Santa's Little Helper, the beloved pooch of The Simpsons, had plenty of tail-wagging moments over 35 seasons, and it's with hope that we'll have more in season, which Fox premiered on Sept. 29. It will comprise more episodes, as the 2023 Writers Strike held season 35 back and didn't air their full block of 22.
The greyhound, who isn't as fast for the breed standard according to the American Kennel Club, raced into the hearts of the Simpson family and loyal viewers in 1989 when the animated sitcom aired its first episode. It's not hard to see why Santa's Little Helper is one of the franchise's top favorite characters, as he's affectionate to his family, is Bart's very best friend, and whenever there was a problem, Santa's Little Helper was there for the family.
We're not forgetting Santa's Little Helper, so here are five episodes with one of our favorite TV dogs.
"Old Yeller Belly"
Season 14
Santa's Little Helper becomes the mascot for Duff Beer, in the exaggeration of Budweiser's Spuds McKenzie. After he gets famous and earns millions for the family, Santa's Little Helper's original owner returns and claims "real" ownership. The act comes after Homer verbally disowns his dog on live TV after Santa's Little Helper fails to save him from Bart's burning treehouse.
To get their dog back, the Simpsons devise a plan where Homer needs saving from the lake, and after the pup gets scared and doesn't save him a second time, Duff drops him, and he's back with the Simpsons.
"Dog of Death"
Season 3
Greyhounds often get bloat or twisted stomachs due to their racing as the sport stresses their organs. Santa's Little Helper is no exception to this health risk and he must undergo an expensive ($750) operation to correct it. However, Homer and Marge cannot afford it, and it drives a wedge between them and their kids, as Santa's Little Helper will pass with the operation.
In order to give their dog the life-saving procedure, the family makes sacrifices, much to their objections since they're luxuries they have gotten used to. After showing their anger at Santa's Little Helper, he runs away, only to be "adopted" by Mr. Burns to replace his aging hound.
Missing his friend, Bart makes it his personal mission to bring him back home and succeeds. The experience only strengthened the strong bond between the two.
"Simpson Roasting On An Open Fire"
Season 1
When Homer discovers that he won't be getting his holiday bonus from work and finds out that the Christmas cash was used for Bart's tattoo removal (don't ask), the patriarch enrolls as a mall Santa, only to discover that the pay is pennies on Christmas Eve. Discouraged, and on the advice of his friends Barney and Bart, they go to the racetrack where their future member is racing.
Following Santa's Little Helper's loss, he runs into Homer's arms and he's meant to be with them. Arriving home with no gifts, Homer's about to make an announcement that he failed, there's no bonus, and they're broke, but just before he can, Santa's Little Helper pops in, warming everyone's heart. Marge reminds Homer that he brought out the real meaning of the holiday by telling him that he brought home a gift of love.
Adoptions were strongly taking hold in the 1980s, as there were so many animals who were in shelters looking for their forever homes. Most of the time, finding your match happens unexpectedly, and when you do, it's pure magic.
"Two Dozen and One Greyhounds"
Season 6
Like every animal on the planet, Santa's Little Helper wanted to find his life mate, and he did with another greyhound named She's the Fastest. Not only did he get a life mate in her, and they were dating as if they were from Lady and the Tramp, but he also became a father when she gave birth to an unusually large litter of 25 puppies. When the pups destroy the house due to a lack of committed training, the Simpsons try to find homes for them, except the pups don't want to be broken up.
Mr. Burns steals the dogs to make a suit out of them, in the fashion of Disney's 101 Dalmations and to the merriness of Beauty and the Beast. Bart and Lisa stop Burns from doing the barbaric act, and the dogs become multi-million dollar racing greyhounds, a trait they likely inherited from their mother, as Santa's Little Helper wasn't a champion racer.
"Bart's Dog Gets An F"
Season 3
Maybe "Bart's Dog Gets An F" was a suspicion, as the Simpsons didn't adequately train their puppies until they reached adulthood, and the same can be said for Santa's Little Helper. After destroying Homer's expensive sneakers and eating his cookie (yes, a cookie), he wants to get rid of him. However, he bargains with Bart that if Santa's Little Helper doesn't pass obedience school, he'll get a new home.
After weeks of hard classes and no positive outlook of passing, Bart's heartbroken to give him up. In a miraculous tale of events, Santa's Little Helper finally understood the essence of training and the commands. He passes school with flying colors and remains with the Simpsons.
The irony is that greyhounds are fairly easy to train since they love attention and are athletic. But each dog is different, and training is only effective when humans take the time to connect and teach.