Pup Parade

Pup Parade was a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano. It centred on the Bash Street Kids' dogs, known as the Bash Street Pups, and their many adventures. It made its first appearance in issue 1326, dated 16 December 1967, and was drawn by Gordon Bell. The dogs were all anthropomorphic facsimiles of their owners. Despite being each individually owned by members of the Bash Street Gang, they chose to live in knocked-over dustbins in an alley.

The original run finished in issue 2401, dated 23 July 1988, They then moved to The Topper in January 1989, still drawn by Bell which they stayed for the rest of the comic's life. They also survived the merge with The Beezer and stayed on with the newly renamed comic Beezer and Topper until 1992 before quietly disappearing for good. However, the strip began to return to The Beano on an occasional basis from issue 3162 onward, dated 22 February 2003. This run continued for about a year. The Pup Parade also made a return in the Bash Street Kids Annual 2008. More recently, since June 2011 they have begun to appear in The Beano again, this time as reprints from the comic in the 1980s. They appeared again in a talent contest in the 2012 Beano Annual, which Sniffy won. This strip was titled as The Bash Street Dogs and was drawn by Nigel Parkinson, as Gordon Bell is now retired. In April 2012, the Pup Parade reprints were replaced with new stories drawn by Nigel Parkinson. Pup Parade returned to The Beano in the Funsize Funnies in #3660 drawn by Nigel Auchterlounie. Pup Parade is currently being drawn by Lew Stringer.

The pups were:

• Bones — Danny's dog. The leader.
• Blotty — Spotty's dog. The one with lots of spots. This dog was originally called Spotty, before changing to Blotty in the mid-1970s. In the late 1980s he reverted to his original name, and his final name originated in 2003.
• 'Enry — 'Erbert's dog. The shortsighted one.
• Manfrid — Wilfred's dog. The one with a collar up to his chin.
• Peeps — Toots' dog. The girl.
• Pug — Plug's dog. The ugly one.
• Sniffy — Smiffy's dog. The stupid one. Got the most stories along with Bones.
• Tubby — Fatty's dog. The fat one.
• Wiggy — Sidney's dog. The one with strong hair.

Their sworn enemies were The Blob Street Dogs. They were:

• Fusso – Bones' rival. The leader and the fussy one.
• Spots – Blotty's rival, and his cousin.
• Lash – Peeps' rival. The girl.
• Thiky – Sniffy's rival. The stupid one.
• Piggy – Tubby's rival. The fat one.
• Baldy – Wiggy's rival. The bald one.
• Soffo – The soft one.
• Proudon – The big headed one.
• Markus – Proudon's brother. Like his sibling, very big headed.

Cuthbert Cringeworthy has a King Charles Spaniel called Cringley, but he very rarely features in the strip.

Strangely in the Beano Book 1977, Manfred is seen getting beaten up by the Blob Street Dogs, and half his collar is on his head and underneath is no chin and only half a mouth!

Other sparring partners were the Bash Street Cats, who appeared in a summer special and in the Beano Book 1972. The Bash Street Kids also owned fish in the same issue.

Continuing the kids' anthropomorphosis into nature, the Bash Street Birds completed the set. They appeared in at least one annual and made fleeting appearances elsewhere.