Santa's Little Helper (born May 12, possibly in 1981), also known as No. 8 (his number in the dog race in "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"), Suds McDuff (the name he changed to after becoming Duff Beer's mascot in "Old Yeller-Belly"), and Santa's Stupid Name (Brian Griffin's nickname for him in "The Simpsons Guy"), is the Simpson family's dog. Santa's Little Helper is one of few pets that have been with the Simpson's family the whole series.
Racing Life[]
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 V, in which form he is known as "Santa's Little Hybrid" ("Days of Future Future").
Santa's Little Helper races at the Springfield Downs.
History[]
Santa's Little Helper was born in an unidentified year, along with his 6 known siblings, to She Biscuit, a dog that's owned by Les Moore[1]. Eventually, after losing a race on Christmas Eve, he was abandoned and taken home by Homer and Bart[2].
Homer was relying on a Christmas bonus to buy presents, but did not 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 was the final dog to finish (apparently, it was the latest in a long string of last-place finishes), and his owner, frustrated, abandoned him, and he ran up towards Homer and Bart who were not far from this incident. After Bart convinced Homer to keep him, the 2 brought Santa's Little Helper home, and everyone was so happy with him that it was a merry Christmas for the Simpson family after all[3].
Snowball II, Maggie and Santa's Little Helper together for a picture
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[4].
Aside from a few exceptions, despite being a dog, Santa's Little Helper doesn't make a single sound that resembles a bark. However, he does have an ability to think just like a normal person. Once, he made a sound similar to "chewy", and Homer wrote it down in his review, amazed that the dog spoke English[5]. 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[6]. In addition, he was mascot of Duff Beer, and was known as Suds McDuff, a reference to a similar, real-life mascot named Spuds MacKenzie[7].
Santa's Little Helper licking Bart
Santa's Little Helper's life with the Simpson family is not always easy, due to his disobedience, catastrophic and destructive behavior, and this nearly led to the Simpsons letting him go and giving him away, but he passed an obedience class, thus he was allowed to remain with the Simpsons[8]. 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[9]. He also broke two legs when Bart's tree-house was demolished by Mr. Burns' slant oil well drill, the latter of which resulted in Bart immense hatred for Burns[10]. 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.[11]
Santa's Little Helper growling at the Simpson family.
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[12]. 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[13].
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 on put him away. Santa's Little Helper eventually finds his way into the air heating ducts. This later indirectly causes Skinner to be fired[14].
Homer and Santa's Little Helper sleeping on the floor
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 Simpson family[15]. 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 sleeping in his doghouse
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[16].
Physical Appearance[]
He is of greyhound species with brown fur. His rib cage is visible possibly because of being malnourished, but this isn't due to any form of neglect, because the Simpson family is seen feeding Santa's Little Helper the proper amount of food, and in fact, on some occasions, they feed him too much. Greyhounds are also this thin in real life, thus making his thin body a norm for him. His paws aren't detailed and only appear to be legs that end at a nub. His ears are in an arched shape.
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.[17]
- A litter of puppies with Dr. Hibbert's dog Rosa Barks. These puppies were given away to the townspeople, including Willie, Krusty and Snake.
Trivia[]
- Bart seems to love him so much, fans often say Bart is his owner. Outside of Homer and Marge (who at times are shown to be happily married), Bart and Santa's Little Helper probably have the best relationship of any characters in 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 real dogs, he is the best at understanding English. "Today, I Am a Clown" reveals Homer to be an animal whisperer. Also, in the 2017 Treehouse of Horror segment “Coralisa”, Snowball V does not like to talk on the ”normal” side because “it makes the dog feel inferior”. However, during Bart’s first nightmare in 1995’s “Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace”, Santa’s Little Helper could speak. He could also speak in 2014’s “The Others”.
- In the Latin American dub, he is named "Huesos" (Bones) in the first seasons. In the fifth season onward, he is named "Ayudante de Santa" as the natural translation of his name. In "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song", it's clarified that his name for first seasons is a nickname.
- One of his barking sounds would later be used for Katie the sheepdog from Thomas & Friends.
Gallery[]
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Appearances[]
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Episode – "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" - Episode – "The Crepes of Wrath"
- Episode – "Bart Gets an "F""
- Episode – "Simpson and Delilah"
- Episode – "Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish"
- Episode – "Dancin' Homer"
- Episode – "Dead Putting Society"
- Episode – "Bart vs. Thanksgiving"
- Episode – "Bart the Daredevil"
- Episode – "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"
- Episode – "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment"
- Episode – "Bart's Dog Gets an F"
- Episode – "Brush with Greatness"
- Episode – "Lisa's Substitute" (Picture)
- Episode – "The War of the Simpsons"
- Episode – "Three Men and a Comic Book"
- Episode – "Blood Feud"
- Episode – "Stark Raving Dad"
- Episode – "Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington"
- Episode – "When Flanders Failed"
- Episode – "Bart the Murderer"
- Episode – "Like Father, Like Clown"
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror II"
- Episode – "Lisa's Pony"
- Episode – "Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk"
- Episode – "Radio Bart"
- Episode – "Homer Alone"
- Episode – "Bart the Lover"
- Episode – "Homer at the Bat"
- Episode – "Separate Vocations"
- Episode – "Dog of Death"
- Episode – "Black Widower"
- Episode – "The Otto Show"
- Episode – "Bart's Friend Falls in Love"
- Episode – "Homer the Heretic"
- Episode – "Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie"
- Episode – "New Kid on the Block"
- Episode – "Mr. Plow"
- Episode – "Homer's Triple Bypass"
- Episode – "Brother from the Same Planet"
- Episode – "Duffless"
- Episode – "Last Exit to Springfield"
- Episode – "So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show" (flashback)
- Episode – "Marge in Chains"
- Episode – "Krusty Gets Kancelled"
- Episode – "Homer's Barbershop Quartet"
- Episode – "Cape Feare"
- Episode – "Homer Goes to College"
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror IV" ("The Devil and Homer Simpson"; "Bart Simpson's Dracula")
- Episode – "Marge on the Lam"
- Episode – "Bart's Inner Child"
- Episode – "Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood"
- Episode – "Homer the Vigilante"
- Episode – "Bart Gets an Elephant"
- Episode – "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song"
- Episode – "Itchy & Scratchy Land"
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror V"
- Episode – "Homer the Great"
- Episode – "Bart's Comet"
- Episode – "A Star is Burns"
- Episode – "Two Dozen and One Greyhounds"
- Episode – "The PTA Disbands"
- Episode – "The Springfield Connection"
- Episode – "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)"
- Episode – "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two)"
- Episode – "Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily"
- Episode – "Bart Sells His Soul"
- Episode – "Lisa the Vegetarian"
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror VI"
- Episode – "King-Size Homer"
- Episode – "Mother Simpson"
- Episode – "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular"
- Episode – "Marge Be Not Proud"
- Episode – "22 Short Films About Springfield"
- Episode – "You Only Move Twice"
- Episode – "A Milhouse Divided"
- Episode – "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer)"
- Episode – "The Springfield Files"
- Episode – "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious"
- Episode – "Grade School Confidential"
- Episode – "The Canine Mutiny"
- Episode – "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson"
- Episode – "The Principal and the Pauper"
- Episode – "Lisa's Sax"
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror VIII"
- Episode – "Miracle on Evergreen Terrace"
- Episode – "Bart Carny"
- Episode – "Natural Born Kissers"
- Episode – "Lard of the Dance"
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror IX"
- Episode – "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
- Episode – "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday"
- Episode – "I'm with Cupid"
- Episode – "Simpsons Bible Stories"
- Episode – "Mom and Pop Art"
- Episode – "Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?"
- Episode – "Days of Wine and D'oh'ses"
- Episode – "Behind the Laughter"
- Episode – "Insane Clown Poppy"
- Episode – "Lisa the Tree Hugger"
- Episode – "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
- Episode – "The Great Money Caper"
- Episode – "Tennis the Menace"
- Episode – "Children of a Lesser Clod"
- Episode – "She of Little Faith"
- Episode – "Jaws Wired Shut"
- Episode – "The Lastest Gun in the West"
- Episode – "Blame it on Lisa"
- Episode – "The Frying Game"
- Episode – "Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge"
- Episode – "Helter Shelter"
- Episode – "The Strong Arms of the Ma"
- Episode – "Pray Anything"
- Episode – "Barting Over"
- Episode – "Old Yeller-Belly"
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XIV"
- Episode – "Today, I Am a Clown"
- Episode – "'Tis the Fifteenth Season"
- Episode – "Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens and Gays"
- Episode – "I, (Annoyed Grunt)-Bot"
- Episode – "The Way We Weren't"
- Episode – "Sleeping with the Enemy"
- Episode – "She Used to Be My Girl"
- Episode – "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass"
- Episode – "Pranksta Rap"
- Episode – "The Seven-Beer Snitch"
- Episode – "Don't Fear the Roofer"
- Episode – "A Star is Torn"
- Episode – "Home Away from Homer"
- Episode – "The Bonfire of the Manatees"
- Episode – "The Girl Who Slept Too Little"
- Episode – "Milhouse of Sand and Fog"
- Episode – "Marge's Son Poisoning" (Couch Gag)
- Episode – "Bart Has Two Mommies"
- Episode – "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife"
- Episode – "Girls Just Want to Have Sums"
- Episode – "Jazzy and the Pussycats"
- Episode – "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em"
- Episode – "Moe'N'a Lisa"
- Episode – "Ice Cream of Margie (with the Light Blue Hair)"
- Episode – "Kill Gil, Volumes I & II"
- Episode – "Springfield Up"
- Episode – "Rome-Old and Julie-Eh"
- Episode – "Homerazzi"
- Episode – "Crook and Ladder"
- Episode – "Stop or My Dog Will Shoot!"
- Episode – "24 Minutes"
- Episode – "Midnight Towboy"
- Episode – "Little Orphan Millie"
- Episode – "Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind"
- Episode – "Smoke on the Daughter"
- Episode – "Any Given Sundance"
- Episode – "Sex, Pies, and Idiot Scrapes"
- Episode – "Double, Double, Boy in Trouble"
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XIX"
- Episode – "Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words"
- Episode – "MyPods and Boomsticks"
- Episode – "The Burns and the Bees"
- Episode – "Take My Life, Please"
- Episode – "Gone Maggie Gone"
- Episode – "Eeny Teeny Maya, Moe"
- Episode – "The Good, the Sad and the Drugly"
- Episode – "Waverly Hills, 9-0-2-1-D'oh"
- Episode – "Bart Gets a "Z""
- Episode – "Million Dollar Maybe"
- Episode – "The Color Yellow"
- Episode – "The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed"
- Episode – "American History X-cellent"
- Episode – "To Surveil With Love"
- Episode – "Judge Me Tender"
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XXI"
- Episode – "Lisa Simpson, This Isn't Your Life"
- Episode – "The Fool Monty"
- Episode – "How Munched Is That Birdie in the Window?"
- Episode – "Donnie Fatso"
- Episode – "Flaming Moe" (Couch Gag)
- Episode – "The Scorpion's Tale"
- Episode – "A Midsummer's Nice Dream"
- Episode – "The Ned-liest Catch"
- Episode – "Replaceable You"
- Episode – "The Food Wife"
- Episode – "Holidays of Future Passed"
- Episode – "The D'oh-cial Network" (Mentioned)
- Episode – "Moe Goes from Rags to Riches"
- Episode – "At Long Last Leave"
- Episode – "Exit Through the Kwik-E-Mart"
- Episode – "How I Wet Your Mother" (Opening Sequence)
- Episode – "The Spy Who Learned Me"
- Episode – "Penny-Wiseguys"
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XXIII"
- Episode – "A Tree Grows in Springfield"
- Episode – "To Cur, with Love"
- Episode – "Changing of the Guardian"
- Episode – "Love is a Many-Splintered Thing"
- Episode – "What Animated Women Want"
- Episode – "Whiskey Business"
- Episode – "Labor Pains"
- Episode – "Steal This Episode"
- Episode – "Specs and the City"
- Episode – "Diggs"
- Episode – "Brick Like Me"
- Episode – "Pay Pal"
- Episode – "The Yellow Badge of Cowardge"
- Episode – "Clown in the Dumps"
- Episode – "The Simpsons Guy"
- Episode – "The Wreck of the Relationship"
- Episode – "Super Franchise Me"
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XXV"
- Episode – "Opposites A-Frack"
- Episode – "Simpsorama"
- Episode – "I Won't Be Home for Christmas"
- Episode – "Bart's New Friend" (Couch Gag)
- Episode – "Peeping Mom"
- Episode – "Cue Detective"
- Episode – "Puffless"
- Episode – "Halloween of Horror"
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XXVI"
- Episode – "Friend with Benefit"
- Episode – "Barthood"
- Episode – "Gal of Constant Sorrow"
- Episode – "The Marge-ian Chronicles"
- Episode – "How Lisa Got Her Marge Back"
- Episode – "Orange is the New Yellow"
- Episode – "Friends and Family"
- Episode – "The Town"
- Episode – "Trust But Clarify"
- Episode – "Havana Wild Weekend"
- Episode – "The Nightmare After Krustmas"
- Episode – "Kamp Krustier"
- Episode – "A Father's Watch"
- Episode – "Dogtown"
- Episode – "Whistler's Father"
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XXVIII"
- Episode – "Gone Boy"
- Episode – "Homer is Where the Art Isn't"
- Episode – "3 Scenes Plus a Tag from a Marriage"
- Episode – "King Leer"
- Episode – "Left Behind"
- Episode – "Throw Grampa from the Dane"
- Episode – "Heartbreak Hotel"
- Episode – "From Russia Without Love"
- Episode – "Daddicus Finch"
- Episode – "The Girl on the Bus" (Cameo)
- Episode – "Woo-hoo Dunnit?"
- Episode – "Crystal Blue-Haired Persuasion"
- Episode – "Gorillas on the Mast" (picture)
- Episode – "Marge the Lumberjill"
- Episode – "Thanksgiving of Horror"
- Episode – "Bobby, It's Cold Outside"
- Episode – "The Way of the Dog"
- Episode – "The 7 Beer Itch"
- Episode – "A Springfield Summer Christmas for Christmas"
- Episode – "Do PizzaBots Dream of Electric Guitars?"
- Episode – "Uncut Femmes"
- Episode – "Panic on the Streets of Springfield"
- Episode – "Mother and Child Reunion" (Cameo)
- Episode – "Bart's In Jail!"
- THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XXXII"
- Episode – "Portrait of a Lackey on Fire"
- Episode – "Mothers and Other Strangers"
- Episode – "Boyz N the Highlands" (Picture)
- Episode – "You Won't Believe What This Episode is About - Act Three Will Shock You!"
- Episode – "Bart the Cool Kid"
- Episode – "Poorhouse Rock"
- Episode – "Habeas Tortoise"
- Episode – "Lisa the Boy Scout"
- Episode – "My Life as a Vlog"
- Episode – "The Many Saints of Springfield"
- – The Simpsons Movie
- Couch gag – "Squashed Santa's Little Helper couch gag"[src]
- Couch gag – "Angry Santa's Little Helper couch gag"[src]
- Couch gag – "Circus Line couch gag"[src]
- Couch gag – "Clapboard couch gag"[src]
- Couch gag – "Brady Bunch couch gag"[src]
- Couch gag – "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band couch gag"[src]
- Couch gag – "Frozen Couch Gag"[src]
- Couch gag – "Alien Family couch gag"[src]
- Couch gag – "Russian Soldiers couch gag"[src]
- Couch gag – "Simpson Family Pets couch gag"[src]
- Special – "Marge Simpson's ALS Ice Bucket Challenge"
- Special – "3 a.m."
- Special – "Playdate with Destiny" (Dream)
- Special – "Plusaversary" (Picture)
- Music video – "Deep, Deep Trouble"
- – "Butterfinger - The Dog Biscuit"
- – "T.G.I. Friday's - The Raid"
- – "Butterfinger BBs - Homer Simpson"
- – "Domino's Pizza"
- – "Sky1 - Slaughter is the Best Medicine"
- Comic story – Bartman - Part III: The Great Purple Hope
- Comic story – Terror on Trioculon! (as Saturn's Little Helper)
- Comic story – Bathing Santa's Little Helper
- Comic story – The Crimespree on Springfield 2!
- Comic story – Everything's Bartchie! (as Santa's Little Hot Dog
- Comic story – The Bids Are All Right
- Comic story – Feud, Glorious Feud!
- Comic story – Bart Like Me
- Book – The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album
- Book – The Bart Book
- Book – Flander's Book of Faith
- Book – Simpsons World: The Ultimate Episode Guide, Seasons 1-20
- Video game – The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield
- Video game – The Simpsons Road Rage
- Video game – The Simpsons Skateboarding
- Video game – The Simpsons Kooky Carnival
- Video game – The Simpsons Game
- Video game – The Simpsons: Tapped Out
Citations[]
- ↑ The Way of the Dog
- ↑ Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire
- ↑ Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire
- ↑ The Springfield Files
- ↑ Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?
- ↑ Bart Gets an Elephant
- ↑ Old Yeller-Belly
- ↑ Bart's Dog Gets an F
- ↑ Dog of Death
- ↑ Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)
- ↑ The Canine Mutiny
- ↑ Bart's Comet
- ↑ Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily
- ↑ Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song
- ↑ Stop or My Dog Will Shoot!
- ↑ Jaws Wired Shut
- ↑ Two Dozen and One Greyhounds