10 BEST THE FAR SIDE COMICS FEATURING DOGS

For sixteen years, the single-panel comic strip The Far Side gave readers laughs throughout its initial publication run. The Far Side is full of surrealist humor and social commentary on the absurdities of life and human behavior. Ironically, to comment on human behavior, creator Gary Larson often uses non-human characters like dogs to emphasize the ridiculous situations that people get into.

The Far Side may be best known for its cows, but dogs are frequently cast members of the clever comic strip. Dogs are humans’ closest animal companions, and humans have shaped them into the loyal creatures they are today. By examining human behavior through the eyes and experiences of dogs, The Far Side allows people to laugh at even the most ordinary of situations.

The Canine Decoder Revealed the True Nature of Dogs Barking in The Far Side

Published March 25, 1992

Anyone who has been around dogs has undoubtedly wondered what they were trying to say while barking incessantly. People imagine that perhaps their dog is trying to communicate a specific point or even have a conversation in their own way. The Far Side creator Gary Larson has imagined a far simpler and probably more accurate explanation for canine vocalizations.

This strip also stars one of The Far Side’s other common character types, a somewhat clueless scientist. In one of the best Far Side cartoons of all time, the scientist has invented and donned a special “canine decoder” helmet that allows him to understand dogs. Of course, dog brains are far simpler than human ones, so instead of barking, he repeatedly hears “Hey! Hey! Hey!”.

Dogs in The Far Side Think They Go to the Vet to Get Tutored

Published May 25, 1985

Most pets hate going to the vet. The sounds, smells, and experiences are typically frightening for animals who cannot understand the importance of medical care. Because dogs are so good-natured, however, owners can often trick their pet dogs into getting into the car without realizing where they are going.

In this hilarious The Far Side comic, the dog in the car actually knows he is going to the vet. The humor arises instead from him mishearing his owners. The dog believes he will see the vet to get “tutored,” but readers can clearly understand that the similar-sounding word “neutered” is a far more likely fate for the hapless canine.

The Far Side Imagined What Dog Hell Would Look Like

Published June 8, 1986

Animals are a frequent subject of The Far Side, but other themes also pop up. One frequent and underrated type of Far Side comics are those dealing with ideas of Christian theology, particularly the nature of heaven and hell. The idea that all dogs go to heaven is so well-known that a movie was named after the phrase. In The Far Side, that fate is not so certain.

Usually, The Far Side comics portraying hell are populated by people of one description or another. However, Gary Larson has conceptualized what a hell for dogs would look like. The dogs are seen either carrying poop scoopers or mail delivery bags. Clearly, canines in hell are forced to take responsibility for their actions or play the roles they dislike the most.

Dogs Send Threat Letters in The Far Side

Published May 31, 1986

When thinking of natural enemies, dogs and cats immediately come to mind. Dogs possess an inherent desire to chase small furry creatures like cats, and cats are instinctively afraid of canines, which are typically larger than cats. In The Far Side, this age-old enmity is in full swing, with dogs coming up with various ways to threaten or harm feline characters in the comic strip.

In this Far Side cartoon, a dog has just thrown a threatening note and a bone through the window of a cat’s house. As the dog runs away, the two cats read the note. It is pasted together using newspaper letters saying “Arf” repeatedly. The threat is clear, but these felines would have benefited from the canine decoder featured in another Far Side cartoon to get more detail.

In Both Real Life and The Far Side, Dogs Don't Understand People

Published October 25, 1983

Dogs and humans spend a lot of time trying to communicate with one another. Humans train their dogs to respond to specific commands, and many dogs can understand a limited range of human words based on that training. However, many assume that dogs can understand far more than they actually do.

In this The Far Side comic, Gary Larson plays with the communication between humans and dogs by comparing the speech and comprehension of both species. The human might be telling the dog a detailed account of what it has done wrong, but the dog, with its limited mental capacity, only truly hears its own name. This is one instance where no explanation was required to get a laugh from The Far Side - the truth was obvious and funny enough on its own.

Dogs in The Far Side Are Through With Begging

Published June 3, 1987

Humans are the custodians of their animal pets and, therefore, are responsible for treating them well and doing what is best for their pets’ health. Much like young children, however, pets often don’t understand why humans make the decisions they do. A person might put their dog on a diet because it’s best for their health, but from the dog’s perspective, it only knows it isn’t getting what it wants.

In real life, most dogs will either accept the restrictions their owners place on them or perhaps sneak a treat behind their owner's back if the opportunity arises. This Far Side cartoon, however, imagines a more ludicrous story. Rather than accepting his fate, the dog has acquired a gun, and he is taking what he wants rather than engaging in the stereotypical dog behavior of begging.

The Dogs Are Taking Over Obedience School in The Far Side

Published October 24, 1994

Dogs are often very intelligent and obedient, which is what allows people to train them. People take their dogs to obedience classes daily, allowing them to have a more productive relationship with their pets. The dogs are better able to understand their owners' needs and behave in a way that is appropriate to their surroundings. However, things often don’t go as planned in The Far Side.

Many of the funniest The Far Side cartoons about animals involve animals acting in ways that are contrary to their normal nature. Gary Larson clearly enjoyed the thought of pets rising up against their owners and throwing off their chains of servitude. In this hilarious Far Side comic, the dogs have taken over the obedience school and decided to make their own agenda, leaving the human teacher tied up as they play with a ball instead.

The Far Side Proved That Dogs and Alcohol Are Not a Good Combination

Published November 28, 1994

Alcohol doesn’t tend to bring out the best in people. People often make incredibly stupid decisions while drunk, sometimes egged on by their drinking companions. To hold a mirror up to this behavior, The Far Side envisioned what would happen under the same circumstances but with dogs as the drunk characters.

When under the influence of alcohol, people can be convinced to do incredibly unwise things. In the dog version of this scenario, portrayed in this Far Side comic, the dogs have snuck into a zoo and are daring each other to go and chase a cat. Unfortunately for the inebriated canines, the cat in question is a leopard or cheetah, who will almost certainly put a painful end to the drunken revelry.

The Far Side Features Very Specialized Breeds of Dogs

Publication date: Unknown

St. Bernards are an incredibly iconic breed of dog. Instantly recognizable from their large, broad stature and distinctive coloring, these friendly canines are often used in mountain rescue operations. When portrayed in media, St. Bernards are often shown with a small cask of brandy carried on the front of their collar, supposedly to keep avalanche victims warm as they await rescue.

Gary Larson has taken the iconic shape of the brandy barrel worn by St. Bernards in folklore and substituted a similarly shaped object for it–a roll of toilet paper. For anyone unfamiliar with the stereotypical St. Bernard portrayal, this Far Side cartoon might be confusing. However, for those in the know, it was an amusing twist on a popular and helpful dog breed.

Dogs Also Commute to Work in The Far Side

Published July 3, 1988

Certain facts about dogs are commonly known, such as their habit of sticking their heads out of windows when traveling in a car. The Far Side aged particularly well as a comic because it relied on these shared knowledge points. Of course, being The Far Side, it isn’t enough to simply comment on dog behavior. The Far Side also uses canine behavior to put human habits in perspective.

This Far Side cartoon resonates with people because not only does it feature dogs and their habits, but it is also based on the common human activity of commuting to work. Each day, millions of people around the world pile into cars and buses to go to work. In the type of surreal twist The Far Side is known for, dogs mimic that behavior in their own special canine way.

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