Pluto

**Pluto** is Mickey Mouse's pet dog that first appeared as a nameless bloodhound in 1930's *The Chain Gang*. Named by Walt Disney, Pluto is unique for a character in Mickey's world, in that he is not anthropomorphic beyond showing a broad range of facial expressions; he is actually represented as a normal dog, lacking speech and the ability to walk upright.

Despite making his screen debut a year earlier, Pluto wouldn’t appear as Mickey’s dog until *The Moose Hunt* in 1931. From then on, Pluto quickly grew in popularity, succeeding such characters as Minnie Mouse and Horace Horsecollar as Mickey’s usual sidekick. 1934's *Playful Pluto* is often credited as Pluto's defining short, mainly for a scene animated by Norman Ferguson, in which Pluto gets stuck to flypaper and must figure out a way to escape his plight, all with no dialogue.

Pluto's ability to convey emotion through pantomime made him a favorite amongst animators. His prominence in Disney shorts eventually surpassed even that of Mickey's, with several cartoons dedicating more screentime to Pluto despite headlining as a Mickey picture. In 1937, Pluto was given his own series of cartoons beginning with *Pluto's Quin-puplets*.

## Personality

Pluto is truly a well-trained dog. Like his master Mickey, he can get into a large amount of trouble but has enough brains to escape the situation. He acts as Mickey's sidekick, best friend, conscience on some occasions, and pet. The pet is extremely loyal but on occasion does have the tendency to argue and be fussy with people or even Mickey.

He shows a strong disliking towards cats. This hatred could have mostly been sparked by not only natural instincts but the rivalry with Minnie's cat Figaro. The two constantly compete for Minnie's attention and love but in recent years have been much kinder to each other. Pluto is also famous for his powerful sense of smell. According to Mickey, Pluto can find anything and anybody with his nose. He appears to be a mixed breed containing both a bloodhound and a pointer.

While intelligent enough, Pluto can be a bit clumsy and his childlike persona is often mistaken for stupidity. He's not immune to being outwitted but can get back on track which is usually bad news since Pluto can have a nasty temper. He has two consciences. One evil (which is Pluto's devil counterpart) and one good (which is Pluto's angel counterpart). They occasional appear in hard situations and Pluto tends to listen to the negative side at the beginning but the positive doesn't take no for an answer, having Pluto do good in the end.

The pup has an A-list life: a good home, family, and the greatest owner for his type, but he has been accidentally mistreated. Being that he spends the most time in the house, he has been blamed for a handful of things. His pal Mickey has always forgiven him in the end as he is often reminded why Pluto is deemed his best friend. This situation showcases the strong bond between Mickey and Pluto who can be inseparable at times.

Pluto also has a tendency to fall in love rather quickly. Whenever this would occur, Pluto would usually stop at nothing to win the heart of the girl in question. Some of the girls Pluto has been smitten with include: Fifi the Peke, Dinah the Dachshund, and Tiki. Despite his recurring love bug, the cartoon *Pluto's Penthouse Sweet* showed that Pluto's friendship with Mickey can overshadow his love interest.