National Pet Week: Dog

Happy National Pet Week!

That's right: this week is when we celebrate all those little and sometimes big guys who put smiles on our faces, make us feel loved, and know all our secrets.  (Because, admit it, you talk to your pets.)

I will join all you pet-owners in celebrating!

I have a dog named Riley.

My beautiful boy, Riley (Wiley)!
He's actually a reddish brown color.
His breed is Shiba Inu.
Picture taken by and copyright THE Disney Freak.

To start off National Pet Week (though I'm two three days late, forgive me), I thought I'd do a post on some of the dogs in the world of Disney.  This will be similar to my post "Year of the Disney Dragon."  Which, by the way, continues to be the most popular post of all time!

However, if you look at the page on the Disney Wikia on all these dogs, you'll find an overwhelming amount.  So after much debate, I've decided to focus on only one dog today, as well as just one cat tomorrow, one bird after that, and so forth.  I'll try to cover as many types of pets as I can!

And who did I decide to spotlight?

Bruno.

He was the first dog I thought of.

Dog Star: Bruno

Bruno is the lovable dog of an unknown breed (most likely a hound) in Disney's classic Cinderella.  He is seen very early in the movie with Cinderella and her father as they are gathered around the fountain outside the chateau.

Bruno can't help but smile when he's around Cinderella.
Picture from the Disney Wiki.

He isn't seen again until Cinderella comes down from the attic to the kitchen to start her chores.  We discover that he and the family's cat Lucifer do not get along well.  Poor Bruno gets in trouble because of Lucifer's sly trickery.  But for Cinderella, he doesn't fight back at Lucifer so that Cinderella doesn't get in trouble.  Good dog.

After this, we don't see him again until Cinderella is getting ready to go to the ball.  The Fairy Godmother looks around for a suitable footman.  Seeing Bruno, she casts her wand and poof!

Bruno's "human again."

Oh wait, it's his first time.

Bruno as a human footman.
Picture from the Disney Wiki.

Bruno and the rest of the changed animals hurry to take Cinderella to the ball.  Once more, there's a bit of a break before we see him again: the next few scenes show Cinderella and Prince Charming dancing together, falling in love.

But when the clock strikes midnight, Bruno and the others are hurriedly trying to get Cinderella home.  Maybe it's like Lassie's seventh sense.  Bruno is seen beckoning Cinderella into the coach.  Then when the coach turns back into a pumpkin, Bruno is on the side of the road, earnestly listening to Cinderella's romantic adventure.

Let me point out what a good dog Bruno is: he listens just like all the rest of ours.

Finally, Bruno helps Cinderella and the mice by taking care of Lucifer once and for all, allowing Cinderella to escape her locked attic prison.

Bruno did appear in the second movie briefly: he's shown giving Cinderella a "Welcome Home!" kiss (like what our own dogs like to do) and then sleeping in her bed (like some dogs are allowed to do).

Overall, he's a wonderful example of "Man's Best Friend."  (Or, specifically, "Cinderella's Best Friend"...but we all feel like Cinderella sometimes, don't we?  Or maybe that's just girls.)

Bruno (human form obviously)
in a parade at a Disney Park.
Picture from the Disney Wiki.

Outside of the movies, Bruno does appear in his human form at the Parks as well as in Disney on Ice.  He also appears in a few Disney video games.

Check back later for another pet's spotlight!