Date of First Appearance:
October 4, 1950
Schulz on Snoopy:
"Charlie Brown never really understands his dog. Some cartoon characters are
created, but never seem to do anything special or to develop in any particular
way. Others, like Snoopy, just seem to take off and become so flexible that you
can make them do anything. I never dreamed that he would become the character
that he is now.
"Snoopy's personality is just as important as his appearance in making him
special. I think the relationship that Snoopy has with the other characters is
good, and it's a relationship that would never work with adults. The kids in the
strip, especially Charlie Brown, seem to understand the life that he has. Like
Snoopy, most people turn to fantasy for fun and refuge. I have always believed
that his flights of fancy are what help him to survive, and we must admit that a
dog's life is not an easy life. Snoopy refuses to be caught in the trap of doing
ordinary things like chasing and retrieving sticks, and he refuses to take
seriously his role of the devoted dog who greets his master when he returns home
from school. I like Snoopy and probably wouldn't mind having him for my own dog,
although I sometimes feel as Charlie Brown does when he says, 'Why can't I have
a normal dog like everyone else?'"
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