of  Famous Cartoon Dogs will surely be incomplete without them. They belong together, forever and always. And they’ve given us some of the most iconic scenes in cartoon, like the moonlit dinner of spaghetti!

10. Droopy McPoodle from “Tom and Jerry”

Another great underdog, no pun intended. A poodle with a droopy face, there is nothing about him that seemed ‘traditionally’ attractive, nor did he have a ‘winning personality’, in fact most of the times he seemed to be scowling or frowning, and ‘apparently’ unhappy. Yet, he won everyone over with his wry wit and intelligence. And with his lines “You know what? I’m happy” he challenged the popular conception that you have to look a certain way or act a certain way to live a fulfilling life, giving many little kids around the world the strength to be themselves.

I hope everyone would agree that all these Famous Cartoon Dogs were our favorites and integral part of our life at-least during our childhood .