Tom und ich im Training

Tom and Jerry teams up again, this time to deal with Spike, the mean, ruthless bulldog which happens to be in Mammy Two-Shoe's house. Tom and Jerry seems to always have a love-hate friend relationship going on, but it works in these cartoons and make the stories unpredictable and unique. Lots of fun here.

Grade B+

When I first heard of this cartoon, I thought it wouldn't be very good. Tom and Jerry teaming up? Most episodes revolving around that premise are bad or fine, but Dog Trouble is actually a lot of fun. This is probably because of Spike. Unlike later characterizations, he goes after both Tom and Jerry, something refreshing when compared to his blatant love of Jerry later on. Nothing really stands out about this cartoon though. While a fun short, with the team up and meaner Spike, it's just not very notable. It's a basic Tom/Jerry/Spike short with a twist, and while that's entertaining, it doesn't stand out in any other ways. It's just a good, classic, fun Tom and Jerry short.

Tom and Jerry on the same side? It didn't happen often but it happens in this early Tom and Jerry cartoon. This is the one the big bulldog is first introduced. "Spike," as we know him, is bigger and scarier than he was in future cartoons, although he never was a slouch in the "scare" department. However, he's like a roaring lion in this one, going after both Tom and Jerry after the latter two were going at each other.

This cartoon is so-so, at best, however. Most Tom and Jerry cartoons, in my opinion, in the first year or two were weak in comparison to the rest of the way. The humor isn't as clever in here and the chase routines are just that: routine. Frankly, I never laughed at anything in here. This one had historical value, and little else.

Tom and Jerry, like Disney and Looney Tunes, were a huge part of my childhood, ever since seeing the entire collection at my sister's now deceased godfather's house when I was about 5 or 6. Dog Trouble was one of the first T&J cartoons, that particular era for T&J cartoons were very interesting and are well made and fun but there is the sense that they were still trying to find their feet. You do get that vibe here in Dog Trouble with the routine story and a rather crudely drawn Spike(coincidentally in his first collaboration with the duo). However, the rest of the animation in Dog Trouble is great, the colours are luscious and the backgrounds show detail and fluidity. The music is one of my personal favourites of the early T&J cartoons, just love the trombone motif, the musical laugh idea I have seen a fair bit when it comes to animation but still worked very well here. The gags are as ever physical humour-based, they come thick and fast and are funny, while the chase sequences while not the most original on the block still add to the not-too-rushed-but-never-a-bore pace of Dog Trouble. I also loved the characterisations, Tom is showing a crafty side here, Spike is at his most dog-like and Jerry still is endearing but clever. All in all, very good, just not among Tom and Jerry's best. 8/10 Bethany Cox

An excellent episode of Tom and Jerry, Dog Trouble sees the famous arch-enemies team up to fight a common foe: Spike, a snarling, toothy bulldog whose sole purpose in life seems to be to chase anything that moves and try to eat it.

After a little 'cat and mouse' action (natch) from the world's greatest cat and mouse, this episode really gets going when Spike joins in on the fun, after being disturbed whilst napping (a common theme in later T&J cartoons). Tom and Jerry become trapped by the dog and, on realising that they are both in the same predicament, put aside their differences to plan their escape.

This one is pure class, and anyone who doesn't find the sight of Spike leaping through the air to try and snap at Tom's tail extremely funny needs to get their sense of humour an overhaul. Top animation, a great soundtrack, and wonderful characterisation all go to make this an better-than-average episode.