Dynomutt (1977) 1

With all thoughts focused on what’s gonna be under the tree this year – or how you’re gonna pay for it – don’t forget man’s best friend.

National Mutt Day, celebrated July 31 and Dec. 2 each year, is designed to alert people of the furry four-legged, non-pedigreed, possible future soulmates roaming without a home.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA for short) estimates approximately 3.3 million dogs are placed in shelters every year. Most never leave.

To tug at those heartstrings, Dynomutt, Dog Wonder; is leading the pack today.

Dynomutt (1977) 1

For those not in the know, Dynomutt was a short-lived Hanna-Barbera creation borrowing from the Batman mythos debuting in 1976. Wonder Dog was a robotic dog sidekick to the square-jawed Blue Falcon airing on ABC Saturday mornings.

Marvel Comics published a bi-monthly comic book that lasted six issues from November of 1977 to September 1978.

The titular character was half of The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour for the 1976-77 season. He was relegated to a quarter of that hour during Scooby’s All-Star Laff-A-Lympics during the 1977-78 season.

Sixteen episodes made up the original season with a mere eight during his Laff-A-Lympic team-up.

Though brief, Dynomutt was put on the rerun rotation through 1980, first as Dynomutt, Dog Wonder and then as a second feature for The Godzilla/Dynomutt Hour. He would appear on Cartoon Network through the 1980s.

His memory was kept alive on Bommerang beginning in January of 2008 and continuing through March of that year. He returned in 2009 and remained in reruns till 2015.

All 16 episodes were released on home video by Warner Home.

Dynomutt and Blue Falcon would further guest on Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated’s episode Heart of Evil and co-star with Mystery Inc. in the original, straight-to-video Scooby-Doo! Mask of the Blue Falcon in 2013.

Those wishing to celebrate National Mutt Day beyond page and screen may do so by adopting a mutt of their own or at least volunteering at a local shelter.