Characters / Doctor Dog

Doctor Dog

The family pet of the Gumboyles. A Beagle who can talk and hold a medical degree but is still pretty dog-like.

• Butt-Monkey: The first book ends with his protective nature resulting in his psychological health declining.
• A Dog Named "Dog": His full name is apparently "Dog" and he is one.
• Drugs Are Bad: One of his beliefs. He disapproves of smoking (because it's bad for your lungs) and drinking (because he thinks it gives you gas).
• Half-Dressed Cartoon Animal: Doesn't wear any pants.
• Labcoat of Science and Medicine: He always wears a white labcoat.
• The Medic: He is a medical doctor.
• Nearly Normal Animal: Can talk, wear clothes, and be a doctor but he's still a lot like a real dog.
• Serious Business: Sometimes gets a bit caught up in his duties which leads to things like blaming the parents for letting their kids get things like lice (which are common childhood ailments) and treating farts like an illness.

Mr and Mrs Gumboyle

Also known as "Ma" and "Pa", the parents of the kids and two of the co-owners of Dr. Dog. Despite the dogs calling the whole family "pesky", they are the only two who did anything wrong.

• Karma Houdini: Despite being the only ones who actually do wrong, they are also the only members of the Gumboyle family not to have anything bad happen to them.
• Lazy Bum: Their main flaw (and why Dr Dog doesn't like them) is that they are a bit negligent of the kids (such as not educating them about smoking for instance, however, they're still not extremely negligent) because they can't be bothered finding information as Dr Dog is there.
• Unnamed Parent: Downplayed. We know their last name, just not their first names.

Granddad Gumboyle

The grandfather of the Gumboyle children, Mr Gumboyle's father, and one of the co-owners of Dr Dog.

• The Alcoholic: Subverted. He drinks too much beer, which makes him gassy but when he gives it up, he's none the worse for wear.
• Can't Get Away with Nuthin': Drinks too much beer and eats too many baked beans once, gets a gas problem, and farts the roof off.
• Fartillery: Accidentally farts the roof off.
• Gasshole: Temporarily becomes very windy after eating too many baked beans and drinking too much beer.
• Unnamed Parent: Is the father of Mr Gumboyle and we know his last name but not his first.

Kurt Gumboyle

The oldest Gumboyle child, a young teen, and one of the co-owners of Dr Dog.

• Butt-Monkey: Gets Smoker's Cough and when he recovers, he steps in poo, then he gets bit by a mosquito.
• Can't Get Away with Nuthin': Smokes once and gets Smokers' Cough.

Fiona Gumboyle

A girl of about 11, and the second-oldest Gumboyle child, co-owner of Dr Dog.

• Genki Girl: Apparently, she turns a lot of cartwheels.

Kev Gumboyle

The third-oldest Gumboyle child, a boy of about eight, co-owner of Dr Dog.

• Butt-Monkey: Gets lice and then a boil.

Gerty Gumboyle

The second-to-youngest Gumboyle child and co-owner of Dr Dog, a girl of about six.

• Alliterative Name: Gerty Gumboyle.
• Butt-Monkey: Gets tonsillitis, then motion sickness.
• Catch Your Death of Cold: Her tonsillitis was implied to be from going out in the rain with no rain clothes.
• Cheerful Child: Very upbeat and energetic.
• Genki Girl: Likes to run around a lot (but must drink ginger tea between eating and activity or she'll get nausea due to the "food sloshing around" inside her).
• Happy Rain: Likes to play in the rain.
• Sick Episode: The first book has her get sick with a throat infection.
• The Tonsillitis Episode: Gets tonsillitis in the first episode.

Baby Gumboyle

The youngest Gumboyle child, of about two years old.

• Butt-Monkey: Even more so than his siblings. Gets intestinal worms, and when he recovers, he nearly gets eaten by a dangerous plant!
• Meaningful Name: Is a toddler named "Baby". Thank goodness he's Not Allowed to Grow Up.

The Other Doctor Dog

Dr Dog's doctor, who only appears briefly in the first book.

• Labcoat of Science and Medicine: Is another doctor in a white labcoat.
• Nearly Normal Animal: Like Dr Dog, he is a talking dog doctor who is otherwise like a normal dog.
• No Name Given: We don't find out his name.

Professor Dash Hound

A dog professor who features only in "A Dose of Doctor Dog".

• A Lizard Named "Liz": A dog with "Hound" as a last name.
• Nearly Normal Animal: Is on the same level of "normality" as Dr Dog.
• Science Hero: Helped the Gumboyles in "A Dose of Dr Dog".