History Main / CartoonDogBreed

Contrast the aforementioned AllDogsArePurebred. Compare InformedSpecies, for cartoon dogs who ''do'' have a specified breed, but don't particularly look like them, which may overlap in some rare instances of this trope. See also CartoonPenguin and CartoonWhale, for other animals whose cartoon appearances don't match their real-world ones. A particular variation is Dogface, which were the stand-in for humans in stories were humans were not allowed to appear in, and have some traits in common with these (like black noodle ears), but otherwise don't resemble dogs.

Contrast the aforementioned AllDogsArePurebred. Compare InformedSpecies, for cartoon dogs who ''do'' have a specified breed, but don't particularly look like them, which may overlap in some rare instances of this trope. See also CartoonPenguin and CartoonWhale, for other animals whose cartoon appearances don't match their real-world ones.

The end result is very often a Cartoon Dog Breed -- a dog who neither strongly resembles a real-world breed (and may in fact have traits that are impossible in real life), nor has has a specific real-world breed given for them. Rather than representing a specific breed of dog, they represent more an idealized version of "doggishness" that can be a sort of AudienceSurrogate for the viewer's own best friend -- a kind of doggy {{Everyman}}. They are most often seen when TheHero has, [[TalkingAnimal or is]], a dog, and there are no or very few other dogs around to contrast them. Works ''focused'' on dogs tend more toward AllDogsArePurebred, both because different dog breeds have different stereotypes ''and'' because the diversity of dog breeds out there is useful for adding visual interest. However, on some occasions, the "lead" dog will be this kind of mutt in order to help them stand out from their supporting cast of distinct breeds.

* Snoopy of ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' is a special case, as he's one of the [[TropeCodifier founding members]] of this particular style of cartoon dog design. Despite being called a "beagle" in-universe, Creator/CharlesMSchulz [[WordOfGod freely admitted]] that [[InformedSpecies Snoopy wasn't really a beagle]] and was moreso based on the unknown mixed-breed dog he owned as a child. Snoopy's core traits -- a white dog with black ears and a single big black spot on his back -- have been extremely influential on the appearance of many cartoon dogs since, and has likely led to the popularity of the "white-and-black" cartoon dog variant.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{The Powerpuff Girls|1998}}'': Talking Dog is a white dog with black ears a la [[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} Snoopy]], but it's never explained what breed he is.

[[folder: Anime & Manga]]

[[folder: Comic Books]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'', Spike is a medium-sized orange dog with a handful of [[AmazingTechnicolorWildlife purple]] spots, including a big one on his back, and two very long "noodle ears" that are usually held erect. One episode of the original series identified him as a "Siberian Tigerhound."

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When creating fictional dog characters, there is a tendency for many creators to [[AllDogsArePurebred make them purebred,]] even when it would be unusual for them to be so in RealLife. After all, many dog breeds are instantly recognizable and visually distinct, and many have useful [[DogStereotype stereotypes]] associated with them aside--an English Sheepdog is probably a BigFriendlyDog, a toy poodle is likely a MisterMuffykins, a Doberman looks like a good AngryGuardDog, and so on.

Illustrated and animated media, however, have more visual freedom than live-action media. Cartoons don't need, say, three identical-looking dogs to play one role, so they have the freedom to be more "muttlike"--it's easier to find three identical Golden Retrievers than three identical Golden Retriever/Pug mixed-breed dogs, after all. They can even have more fanciful traits (such as [[AmazingTechnicolorWildlife unusual fur colors]]) in accordance with whatever the creator imagines. Not to mention, character creators also may not ''want'' to tie a dog character down to a specific breed--as mentioned, many breeds do have stereotypes associated with them, and avoiding those stereotypes can give a dog character more of an "everydog" feel.

The end result is very often a Cartoon Dog Breed--a dog who neither strongly resembles a real-world breed (and may in fact have traits that are impossible in real life), nor has has a specific real-world breed given for them. Rather than representing a specific breed of dog, they represent more an idealized version of "doggishness" that can be a sort of AudienceSurrogate for the viewer's own best friend--a kind of doggy {{Everyman}}. They are most often seen when TheHero has, [[TalkingAnimal or is]], a dog, and there are no or very few other dogs around to contrast them. Works ''focused'' on dogs tend more toward AllDogsArePurebred, both because different dog breeds have different stereotypes ''and'' because the diversity of dog breeds out there is useful for adding visual interest. However, on some occasions, the "lead" dog will be this kind of mutt in order to help them stand out from their supporting cast of distinct breeds.

* Are usually medium, working-dog-sized--somewhere between a beagle and a border collie. Dogs at either size extreme tend to have certain preconceptions around them, so this is the most "neutral" size.

* [=CDBs=] can have any type of ear or ear length (pricked, short and floppy, or long and hanging), but a common feature of such cartoon mutts is "noodle ears"--having their ears drawn as skinny cylindrical tubes instead of the flat triangles or squares that dog's ears actually are. Drawing ears like this makes it much more easy to animate them expressively, and if your dog character isn't a real breed, nobody can get on you for making their ears look wrong.

The most common result tends to be a dog that looks halfway between a yellow Labrador or Golden Retriever and a beagle or Jack Russell terrier--not a mixed breed, mind you, but a dog that looks like ''both at once.''

However, other dogs may apply. If you can ask yourself, "Can I tell what breed this cartoon dog is supposed to be just by looking at them?," and "Has the creator of the show given [[WordOfGod a canon, real-world breed, or breed mix, to this dog character]]?," and the answer to both is "no," then it's this trope. Mixed-breeds of known species don't count--so, for example, a dog who's known to be half German Shephard isn't this--but if the dog is simply said to be a mutt and their lineage isn't known, they can be a CDB. Similarly, if the dog's breed is given a ''fictional'' name, such as "Eggerbert's Froghound," they still count.

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]
* ''Anime/DigimonFrontier'': Dogmon looks like an orange dog straight from a cartoon but doesn't look like he's from a distinct breed.
* ''Anime/{{Wowser}}'': Dommel is a dog of an unknown breed, but looks like a polar bear with his fat belly and visible navel.

* ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'': Dogmatix is a fluffy white street mutt with skinny "noodle ears" tipped in black. His long fur and pronounced mustache give him a slightly terrier-like look, but the mustache probably has more to do with [[UncattyResemblance giving him a resemblance to his owner Asterix]] than his potential breed, as he's a former stray and likely mixed.

[[folder: Comic Strips]]
* Snoopy of ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' is a special case, as he's one of the [[TropeCodifier founding members]] of this particular style of cartoon dog design. Despite being called a "beagle" in-universe, Creator/CharlesMSchulz [[WordOfGod freely admitted]] that [[InformedSpecies Snoopy wasn't really a beagle]] and was moreso based on the unknown mixed-breed dog he owned as a child. Snoopy's core traits--a white dog with black ears and a single big black spot on his back--have been extremely influential on the appearance of many cartoon dogs since, and has likely led to the popularity of the "white-and-black" cartoon dog variant.
* Odie of ''Franchise/{{Garfield}}'' is a classic yellow-with-brown-spots-and-ears variant. He's [[DogsAreDumb dumb]], slurpy, and also unflinchingly loyal, as all good dogs should be--and even Garfield himself [[AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther is kind to him sometimes.]] In one strip, Jon and his father discuss Odie's breed. Jon doesn't know and his father suggests "Useless."

[[folder: Film - Animated]]

[[folder: Eastern Animation]]
* Animation/{{Reksio}} is a dog looking like a Jack Russell Terrier or Wire Fox Terrier with brown spot on left side on his eye and on his back and noodle ears.
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[[folder: Literature]]

[[folder: Video Games]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}},'' Pal is a yellow-coated, long-eared, medium-furred dog of an explicitly unknown breed. He's even barred from entering a pet show due to his uncertain lineage. Though he looks sort of Golden Retriver-y, he remains small his entire life, though this may have more to do with the show [[NotAllowedToGrowUp remaining mostly fixed in time]] than his breed.

* In ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes,'' Charlie Dog is a brown mutt with ears halfway between "realistic" and "noodle-eared," who is constantly hunting for a home. He claims to be a hybrid of all the best traits of various dog breeds, usually with absurd percentages, in order to sell himself to prospective adopters.
* In ''WesternAnimation/MarthaSpeaks,'' Martha herself is a medium-sized yellow dog with brown ears and a very small handful of brown spots, in addition to white socks on her paws. Her adoptive brother Skits somewhat resembles an Irish Setter, but isn't specified to be one.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'': Talking Dog is a white dog with black ears a la [[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} Snoopy]], but it's never explained what breed he is.

* Odie of ''Franchise/{{Garfield}}'' is a classic yellow-with-brown-spots-and-ears variant. He's [[DogsAreDumb dumb]], slurpy, and also unflinchingly loyal, as all good dogs should be--and even Garfield himself [[AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther is kind to him sometimes.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/theMightyB'': Happy is a [[AmazingTechnicolorWildlife blue]] dog with a purple nose, a black spot, and black, cropped ears. Half of his right ear is missing.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}},'' Dogmatix is a fluffy white street mutt with skinny "noodle ears" tipped in black. His long fur and pronounced mustache give him a slightly terrier-like look, but the mustache probably has more to do with [[UncattyResemblance giving him a resemblance to his owner Asterix]] than his potential breed, as he's a former stray and likely mixed.

However, other dogs may apply. If you can ask yourself, "Can I tell what breed this cartoon dog is supposed to be just by looking at them?," and "Has the creator of the show given [[WordOfGod a canon, real-world breed, or breed mix, to this dog character]]?," and the answer to both is "no," then it's this trope. Mixed-breeds of known species don't count--so, for example, a dog who's known to be half German Shephard isn't this--but if the dog is simply said to be a mutt and their lineage isn't known, they can be a GCD. Similarly, if the dog's breed is given a ''fictional'' name, such as "Eggerbert's Froghound," they still count.

Incidentally, there is some TruthInTelevision to these traits. In areas with high stray dog populations that are able to reproduce without deliberate human guidance, the stray population tends towards light brown or blonde fur (sometimes with a few spots), medium size, short-to-medium-length fur, and skinny tails. ThatOtherWiki has a page on [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_dog street dogs]] for the curious.

* Snoopy of ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' is a special case, as he's one of the [[TropeCodifier founding members]] of this particular style of cartoon dog design. Despite being called a "beagle" in-universe, Charles Schulz [[WordOfGod freely admitted]] that [[InformedSpecies Snoopy wasn't really a beagle]] and was moreso based on the unknown mixed-breed dog he owned as a child. Snoopy's core traits--a white dog with black ears and a single big white spot on his back--have been extremely influential on the appearance of many cartoon dogs since, and has likely lead to the popularity of the "white-and-black" cartoon dog variant.

* {{Animation/Reksio}} is a dog looking like a Jack Russell Terrier or Wire Fox Terrier with brown spot on left side on his eye and on his back and noodle ears.