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[[quoteright:348:[[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cbwy_2062.gif]]]]
[[caption-width-right:348: Charlie Brown's finest hour.]]

->''"Waspinator happy at last."''
--> -- '''[[TheChewToy Waspinator]]''', giving the very last line of ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}: WesternAnimation/BeastWars''

So they've been constantly injured, the [[ButtMonkey butt of every joke and misfortune]], [[TheChewToy much to the audience's amusement]], and it seems [[CosmicPlaything the universe itself just likes screwing with him]]. So what's happening now? Huh... he's happy?

Yes, it seems that fate/God/the writers finally decided to Throw The Dog A Bone. It can be them ultimately coming out ahead, or just having a break for once, but it's generally very satisfying to whoever it happens to and [[TheWoobie any fans that had felt sorry for him]].

One way this can happen is if the "Dog" character [[SexualKarma gets a girlfriend]]. This can be very irritating to fans of the female character, who is considered a [[StandardHeroReward reward]] and objectified in particularly bad versions of this; by this trope's very metaphor, a "[[FreudWasRight bone]]." (Even "better", listen to [[UnpleasableFanbase fans complain]] if this [[EntitledToHaveYou doesn't happen]].)

If the bone is thrown only to be cruelly snatched away later, then this becomes YankTheDogsChain, a set-up for the writers to further toy with the hapless character.

Compare KarmicJackpot, EarnYourHappyEnding.

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!!Example subpages

[[index]]
* ThrowTheDogABone/{{Anime And Manga}}
* ThrowTheDogABone/{{Comic Books}}
* ThrowTheDogABone/{{Film}}
* ThrowTheDogABone/{{Literature}}
* ThrowTheDogABone/{{Live-Action TV}}
* ThrowTheDogABone/{{Video Games}}
* ThrowTheDogABone/{{Web Comics}}
* ThrowTheDogABone/{{Web Original}}
* ThrowTheDogABone/{{Western Animation}}
[[/index]]

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[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Advertisement]]
* The {{Trix}} rabbit is occasionally given a chance to actually ''try'' the cereal depending on the outcome of a poll. People vote for him to get it ''every time'', and by now you would think the company would get that people [[TheWoobie really feel sorry for the guy]] and hate those [[CerealViceReward greedy kids]].
** They probably do and know that sympathy for the rabbit makes people remember the commericals more.
** Of course the audience is supposed to sympathize with the rabbit--they're supposed to want the cereal as bad as he does.
* One Christmas-themed Cocoa Pebbles commercial ends with the real Santa showing up, and [[TheFlintstones Fred and Barney]] for a change sharing a bowl of the cereal as friends.
* After attempting to get back together with the woman who rejected him for a Swiffer Wet-Jet (buying flowers, dedicating radio songs to her), the broom finally found a new girlfriend - the rake.
* A priceless [[SuperBowlSpecial Super Bowl]] Coke commercial where Macy Balloons of [[FamilyGuy Stewie]] and WesternAnimation/{{Underdog}} are fighting (aka bumping into each other) in order to get that balloon of a Coke bottle. Eventually, the bottle starts to float away. Both characters turn and see a round shape on the horizon. It's [[{{Peanuts}} CHARLIE]] [[TheWoobie BROWN]], who then wins the prize. Watch it [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiMf5cCDy1I here]].
** Even better, he gets it in full view of a little girl in a blue dress and carrying a football(hint hint).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]

* The story ''[[Fanfic/{{TheNon-Bronyverse}} No, I am NOT a Brony, GET ME OUTTA EQUESTRIA!]]'' has a FourthWallMailSlot chapter in which [=BronyWriter=] pulls the hero, TD Powell back to Earth for the purposes of the Q&A, and while he makes it clear that he'll be sending TD back to Equestria for future chapters, he lets him have his date with his longtime crush Danae first.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Magazines]]
* ''Magazine/{{MAD}}'''s ''Monroe'' is occasionally thrown a bone, though they often YankTheDogsChain in the very same comic. Two examples:
** Getting to make out with his Irish cousin. When his parents find out, they force him to sleep in his roofless tree house in the pouring rain.
** Having the school bully steal his date at the cinema, but then getting him to eat a rotten hot dog he found on the floor of ''TheRockyHorrorPictureShow'' screening next door.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* One strip of ''TheBornLoser'' had the protagonist having a moment of good luck for once. ''Once.''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Role-Playing Games]]
* In ''Roleplay/DinoAttackRPG'', after [[RunningGag constantly getting interrupted every time he tried before]], Rex finally manages to propose to Amanda during the FinalBattle. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, this quickly turned into a case of YankTheDogsChain when Amanda was suddenly killed off a few posts later.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Tabletop Games]]
* After years of being ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'''s ButtMonkey, shown [[RedShirt dying in droves]] in the fluff, getting saddled with unplayable units, and being to some extent incompatible with the current core rules, around the transition to 4th Edition the [[BadassNormal Imperial Guard]] finally got a decent codex. Their 5th edition update brought such treats as support gunships and the ability to field more tanks than any other army, pushing the guard into full WhosLaughingNow territory.
** The [[EvilCounterpart Dark]] [[SpaceElves Eldar]] went over a ''decade'' without an update to their extremely limited and increasingly dated model range and notoriously unforgiving rulebook, before finally getting not just a codex packed full of background fluff and viable units, but some of the most detailed models GamesWorkshop has ever produced.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Real Life]]
* [[http://www.inquisitr.com/342012/victim-of-school-prank-becomes-homecoming-princess-town-rallies-to-fight-bullying/ Whitney Kropp, a bullying victim at Ogemaw Heights High School]], was nominated for homecoming princess by her tormentors as a {{Carrie}}-inspired prank. The prank [[NiceJobFixingItVillain backfires ]] and it got the town to ''support'' Whitney and Whitney ends up ''winning'' the crown for Homecoming princess! [[WhosLaughingNow Take that, bullies.]]
[[/folder]]
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