History Main / GratuitousAnimalSidekick

* Spoofed mercilessly on ''TheIncredibles'' DVD, in which a small rabbit named Mr. Skipperdoo is added to the badly-animated cast of the fake cartoon "Mr. Incredible and Pals". Even the supers hate the idea, as evidence in their commentary on the cartoon:

* [[GilligansIsland Gilligan]] got a monkey sidekick in his AnimatedAdaptation, and an alien one when the AnimatedAdaptation was RecycledInSPACE.

* The RobotDog K-9 was a one-shot ''Series/DoctorWho'' character who ExecutiveMeddling made into a permanent companion, to serve as a KidAppealCharacter and to hopefully make the tone (as well as [[PetTheDog the Doctor]]) LighterAndSofter, as the show was being strongly criticised by MoralGuardians at the time for not being child-friendly enough. The character itself is quite enjoyable and well-liked, but was unpopular with the showrunners due to the means of its addition and the fact that [[SpecialEffectsFailure the prop rarely worked]].

* ''{{Superboy}}'' had [[KryptoTheSuperdog Krypto]] in his SilverAge comics, who also appeared in the 1960s ''Superman/Batman'' animated series. In 2005, the Last Dog of Krypton made his move to center stage on TV in ''WesternAnimation/KryptoTheSuperdog''.

** The DCnU has introduced Titus (Damian Wayne's pet Great Dane) and the [[GrantMorrisonsBatman Batcow]].

** The DCnU has introduced Titus and the [[GrantMorrisonsBatman Batcow]].
* DCComics introduced two examples of the same basic concept in the post-WorldWarTwo days the superhero genre's decline in popularity:
** In 1948, the original GreenLantern, Alan Scott, was suddenly given a canine sidekick in Streak, the Wonder Dog. Not only did Streak share GL's title, but the dog actually ''became the top-billed star of the series''! Streak also served as the prototype for DC's ''other'', subsequent wonder dog (Rex), who would operate without a superhero partner.

* The animated version of ''FlashGordon'' in the 1970s had a baby dragon called Gremlin that was a blatant attempt to appeal to younger children.

->--[[TheIncredibles Mr. Incredible]], defending an In-Universe fictional TeamPet.

* Not to be outdone, ''Comicbook/{{Batman}}'' had Ace the Bathound back during the SilverAge.

*** Nevertheless he made a pretty good sidekick in one episode. "Good Bat-dog."
*** The FullyAbsorbedFinale of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' in ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' gives us the possibility that Ace is named after a member of the Royal Flush Gang who died in Batman's arms. Of course, since the ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' episode was the last thing to ever be shown of the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' universe, it's still definitely a nod to the old Bat-Hound.

The insertion of an animal sidekick into a property that normally wouldn't be expected to have one. Often an example of ExecutiveMeddling, particularly on AnimatedSeries.

* ''{{Superboy}}'' had Krypto in his SilverAge comics, who also appeared in the 1960s ''Superman/Batman'' animated series. In 2005, the Last Dog of Krypton made his move to center stage on TV in ''WesternAnimation/KryptoTheSuperdog''.

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*** Nevertheless he made a pretty good sidekick in one episode. "Good bad dog."

* When Timmy becomes his standard superhero alter ego, Cleft, Cosmo, Wanda, and Poof usually tag along as "Ace, Clefto, and Puppy Poof the Chin-Hounds, partly parodies of Batman and Superman's dogs.

* When Timmy becomes his standard superhero alter ego, Cleft, Cosmo, Wanda, and Poof usually tag along as "Ace, Clefto, and Puppy Poof the Chin-Hounds, partly parodies of Batman and Superman's dogs.

** Subverted in ''BatmanBeyond'', where Bruce Wayne has a dog named Ace, but he's an AngryGuardDog.

*** The FullyAbsorbedFinale of ''BatmanBeyond'' in ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' gives us the possibility that Ace is named after a member of the Royal Flush Gang who died in Batman's arms. Of course, since the ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' episode was the last thing to ever be shown of the ''BatmanBeyond'' universe, it's still definitely a nod to the old Bat-Hound.

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The insertion of an animal sidekick into a property that normally wouldn't be expected to have one. Often an example of ExecutiveMeddling, particularly on AnimatedSeries.

[[folder:ComicBooks]]

** The DCnU has introduced Titus and the [[GrantMorrisonsBatman Batcow]].

* Thoroughly lampshaded, spoofed, gnawed on, buried and piddled on by ''{{Discworld}}'''s "Gaspode the Wonder Dog."

** A version of Ace appeared in the 90s Batman comics, this time as a seeing-eye dog Batman had inherited from a blind Native American medicine man. He mostly hung around the cave with Harold, Batman's [[TheIgor mute hunchback assistant]].

** Krypto also got a ShoutOut in one episode of ''JusticeLeague'' (though it was AllJustADream). Krypto himself has recently been reintroduced to the comics, [[BetterThanItSounds and it works]].

** In 1948, the original GreenLantern, Alan Scott, was suddenly given a canine sidekick in Streak, the Wonder Dog. Not only did Streak share GL's title, but the dog actually ''became the top-billed star of the series''! Streak also served as the prototype for DC's ''other'', subsequent wonder dog who would operate without a superhero partner.

** RexTheWonderDog was created for his own DCComics comic book series that started in 1952. He could drive cars as seen above, pilot speedboats, had a successful career as a newspaper photographer, and once nuked a T-Rex. Then (in much later stories) it was revealed that he was a decorated WorldWarII veteran with an origin strikingly similar to that of CaptainAmerica. ''Then'' he drank from the fountain of youth and gained the ability to speak human languages. It bears repeating that he gained the ability to speak human languages ''after'' all of the above occurred.

* Rover the Irish wolfhound from "The Giggler Treatment", "Rover Saves Christmas", and "The Meanwhile Adventures" by Roddy Doyles is one pretty amazing dog.

* Jack the one-eyed canine "co-pilot" of ''TalesOfTheGoldMonkey''.
* ''HeeHaw'' had Beauregard the Wonder Dog (earlier, Kingfish the Wonder Dog). Inverted in that the bloodhound did nothing but sleep.

* There's a ClassicDisneyShort called Wonder Dog, starring Pluto.

* ''DynomuttDogWonder''
* In the cheaply animated "Tom Terrific" segment on ''CaptainKangaroo'', Tom's sidekick was Mighty Manfred, the Wonder Dog -- a subversion, as he's dumb, lazy, and cowardly.