Goofy is one of the most popular animated characters to come out of Disney, aside from Mickey Mouse. However, it's still confusing what animal he is.

Goofy has been a part of the Disney family for decades, but there's still some confusion about what kind of animal he is. Goofy's name is very fitting as he tends to have a silly personality with a laugh to go with it. He's also one of Mickey Mouse's very good friends and appeared alongside him in shows like 2006's Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. However, Goofy gained so much popularity on his own that he ended up getting some starring roles outside of Mickey's world. In 1995, Disney released A Goofy Movie, which followed Goofy's relationship with his teenage son.

Disney's A Goofy Movie gained such popularity that the studio released a sequel in 2000 called An Extremely Goofy Movie, though the original remains the most popular. Typically, the Disney characters are not known for having any kids, though Donald Duck is very close to his three nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. However, Goofy was given a son named Max in A Goofy Movie, and he even made a few appearances in other Disney shows. Though, Goofy is still best known for his solo role as Mickey's friend. However, despite how long he's been around and how popular he's become, what kind of animal he is remains one of the biggest questions.

Disney's Goofy Character Is A Dog

Despite some confusion about what kind of animal he is, Goofy is an anthropomorphic dog. It's a little odd that Goofy is a dog since he doesn't share many similarities with Mickey's dog, Pluto. While Goofy can talk and walk on two feet like all the other characters, Pluto can't. Pluto walks on all fours and can't talk at all, and there's never been an explanation for why. However, Goofy and Pluto do share some similar physical qualities that make it clear that they are both dogs. Like Pluto, Goofy has large floppy ears and a black nose but is missing a tail.

He also wears clothes and has two teeth that peek out of his mouth, while Pluto is typically naked and doesn't have any visible teeth. Unfortunately, Disney never confirmed what breed of dog Goofy is, but had they, it may have made it easier to understand why he and Pluto are so different. However, AZ Animals states that Goofy shares a lot of similarities with a black and tan Coonhound, making it seem as though this is the kind of dog Goofy is. While it's odd that Goofy is more human-like than Pluto, he is confirmed to be a dog whether it adds up or not.

How Long Has Goofy Been Around In Disney's History

While Mickey Mouse made his first appearance in 1928, his friend Goofy didn't come around until a few years later. Goofy made his first appearance in 1932, and his official birthday was May 25th, 1932. He appeared in Mickey's Revue, except back then, his name was Dippy Dawg. Mickey's Revue is a seven-minute-long short film that was originally in black and white but has since been colorized in various versions available online. The film begins with Mickey conducting an orchestra as Dippy Dawg eats peanuts in the audience before a play begins on stage.

During the play, Dippy Dawg lets out Goofy's now iconic laugh during one of the scenes, which seems to bother some other audience members who decide to quiet him by hitting him in the head. However, in 1934, the Disney character made his first appearance as Goofy in the film Orphan's Benefit. Unlike Mickey's Revue, Orphan's Benefit features talking and even introduces Donald Duck for the first time. This time, Goofy was one of the characters performing on stage and dressed in a caveman outfit while dancing for the audience.

Why There's So Much Confusion Around What Animal Goofy Is

Other than the confusion with Goofy and Pluto both being dogs, there's another character that has caused confusion around what kind of animal Goofy is. Goofy seems to share more similarities with the character Clarabelle Cow than he does with Pluto. Both characters have big oval eyes surrounded by black fur and white skin around their snouts. Clarabell Cow even appears in Orphan's Benefit and is a part of Goofy's routine, making it appear as if they are the same animal. However, despite their similar appearances, Goofy is confirmed by Disney to be a dog, and there may never be a reason why the character looks more like Clarabelle than Mickey's dog, Pluto.

Source: AZ Animals