# Favorite non-anthropomorphic cartoon animal **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 20, 2018, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487 "2018-05-20T01:31:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/41 "2018-05-21T09:57:57Z")
[Lucas the Spider](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrS6akzR3sk) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/42 "2018-05-21T12:23:48Z")
Snowy (Milou) from _Tintin_, Dogmatix (Idéfix) from _Asterix_, Josef from _Heidi, Girl of the Alps_, Belle from _Belle and Sebastian_ ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/43 "2018-05-21T14:06:53Z")
What about Woodstock, Bill, Conrad, Oliver and Harriet? They act like real birds. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/44 "2018-05-21T14:16:03Z")
Zero from _The Nightmare Before Christmas_. A ghost of a dog, sure, but behaves like the ghost of a real dog and not the ghost of an anthropomorphic dog. An no love for Pluto, a non-anthropomorphic dog in a universe of anthropomorphic animals? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/45 "2018-05-21T14:22:25Z")
And the Grinch’s Max? Definitely a dog. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/46 "2018-05-21T14:30:54Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > What about Woodstock, Bill, Conrad, Oliver and Harriet? They act like real birds. I’ve always wondered: Does Snoopy speak Bird, or does Woodstock speak Dog? :dubious: 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/47 "2018-05-21T15:02:36Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > What about Woodstock, Bill, Conrad, Oliver and Harriet? They act like real birds. Woodstock plays bridge and ice hockey. Also uses a typewriter as Snoopy’s secretary. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/48 "2018-05-21T16:48:19Z")
[Worker and Parasite](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2_dhUv_CrI) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/49 "2018-05-21T17:58:30Z")
> [@Trisha\_Gaurav](#): > > All the characters you mentioned are anthropomorphic. Scooby Doo and Odie are non-anthropomorphic because they have the vocabulary of a baby. No, they _are_ anthropomorphic, _because_ they have the vocabulary of a baby. Real dogs don’t have any vocabulary at all. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/50 "2018-05-21T18:19:57Z")
_Babou_, _Cheryl Tunt’s_ pet ocelot. Am I right, buddy? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/51 "2018-05-21T18:21:01Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Real dogs don’t have any vocabulary at all. You may be surprised. ---
**Author:** ![Trisha\_Gaurav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Trisha\_Gaurav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trisha_Gaurav)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/52 "2018-05-21T19:21:36Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > You may be surprised. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! ������ ---
**Author:** ![Trisha\_Gaurav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Trisha\_Gaurav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trisha_Gaurav)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/53 "2018-05-21T19:47:02Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > You may be surprised. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! 🐕 ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/54 "2018-05-21T20:21:16Z")
> [@Trisha\_Gaurav](#): > > Not true at all. > > I have a chihuahua named Lady. When she’s confused, she says “Uh?” in the same tone I say “Huh?” in. When she’s happy she curves the ends of her lips into a smile. When she’s sad, she whines in the same tone I say “Awww” in when I find something cute. When she’s annoyed, she whines in the same tone I say “Hmmph” in. When I leave the bedroom light on at night, she covers her eye with her paw to make it easier to sleep. When she’s mad at me, she sticks her tongue out at me. When we play tug of war, she cheats by ceasing to pull and continuing to hold the hush puppy to make me relax so she can snatch it. This only worked once. When I wake her up at night, she snorts in annoyance. I think you’re projecting a lot of anthropomorphism to your dog, here. Don’t get me wrong, dogs have a ton of personality, but I’d say most of it is raw mammalian emotion. They have a “dog smile,” but I’m not so sure it’s very much like a human smile, in that it only looks like a smile, because we’re human and interpret it that way. As you mention, it can also mean they’re thirsty or even tired. And so on with other emotions you may be prescribing to them, because it _seems_ to mimic human behavior. They just don’t think and behave the same way as us on the level of complexity you seem to be projecting. I can almost guarantee you she is not sticking her tongue out at you because she’s mad at you. That’s ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Trisha\_Gaurav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Trisha\_Gaurav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trisha_Gaurav)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/55 "2018-05-21T20:45:34Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > I think you’re projecting a lot of anthropomorphism to your dog, here. Don’t get me wrong, dogs have a ton of personality, but I’d say most of it is raw mammalian emotion. They have a “dog smile,” but I’m not so sure it’s very much like a human smile, in that it only looks like a smile, because we’re human and interpret it that way. As you mention, it can also mean they’re thirsty or even tired. And so on with other emotions you may be prescribing to them, because it _seems_ to mimic human behavior. They just don’t think and behave the same way as us on the level of complexity you seem to be projecting. I can almost guarantee you she is not sticking her tongue out at you because she’s mad at you. That’s ridiculous. Sure. Then what’s she doing here? [Dog smiling - Album on Imgur](https://m.imgur.com/gallery/5cOTs) ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/56 "2018-05-21T20:48:28Z")
> [@Trisha\_Gaurav](#): > > Sure. Then what’s she doing here? [Dog smiling - Album on Imgur](https://m.imgur.com/gallery/5cOTs) She’s clearly about to deliver her next joke on Open Mic Night. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/57 "2018-05-21T20:54:06Z")
To be clear, a smiling dog can also mean that they’re happy, but be careful attributing the complex emotions that can arise behind a human smile (e.g. sarcasm; charm; elation, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/58 "2018-05-21T22:03:24Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Real dogs don’t have any vocabulary at all. > [@Gatopescado](#): > > You may be surprised. Ruh-roh! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/59 "2018-05-21T22:06:29Z")
Wild canines probably don’t smile, but they’re social creatures, and will try to learn to communicate with their “pack”. And if their packmates express happiness or similar emotions by smiling, they’ll learn to do that, too. They’ll also learn to purr for the same reason, if any of their packmates happen to be cats. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487/60 "2018-05-21T23:33:10Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > And the Grinch’s Max? Definitely a dog. I thought he was a reindeer. > [@Miller](#): > > No, they _are_ anthropomorphic, _because_ they have the vocabulary of a baby. Real dogs don’t have any vocabulary at all. She’s also wrong about them. Odie is entirely non-verbal (although he can communicate well enough with Garfield that he can speak for him), and Scooby, despite his speech impediment, has a pretty solid vocabulary. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-non-anthropomorphic-cartoon-animal/814487.md?page=4)