Best Ten Comic Strip Pets

A recent poll from the Associated Press found that 59 percent of American homes own pets. The poll, published in the January edition of the Cincinnati Enquirer, also indicated that 74 percent of the pet owners have dogs, and 47 percent had cats.

Just as dogs seem more popular than cats in real life households, that also seems to be the case with families in comic strips. Some of my favorite daily comic strips feature pets as regular characters, and in some cases the strip itself is named for the pet.

Here is a list of some of the famous pets in comic strips. Note that the majority of theses pets are dogs, just as the Associated Press poll discovered in real households.

10. Bumper from "The Middletons" - The poor pooch is always looking a scrap, even if it means sniffing through the garbage.

9. "Marmaduke" - The klutzy canine is the only dog imminent enough to have his comic strip named after him.

8. Ruff from "Dennis the Menace" - The pet of the Mitchells sure has it "ruffer" than any of the other comic creatures, since he has to endure the cute but annoying young neighbor of Mr. Wilson.

7. Dawg from "Hi and Lois" - He doesn't have the most original name, but it sure beats the name his master was dubbed with.

6. Electra and Vivian from "Cathy" - Cathy rescued Electra and Irving rescued Vivian, so both dogs accompanied the couple to the altar when they finally decided to tie the knot.

5. Daisy from "Blondie" - The ribbon-haired pet of Dagwood and Blondie Bumstead is one of the cutest dogs in any comic strip, but she is always in danger of accidentally getting lost in one of Dagwood's huge sandwiches.

4.Farley from "For Better or Worse" - Readers and pet lovers all over the country were devastated when the 14 year old sheepdog of the Patterson family died after saving the daughter, April.

3. "Garfield" - Jon's lasagna-loving cat has been among the most popular pets ever, as evidenced by the many stuffed Garfields decorating car interiors throughout the country.

2. Snoopy from "Peanuts" - Charlie Brown may have rotten luck, but he does own the most recognizable beagle in history. Snoopy, who sleeps atop his dog house, has starred in TV shows, songs, films, and even commercials.

1. Otto from "Beetle Bailey" - No pet has ever resembled his master as much as Otto does Sergeant Snorkel. They have the same shape, the same face, and even the same dental alignment. Otto, though, does seem to be much smarter than his master.