Re: Character Dossiers
Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:54 am
Our next Dossier is for Sasha...
1) Sasha doesn't actually appear here, but this strip does establish that she can't spell very well, is more than a bit forward, and that she wants to spend some personal time with Fido.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/09/ ... eed-apart/
2) Sasha is helping decorate for Fido's party, and regards Fido as very important.
Inference: Since the party is being put together by the Good Ol Dogs Club, Sasha is probably a member in good standing and was fairly likely to have been at the meeting.
3) Sasha does have some sympathy for Bino, and may have a relationship of some sort with him. This makes her next statement - indicating that she values Bino for his relationship with Fido - even more of a low blow.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/09/ ... ne-to-ask/
4) Sasha attempts to reason with Bino. Given that she's the one who just set him off, this seems unlikely to work.
5) Sasha is familiar with Bino's tendency to rant, and is personally concerned enough to try and help.
6) Sasha does not know the difference between imported "Toilet Water" and water from a toilet.
Inference: Housepets dogs do - at least sometimes - drink from the toilet.
Note: This is actually not as bad as is usually believed; sinks actually do tend to be far dirtier and germ-infested than toilets. On the other hand, it’s never been referenced again, so it may be just a standard “dog†joke.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/09/ ... e-to-make/
7) Sasha is trying to get Fido to look at her corrected "I want your puppies" sign.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/09/ ... raise-you/
8) Sasha is "an item again" with Bino. Evidently she did, indeed, have a standing relationship with him before Fido's party.
9) Sasha is "over being flush for†Fido.
10) Sasha is thinking about the possibility that preying mantises are alien probes, rather than the person she's with.
Inference: Sasha is none too mentally focused.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/11/ ... -thoughts/
11) Sasha appears in a single rather sad panel: evidently her owner doesn't pay much attention to her "I love you daddy" and asks her to fetch him a beer.
Inference: The finer font size seems to imply that "I love you daddy" is a quiet statement. Her "daddy" may not be particularly receptive to such sentiments - at least when he hasn't found any human affection.
Inference: Sasha may do rather more in the way of household chores, and with less reward, than most of the other pets.
Note: Reader response at the time indicated that the common assumption was that Sasha's owner used her in attempts to pick up girls - partially on the theory that her idea of how to handle relationships (which isn't very good) might be modeled on his. This has recently been more-or-less confirmed, although it was an inference at the time.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/12/ ... s-edition/
12) Sasha appears on a rather confused greeting card. The confused message might be taken to imply that Sasha also tends to lose track of a train of thought in the middle.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/02/ ... otty-line/
13) Sasha is participating in the Good Ol Dogs Club Easter Egg Hunt. Evidently she’s still a member in good standing, as might be expected with her connection to Bino.
14) Sasha may have tried to use left over eggs for "bonus points" before.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/04/ ... e-meeting/
15) Sasha is out for a walk and waving to Daisy.
Inference: Given that the theme of these scenes seems to be "happy pets with their owners", this may indicate that Sasha is out for a walk with her owner. It might also be an ironic suggestion that Sasha could use some help, giving Fatty a tiny bit of accidental truth in his rant.
Speculation: Daisy's mom may be single, in which case Sasha would be out doing her “job†of trying to get her owner acquainted with women.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/04/ ... ery-naive/
16) Sasha concludes that Peanuts latest issue of "Spot Superdog" is about her and for her. Evidently she is somewhat inclined to focus on superficial details - and to relate everything to herself.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/06/ ... s-of-spot/
17) Sasha remembers Grape as "that cat that likes dog biscuits"/
18) Sasha is chasing Fido again, in part because Bino - sick in bed - is no fun on a date. She actually told him so.
Note: Kicking Bino when he’s already in the hospital seems a bit cruel, even if it is Bino. Personally, I hope he was unconscious.
19) Sasha didn't tell Fido about breaking a date with Bino to be with him.
20) Sasha is rather blatantly trying to seduce Fido again.
Inference: Sasha's “commitment†to Bino is pretty much a thing of convenience.
Speculation: If Sasha has learned this behavior pattern from her "dad", be may not be a very good example.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/08/ ... -smooches/
21) Sasha mistakes King for a cat. Evidently she is still going by superficial impressions.
22) Sasha apparently is concerned about King, and feels that having company is always nice.
23) Sasha does quietly accept being rejected.
Inference: Sasha may be quite used to having her attempts to come along being rejected.
24) Sasha also quietly accepts being locked out in freezing weather "cause I didn't get him any babes at the party" - followed up by the excuse (for her owner) that "I think he just forgets when he's mad".
Inference: This pretty much eliminates the doubt from last Christmas: Sasha's "Daddy" doesn't seem to care about her, and instead is simply using her as a lure for picking up women. Given that example, Sasha's own tendency to go back to Bino whenever another attempt to pick up Fido fails becomes more understandable. Somewhat reprehensible - no matter how bad Bino is, treating him that way is rather unkind - but understandable. It may be the same sort of treatment that she’s used to.
25) Sasha is extremely determined to make the best of any situation.
Inference: Sasha doesn't often have any unalloyed pleasures, attention, or affection, and has learned to make the best of whatever she can get.
Inference: Sasha may not pay much attention to what’s going on because - all too often - paying attention has been emotionally painful for her.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/12/ ... ace-to-go/
According to the cast page Sasha is a ‘flavor of the week’ kind of girl, and her relationship with Bino depends on his current standing with the neighborhood dogs and whether or not she feels like it. She does, at least, make it very obvious that Bino is a second choice.
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Possible Backstory for Sasha:
There isn’t actually much to account for here: it seems reasonably likely that Sasha’s owner got her from a pet store so that he could use the cute puppy as a prop for picking up women. Sasha, like many neglected children, has resorted to attempting to “earn†her “Daddy’s†affection - and to trying to find affection wherever she can. She keeps returning to Bino because he’s desperate enough to accept that sort of treatment and her apparent air-headed optimism is mostly a defense mechanism; if she’s not paying attention, it makes it a lot easier to overlook the emotional abuse and general neglect her “Daddy†subjects her to. Hence she’s become the strips poster-dog for neglected pets, doing more around the house for less reward than any of the other pets.
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Responses:
For Ebly:
Now, I have kept mice (and gerbils. I never liked hamsters though: I left those to my sister), and their volume isn't much. Not to mention all the problems with voiceboxes and frequency ranges... On the other hand, the assumption of "Good Ears" and "Usually being close to them" also works, especially with Fox not hearing Spo. Pending further information, I suppose I'll just have to chalk up the other problems to comic conventions or world laws. I kind of hate to do that - it's no fun - but I don't have enough information for another theory right now.
Once I get done with the rest of the characters (it's going faster as I get to the ones with fewer appearances) I'll start updating for strips that went up after the posts and editing in the suggestions. Thank you for some good ones.
For ndigit:
1) Grapes opinion that drawing a dog with a cats tail is "just sick".
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/07/ ... od-artist/
2) Bino thinks that "Cat lovers are really weird".
3) Fox and Rex - as usual at this point - echo him. Fox may or may not be being sarcastic, and there's no evidence of whether or not Fox and Rex actually care.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/07/ ... ne-either/
4) Grape thinks that "Okay, so Joey is strange. That's the kind of reputation that pets that look outside their own species get" - and apparently feels that being strange leads to becoming stranger.
5) On the other hand, Grape also states that she might have overreacted.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/08/ ... -for-dogs/
6) Grape states that "In time they'll come to accept it".
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/08/ ... a-nowhere/
7) As far as the barn cats go; they stated that Peanut was "cute" and got rather suggestive towards him. If there is a general taboo, they certainly don’t seem too worried about it.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/07/ ... the-mouth/
8) This barn cat seems to find the notion that grape was worried about the "cat lover" and "dog lover" notion "cute". She may or may not have been mocking the entire idea of such a taboo, but she certainly doesn’t seem to take it seriously.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/07/ ... g-reasons/
9) The alt-text notes that Rufus thought that Peanut was wanting to approach the Collie next door - but at this point he probably knows that Peanut retreated from the barn cats in confusion (they're all friends and share the barn; somehow I suspect that he got the word), and might be assuming that - since Peanut lives with Grape - if he was interested in her, he would have approached her long ago. No real evidence either way.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/07/ ... -occasion/
10) In this strip we find that Fido is keeping his relationship with Sabrina secret from the other dogs - although he certainly made it obvious enough to Spo.
11) The humans apparently think that interspecies relationships are cute, but Fido states that revealing that he was involved in such a relationship would compromise the loyalty of the other dogs. It’s hard to tell if that’s general support for the “Taboo†idea or not. Fido isn't the most perceptive person around. Of course, it would certainly compromise what little loyalty he gets from Bino...
12) Of the other pets we have some information on, Peanut and Joey certainly have no problems with it. Bino does - but Fox and Rex simply went along with Bino without actually expressing an opinion. Grape may disapprove in theory - but is willing to ignore it and hangs out with dogs a lot.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/02/ ... y-who-who/
13) Of course, here we find that Grape is apparently attracted to a human actor. Evidently that’s embarrassing, but not taboo.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/09/25/dear-tabby/
14) As far as actual and attempted relationships in the strip go, we have:
Joey and Squeak; Dog and Mouse.
Fido and Sabrina: Dog and Cat.
Peanuts one-sided crush on Grape. Dog and Cat.
Bino and Sasha. Dog of convenience and Dog. I wouldn't call it a very normal relationship myself. In fact, given the way Sasha keeps dumping Bino - and Bino's evident desperation - I don't think I'm going to count it.
Sashas one-sided attempt at Fido.
Peanut and Tarot: After Peanut and Grape didn't work out. Dog and Dog. Still not very normal though.
Miles and Lucretia: Pets only legally, and Feral. Still, at least it's Wolf and Wolf.
Grape and Maxwell: Our first "normal" pet couple.
15) We have glimpsed four additional possible relationships, but we don't have enough information to be sure:
A pair of cats are glimpsed, apparently on a troubled date. We don't actually know if they're a couple though; from what little we see, it looks like the date fell through.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/08/ ... kill-cafe/
The Mr Bigglesworths can't tell each other apart. Evidently this was intended to be a date, but it certainly isn't a stable relationship.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/08/ ... lications/
Jasper, "Girlfriend Cat", and Jinx - a Tom-and-Jerry reference - appear here. Actual status as a "couple" is doubtful, at least going by the "Tom and Jerry" precedents.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/08/ ... e-corners/
Finally, here we have two of the Mr Bigglesworths, who may be cuddling behind the couch. That may or may not mean anything. They might be a couple, close siblings, or simply be playing. There’s not enough information to tell.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/06/ ... l-of-them/
So: we have a grand total of five confirmed and reasonably stable relationships - Joey and Squeak, Fido and Sabrina, Peanut and Tarot, Miles and Lucretia, and Grape and Maxwell. That's two interspecies, one strange (Peanut and Tarot) but in-species, one Feral and in-species, and one fairly “normal†and in-species. That's 40% interspecies, or 50% if you consider the wolves as being outsiders to the pet community.
We have only three primary sources on the interspecies relationship taboo; Bino, Grape, and Fido.
For a “minimal taboo†theory... For all we actually know at the moment, Bino has some hint that Fido is in love with a cat - and resents Fido having a stable relationship when he certainly doesn't. Ergo his hatred of "Cat-Lovers". Still, Bino realizes at some level that undercutting Fido would undercut his own power base, ergo he takes it out on other "Cat Lovers". He could well have passed that disapproval on to Grape as a kitten, since he does live next door. Fido, meanwhile, could simply believe that the other dogs would feel that - being in love with a cat - his loyalties might be compromised as far as being the local canine leader goes.
I could stretch the evidence to support a global taboo just as well as I can stretch it the other way to blame it all on Bino - but there really isn't enough information available to make a really good case either way. Personally I would suspect on gene-transmission grounds that interspecies relationships are generally regarded as odd, but that - since they will not provoke human efforts are reproductive control - are probably pretty widespread. Pets get lonely too.
Hm... As "Food" goes, as you noted, Tiger gets to have pizza and cookies. Rex bakes cookies (and presumably eats at least some of them). Grape and Peanut do have their own table with their own dishes, but eat with the family at least on special occasions (Thanksgiving Strip) and have free access to the soda and ice cream (needed to make rootbeer floats). The various dogs apparently usually bring dog biscuits/cookies to the Good Ol Dogs Club meetings. Bino has access to the pantry and the dog snacks/treats (from the first Christmas gift exchange), and Peanut has access to either a seriously specialized caterer/pinata maker or at least "four different kinds of tripe" (if he filled it himself). The Raccoons reference "looking for cat food", but there's no indication of what kind except for whatever they’re looking for NOT being currently sealed in a can (since they don’t know how to open those). Grape references eating the insides of cows during the farm arc. Grape also eats a mouse during mouse-mouse revolution. I'm not sure chocolate-covered espresso beans really count as "food". I seem to recall a reference to tea at some point, some pet (I think it was Peanut got) chocolate at Halloween, and there's Joey having a commercial cup of something at the bookstore during the Pridelands arc. There's Grape eating dog biscuits and Sasha serving "Toilet Water" during Fido's party. And then, of course, there's King getting fed dry dog kibble. Not much consistency there except for the dog biscuits/cookies.
The possibility of trouble with PETA was based on
(1) Maxwell's owner's immediate reaction to a stranger saying "I'm with PETA" was to commit a criminal offence - Assault and Battery - which could easily result in jail time. This argues for some strong personal reason beyond "I've heard about PETA and they're a bunch of loons". This argues for some notable bit of backstory.
(2) The general rule that - in works of fiction - notable bits of backstory are generally attached to major characters - and the humans, and (for that matter) possible prior pets that they no longer own - are distinctly secondary. Ergo, the cause of such hostility was probably attached to either Bino or Maxwell.
(3) Bino, while a good character and foil, is generally disliked. Ergo, attaching some harrowing bit of backstory to him is fairly pointless in narrative terms. It's already been suggested in the comments on the Sinister Shadow arc that it would have been nice if PETA successfully swiped Bino. It also doesn't add much to the story possibilities; Bino already dislikes King and already has a personal link with Fox.
(4) Ergo, the inference of Maxwell's owner having some personal grudge against PETA winds up being attached to Maxwell - and offers the added bonus of providing reasons why he doesn't answer the door, couldn't get Bino to let him in at night, and for his having a damaged ear. This fulfills the general rule for inferring backstories - try to explain as many things as possible while introducing the minimum possible number of new elements.
Return to Thread Index: https://www.housepetscomic.com/forums/v ... ?f=2&t=199
1) Sasha doesn't actually appear here, but this strip does establish that she can't spell very well, is more than a bit forward, and that she wants to spend some personal time with Fido.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/09/ ... eed-apart/
2) Sasha is helping decorate for Fido's party, and regards Fido as very important.
Inference: Since the party is being put together by the Good Ol Dogs Club, Sasha is probably a member in good standing and was fairly likely to have been at the meeting.
3) Sasha does have some sympathy for Bino, and may have a relationship of some sort with him. This makes her next statement - indicating that she values Bino for his relationship with Fido - even more of a low blow.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/09/ ... ne-to-ask/
4) Sasha attempts to reason with Bino. Given that she's the one who just set him off, this seems unlikely to work.
5) Sasha is familiar with Bino's tendency to rant, and is personally concerned enough to try and help.
6) Sasha does not know the difference between imported "Toilet Water" and water from a toilet.
Inference: Housepets dogs do - at least sometimes - drink from the toilet.
Note: This is actually not as bad as is usually believed; sinks actually do tend to be far dirtier and germ-infested than toilets. On the other hand, it’s never been referenced again, so it may be just a standard “dog†joke.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/09/ ... e-to-make/
7) Sasha is trying to get Fido to look at her corrected "I want your puppies" sign.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/09/ ... raise-you/
8) Sasha is "an item again" with Bino. Evidently she did, indeed, have a standing relationship with him before Fido's party.
9) Sasha is "over being flush for†Fido.
10) Sasha is thinking about the possibility that preying mantises are alien probes, rather than the person she's with.
Inference: Sasha is none too mentally focused.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/11/ ... -thoughts/
11) Sasha appears in a single rather sad panel: evidently her owner doesn't pay much attention to her "I love you daddy" and asks her to fetch him a beer.
Inference: The finer font size seems to imply that "I love you daddy" is a quiet statement. Her "daddy" may not be particularly receptive to such sentiments - at least when he hasn't found any human affection.
Inference: Sasha may do rather more in the way of household chores, and with less reward, than most of the other pets.
Note: Reader response at the time indicated that the common assumption was that Sasha's owner used her in attempts to pick up girls - partially on the theory that her idea of how to handle relationships (which isn't very good) might be modeled on his. This has recently been more-or-less confirmed, although it was an inference at the time.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/12/ ... s-edition/
12) Sasha appears on a rather confused greeting card. The confused message might be taken to imply that Sasha also tends to lose track of a train of thought in the middle.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/02/ ... otty-line/
13) Sasha is participating in the Good Ol Dogs Club Easter Egg Hunt. Evidently she’s still a member in good standing, as might be expected with her connection to Bino.
14) Sasha may have tried to use left over eggs for "bonus points" before.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/04/ ... e-meeting/
15) Sasha is out for a walk and waving to Daisy.
Inference: Given that the theme of these scenes seems to be "happy pets with their owners", this may indicate that Sasha is out for a walk with her owner. It might also be an ironic suggestion that Sasha could use some help, giving Fatty a tiny bit of accidental truth in his rant.
Speculation: Daisy's mom may be single, in which case Sasha would be out doing her “job†of trying to get her owner acquainted with women.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/04/ ... ery-naive/
16) Sasha concludes that Peanuts latest issue of "Spot Superdog" is about her and for her. Evidently she is somewhat inclined to focus on superficial details - and to relate everything to herself.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/06/ ... s-of-spot/
17) Sasha remembers Grape as "that cat that likes dog biscuits"/
18) Sasha is chasing Fido again, in part because Bino - sick in bed - is no fun on a date. She actually told him so.
Note: Kicking Bino when he’s already in the hospital seems a bit cruel, even if it is Bino. Personally, I hope he was unconscious.
19) Sasha didn't tell Fido about breaking a date with Bino to be with him.
20) Sasha is rather blatantly trying to seduce Fido again.
Inference: Sasha's “commitment†to Bino is pretty much a thing of convenience.
Speculation: If Sasha has learned this behavior pattern from her "dad", be may not be a very good example.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/08/ ... -smooches/
21) Sasha mistakes King for a cat. Evidently she is still going by superficial impressions.
22) Sasha apparently is concerned about King, and feels that having company is always nice.
23) Sasha does quietly accept being rejected.
Inference: Sasha may be quite used to having her attempts to come along being rejected.
24) Sasha also quietly accepts being locked out in freezing weather "cause I didn't get him any babes at the party" - followed up by the excuse (for her owner) that "I think he just forgets when he's mad".
Inference: This pretty much eliminates the doubt from last Christmas: Sasha's "Daddy" doesn't seem to care about her, and instead is simply using her as a lure for picking up women. Given that example, Sasha's own tendency to go back to Bino whenever another attempt to pick up Fido fails becomes more understandable. Somewhat reprehensible - no matter how bad Bino is, treating him that way is rather unkind - but understandable. It may be the same sort of treatment that she’s used to.
25) Sasha is extremely determined to make the best of any situation.
Inference: Sasha doesn't often have any unalloyed pleasures, attention, or affection, and has learned to make the best of whatever she can get.
Inference: Sasha may not pay much attention to what’s going on because - all too often - paying attention has been emotionally painful for her.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/12/ ... ace-to-go/
According to the cast page Sasha is a ‘flavor of the week’ kind of girl, and her relationship with Bino depends on his current standing with the neighborhood dogs and whether or not she feels like it. She does, at least, make it very obvious that Bino is a second choice.
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Possible Backstory for Sasha:
There isn’t actually much to account for here: it seems reasonably likely that Sasha’s owner got her from a pet store so that he could use the cute puppy as a prop for picking up women. Sasha, like many neglected children, has resorted to attempting to “earn†her “Daddy’s†affection - and to trying to find affection wherever she can. She keeps returning to Bino because he’s desperate enough to accept that sort of treatment and her apparent air-headed optimism is mostly a defense mechanism; if she’s not paying attention, it makes it a lot easier to overlook the emotional abuse and general neglect her “Daddy†subjects her to. Hence she’s become the strips poster-dog for neglected pets, doing more around the house for less reward than any of the other pets.
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Responses:
For Ebly:
Oh, quite possible. I was assuming normal conversational volume because Rick apparently used the "small voice" font before (the first Christmas strip with Sasha) to convey reduced volume.Ebly wrote:The box had holes on it! As for him being smaller - I don't know about you but I find those with dwarfism, for example, are not necessarily harder to hear. It's not quite the same thing, but it's possible that all it means is that they're higher in pitch!
At the same time, he seems to always be relatively close to Fido's ears! Maybe the other pets can't hear Spo? It would better explain why Fox thought Fido was arguing with himself!
Now, I have kept mice (and gerbils. I never liked hamsters though: I left those to my sister), and their volume isn't much. Not to mention all the problems with voiceboxes and frequency ranges... On the other hand, the assumption of "Good Ears" and "Usually being close to them" also works, especially with Fox not hearing Spo. Pending further information, I suppose I'll just have to chalk up the other problems to comic conventions or world laws. I kind of hate to do that - it's no fun - but I don't have enough information for another theory right now.
Once I get done with the rest of the characters (it's going faster as I get to the ones with fewer appearances) I'll start updating for strips that went up after the posts and editing in the suggestions. Thank you for some good ones.
For ndigit:
I was basing the notion that "quite a lot of the local ferals know about it" on the list of them that Fido has apparently taken in at Sabrina's request, nursed back to health, and released; it seems pretty likely that a fair percentage of them know that something is up; presumably most cats wouldn't hand them over to a mysteriously-obliging dog to be nursed back to health and set free. Secondarily, of course, there's direct observation by mice, birds, and other creatures. Sabrina gossiping is not required.ndigit wrote:Or it could be Spo simply overheard him saying "Of all the cats in the world and I had to fall in love with the only one who doesn't enjoy causing pain."
I'm pretty sure Sabrina isn't a gossip. In fact she hardly has any lines at all for a recurring side character.
As far as the "interspecies relationship" taboo goes... Our actual sources on it are pretty sparse. What we have consists of:ndigit wrote:We're pretty sure that this isn't a Babylon Gardens taboo as it is a universal. The farm cats talk about this issue lightly but it does make sense if you think about it. (Probably just a poor choice of words but felt like pointing this out, sorry.)
1) Grapes opinion that drawing a dog with a cats tail is "just sick".
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/07/ ... od-artist/
2) Bino thinks that "Cat lovers are really weird".
3) Fox and Rex - as usual at this point - echo him. Fox may or may not be being sarcastic, and there's no evidence of whether or not Fox and Rex actually care.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/07/ ... ne-either/
4) Grape thinks that "Okay, so Joey is strange. That's the kind of reputation that pets that look outside their own species get" - and apparently feels that being strange leads to becoming stranger.
5) On the other hand, Grape also states that she might have overreacted.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/08/ ... -for-dogs/
6) Grape states that "In time they'll come to accept it".
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2008/08/ ... a-nowhere/
7) As far as the barn cats go; they stated that Peanut was "cute" and got rather suggestive towards him. If there is a general taboo, they certainly don’t seem too worried about it.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/07/ ... the-mouth/
8) This barn cat seems to find the notion that grape was worried about the "cat lover" and "dog lover" notion "cute". She may or may not have been mocking the entire idea of such a taboo, but she certainly doesn’t seem to take it seriously.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/07/ ... g-reasons/
9) The alt-text notes that Rufus thought that Peanut was wanting to approach the Collie next door - but at this point he probably knows that Peanut retreated from the barn cats in confusion (they're all friends and share the barn; somehow I suspect that he got the word), and might be assuming that - since Peanut lives with Grape - if he was interested in her, he would have approached her long ago. No real evidence either way.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/07/ ... -occasion/
10) In this strip we find that Fido is keeping his relationship with Sabrina secret from the other dogs - although he certainly made it obvious enough to Spo.
11) The humans apparently think that interspecies relationships are cute, but Fido states that revealing that he was involved in such a relationship would compromise the loyalty of the other dogs. It’s hard to tell if that’s general support for the “Taboo†idea or not. Fido isn't the most perceptive person around. Of course, it would certainly compromise what little loyalty he gets from Bino...
12) Of the other pets we have some information on, Peanut and Joey certainly have no problems with it. Bino does - but Fox and Rex simply went along with Bino without actually expressing an opinion. Grape may disapprove in theory - but is willing to ignore it and hangs out with dogs a lot.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/02/ ... y-who-who/
13) Of course, here we find that Grape is apparently attracted to a human actor. Evidently that’s embarrassing, but not taboo.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/09/25/dear-tabby/
14) As far as actual and attempted relationships in the strip go, we have:
Joey and Squeak; Dog and Mouse.
Fido and Sabrina: Dog and Cat.
Peanuts one-sided crush on Grape. Dog and Cat.
Bino and Sasha. Dog of convenience and Dog. I wouldn't call it a very normal relationship myself. In fact, given the way Sasha keeps dumping Bino - and Bino's evident desperation - I don't think I'm going to count it.
Sashas one-sided attempt at Fido.
Peanut and Tarot: After Peanut and Grape didn't work out. Dog and Dog. Still not very normal though.
Miles and Lucretia: Pets only legally, and Feral. Still, at least it's Wolf and Wolf.
Grape and Maxwell: Our first "normal" pet couple.
15) We have glimpsed four additional possible relationships, but we don't have enough information to be sure:
A pair of cats are glimpsed, apparently on a troubled date. We don't actually know if they're a couple though; from what little we see, it looks like the date fell through.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/08/ ... kill-cafe/
The Mr Bigglesworths can't tell each other apart. Evidently this was intended to be a date, but it certainly isn't a stable relationship.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/08/ ... lications/
Jasper, "Girlfriend Cat", and Jinx - a Tom-and-Jerry reference - appear here. Actual status as a "couple" is doubtful, at least going by the "Tom and Jerry" precedents.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/08/ ... e-corners/
Finally, here we have two of the Mr Bigglesworths, who may be cuddling behind the couch. That may or may not mean anything. They might be a couple, close siblings, or simply be playing. There’s not enough information to tell.
https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/06/ ... l-of-them/
So: we have a grand total of five confirmed and reasonably stable relationships - Joey and Squeak, Fido and Sabrina, Peanut and Tarot, Miles and Lucretia, and Grape and Maxwell. That's two interspecies, one strange (Peanut and Tarot) but in-species, one Feral and in-species, and one fairly “normal†and in-species. That's 40% interspecies, or 50% if you consider the wolves as being outsiders to the pet community.
We have only three primary sources on the interspecies relationship taboo; Bino, Grape, and Fido.
For a “minimal taboo†theory... For all we actually know at the moment, Bino has some hint that Fido is in love with a cat - and resents Fido having a stable relationship when he certainly doesn't. Ergo his hatred of "Cat-Lovers". Still, Bino realizes at some level that undercutting Fido would undercut his own power base, ergo he takes it out on other "Cat Lovers". He could well have passed that disapproval on to Grape as a kitten, since he does live next door. Fido, meanwhile, could simply believe that the other dogs would feel that - being in love with a cat - his loyalties might be compromised as far as being the local canine leader goes.
I could stretch the evidence to support a global taboo just as well as I can stretch it the other way to blame it all on Bino - but there really isn't enough information available to make a really good case either way. Personally I would suspect on gene-transmission grounds that interspecies relationships are generally regarded as odd, but that - since they will not provoke human efforts are reproductive control - are probably pretty widespread. Pets get lonely too.
Very possible on the D&D part; I shall add that to the speculations section once I get the main list done and go back to update and edit. I'm not sure we really need a reason for Fido and Sabrina to meet though; they both live in the same community after all, and it's presumably not all that enormous.ndigit wrote:Speculation on my part but it's also possible that Sabrina's owner also plays D&D which is why Spo would know what a dork would be like. It might also explain how Fido and Sabrina met in the first place.
As far as humans not treating animals that much differently from real animals, that's more or less the oddity; the police routinely work in tense and dangerous situations. The assistance of intelligent canines offers them a good many extra options - and they're apparently (from Fido's list of his training and responsibilities) not taking full advantage of them. Since failing to take full advantage of their options puts their lives at increased risk, that seems odd. Using creatures with no legal rights to deliver Miranda warnings - and therefore to collect evidence as witnesses if a suspect chooses to waive their right to remain silent or makes statements after the warning is delivered - is also rather odd; testifying on what a suspect says after the warning is a normal part of a court case; if pets have trouble testifying, or need other pets to back them up, this makes policework needlessly awkward.ndigit wrote:I don't think it's an oddity as much as humans don't treat animals all that differently from this world and theirs. Except we treat ours like babies they treat theirs like...well more like children I guess. They get toys, they...CAN eat regular foods, (Though throughout the comic Grape and Peanut seem to be the only ones to do so...), but they still don't have as much freedom.
Edit:Oh and Tiger also eats cookies and pizza. How could I forget him?
Hm... As "Food" goes, as you noted, Tiger gets to have pizza and cookies. Rex bakes cookies (and presumably eats at least some of them). Grape and Peanut do have their own table with their own dishes, but eat with the family at least on special occasions (Thanksgiving Strip) and have free access to the soda and ice cream (needed to make rootbeer floats). The various dogs apparently usually bring dog biscuits/cookies to the Good Ol Dogs Club meetings. Bino has access to the pantry and the dog snacks/treats (from the first Christmas gift exchange), and Peanut has access to either a seriously specialized caterer/pinata maker or at least "four different kinds of tripe" (if he filled it himself). The Raccoons reference "looking for cat food", but there's no indication of what kind except for whatever they’re looking for NOT being currently sealed in a can (since they don’t know how to open those). Grape references eating the insides of cows during the farm arc. Grape also eats a mouse during mouse-mouse revolution. I'm not sure chocolate-covered espresso beans really count as "food". I seem to recall a reference to tea at some point, some pet (I think it was Peanut got) chocolate at Halloween, and there's Joey having a commercial cup of something at the bookstore during the Pridelands arc. There's Grape eating dog biscuits and Sasha serving "Toilet Water" during Fido's party. And then, of course, there's King getting fed dry dog kibble. Not much consistency there except for the dog biscuits/cookies.
I think we're just using different words for the same impression here. After all, dogs are at least implied to have set fire to the place somehow - and he's currently associating with them. I’d find looking at a burning building and knowing that the person I’m relying on at the moment was involved (and didn't see the problem) pretty appalling.ndigit wrote:I don't think he's appalled so much at the burning building as more thinking "These dogs are insane."
For "Spo narrating feelings", I got the impression that he was more-or-less saying what Fido would have liked to have said if he wasn't on duty. That is just an impression of course. Since Rick already noted that the telepathy hypothesis was reaching, I’ll gladly go with him simply being a candy corn.ndigit wrote:No he's not. Spo is not narrating anything nor does this support telepathy. He's just being a wise-crack.
Spo’s not being taken along to the dogs club is only "apparent" actually; I didn't see him on Fido's head, and he's not in the tags; that does not mean that he wasn't present "offscreen". That ones just an observation; Spo is usually with Fido these days.ndigit wrote:Well I wouldn't take a mouse to a dog's club either.
And yes, Max being abducted by PETA is indeed very speculative; all of Maxwell's history entry was noted as "we basically know nothing about Maxwell’s history - so I’m going with “exciting, fits the (few) known facts, and has lots of interesting future story possibilitiesâ€ndigit wrote:Also. Max being abducted by the PETA is VERY speculative since there seems to be nothing at all to suggest this.
The possibility of trouble with PETA was based on
(1) Maxwell's owner's immediate reaction to a stranger saying "I'm with PETA" was to commit a criminal offence - Assault and Battery - which could easily result in jail time. This argues for some strong personal reason beyond "I've heard about PETA and they're a bunch of loons". This argues for some notable bit of backstory.
(2) The general rule that - in works of fiction - notable bits of backstory are generally attached to major characters - and the humans, and (for that matter) possible prior pets that they no longer own - are distinctly secondary. Ergo, the cause of such hostility was probably attached to either Bino or Maxwell.
(3) Bino, while a good character and foil, is generally disliked. Ergo, attaching some harrowing bit of backstory to him is fairly pointless in narrative terms. It's already been suggested in the comments on the Sinister Shadow arc that it would have been nice if PETA successfully swiped Bino. It also doesn't add much to the story possibilities; Bino already dislikes King and already has a personal link with Fox.
(4) Ergo, the inference of Maxwell's owner having some personal grudge against PETA winds up being attached to Maxwell - and offers the added bonus of providing reasons why he doesn't answer the door, couldn't get Bino to let him in at night, and for his having a damaged ear. This fulfills the general rule for inferring backstories - try to explain as many things as possible while introducing the minimum possible number of new elements.
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