Editing Santa's Little Helper (section)

{{Short description|Dog in The Simpsons animated TV series}}
{{About|the Simpsons character|the creature often referred to as "Santa's little helper"|Christmas elf|other uses|Santa's Little Helper (disambiguation)}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox character
| name        = Santa's Little Helper
| series      = [[The Simpsons]]
| image       = SantasLittleHelper.png
| first_major = [[The Simpsons]]
| first_minor = [[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]
| first_date  = December 17, 1989
| creator     = [[Matt Groening]]<br>[[Mimi Pond]]
| designer    = Matt Groening
| voice       = [[Frank Welker]] (1991–1995)<br />[[Dan Castellaneta]] (1995–present)<br />[[Hank Azaria]] ([[Treehouse of Horror XXV]])
| species     = Dog ([[Greyhound]])
| gender      = Male
| title       = [[Old Yeller-Belly|Suds McDuff]]
| lbl21       = Mates
| data21      = [[Two Dozen and One Greyhounds|She's the Fastest]]<br />[[Today I Am a Clown|Rosa Barks]]
| family      = [[Simpsons family|The Simpsons]] (owner)<br />[[The Way of the Dog|She Biscuit]] (mother)
| children    = 25 puppies{{efn|Named Rover I, Fido, Rex I, Spot, Rover II, Fido II, Rex II, Cleo, Dave I, Jay I, Paul I, Branford I, Dave II, Jay II, Paul II, Branford II, Sleepy, Dopey, Grumpy I, Donner, Blitzen, Grumpy II, King, Queenie, Prince, and The Puppy Formerly Known As Prince.}} ([[Two Dozen and One Greyhounds|first litter]])<br />8 puppies ([[Today I Am a Clown|second litter]])
}}
'''Santa's Little Helper''' is a fictional dog in the American [[Animated cartoon|animated television series]] ''[[The Simpsons]]''. He is the pet [[greyhound]] of the [[Simpson family]]. He was previously voiced by [[Frank Welker]], and is currently voiced by [[Dan Castellaneta]]. The dog was introduced in the first episode of the show, the 1989 Christmas special "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]", in which his owner abandons him for finishing last in a [[Greyhound racing|greyhound race]]. [[Homer Simpson]] and his son [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], who are at the race track in hope of winning some money for Christmas presents, see this and decide to adopt the dog.

Santa's Little Helper has since appeared frequently on ''The Simpsons'', and is the center of the plots of several episodes. During the course of the show, he has fathered litters of puppies, passed [[obedience school]], had surgery for [[gastric dilatation volvulus|bloat]], replaced [[Duffman]] as the mascot for [[Duff Beer]], and been trained as a police dog at [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]]'s Animal Police Academy. Some of the episodes that focus on Santa's Little Helper have been inspired by popular culture or real experiences that staff members of the show have gone through.

Although most cartoon animals are often humanized,<ref name=Rabin /> Santa's Little Helper generally exhibits canine behavior. Santa's Little Helper has become a popular character following his appearances on ''The Simpsons''. He ranked 27th in [[Animal Planet]]'s 2003 television special ''50 Greatest TV Animals'' that was based on popularity, name recognition, and the longevity of the shows. He has also been featured in merchandise relating to ''The Simpsons'', such as video games, board games, and comics.