The Truce Hurts

Spike Bulldog and Tyke Bulldog are American cartoon characters from the Tom and Jerry animated film series, created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Spike (who goes by different names in a few shorts – Killer for four shorts, Butch for two shorts, and Bulldog for one) is portrayed as an English Bulldog, who is generally amiable and friendly, and a loving father to his son Tyke in several cartoons. However, Spike's character also has a very stern and fierce side for occasions, such as when he is defending his son Tyke. Spike made his early appearance as an unnamed Bulldog in the 1942 Tom and Jerry cartoon Dog Trouble, and his first appearance and his first speaking role was in The Bodyguard (1944), where he was voiced by Billy Bletcher. Spike was voiced by Bletcher until 1949, from which point he was voiced by Patrick McGeehan, Jerry Mann, Bob Shamrock, John Brown, Stan Freberg, and Daws Butler, with a thick New Yorker accent similar to Jimmy Durante's. Following Dog Trouble, Spike appeared solo as a guest in Tom and Jerry cartoons for several years, and his son Tyke was introduced in 1949 in Love That Pup. Tyke is a sweet, happy, and innocent puppy who remains silent in most of the earlier cartoons. Spike and Tyke's characters, provide a model of father and son behavior, with Spike spending much of his free time taking Tyke on father-son outings, teaching him the facts of life for dogs and guarding him diligently when they are sleeping. In Tom and Jerry Kids, Tyke has a speaking role for the first time, aside from traditional dog noises he expressed in the prior films. Spike’s relationships with Tom and Jerry have changed over time, but essentially, Spike has little affection for Tom Cat, who consistently disrupts his life, causes trouble, antagonizes Tyke, or does all of the above. The Truce Hurts (1948), Pet Peeve (1954) and Hic-Cup Pup (1954) are so far the only cartoons where Spike actually cares about and shows affection for Tom; these relationships often dissolve and usually end with them fighting. Tom does not usually antagonize Spike intentionally, but Spike often ends up in the middle of a Tom and Jerry chase, (as they are all seemingly living together) which ends up waking Spike up, ruining his new dog house, wrecking his and Tyke's picnic, and so on. Spike has a few weaknesses that Tom tries to capitalize upon: his possessiveness about his bone and his ticklishness. Spike's fiercest behavior is reserved for anyone who interferes with Tyke, but also, Spike's generally well-intentioned brain is at times easily outwitted by Tom and/or Jerry. Jerry also arranges to get Tom in trouble with Spike, provoking a chase, and/or a pounding from the bulldog, and Spike will keep Tom's attention off Jerry for a while. Several stories also have Jerry taking advantage of Spike and Tyke's size and proximity, as he often tries to hide or sleep with or near Spike and Tyke for protection.