History Webcomic / Housepets

* AnchoredShip: [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2010/04/30/just-friends/ Just Friends]] arguably did this for Peanut and Grape

* BecomingTheMask: Heavily implied that this is happening with Spirit Dragon

* BreadEggsMilkSquick: [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/10/24/related-to-killer-whales/ The Dolphin's thoughts]].

* CarnivoreConfusion: Usually played straight. It's accepted as a fact of life that predator species kill and eat prey animals for sustenance (something that gets pointed out more than once and even [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/10/03/stop-the-revolution-i-want-to-get-off/ happens on-panel]]); however, it should be noted that like the predators, the prey species are also fully sentient, able to talk to and even hold lengthy conversations with the animals who [[NightmareFuel want to eat them]].

** Considering the SamusIsAGirl and ViewerGenderConfusion factors on cats in ''Housepets!'', WordOfGod has revealed that Fiddler and Keys are an opposite-gender couple. [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=349 It has not revealed which is which, however]].
** Considering the increasing quality of their work together, their relationship is likely growing.

** A bit of a TruthInTelevision situation. Cats do that fairly often, along with using their tails.

* HalfDressedCartoonAnimal: The ferrets.

* ICantBelieveItsNotHeroin: To pets, orange soda acts like alcohol.

* InterspeciesRomance: A sensitive issue; within the context of the comic, interspecies relationships are considered [[FantasticRacism taboo]]. Fido and Sabrina (a dog and a cat, respectively) are [[SecretRelationship romantically involved]]; Peanut thought his crush on Grape was a secret, but she [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2010/04/26/i-thought-you-knew knew it all along.]] Joey (a dog) is involved with Squeak (a mouse).

* JustFriends: Peanut and Grape.
** Subverted, [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2010/04/30/just-friends/ and how]].

* LuminescentBlush: Apparently, in the Housepets universe facial fur can change colors, given that blushes show on the faces of several characters when they're embarrassed.

** May turn into a [[WildMassGuessing brick joke]] later.
*** [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2011/08/29/avaunted-house/ Too late]].
* [[MusicalEpisode Musical Strip]]: Fiddler and Keys' [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2010/09/01/to-the-tune-of-the-irish-washerwoman-or-whatever/ specialty!]]

* MyBiologicalClockIsTicking: Played strictly for laughs two times, when female characters act out toward crushes.

* OrWasItADream: Lampshaded, but Grape is still [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/11/26/maybe-there-was-an-emu/ surprised]].

** And again, only by Dragon[=/=]Tarot, [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2011/02/16/like-wheelchairs-at-hospitals/ here]].
*** By the second two times it is more of a parody than anything as the supernatural beings in question don't even try to be subtle.

* RelationshipUpgrade: Only after Grape reveals she's a girl.

* SamusIsAGirl: People often mistake Grape for a boy; she is, in fact, a girl.
** In fact, [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/12/12/so-thats-a-no/ other]] [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/08/19/increasingly-bizarre-implications/ cats]] sometimes have problems telling.

* SelfInsertFic: Grape writes one of these and is incredibly embarrassed when Peanut reads it.

* ShoutOut: To ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'', [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2010/06/23/king-knock-the-phone-over/ here]]. The title and AltText give it away.

* {{Squee}}: Emitted by Max and Grape during the ''Imaginate Too!'' [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2010/03/22/getting-your-drama-face-on story arc]].

* StealthPun: The "father" of the Sandwich household is named "Earl". His full name has never been said in-comic.

* TertiarySexualCharacteristics: {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/08/12/dear-you-just-look-fabulous/ this comic]].

* ThisIsMyHuman
** Honestly, they treat their owners more like parents.

** Fan reaction to [[EverythingsBetterWithBunnies Zachary]] and [[EverythingsPreciousWithPuppies King]].

-->'''King''': Why does she smell even better now? [hint: she was all wet]\\

** ClarkKenting: In Peanut's [[ShowWithinAShow Comic Within A Comic]], the only difference between Spot (Superdog) and his secret identity as Spot (Professor) is a cape and a pair of glasses. Even the name's the same!

* HollywoodScribbling[=/=]ShowWithinAShow: ''The Adventures of Spot'', a comic strip drawn by Peanut.

* ClarkKenting: In Peanut's [[ShowWithinAShow Comic Within A Comic]], the only difference between Spot (Superdog) and his secret identity as Spot (Professor) is a cape and a pair of glasses. Even the name's the same!

* GetAHoldOfYourselfMan: Attempted by [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2011/02/28/the-dark-age-of-spot/ Stripe]]

* IntercontinuityCrossover: {{In-universe}}, Peanut is fond of crossing the ''Pridelands'' books with his SuperHero, Spot (Superdog).

* LampshadeHanging: [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2011/11/30/picked-the-wrong-spot/ This comic]] and Spot's last line.

* ShowWithinAShow: The Adventures of Spot (Superdog) by Peanut Butter Sandwich

* WhenThingsSpinScienceHappens: Touched on [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2011/02/28/the-dark-age-of-spot/ here]].
* WhyDontYaJustShootHim: Played with in [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/09/14/the-uncanny-adventures-of-spot/ this comic]].

* {{Otaku}}: Joey has some signs of it. Of his group of friends, he may be the {{most}} normal.

* LampshadeHanging: [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2011/11/30/picked-the-wrong-spot/ This comic]] and Spot (superdog)'s last line.

* LoveIsInTheAir: King, to Fox's cousin Bailey, after jumping into a pond to save his MacGuffin stopwatch.

-->'''Fox''': I think that's in your head, lover boy.

-->'''Spo''': [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/11/16/off-to-a-smooth-start/ IS FIDO GONNA HAVE TO CHOKE A-]]//

-->'''Fox''': *snrk* I was wondering, how does someone with such a big head get by with a neck so pencilly?//

-->'''King''': Why does she smell even better now? [hint: she was all wet]//

---> '''The cast page for Tiger''': I hate Thursdays. I like pizza. I hate cockroaches. I like my teddy bear Poom. That’s characterization, right?

--> '''Fido''': --'''FOX!''' Er, when did you get back from Kansas?//
'''Fox''': Uh, like the first week of January? I don't ask to be the center of your attention but '''come on'''//

-->''Pete''':To compare the game to chess would be like comparing all of civilization to an amoeba!

--->'''Spo''': [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/11/16/off-to-a-smooth-start/ IS FIDO GONNA HAVE TO CHOKE A-]]
--->'''Fido''': ''Not helping, Spo!''

--->'''Fox''': *snrk* I was wondering, how does someone with such a big head get by with a neck so pencilly?
--->'''Bino''': ''It's comparable to the national average!''

--> '''Fido''': --'''FOX!''' Er, when did you get back from Kansas?
--> '''Fox''': Uh, like the first week of January? I don't ask to be the center of your attention but '''come on'''
-->--[[spoiler:[[DontExplainTheJoke It was the end of February. Fox hadn't appeared since Christmas.]]]]

--->'''Joel''': [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/05/27/im-never-going-to-understand-humans/ I was kidnapped by my own pets once.]]

* TertiarySexualCharacteristics: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/08/12/dear-you-just-look-fabulous/ this comic]]

* ThroughAFaceFullOfFur: This ''is'' a [[FurryFandom furry]] webcomic, after all. In one comic, Peanut's ''entire face'' turned red from embarrassment.

* OrIsIt: Usually happens in the form of a dream.

* DrunkOnMalts: Orange soda. To pets at least.

* ShowWithinaShow: The Adventures of Spot (Superdog) by Peanut Butter Sandwich

*** {{Homestar Runner}} actually gets a lot of subtle shout outs, such as the "tish, you!" box and the word "nudule."

** [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/comics/2009-07-08-paralysis-of-the-mouth.png ABA UGAH BURBLE]] [[HomestarRunner UH BUH DUH FUH]]

* CPRCleanPrettyReliable: Possibly deconstructed [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/05/18/cool-clean-and-refreshing/ in this comic]], when a police dog, Sgt. Ralph, douses an apparently non-breathing Fox (one of Bino's friends) with water [[spoiler:to revive him after being smothered by Joel's boss]].

* ShoutOut: To ''{{Homestuck}}'', [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2010/06/23/king-knock-the-phone-over/ here]]. The title and AltText give it away.

The story focuses around a cat and a dog living with the Sandwich family. [[IncrediblyLamePun The Dog is Peanut Butter or just Peanut and the Cat is Grape Jelly or just Grape.]] The classical setup, you think: stupid dog, smart cat, and crazy hijinks about how opposite they are ensue. But that's not what you get. Instead, you get two characters who are fairly similar in intellect with similar interests, whose subtle personality differences show off like a beacon. Peanut is the sensitive and slightly silly one. He's childlike and excitable and loves playing all kinds of games. Grape is the lazy and pragmatic one, though sometimes her logic is too logical for her own good.

We all love our pets, don't we? Now imagine this: your pets are sapient, anthropomorphised, and have the height of a small child. What would they be doing all day? {{Housepets}} portrays such a scenario. This comic by Rick Griffin portrays pets virtually as children who are almost human besides height and differences in clothing style. They still play pretend, no matter how weird they make it out to be.

* FrothyMugsOfWater: Apparently orange soda will make dogs go a little loopy.
** And on top of that, King [[CantHoldHisLiquor Can't Hold His]] [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2010/06/25/its-getting-hot-out-here/ Sugar]]
** Might be [[http://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/10/07/did-i-mention-youre-my-best-friend/ all pets]].