Mickey Mouse Short: Dog Show

Season 1, Episode 11: “Dog Show” 10/11/13
Starring: Mickey Mouse and Goofy
Co-Starring: Pluto
Guest Appearance by: Clarabelle Cow(?)
Setting: Snobminster Kennel Club

Plot:
Mickey is at a park with his dog, Pluto (!), practicing some tricks for the upcoming Dog Show when Goofy comes along and asks if he can join in the fun.  In attempting to play fetch with Pluto, Goofy’s errant throw leads him over a cliff, leaving Pluto severely injured.  

Since Pluto can no longer participate in the Dog Show, Mickey realizes that Goofy, too, is a dog and decides to enter him in his place.  At the Dog Show, Mickey is becoming increasingly frustrated with Goofy’s unconvincing performance.  Then, when Goofy’s plan of strapping a rocket to his back for the obstacle course (literally) backfires, Mickey snaps and goes on to show Goofy how it’s done and completes the course with particular flair and aplomb.

The judges are so impressed with Mickey’s showing they inexplicably mistake Goofy for the owner, Mickey as the dog and award them with first place! 

Short Stuff:
Eleven episodes in and we FINALLY get an appearance from Pluto!  Let’s just hope we can get a starring vehicle for him at some point soon.

Pluto suffers the rare cartoon injury that actually has consequences.

Of course, if Pluto wins, Mickey promises they’ll give their winnings to the local orphanage.

The woman working registration appears to be an Afghan while the three dogs Goofy competes against are a Bulldog, a Greyhound and a Collie.  The host looks too generic to be any specific kind of breed.

The Kennel Club is appropriately called “Snobminster” and this is the club’s 77th annual show.

Clarabelle Cow (if it's even her or, in fact, a female cow) makes an appearance as a judge along with a walrus and a beaver.

Goofy’s gags escalate in hilarity, peaking with his version of “begging” where he pleads with his lover to take him back and promises to “change” his philandering ways.

That’s the Pixar Ball (aka the Luxo Ball) hanging out in the obstacle course.

Goofy is evoking daredevil and 70s icon, Evel Kinevel, with a rocket strapped to his back.

Final Grade: A-
Disney really let their freak flag fly with this episode as they truly committed to an over-the-top, ridiculous storyline and I LOVED it!  This one, more than any previous, really reminds me of a modern cartoon – very similar to a “SpongeBob SquarePants” episode. And, as you know, Goofy is my all-time favourite and he turned in another exceptional performance as per usual.  I especially like how they played upon the differing “breeds” of dog between Goofy and Pluto.  However, as much as I love Goofy, I do miss Donald and am both simultaneously pleased and disappointed (#CONFLICTED) that Goofy has seemingly vaulted over Donald as Mickey’s go-to pal.