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?'"