Pound Puppies is an animated television series developed by Wendy Klein Moss, Nancy Steingard, Paul Germain and Joe Ansolabehere for the Hub Network. It debuted on October 10, 2010 in the United States as the first Hub "original series". It also aired on YTV in Canada and on Boomerang in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Scandinavia and Australia. Produced by Hasbro Studios, it was the second series (after the 1986 series) to adapt Pound Puppies into a cartoon format. Originally a property by Tonka, Hasbro acquired Tonka itself and currently manages Pound Puppies. The plot style and music were similar to the 1960s TV series Hogan's Heroes and to films like Stalag 17 and The Great Escape. The first seven episodes of the series were animated by 9 Story Entertainment, but DHX Media Vancouver took over to animate the series from episode 8 onwards.
The show is known for being one of four original series from The Hub to win the CINE Golden Eagle Award for high quality production and storytelling in July 2012; one month later, the Season 1 episode "I Never Barked for My Father" was honored with the Humanitas Prize for excellence in writing for children's television animation. 65 episodes were produced.
The show currently airs reruns on Discovery Family.
Contents
Plot
The Pound Puppies (Lucky the Hero, Cookie the Action Girl, Niblet the Plucky Comic Relief, Strudel the Gadgeteer Genius, and Squirt the Sneaky Guy) are a group of dogs who spend most of their time at Shelter 17. Together with a group of squirrels recruited by Strudel, an incredibly smart Dachshund, they operate a secret and highly sophisticated underground facility beneath the pound, aimed at finding new owners for puppies or even grown up dogs that come to their pound. They rely on their motto, "A pup for every person, and a person for every pup". Although the facility is filled with advanced equipment (mainly built by Strudel and the squirrels) and is often shown bustling with activity, it consistently manages to avoid detection by the pound's clueless human staff. Several episodes have shown that there are multiple Pound Puppies units worldwide. There is also a similar organization, the "Kennel Kittens", which is a group of cats at the Happy Valley shelter that try to find forever homes for the kittens and cats that come their way. The Kennel Kittens have appeared in several episodes, and often mess up the Pound Puppies' missions. The Pound Puppies also have an unofficial side branch, the "Super Secret Pup Club".
A recurring plot often involves the Pound Puppies helping dogs find loving homes and coming across various challenges as they do so. Once a dog is successfully matched with a new owner, the Pound Puppies give them a dog tag shaped like a dog house as a parting gift, along with the quote, "Once a pound puppy, always a pound puppy".
Characters
Pound Puppies
The following dogs appear regularly in the series.
Lucky (voiced by Eric McCormack) is the Mongrel dog of the group and the leader of the underground facility. Well-adjusted and intelligent, but strict, he exudes authority and is often obeyed without question. He has a secret crush on Cookie (as revealed in "Rebel Without a Collar" and "When Niblet Met Giblet"), but he prefers to hide his feelings. In "When Niblet Met Giblet", however, he tried to show Cookie his feelings, even going as far as holding her paw. He never gets to confess because Lucky is always interrupted. As shown in an official plush toy, his last name is "Smarts". He appears to be a German Shepherd–Scottish Terrier–Golden Retriever–Jack Russell Terrier mix. He was described by McLeish, owner and manager of the pound as "the scruffy, sneaky one who always seems to be here". Although he was adopted by a rather excitable young girl named Dot Henderson in "Lucky Gets Adopted", he prefers to be at the pound, managing adoptions and planning missions. While it is revealed that Lucky actually has six brothers and three sisters, he thought he had five, but after meeting up with his father again (as in "I Never Barked For My Father"), he found out he had one more younger brother. His catchphrase is "Go, dogs, go" which he says to get the dogs to go into action.
Cookie (voiced by Yvette Nicole Brown) is a tough-talking, but kind and smart Boxer who is Lucky's second-in-command. She has a secret crush on Lucky the same way he does (as revealed in "The General" and "When Niblet Met Giblet"), but not when she gets her stomach touched. Every time Lucky wants to confess that he loves her they get interrupted. In "Mutternal Instincts", she grows close to a puppy she affectionately names Cupcake and, at the end, her family adopts her. As shown in an official plush toy, her full name is "Sugar Cookie".
Niblet (voiced by John DiMaggio) is a huge and sometimes clumsy and slow-witted Old English Sheepdog with a big heart. He has a little sister named Rebound. In "When Niblet Met Giblet", he fell in love with a fellow Old English Sheepdog, Giblet, but when she found her perfect person, he decided to stay with the Pound Puppies team. Although Niblet is not the smartest of the group, he means well. Niblet also has been shown to love peanut butter. Niblet also is the only dog of the main five not to wear a collar with a keychain on it. He is also the only dog of the main five who does not have have any form of owner.
Humans
Leonard McLeish (voiced by René Auberjonois) is the temperamental manager of Shelter 17. His last name (McLeish) is a play on the word "leash". He does not like his career and wishes for a better one. As such, he is unaware of the Pound Puppies' operations. Starting with "I Heard The Barks On Christmas Eve", he is shown to secretly like dogs and, in the same episode, he adopts his own perfect dog, a chocolate-colored Labrador Retriever named Ralph. The Mayor is his brother-in-law. He supposedly has a sister. His mother is Agatha McLeish.
Olaf Hugglesbjork (voiced by M. Emmet Walsh) is the eccentric, kind caretaker of Shelter 17 and McLeish's aide. He is in charge of new dog arrivals, and assists pound visitors in finding a matching pet they have to adopt. Like McLeish, he is unaware of the Pound Puppies' operations. He has started dating Gertrude Washburn the librarian as of the episode "Olaf in Love".
Agatha McLeish (voiced by Betty White) is the mother of Leonard McLeish who initially hated dogs until she met Rebound, whom she adopted. She is somewhat strict with her son but dotes on Rebound.
Milton Feltwaddle (voiced by Jim Parsons) is an uptight businessman determined to change Shelter 17 for what he believes is the better. He appeared in "Toyoshiko: Bark Friend Machine" and "McLeish Unleashed".
Mayor Jerry (voiced by Dabney Coleman in Season 1, and by John Larroquette in Season 2) is the brother-in-law of Leonard McLeish. He acts kind and pleasant in public and in front of children, but underneath, he has a very self-centered personality. He is constantly pushing McLeish to do things for him, and berates him for making mistakes. He cares little for potential voters, desiring only their votes, and likes to mock them behind their backs.
Ketchum is the "silent" animal control officer who frequently brings the puppies to Shelter 17, thus instigating the episodes' events. For the most part, he appears emotionless, but in the series finale, he expressed excitement when McLeish fired him.
Dot Henderson (voiced by Grey DeLisle) is a young, energetic and lonesome girl who adopts Lucky. She first appeared in the final episode of Season 1, "Lucky Gets Adopted" and later reappears in the Season 3 episodes "No More S'Mores", "The Pupple's Court" and "Lucky Has to Move". She is the only human who knows that the dogs can talk.
Recurring characters
Dolly (voiced by E. G. Daily) is a pink and white poodle as the General who is a near-legendary member to the Pound Puppies network.
Ralph (voiced by Fred Stoller) is a chocolate-colored Labrador Retriever adult dog who is lazy and rarely pays attention to his surroundings. His first appearance is in "I Heard the Barks on Christmas Eve" and also made appearances in "The Truth Is In Hear" and "Once A Ralph, Always A Ralph". He shows an interest in chewing shoes. He is owned by Leonard McLeish, as Leonard is shown in "I Heard Barks on Christmas Eve" where he is left under Leonard's Christmas tree as a present from the Pound Puppies.
Pepper (voiced by Jennifer Carpenter) is a young puppy who became a police dog in "The K9 Kid" and reappeared in "I Heard The Barks On Christmas Eve" and "It's Elementary My Dear Pup Club". She is serious about becoming a police dog and is strict. Her perfect person is a boy named Charlie, who also wants to become a policeman. Even after Sarge, Charlie's father's dog, turned down Pepper, Pepper didn't let that stop her, but just like Cookie and Cupcake, Lucky can show affection for Pepper.
Agent Ping (voiced by Lauren Tom) is a persnickety Shiba Inu who is part of the Pound Puppies Chinese operation. She appeared in the first season episodes "Homeward Pound" and "Mutternal Instincts" and the third season episodes "Hail To The Chief" and "The Pupple's Court".
Dash Whippet (voiced by Corey Burton) is a brown, elder Whippet and a legendary member of Pound Puppies. He appeared in the second season episode "Barlow" and the third season episode "The Pupple's Court".
The Kennel Kittens are a group of cats who help find homes for kittens. Their goals sometimes bring them into conflict with the Pound Puppies. They first appeared in "Catcalls" and last appeared in "Hello Kitten". They are as follows:
Ace (voiced by Eric McCormack) is the leader of Shelter 71, known as Happy Valley. He is a Bicolor cat and a cat version of Lucky, the leader of Shelter 17. He is much more ruthless and less honorable than Lucky, willing to use deception and cheap tricks to get what he wants. It is revealed in Season 3 that his hatred of dogs stems from having been abandoned as a kitten by his dog friend for his perfect person.
Other
Shakes is a coyote.
Fang (voiced by Luke Perry) is a coyote in "The Rebel Without a Collar".
Scar (voiced by Clifton Collins Jr.) – a coyote.
Weasel (voiced by Clifton Collins Jr.) – a coyote.
Shagface (voiced by Corey Burton) – a wolf.
Lola (voiced by Alanna Ubach) – a wolf in "When Niblet Met Giblet".
Stain (voiced by Clancy Brown) – a dog.
Rover (voiced by Sam McMurray) – an alligator in "Rebel Without a Collar".
Mittens (voiced by E. G. Daily) – a kitten.
Lily (voiced by Tara Strong) – a kitten.
Spoons (voiced by Alanna Ubach) – a calico kitten in "Hello Kitten".
Teensy (voiced by Jessica DiCicco) – a kitten.
Madame Pickypuss (voiced by Tress MacNeille) – a Persian cat in "The Prince and the Pupper" and "The Ruff Ruff Bunch".
Bumper – a puppy.
McGuffin is an Irish Setter puppy in "The Prince and the Pupper".
Pooches McFurFace (voiced by E. G. Daily) – a puppy in "I'm Ready for my Close Pup".
Millie (voiced by Jeannie Elias) – a puppy.
Home media
The entire series was also released on DVD. Home media for Pound Puppies was distributed by Shout! Factory.
Toys
In Summer 2012, Hasbro released a line of toys for The Hub's Pound Puppies series, consisting mainly of plush toys (including Lucky, Cookie, Rebound, Patches, Cupcake and a minor character, Nutmeg) and small figures. Each plush toy came with an "Adoption Certificate" tag that one could fill out. One could also access an official website and download a Pound Puppies adoption certificate.