Growing up in the 90s, I loved watching my cartoons. I remember that I would even guess on my homework simply to watch my cartoons (till Ms. Spears saw right through my BS and told my dad). Having watched almost every 90s cartoon possible on every network, I consider myself an expert on not only dope cartoon shows but arguing the best 90s cartoon dogs.
10. Blue from Blue’s Clues
My little sister was obsessed with “Blue’s Clues.” She had the stuffed animals and the blankets, and even sang along to the annoying song. She made it a point to find all the clues. And while Steve and Blue found clues for the day’s hunt, Blue makes our list because of his pop-culture adoration. 20 plus years later, this blue canine remains Nick Jr’s most-beloved shows.
9. Ren from Ren and Stimpy
Go back and re-watch this show, and you’ll discover the number of borderline sexual undertones that would never fly today. Still, this 90s classic show brought us one of the most iconic Chihuahua in Ren.
8. CatDog
One of the strangest dogs on the list, this hybrid character made us laugh plenty of times with its wild antiques of placing both cat and dog onto one strange creature.
7. Courage The Cowardly Dog
Fearful of his own shadow, Courage The Cowardly Dog captured our hearts for his anxiety and fearfulness. While he drove his owners crazy, Courage drove us to love him even more. Somehow, he would overcome his fears every episode to selflessly save his unaware owners from all sorts of mayhem.
6. Spunky from Rocko’s Modern Life
Not the brightest dog around, Spunky had a big heart and always remained loyal to Rocko, the Australian wallaby star of Rocko’s Modern Life. This small, miniature bullterrier dog sure got himself into plenty of trouble, and thanks to Rocko, found himself alive and fed only out of luck. This 90s cartoon dog was different from many dog characters in that he was less intelligent than his owners. His common antics included drooling, eating trash, and smelling bad. Spunky is also known for hosting two other characters on the show: Bloaty the Tick and Squirmy the Ringworm.
While it only ran 3 years, from 1993 to 1996, this 90s cartoon has a bit of a cult following.
5. Odie from Garfield and Friends
A step or two above Spunky in intelligence, Odie was the lovable, dopey dog that always had Garfield’s back. No matter how many times this orange cat played tricks on poor Odie, he was a loyal and dependable friend, making him one of the best dog characters around.
4. Poochie from The Simpsons
Having created so many iconic characters, The Simpsons spawned one of the 90s most beloved talking dog characters– Poochie. Having first appeared on the Itchy and Scratchy Show voiced by Homer, Poochie has gone on to be one of the most recognized 90s cartoon dogs around. This dog character loves to surf, rap, and play guitar. You can find him in Season 8, Episode 14 of The Simpsons.
3. Santa’s Little Helper – The Simpsons
One of television’s most iconic 90s dog cartoon characters has to be Santa’s Little Helper. This rescued greyhound dog is the Simpsons’ family dog, and has been on air for more than 25 years, making him not only one of the most popular, but also one of the most beloved dogs around.
2. Scooby Doo
Fun, lovable, and Shaggy’s most trusted sidekick, Scooby Doo remains one of the most revered and beloved cartoon dogs. Maybe it was his charm or detective skills, but either way, Scooby always played a key role in solving mysteries and helping his friends catch the bad guys. The Scooby Doo show actually started back in 1969, but the franchise is still alive and well today. In 2013, TV Guide ranked Scooby-Doo the fifth-greatest TV cartoon of all time. Zoinks!
1. Snoopy
Having been featured throughout the decades, Snoopy remains such a revered and iconic character that he had to be on this list. While born in the 50s comic strip, Snoopy made such a big impact on 90s kids that it’s hard not to call Snoop the best 90s cartoon dog character of all time.
Who Are Your Favorite 90s Cartoon Dogs?
Throughout TV and cartoon history, dogs have been portrayed as loyal, helpful companions to many of our favorite cartoon characters. Many of them were smart, could talk, or understand humans better than they understood themselves. Even in cartoons, dogs play a lovable and critical role in their owners’ lives. We love remembering these wonderful 90s cartoons with famous dogs.
