# If Pluto is a dog, what is Goofy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [August 29, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518 "2013-08-29T18:11:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/1 "2013-08-29T18:11:30Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/978/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/978/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy) Proof, yet again, that Wikipedia has an article on just about _everything_: [Goofy - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goofy#Confusion_concerning_Goofy_and_Pluto) ---
**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:** [August 30, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/2 "2013-08-30T01:44:39Z")
Here’s one I’ve wondered about: Mickey is a mouse. Mickey is about the same size as Donald, from all their many appearances together. Donald has appeared with Chip and Dale, and is about ten times their height. Chip and Dale are about the same size as Gadget Hackwrench, from _Chip and Dale’s Rescue Rangers_. Gadget is a mouse. So, we have a mouse that’s about ten times the height of another mouse. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/3 "2013-08-30T01:51:12Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So, we have a mouse that’s about ten times the height of another mouse. That would be Mighty Mouse! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/4 "2013-08-30T03:22:41Z")
Or Non-Ferrous Giant Mouse. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/5 "2013-08-30T03:33:38Z")
I wondered about Quick Draw McGraw riding a stage coach pulled by other horses. ---
**Author:** ![sangfroid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@sangfroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sangfroid)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/6 "2013-08-30T08:32:13Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > I wondered about Quick Draw McGraw riding a stage coach pulled by other horses. Y’know, that’s one I never thought about until now, **Jeff**. How disturbing. And I’m still trying to figure out why Mickey wears a bottom but no top, and Donald wears a top but no bottom… ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/7 "2013-08-30T09:34:53Z")
> [@sangfroid](#): > > Y’know, that’s one I never thought about until now, **Jeff**. > > How disturbing. [Yep.](http://www.search-best-cartoon.com/images/the-quick-draw-mcgraw-show-02.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/8 "2013-08-30T10:49:24Z")
I forget where I heard this, but Pluto is a “dog,” in the sense we think of them, where Goofy is a “dawg,” the humanoid dog-like creatures that apparently own their lesser cousins. Like having a pet monkey! I think the term for Goofy arose from his original name, “Dippy Dawg.” ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/9 "2013-08-30T10:50:53Z")
> [@sangfroid](#): > > And I’m still trying to figure out why Mickey wears a bottom but no top, and Donald wears a top but no bottom… It’s so each knows what the other is _in to_, if you know what I mean. ---
**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:** [August 30, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/10 "2013-08-30T14:43:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Speaker for the Dead** : > > I forget where I heard this, but Pluto is a “dog,” in the sense we think of them, where Goofy is a “dawg,”… I have a hunch where you might have heard that. ---
**Author:** ![chowching](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@chowching](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowching)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/11 "2013-08-30T15:07:16Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > [Yep.](http://www.search-best-cartoon.com/images/the-quick-draw-mcgraw-show-02.jpg) Quick-draw Mcdraw is white. The other two horses are brown. What does that say. :0 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/12 "2013-08-30T16:39:38Z")
> [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](#): > > I forget where I heard this, but Pluto is a “dog,” in the sense we think of them, where Goofy is a “dawg,” the humanoid dog-like creatures that apparently own their lesser cousins. Like having a pet monkey! I think the term for Goofy arose from his original name, “Dippy Dawg.” Brings to mind one of my favorite jokes: Mickey goes to a shrink because of problems with Minnie, and tells him his troubles. Doc says “Well, Mickey, from your description of things, it doesn’t appear to me that Minnie is crazy.” Mickey replies: “I didn’t say she was crazy, Doc; I said she was fucking Goofy.” ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/13 "2013-08-30T19:16:57Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I have a hunch where you might have heard that. Hush! Why would you expect me to read a link buried literally _one_ post in? ---
**Author:** ![qazwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5fc32e/32.png) [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/14 "2013-08-30T21:42:49Z")
> [@sangfroid](#): > > And I’m still trying to figure out why Mickey wears a bottom but no top, and Donald wears a top but no bottom… [Micky Mouse and Donald Duck in No Service](http://video.disney.com/watch/disneychannel-no-service-4df889ed3d82b43c9c01a272). (Must have Flash) The two want to order some food from a local hotdog stand run by Goofy, but are refused because “No shirt, no shoes, no service”. Pants were not mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![gwisby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gwisby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwisby)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/15 "2013-09-09T17:09:12Z")
It was always my understanding that Goofy isn’t a dog, but a Goof. As you mentioned, he was once known as Dippy the Goof. There’s a good joke about Goofy: Divorce lawyer says to Mickey, “You say you want to divorce Minnie because she’s crazy?” “No,” says Mickey, “it’s because she’s fuckin’ Goofy.” ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/16 "2013-09-09T17:18:30Z")
Gorsh! There’s already a recent thread on this: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=700843&highlight=goofy](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=700843&highlight=goofy) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/17 "2013-09-09T17:27:04Z")
He’s an anthropomorphic dog. But that’s not important right now. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/18 "2013-09-10T00:34:06Z")
MODERATOR COMMENT: **gwisby** ’s post and the two following (#15, 16, 17) have been merged into the prior thread on this … um… goofy topic. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/19 "2013-09-10T01:13:44Z")
> [@sangfroid](#): > > And I’m still trying to figure out why Mickey wears a bottom but no top, and Donald wears a top but no bottom… and yet, when Donald steps out of the shower, he wraps a towel around his waist. None of that compares to watching Donald carve the turkey at Thanksgiving. The horror… ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518/20 "2013-09-11T00:43:11Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > I wondered about Quick Draw McGraw riding a stage coach pulled by other horses. Horace Horsecollar was [sometimes shown riding a horse](http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n270/robotfencer/horacehorse_zps9d74746f.png) in Mickey’s comic strip. I also remember reading a Donald Duck comic book story that heavily involved (non-anthropomorphic) ducks, which I thought was kinda weird. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy/667518.md?page=2)