Pound Puppies
Genre	Comedy Adventure Musical Children's animation Fantasy
Developed by	Wendy Moss Klein Nancy Steingard Paul Germain Joe Ansolabehere
Voices of	Eric McCormack René Auberjonois Yvette Nicole Brown John DiMaggio Michael Rapaport Alanna Ubach M. Emmet Walsh Brooke Goldner Cree Summer Jessica DiCicco Betty White
Theme music composer	Jonathan Evans
Opening theme	"Pound Puppies"
Ending theme	"Pound Puppies"
Composers	Daniel Ingram Steffan Andrews
Country of origin	Canada United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	65 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Wendy Moss Klein (seasons 1 and 2) Nancy Steingard (seasons 1 and 2) Paul Germain (season 1) Joe Ansolabehere (season 1) Vince Commisso (episodes 1–7) Steve Jarosz (episodes 1–7) Chris Bartleman (episodes 8–65) Blair Peters (episodes 8–26) Kirsten Newlands (episodes 8–65) Bart Jennett (season 3) Stephen Davis
Producers	Paul Germain (episodes 1–8) Joe Ansolabehere (episodes 1–8) Marissa Collyer (episodes 1–8) Elana Adair (episodes 8–65) Alfred Gimeno (episodes 12–39) Kimberly Small (season 3)
Running time	22 minutes
Production companies	Paul & Joe Productions (season 1) 9 Story Entertainment (episodes 1–7) DHX Media Vancouver (episodes 8–65) Hasbro Studios
Original release
Network	The Hub/Hub Network
Release	October 10, 2010 (2010-10-10) – November 16, 2013 (2013-11-16)

Pound Puppies is an animated children's television series developed by Wendy Klein Moss, Nancy Steingard, Paul Germain and Joe Ansolabehere for the Hub Network. It premiered on October 10, 2010 in the United States as the first Hub "original series".^[1] It also aired on YTV in Canada and on Boomerang in the UK, Ireland 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.^[2] 9 Story Entertainment animated the first 7 episodes of the series, but DHX Media/Vancouver took over production starting with episode 8.^[3]

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;^[4] 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.^[5] 65 episodes were produced.

Plot

The Pound Puppies is 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".^[6]

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 him/her a dog tag shaped like a dog house as a parting gift, along with the quote, "Once a pound puppy, always a pound puppy".

Episodes

Characters

Pound Puppies

The following dogs appear regularly in the series.^[8]

• Lucky (voiced by Eric McCormack) – 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. However, in "When Niblet Met Giblet", 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) – 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"). Every time Lucky wants to confess that he loves her they get interrupted. Cookie dislikes getting her stomach touched. 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) – 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 isn't 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 5 who is shown not wearing a collar with a keychain on it. He is also the only dog of the main 5 who did not have any form of owner.
• Strudel (voiced by Alanna Ubach) – a genius German Dachshund who creates many of the inventions used by the Pound Puppies. She is usually assisted by squirrels (due to her lack of opposable thumbs) and is the most intelligent dog in the group. For a small dog, she has a big ego and is extremely cocky, but she does love her friends, and can be kind and brave. She brags how smart she is and tends to show off her intelligence. She often works in the background, which often makes her jealous of the other main 5 dogs. In "My Fair Rebound", it is revealed that she used to be a show dog and her stage name was Strudel diSchnitzel Von Wiener. In Season 3, it is revealed that Strudel used to have an owner, who was a scientist.
• Squirt (voiced by Michael Rapaport) – a yellow Chihuahua, Squirt is the smallest and most street-smart of the group and Niblet's closest companion in the series. Although Squirt speaks with a New York accent, the episode "I Never Barked For My Father" revealed that he was born in Hoboken, New Jersey. Squirt can be negative, but he will always be there for his team. Since he is the smallest member of the team, he sometimes ends up in wacky costumes in order to complete missions, including a cat, possum, rabbit, and flower. Squirt also had a friend named Peewee which he thought was eaten by an alligator. He gets adopted by accident in Season 2.
• Rebound (voiced by Brooke Goldner) – Niblet's little sister. True to her namesake, she was adopted and returned to the pound many times due to her overenthusiastic nature. She finally finds her forever home with Agatha McLeish. She is a member of the Super Secret Pup Club, which was introduced in Season 2 episode, "The Super Secret Pup Club".
• Cupcake (voiced by Cree Summer) – a puppy who is Cookie's adopted daughter. She is a member of the Super Secret Pup Club. She appears to be a Boxer/Labrador mix. She is smart and quick-thinking, although sometimes her puppy energy gets her into sticky situations. Introduced in the Season 1 episode, "Mutternal Instincts", she started off as a cute and innocent character, but after she joined the Super Secret Pup Club, she had a more down-to-earth personality.
• Patches (voiced by Jessica DiCicco) – a Dalmatian puppy introduced in Season 2. He idolizes the Pound Puppies, in particular Lucky, and is the leader and creator of the Super Secret Pup Club (an unofficial branch of the Pound Puppies organization). According to an official plush toy, his last name is "McFrisky".

Humans

• Leonard McLeish (voiced by René Auberjonois) – the short-tempered manager of Shelter 17. His last name, which is McLeish, is a play on the word "leash". While he really doesn't like his career and wishes for a better one, he doesn't have a clue about the Pound Puppies' operations. However, in "I Heard The Barks On Christmas Eve", he is shown to secretly like dogs and even adopts his own perfect dog, a chocolate-colored Labrador Retriever named Ralph. He may have a sister, because the mayor is his brother-in-law. His mother is Agatha McLeish.^[9]
• Olaf Hugglesbjork (voiced by M. Emmet Walsh) – 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 could 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 (recurring character, voiced by Betty White) – 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 (recurring character, voiced by Jim Parsons) – 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 (recurring character, voiced by Dabney Coleman in season one, and by John Larroquette in season two) – 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 (recurring character) – 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 (recurring character, voiced by Grey DeLisle) – a young, energetic and lonesome girl who adopts Lucky. She first appeared in the final episode of season one, "Lucky Gets Adopted" and later reappears in the season three 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.
• Claudio (recurring character, voiced by Jeff Bennett) – an Italian fisherman who appears in several episodes.
• Mr. Julius (recurring character, voiced by George Takei) - a famous dog trainer who appeared in "My Fair Rebound", "The Ruff Ruff Bunch" and "Hail to the Chief".

Recurring characters

• Dolly (voiced by E. G. Daily) - also known as "the General", she is a pink poodle who is a near-legendary member to the Pound Puppies network.
• Ralph (voiced by Fred Stoller) – a 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. His owner is Leonard McLeish, which was 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) – 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 too wants to become a policeman. Even after Sarge, Charlie's father's dog, turned down Pepper, Pepper didn't let that stop her (just like Cookie and Cupcake, Lucky could show affection for Pepper).
• Agent Ping (voiced by Lauren Tom) - a persnickety Shiba Inu who is part of the Pound Puppies Chinese operation. She appeared in the season one episodes "Homeward Pound" and "Mutternal Instincts" and the season three episodes "Hail to the Chief" and "The Pupple's Court".

Cats

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) – the leader of Shelter 71. He is a Bicolor cat and a cat version of Lucky, the leader of Shelter 17.
• Fluffy (voiced by Yvette Nicole Brown) – a Ragamuffin cat and cat version of Cookie. Just like Cookie, she's second in command of Shelter 17. She is believed to not have a crush on Ace, but on Squirt, as shown in "Kennel Kittens Return". Instead of pink, the bow on her head is yellow.
• Tiny (voiced by John DiMaggio) – a Maine Coon cat and cat version of Niblet.
• Squeak (voiced by Michael Rapaport) – a Siamese cat and cat version of Squirt.
• Kugel (voiced by Alanna Ubach) – a Munchkin cat and cat version of Strudel.

Other

Home media

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 comes with an "Adoption Certificate" tag that one can fill out. One can also access an official website and download a Pound Puppies adoption certificate.^[21]