Snoopy - Puppyhood and Siblings

Puppyhood and Siblings

Over the course of the strip's run, it was revealed that Snoopy had been born and raised at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. His father used to run with hunting dogs, but would secretly run ahead and warn the rabbits. His mother is famous for her tapioca pudding, and in a 1990s Peanuts strip, came over on a World War I-era troopship to visit Snoopy and Spike, who had been ill with the flu. Out of all his siblings, Snoopy's brother Olaf was sold last. Before they were sold, Snoopy and his brothers and sisters made a band and one by one each was sold. Snoopy's original owner was a little girl named Lila, who had to return him to Daisy Hill after her family moved to an apartment where dogs were forbidden.

Shortly after his return to the farm, Snoopy was selected by Charlie Brown's parents as a companion for him. In the strip for January 30, 1972, Charlie Brown says that his parents bought Snoopy for him to cheer him up after another child threw sand in his face while they were playing in a sandbox. In the strips for November, 1972, while accompanying Woodstock on his winter migration, Snoopy realizes he is near the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. He decides to show Woodstock where he was born, only to find that the puppy farm has been replaced by a six-story parking garage, causing Snoopy to wail, "You stupid people! You're parking on my memories!" (November 24, 1972). This is also reflected in the 1991 animated special Snoopy's Reunion, where Snoopy and his siblings get together at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm for a picnic, but sadly find out that it was demolished for a parking garage.

Snoopy is usually depicted as having seven siblings, five of whom appear at some point in the strip: Andy, Belle, Marbles, Olaf, and Spike. Most often seen is Spike, who lives in the desert (near the real-life locale of Needles, California). Sharing Snoopy's penchant for a fantasy life, he is friends with saguaro cacti. Spike is very thin, wears a fedora and has long whiskers. (Spike was the name of one of Schulz's childhood pet dogs.)

Andy looks like a disheveled version of Snoopy. Olaf, who wears a fur cap, is round in both body and face. Marbles is the smartest in the group. He has spots on his fur (making him look somewhat like a Dalmatian), wears shoes, and considers some of Snoopy's behavior very odd. Belle, who looks like Snoopy with long eyelashes, is most notable in that there was a Belle stuffed animal available for many years.

Although Snoopy often mentions that he was one of eight puppies, the two other siblings never appeared in the comic strip. According to the animated special Snoopy's Reunion, they are named Molly and Rover. They all play in a country band in that special, with Snoopy on the acoustic guitar.

In a 1965 strip, Snoopy set up a "family reunion" and it was stated that he had two brothers (one lived in Washington and the other in Texas) and three sisters (one in St.Louis, one in Hollywood and the last one in Kansas). After the reunion, Snoopy was apparently disappointed, for immediately after arriving home he stated, "The anticipation far exceeded the actual event."

Many years before his siblings appeared, Snoopy referred to himself as an "only dog" who had no brothers or sisters.

Like Snoopy, his siblings' thoughts are communicated via thought balloon.