Santa's Little Helper (The Simpsons)
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Santa's Little Helper (voiced by Dan Castellaneta), is a fictional character in the television series The Simpsons. The Simpsons' household pet is a cute but untrained greyhound. Bart rescued him from a dog racing track. Homer was relying on a Christmas bonus to buy presents, but didn't get it. He took the small amount of Christmas money he made working as a Santa at the Springfield Mall and bet it at the dog track. He had inside information on what dog was going to win, but instead bet on the "long-shot", Santa's Little Helper, believing it to be a sign. Santa's Little Helper finished last (apparently, it was the latest in a long string of last-place finishes), and his frustrated owner abandoned him. Homer and Bart brought him home, and everyone was so happy with him that it was a merry Christmas after all. With a few exceptions, Santa's Little Helper doesn't make any sound that acts like a dog. However, he does have an ability to think just like a person.
He nearly died of canine gastroplexy (refered to in the show as a "twisting of the stomach" early in the series. Later, he sired twenty-five puppies with another greyhound and fathered puppies from Dr. Hibbert's poodle.
It was revealed in The Springfield Files that Santa's Little Helper has the same birthday as Homer.
In addition, he was mascot of Duff Beer, and was known as Suds McDuff.
Santa's Little Helper is occasionally mistakenly referred to as 'Satan's Little Helper', and once held a credit card (that Bart had filled out an application form) as Santos L. Halper. Bart then used this card to buy a better dog, Laddie, from a novelty catalog. When the credit card people didn't get any payments from "Santos", Bart convinced the Repo men to take SLH instead. Bart soon found out that the dog ended up in the hands of a blind man who only had SLH as companionship. Bart eventually convinces SLH to come back to Bart, while Laddie was donated to the Springfield Police Department (after Laddie found marijuana in the blind man's home).