Bugs Bunny contends with a dopey hunting dog who intends to eat him as they take refuge in a pond.
This cartoon is infamous for its two endings; one in which the dog commits suicide via a pistol, and another where Bugs kills him with said pistol. It's also notable as being the first cartoon to have Bugs' headshot appear after the WB shield in the opening.
Tropes:
- Ate His Gun: The director's cut version has Bugs shooting the dog through the mouth with the gun instead of giving it to him.
- Boom, Headshot!: In the theatrical version, the Russian dog does this to his own head as part of his wish to die.
- Bowdlerization: The dog's death scene is cut on television airings.
- The Cameo: A variation. Bugs puts on Elmer Fudd's hunting hat and wields his shotgun as he pretends to "hunt" a rabbit to bring to the Russian dog. He even mimics Elmer's catchphrase, which the dog also does once Bugs leaves the scene.
- Delayed Reaction: After greeting the mermaid-disguised Bugs, it takes several seconds for the Russian dog to do a double take.
- Disguised in Drag: The first trick that Bugs plays on the dog after they go underwater is masquerading as a mermaid.
- Disney Death: In both versions, the Russian dog is seemingly shot to death, and as the Iris Out is about to close, he gets up alive and well to interrupt it and deliver the cartoon's final punchline.
- Dogs Are Dumb: Like most of Bugs' rogues gallery, the Russian dog isn't quite bright and is prone to falling for the rabbit's tricks. In fact, when he meets Bugs for the first time, he doesn't even recognize him as a rabbit until Bugs explains what rabbits are to him and tosses him down a hole.
- Dreary Half-Lidded Eyes: The Russian dog's default expression.
- Fake Boobs: Before going into the water, Bugs inflates a set of water wings and wears them around his upper torso to simulate the breasts on his mermaid disguise.
- Faking the Dead: Bugs repeats this gag from A Wild Hare once the dog takes a bite out of the sandwich.
- Giant Food: Near the end of the cartoon, Bugs brings in a sandwich that is big enough to hold him and places himself in it in order to play one last trick on the Russian dog.
- Half the Man He Used to Be: Played with. In the theatrical version, Bugs pulls this effect off by tucking in the lower half of his body so that the dog doesn't actually eat him. He then pretends to shriek out in pain when the dog takes a bite and fakes his death, filling his canine predator with guilt. This was not present in the director's cut version for some reason; it was added for the theatrical version to make it clear that Bugs really hasn't been eaten.
- Iris Out: The dog interrupts it after revealing that he isn't actually dead to say "This shouldn't even happen to a dog!", then lets it go as it snaps on his nose, causing him to cry out painfully.
- My God, What Have I Done?: After Bugs fakes his passing, the dog regrets his actions and wishes to be the one to die.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: The Russian dog's accent is based on Bert Gordon's "Mad Russian" character.
- Objectshifting: For a visual gag, the Russian dog transforms into a torpedo as he zooms over to what he thinks is a mermaid, which is actually Bugs in disguise.
- Pun-Based Title: Of "hair ribbon".
- Shout-Out: The foghorn-sounding "B.O" the dog says after smelling Bug's armpit came from commercials for Life Buoy brand soap.
- Suicide as Comedy: The theatrical version has the dog being offered a gun by Bugs and shooting himself out of guilt over seemingly killing the rabbit.
- Super Not-Drowning Skills: Bugs and the Russian dog spend the rest of the short underwater with no fatal consequences.
- "Take That!" Kiss: Bugs instigates the chase by kissing the Russian dog after sending him down a hole.
- Tempting Fate: After the dog wishes he were dead after seemingly killing Bugs, the rabbit replies “Nyeh, do you mean it?” and pulls the trigger on him.
- Villainous Breakdown: The Russian dog is reduced to a guilty, sobbing, death-seeking wreck after "killing" Bugs.
