That's My Pup! is a 1953 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 76th Tom and Jerry cartoon directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.
Plot[]
Spike is teaching Tyke the three important rules of being a dog: being man's best friend (by doing the sad, soulful, puppy-dog eyes), burying bones and how to chase cats (run cats off), which Spike says is his specialty. Observing Tom chasing Jerry and waiting by Jerry's mouse hole, Spike has the perfect cat to chase in, Tom. He sneaks up behind Tom and barks ferociously. Tom is quite literally frightened out of his skin and climbs a tree to get away from Spike, shredding off most of its bark in the process.
Spike accosts Tom and warns him in more friendly than usual way that if Tyke starts barking, Tom starts climbing in order to give the little pup some self-esteem ("Listen, pussycat. My boy is learning how to chase cats, and I Do want him to have any trouble. Understand? When he starts barkin', you start climbin'. Is that clear?"). But when Tyke barks and covers his eyes, Spike throws him up the tree and Tom smashes through several branches before halting halfway up. However, Jerry is eavesdropping on the conversation, and both Jerry and Tyke take it in turns to bark at Tom. Tom gets Jerry and whistles, Tyke appears and barks at Tom. No results, Jerry bites Tom's thumb causing him to scream. Tom (who has now had enough of Tyke barking and chasing him) is about to kick Tyke until Spike appears (giving Tom a look as if to tell Tom not to kick Tyke), so Tom gently puts Tyke down and climbs up the tree sheepishly with his toes. Jerry barks at Tom and Tom speeds up. He comes at the tree, with long necked and he escapes.
Tyke finds Tom, again. He bites his tail and Tom puts him in the bucket. He hides behind the bush and goes inside. Tom gets a cloth that looks like his tail and ties it into a flagpole. When Tyke bites it, he was sent into the flagpole, while pulling him up, his tongue is out and runs away. Tyke yelps for help until Spike arrives. Spike calls on Tyke to check if he is all right. When Tyke barks for help, he falls down on top of Spike, who comes to the (obvious) conclusion that Tom is responsible for Tyke's predicament as he becomes angry. Spike paints the flagpole with grease and barks at Tom who begins climbing up the flagpole. However, the amount of grease causes him to be slowed down, causing him to struggle. Spike then allows Tyke to bark in his place while Tom continues trying to climb up the flagpole. By nighttime, Tyke is still barking away as Tom climbs in fear, while Spike says, "That's my boy doing' that." whilst Jerry nods in agreement.
Notes[]
- This cartoon has a copyright year of 1952.
- This is the only Tom and Jerry cartoon with Spike and Tyke where Jerry does not frame Tom.
- The title of this short is a spin on Spike's catchphrase,"That's my boy!"