Dog Trouble

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.

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+

As a big fan of Tom and Jerry, I have already seen all their Short Films from the Hanna Barbera Era to the Gene Deitch Era (only those that were released in Cinema count, I have not seen the complete Television Series), and Dog Trouble does not It disappoints in no aspect and leaves you very satisfied after seeing it.

This was the first appearance of the Iconic Bulldog Spike, although he does not have his usual Personality and Design, he brings a lot to the cartoon.

The animation as in any other Tom and Jerry short (only those from 1940-1954 because the ones after 1954 gave a very Notable Downturn to their animation) here the Movements are Fluid and the Designs Show Advance and they already look like what would be in the future, Spike's Design to be his First Appearance looks Pretty Good.

The Music as Always is Frenetic and quite funny, there is no doubt that without it the cartoon would not be so funny!

In itself, Dog Trouble is not the best of Tom and Jerry but it is a really special Short for being the First appearance of Spike and showing advances in the character designs, the chases are great and make the short memorable and for that I give it a 9!.

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

Tom and Jerry are doing their usual chasing-around-the-house/cat tail in a mousetrap antics when Tom slams right into the sleeping big bulldog later to be known as Spike. Angery at being woken from his peaceful sleep, he chases after the cat and mouse, forcing them to team up to defeat him.

Jerry sets the trap while Tom uses himself as bait, soon enough the house is trashed and Spike is thrown out. Really simple stuff with only some slight invention. Mammy-Two-Shoes makes an appearance, but chances are you'll see the PC version in which she is unnatually re-dubbed to sound less 'racist'. Whatever!