Here’s something to give you paws for thought: TV shows are better with dogs.
Television is full of tail-waggingly wonderful dogs. While we’ve seen all sorts of fur-covered, four-legged friends on our screens, here are some of our favourites.
Plus, in new ABC series, Dog Park, which starts February 1, canine cutie Beattie escapes his home to be with his furry friends.
Colin (Colin from Accounts)
The hit show is named after the cutie that brought Ashley (Harriet Dyer) and Gordon (Patrick Brammall) together. Border terrier Zak plays Colin, with another dog, Buster, filling in now and then. Harriet told TV WEEK Zak was “more professional than Patrick”, and Patrick agreed. “Easily. Always hit the mark.”
Ash Barky (Muster Dogs)
Docuseries Muster Dogs has introduced Australians to two loveable litters of pups, but the most charismatic (and cleverly named) would have to be Ash Barky.
Perfectly paired with Queensland grazier and performer Cilla Pershouse, Ash is a skilled working dog with two jobs: herding cattle and performing alongside Cilla in her touring show.
Artie (Fisk)
Everyone loves Helen Tudor-Fisk – and Helen Tudor-Fisk loves Artie, as she showed in an early Fisk episode, when she disrupted a writers’ festival in an attempt to get him back.
Artie was played by co-creator and star Kitty Flanagan’s own Havanese, Henry, but in season three, Kitty’s other dog, Pickle, took over due to Henry’s health issues.
Bouncer (Neighbours)
From 1987 to 1993, Bouncer the Labrador played a pivotal role in Neighbours, saving Madge (Anne Charleston) from a fire, giving Mrs Mangel (Vivean Gray) amnesia and, in one of the strangest scenes in Australian TV history, dreaming about marrying the neighbour’s dog, Rosie.
Bouncer had a happy ending on the show – moving to the country – but in real life died of cancer 13 weeks after his final scene.
Beattie (Dog Park)
The newest TV dog on our list is Beattie (played by Indie), a perky pooch who just wants to hang out with the other dogs and their owners at the park.
This puts Beattie at odds with grumpy owner, Roland (Leon Ford), who is neither a people nor a dog person. But dogs have a way of bringing people together, right?
Cheddar (Brooklyn 99)
Who could forget Cheddar Holt-Cozner, the adorable and beautifully trained Pembroke Welsh Corgi owned by Brooklyn 99 character Raymond Holt.
Not only does he walk in a lockstep in his owner, Cheddar has a reputation of being the smartest alpha in town. Sadly, Stewart — the main pup actor who played Cheddar — passed away in 2019.
Wilfred (Wilfred)
A dog, or a dope smoking, foul-mouthed man in a dog suit? This idea for a TV comedy was so good that co-creator and star Jason Gann wore the dog suit for two Aussie seasons of Wilfred, from 2007, as well as four US seasons. Jason has since gone on to run the business Wilfred CBD & Hemp.
Rowdy (Scrubs)
For fans of the medical comedy series Scrubs, there’s no supporting character quite as iconic as Rowdy, the taxidermized labrador. From the very first season, Rowdy is a beloved companion to housemates and best friends John “JD” Dorian (Zach Braff) and Christopher Turk (Donald Faison) who often referred to Rowdy as if he was alive.
He was said to be purchased at a yard sale, with his previous owner keeping him in a “box of old hats”. Although Turk and JD’s friends and partners think Rowdy is creepy, they all feel bad when Rowdy goes missing one day. Eventually, they discover another stuffed dog that looks almost identical to Rowdy which they name Steven.
Eventually, Turk and JD find the original Rowdy, and they’re overjoyed by having two dogs — one for each of their apartments.
Bluey (Bluey)
Adored by kids and parents, Australians and Americans, blue heeler pup Bluey is, without a doubt, TV’s top dog.
Series creator Joe Brumm had a blue heeler called Bluey when he was growing up in Queensland and knows exactly what they’re like: smart, tough and almost inexhaustible. Those also happen to be the qualities of a typical kid, which is why this show about a dog is so very relatable.
Santa’s Little Helper (The Simpsons)
A greyhound abandoned by his owner after coming last in a race, Santa’s Little Helper has been with the Simpsons since the show began.
Voiced originally by Frank Welker and more recently by Dan Castellaneta (Homer), Santa’s Little Helper has been troublesome, leading to him being dubbed Satan’s Little Helper, and has been poorly treated at times – remember the Laddie episode? – but has survived an impressive 36 years.
Eddie (Frasier)
Forget Dr Frasier Crane. Throughout Frasier’s original run from 1993 to 2004, the character who received the most fan mail was Eddie.
He was played by a Jack Russell Terrier called Moose, with trainer Mathilde de Cagny standing off-camera and signalling tricks to do – such as staring at Frasier (Kelsey Grammer).
Moose’s son Enzo took over the role in later seasons.
Celine (Summer Heights High)
Self-absorbed drama teacher Mr G is one of Chris Lilley’s greatest creations, in part due to his relationship with Celine, his chihuahua with an “oversized brain”.
Celine, played by a dog called Plugger, ended the 2007 series with a disability but alive, much to the relief of viewers who thought she’d been killed off.
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