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These furry, friendly sidekicks make TV watching so much cuter
The standard by which all TV pets are measured, Lassie was always helping Jeff out of some sort of danger. Sure the formula became predictable, but there was always something appealing about seeing that beautiful collie save the day just in the knick of time.
Man's best friend, indeed. Vincent wasn't always integral to every story Lost told, but he was always there for the significant moments in the island lives of the Oceanic 815 crash survivors, including the series' last scene. We dare you not to tear up when Vincent, loyal and true, makes sure that Jack (SPOILER ALERT!) doesn't "die alone."
Who says a pet has to be furry? Elvis the alligator makes our list not only for being a cool pet, but also for exhibiting more charisma than the show's leads.
Astro perfected the canine vernacular of starting all words with "R".
This aptly named dog always put a smile on the faces of the show's characters and at least one of our readers. Says karrahbrooke: "It always made me so happy (no pun intended) to see Happy at the end of the opening credits."
This Disney channel show features Stan, a talking dog who brings a family of step-siblings together one blog post at a time.
Lorelai's adopted dog was a bit nuts (who wouldn't be after hanging around that family), but hey, sometimes flaws are even more lovable. "He was adorable with all his idiosyncrasies!" says SpartanVartan.
The most sophisticated swine on TV, Arnold was an avid TV watcher who could change channels and even play the piano. Top that, Lassie!
Many argue that some animals are smarter than humans. In the Griffin family, there's little argument. As confidant and partner in crime to Stewie, Brian is "literally man's best friend, with wit and style to spare," according to MalTru.
This feisty capuchin monkey helped Ross cope after losing his wife to another woman, but sadly had to be sent away to the zoo for his, um, overactive libido. Marcel became a movie star and Ross moved on to Rachel. Everybody wins!
This one's simple: Yapping and face-licking aside, there's nothing much cooler than having a pet dinosaur.
Thought of by many as Lassie in the water, Flipper proved you don't have to walk on land to be a heroic companion. Says Westerns Fan: "Flipper stole my heart."
Another nontraditional pet, many of our readers, including dagal still "have an affection for Fred the cockatoo." Trivia note: The bird that played Fred had to learn English, as it originally spoke Chinese. They could have had fun with those subtitles!
"What a great dog!" says tazzy. "He didn't have a huge role, but he was always there when Veronica needed him the most!" What more could anyone ask for in a pet?
Petey the pit bull terrier was the beloved four-legged member of The Little Rascals.
Chester was actually Fran Drescher's dog, so every day was bring your dog to work day!
As one of the few felines on our list (producers just don't choose cats that often, it seems), Salty still holds her own. Though this show might never be considered a classic, our readers at least remember this little furball.
Nobody said pets weren't clumsy, but Murray was so cute we didn't mind. "[Murray] was my all-time favorite," rmcp says. " I loved when he would 'get the mouse' and clunk into the wall!"
A fun dog that can solve mysteries? It was Scooby-Doo the whole time.
Some animals are so great, you don't even need the cast for laughs. "The best episodes were those that centered around Eddie," FLAConnie says. Adds Marci: "I'm not a dog lover, but Eddie always cracked me up. What a scamp he was!"
OK, fine, he was technically a 500-year-old warlock who was turned into a feline, but... he's still a talking cat! His mischievousness and dry sense of humor were just added bonuses.
"Digby is the best! Every time I see that dog, I say, 'Awww' because you can tell how much he wants Ned to pet him with more than a fake hand. We don't have a dog, but Digby almost makes me consider getting one." -- MaverickX
Buck gave us a glimpse into the mind of a dog stuck in a very...interesting family.
Although usually more of a punchline, Comet was always closely tied to the youngest Tanner, Michelle. In fact, in one of the later seasons, Comet gets loose in San Francisco and has a brief romance with a female collie. (You dog, you!) Ultimately, when Comet sees the "Missing Dog" poster Michelle makes, he returns home.
With an imagination 50 times his size, Wishbone was the cutest way to learn history for kids in the '90s.
Hey, cartoon dogs are cute, too!