What Kind Of Dog Is Clifford The Big Red Dog
Most kids and sometimes even adolescents are fond of bedtime stories and cartoons. When one ponders on it, the famous Clifford, the big red dog, always crosses our minds. It is fascinating to watch or read about a red-colored dog with its huge, gigantic characteristics. It was penned down by Norman Bridwell and a television sequence had been made on this book series.
The big two-year-old male dog is a friend of everyone and he is known for his kind and empathetic nature. So, when you think about him, you might get a question that from where is this dog inspired from? And what kind of dog is he?
Clifford, the big red dog, had been inspired by a similar breed, Bloodhound. Even if one does not consider his height, Clifford is not an average dog. There are a lot of similarities between Clifford and the Bloodhound breed.
In this blog, we will discuss the resemblance between the Bloodhounds and Clifford, characteristics of Clifford, from where the inspiration is taken from, about Bloodhounds, and a few facts of Clifford, the big red dog.
Characteristics of Clifford
The first and one of the best characteristics of Clifford is friendliness. Although his size is gigantic, nature is very friendly. Also, to note, he is shown as very playful, and a semi-human sized regular dog. As depicted in the television series, as a puppy, he was normal sized but as he grew up, he got to be tremendous. He is given the capability to converse with other dogs. He had many companions as friends.
Similarities between Bloodhound and Clifford
The first and foremost similarity is the size and height of the Bloodhound and Clifford. The Bloodhounds, are almost 32 inches in height that is quite large for any non-fictional creatures. There is structural resemblance too, for instance, the ears. Bloodhounds have the record of longest ears in all dog breeds and so does the animated character, Clifford. The record numbers are 34.2- and 34.9-centimetres for right and left ears respectively. And they weigh up to 50 kilograms.
In many of Clifford’s different adventures, it is shown that he has the characteristics of being helpful and gentle. Even though Bloodhounds were bred for tracking and hunting originally, they are very well known for their helpful nature and gentle gestures.
Bloodhound, the breed
They are recognizable by their droopy eyelids, wrinkly heads, and long ears. Unlike some people’s mindsets of big dogs not being a good companion, Bloodhounds are known to be a great family companion even with families having small kids. They are even-tempered, sometimes stubborn, affectionate, and gentle. They have a lovable and docile personality. They can be a little noisy because of the loud sounds they are known to make.
Bloodhounds are not as good as guard dogs because of their friendly nature. These gentle dogs welcome everyone whether you want them to be welcomed or not. Even though they are easy-going and bumbling, they are not as lazy as it seems. They were used for tracking, which they can for miles. They are very smart and adjustable in any given position or condition.
Their exercise needs are more and if these are met properly, they are suitable for indoor environments. With enough patience and positivity, they are highly trainable. They have a smooth and short coat which often sheds seasonally.
Facts of ‘Clifford, the big red dog’
Bridwell had acknowledged that he had taken stimulation from all the types of dogs. Firstly, he was just a pony-sized dog and not a house-sized dog. Even though the dog is massive in size, Bridwell believed that he always did normal things just like other normal dogs.
He is also said to possess the characteristics of the Giant Vizsla. The book by Bridwell is available in almost 13 languages. The fun fact is that the color of the dog is red because it was available on his desk when Bridwell painted him.
People have showered love over Clifford because he was forgiven, always. He was the kind of dog who tried to do everything right but somehow ended up getting into trouble by making mistakes. That is because of his clumsy nature of bumping into things. It is very comforting to read that his owner loves him no matter what mistakes he commits.
Inspiration for the Book
As a child, the writer Norman Bridwell dreamt of having a horse-sized dog so that he could ride on him. His wife suggested the name Clifford from her imaginary childhood friend. He, at first, wanted to name the dog ‘Tiny’ but Norma, his wife thought it was dumb to name a giant dog as tiny. It was also her idea to depict the dog much larger than decided. Thus, the story behind this cute creation is inspiring and surprisingly fun.
Wrap up
Clifford, the big red dog, is the kind of dog who is loved by everybody. He is an adorable creation of Bridwell’s mind. The book was mostly flamed up with the ideas of the writer’s daughter. He is mainly inspired by the dog breed, Bloodhound. Many physical characteristics match between the two. He was friendly, affectionate, helpful, gentle, and playful. He is naive, gullible, and believes in what he is told.
People have known Clifford through video games, movies, television, and books. It is an American publication. There was one rule that was followed religiously: the dogs talked only in the absence of human beings. Emily Elizabeth, the owner of Clifford, was an eight-year-old girl. She is portrayed as riding him like a horse. Clifford was her surprise present on the 6th birthday.
The purpose of the book series was educational for the children. Through the different given situations and adventures of the Big red dog, Clifford, the writer had tried to give lessons on morality and ethics in a fun and interactive way to keep the interest of the children alive while going through the lessons.
