Santa's Little Helper

Racing Life
Santa's Little Helper (born March 12) also known as No. 8 (his number in the dog race in Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire), Suds McDuff of America, or Santa's Stupid Name, is the Simpson family's dog. Santa's Little Helper has been with the Simpson's family the whole series instead of dying like other animals have.

Oddly for a domestic dog, he has been shown to still be alive thirty years in the future, as a highly evolved canine with a large cerebellum ("Holidays of Future Passed") and a creature stitched together out of pieces of both he and Snowball II, in which form he is known as "Santa's Little Hybrid" ("Days of Future Future").



History
Homer was relying on a Christmas bonus to buy presents, but didn't get it. He was relying on this bonus because the jar of Christmas money that Marge accumulates for the family's Christmas treats was disposed of to pay for the removal of a tattoo that Bart got on his arm. Homer took the small amount of Christmas money he made working as Santa Claus at the Springfield Mall and bet it at the dog track. He had inside information on what dog was going to win, but instead bet on the "long shot," Santa's Little Helper, believing his name to be a sign. Santa's Little Helper finished last (apparently, it was the latest in a long string of last-place finishes), and his frustrated owner abandoned him. Homer and Bart brought him home, and everyone was so happy with him that it was a merry Christmas after all.



Sometimes, Santa's Little Helper can be seen chewing on the newspaper and other objects in the Simpson's household (sometimes ignored or tolerated by the family), tearing up the furniture, digging holes in the backyard and eating food from the living room table. It is stated that Homer and Santa's Little Helper's birthdays are on the same day.

With a few exceptions, Santa's Little Helper doesn't make any sound that resembles a bark. However, he does have an ability to think just like a person. Once, he made a sound similar to "chewy", and Homer writes it down in his review, amazed that the dog spoke English. He is also shown to have ridden a circus ball on his hind legs and speak the phrase 'We love... you!' in an attempt to be given some attention from the Simpson family. In addition, he was mascot of Duff Beer, and was known as Suds McDuff (a reference to a similar, real life mascot Spuds MacKenzie).

Santa's Little Helper's life with the Simpsons is not always easy. Due to his disobedience and destructive behavior nearly caused the Simpson family to give him away, but he passed an obedience class, thus he could stay. Santa's Little Helper almost passed away from gastric torsion (referred to in the show as a "twisting of the stomach") because Homer initially couldn't afford $750 for the required operation. He also broke two legs when Bart's treehouse was demolished by Mr. Burns' slanted oil well drill (The latter of which caused Bart Simpson to hate Burns immensely). Santa's Little Helper is sometimes a bad dog.

At one time, Santa's Little Helper was shortly abandoned by Bart for Laddie, a purebred and very well-trained dog he bought from a mail-order catalog together with various other expensive gifts and gadgets. To do that, Bart used a credit card he applied for under the name of his dog, yet the credit card company misread the form and issued a card to Mr. "Santos L. Halper". Laddie learned many tricks that Santa's Little Helper was completely unable to perform (most notably a back flip, CPR and using a toilet). The Simpson family nearly forgot about their old pet, and Bart eventually gave him away instead of Laddie when repo men take back everything he fraudulently purchased. Feeling guilty about this disloyalty and bored with his too perfect new dog, Bart tried to get Santa's Little Helper back. When he finally found him, Santa's Little Helper was serving as a guide dog for a blind man named Mr. Mitchell, but eventually chose to return to his former owner, Bart.

Santa's Little Helper has also shown aptitude in other areas. When neglected by the Simpson family, he ran away, and was adopted by Mr. Burns, and made into a very fearsome guard dog. When Bart was searching for Santa's Little Helper, Bart managed to reawaken Santa's Little Helper's good memories of him. It shown that while the Simpson family sleeps in the night, Santa's Little Helper and Snowball II both watch old episodes of "Lassie" on TV. When Homer and Marge are investigated by Child Protective Services, one of the things noted in the report is "dogs mating on dining room table." At which Santa's Little Helper shamefully turns away.

One time, Bart brings Santa's Little Helper to school for show and tell, and Mrs. Krabappel and the entire class, except for Martin Prince are fascinated by him. Mrs. Krabappel feeds him cookies, and the class dotes on him, but they later put him away, and Santa's Little Helper gets into the heating ducts. This later indirectly causes Skinner to be fired.

He also becomes a great hero after he saves Homer in a cornfield maze, and then becomes enrolled as a police dog, teamed up with Officer Lou. Both Lou and Santa's Little Helper make a good team, foiling crimes together. After biting Bart's left leg (due to the fact he got furious when the court stated that he violated one of the police codes while catching Snake Jailbird), Santa's Little Helper is sent off by the Simpson family to live with Lou. Later on, once Springfield Elementary is in danger and Bart isn't able to escape, Santa's Little Helper comes in to save him, and goes back to living with the Simpsons. Unlike when he was the Duff mascot (which depicts the dog as a coward), Santa's Little Helper is depicted as a very brave and smart dog.



Santa's Little Helper has been implied to be bisexual. At the time, the Simpson family is watching a gay pride parade marching down Evergreen Terrace, and one of the groups marching is the Gay Dog Alliance. The marching dogs are clothed in a series of typically camp gay costumes, and Santa's Little Helper, showing excitement by panting, shows an interest in several of the dogs, one of whom winks at him. Santa's Little Helper's attempt to join the dogs is thwarted by the fact that he is currently on a leash, noticing his interest, Homer chooses to take the family away from the pride parade.

Physical Appearance
He is a Greyhound with light brown fur.

Offspring
He sired twenty-five puppies with "She's the Fastest" in Two Dozen and One Greyhounds, as well as another litter with Dr. Hibbert's poodle, Rosa Barks in Today, I Am a Clown.
 * 25 offspring with She's the Fastest: Rover, Fido, Rex, Spot, Rover II, Fido II, Rex II, Cleo, Dave, Jay, Paul, Branford, Dave II, Jay II, Paul II, Branford II, Sleepy, Dopey, Grumpy, Donner, Blitzen, Grumpy II, King, Queenie, Prince and The Puppy Formerly Known As Prince.
 * A litter of puppies with Dr. Hibbert's dog Rosa Barks, these puppies were given away to the townspeople, these include Willie, Krusty and Snake.

Trivia

 * Bart seems to love him so much, fans often say Bart is his owner. Besides Homer and Marge, Bart and Santa's Little Helper have the best relationship out of the series.
 * Santa's Little Helper and Homer share several characteristic traits. These include being loyal, both possessing the same emotional range and both will growl and possibly snap if anyone attempts to take their food.
 * Throughout the entire series, Santa's Little Helper has constantly looked unusually skinny, despite never being neglected or starved by the Simpson family. It may be more due to the fact that Greyhounds are very slender dogs.
 * Like a real dog, he does not understand English very well. "Today, I Am a Clown" reveals Homer to be an animal whisperer.