A Dog and Pony Show

A Dog and Pony Show is the nineteenth episode of the first season of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. In this episode, Rarity gets abducted by the Diamond Dogs while out searching for gems, leading Spike and the other ponies to come to her aid. The term "dog and pony show" refers to an overly performative presentation.__TOC__
==Production and development==
In the iTunes release of the episode, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are missing when the group arrives at the bottom of the hole. Another iTunes exclusive error, albeit minor, is the inconsistent appearance of Twilight Sparkle's rope harness. For example, in the scene where Twilight Sparkle bucks off the Diamond Dog guard riding her, the guard haphazardly pulls off the harness with his claws as he is flung away; in other releases of the episode, the harness instead remains around her head. The show's director, Jayson Thiessen, explained that iTunes somehow got an older version of the episode that was not meant for air.
The error with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy missing is also present in some international airings and in the Netflix version of this episode, as well as the Australian MLP Volume 4 DVD. It also remained unfixed in the iTunes 1080p version of the episode.
The scenes when Rarity gives Spike a gem, Spike using the gem to fish out the Diamond Dogs, and Spike's heroic flashback appears in A-Dressing Memories.
==Summary==
===The hunt for gems===
 Inside the Carousel Boutique, Rarity places the final gem onto a garment just as she hears a customer walk into the shop. She turns around to find pop music sensation Sapphire Shores, who explains that she read about Rarity's fashion designs and came to browse the shop for costumes for an upcoming tour. Rarity shows off the piece she just finished: a flashy suit heavily bejeweled with diamonds. Impressed, Sapphire offers to buy it and orders five others that each feature a different jewel, causing Rarity to faint.
 Later, Rarity and Spike travel to the outskirts of Ponyville to dig up more gems for Sapphire's outfits. Spike hungers after the gems but manages to control his appetite, and after several successful excavations, Rarity rewards him with a large blue gem. Enamored with his benefactor, Spike decides to keep it as a gift rather than eating it. Meanwhile, looking on from their hiding spot in a nearby bush, a trio of canines called the Diamond Dogs determine to kidnap Rarity so she can find gems for them. They attempt to abduct her but are intercepted by Spike, though they quickly shake him off before pulling Rarity down a hole into their underground den.
===Saving Rarity===
 After explaining the situation to Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack in Ponyville, Spike brings them to the spot of the incident only to find the ground now replete with holes. The dogs foil their attempts to enter the holes by quickly refilling them and tripping the ponies up when they try to dig them back open.
While the ponies worry about how frightened Rarity must be, Spike uses his blue gem as bait in an attempt to catch one of the dogs with a fishing rod. The line is soon snagged, and he and the ponies are dragged through a long tunnel before landing in an underground cave network. They theorize that the dogs took Rarity down the tunnel with the most gems, and when Twilight remembers that Rarity once showed her the gem-finding spell, the group find the correct path and continue their pursuit.
===Dealing with the dogs===
 Elsewhere in the underground den, the Diamond Dogs demand that Rarity use her magic to locate gems. She soon finds a batch but balks when they order her to dig it up, claiming she doesn't want to chip a hoof after a recent "pony-pedi". The dogs instead try to harness her to a cart to haul the gems, but she protests, criticizing the dogs' hygiene and complaining about the working conditions. Rarity continues to annoy her captors with constant whining, eventually breaking into tears after one of them calls her a "mule". When they fail to abate her crying, the dogs decide they've had enough.
Spike and the ponies hear Rarity's cries as they follow the gem trail to a locked door. Before they can enter, several guard dogs appear and jump on the ponies in an attempt to capture them, though they manage to buck the dogs off rodeo-style. Twilight breaks through the door to find the Diamond Dogs running toward them and pleading that they take Rarity back along with several carts full of gems. On their way home, Rarity reflects that just because someone is ladylike doesn't mean they're weak, and that a seemingly defenseless individual can outsmart and outshine others.
==Quotes==
: Rarity: I used every last diamond I found on this one garment.
: Sapphire Shores: And it is spectacular! I'll take it.
: Rarity: Really?
: Sapphire Shores: Oh yes, and five more, each done up in a different jewel.
: Rarity: Beg pardon?
:Rarity: You've been very patient today, Spike. And for that you get the finest reward. This is from me to you. Is something wrong, Spike?
:Spike: No. It's perfect.
: Rarity: So, um, you're out hunting for gems as well?
: Rover: Yes. We hunt.
: Rarity: Uh... we?
: Rover: We hunt for gems. But you are a better hunter. So now we hunt... for you!
:Spike: Aaaah! Rarity... woods... jewels... dogs... hole... taken... SAVE HER!
:Princess Rarity: Oh, Spike! I knew you would save me!
:Sir Spike: Nothing could stop me, my lady.
:Princess Rarity: Oh, Spike. You are my hero. [smooch]
:Sir Spike: Mmmmmm...
:Applejack: Whoa there, lover boy.
:Fido: What are you doing? We said dig!
:Rarity: Forgive me, but prior to you so rudely dragging me into your dirt pit, I had a pony-pedi, and I am not about to chip a hoof because you dislike my style of digging.
:Rarity: Good heavens, what is that smell?
:Rover: Smeeeeeell?
:Rarity: Ah, mystery solved. It's your breath.
:Spike: I'm coming for you, my lady. Hi-ho, Twilight! Away!
:Twilight Sparkle: And just what do you think you're doing?
:Spike: Please, Twilight. Just give me this.
==Gallery==
==References==
ar:كلاب الماس
de:Diamanten-Hunde
es:Como Perros y Ponis
fr:Entre chiens et poneys
id:Pertunjukan Anjing dan Poni
it:Cani contro Pony
ja:アイ・ラブ・ラリティ！
ko:래리티와 건달들
pl:Kucyki i psy
pt:Os Cães-Diamante
ru:Искатели драгоценностей
sv:En hund och ponny cirkus
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