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The available sources verify two Far Side cartoons in which dogs take on human roles: canine scientists studying the Doorknob Principle and a dog taking the witness stand. They do not verify ten panels or support a definitive “best of” ranking, so presenting a top ten would risk inventing details. Here are the confirmed examples, plus two official print listings whose titles and dates are documented but whose images need to be checked before their jokes can be described.
Two confirmed Far Side cartoons with dogs in human roles
These are the two examples for which the available sources establish a human-like role for the dog. The selection uses three straightforward criteria: how clearly the dog occupies a human role, how legible the premise is from the documented evidence, and how distinctive that premise sounds. This is an editorial lens, not a published consensus ranking.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Wiener Dog Art | $8.79 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
The Far Side® Gallery | $12.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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The Complete Far Side | $101.02 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
The Far Side® Gallery 2 | $10.08 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Beyond The Far Side® | $7.49 | Buy on Amazon |
1. Dog scientists investigate the Doorknob Principle
In a cartoon reproduced in a September 5, 1985 issue of the Montrose Voice, dogs work as scientists trying to understand a principle that could change canine life. Its caption reads: “Knowing how it should change the lives of canines everywhere, the dog scientists struggled diligently to understand the Doorknob Principle.” The premise gives dogs a recognizable human institution—scientific research—while making the subject matter specifically canine. View the newspaper scan in the University of Houston Libraries Digital Collections.
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2. A dog takes the witness stand
The Grand Comics Database’s record for an August 1982 issue describes a cartoon in which a man’s dog takes the witness stand. That establishes the courtroom role, but the catalog entry is a synopsis rather than a reproduction, so it does not establish the full caption or enough visual detail to explain the punchline. See the issue record at the Grand Comics Database.
#1 Best Overall
Two official print listings worth checking against the artwork
The GoComics Store provides titles and original run dates for two dog-themed prints. Those details alone do not establish what happens in either cartoon or whether its dog acts like a human, so they should not be treated as confirmed entries in a human-role ranking without checking the reproduced art.
| Print listing | Original run date stated by the store | What the source establishes |
|---|---|---|
| “Dog Going to Get Tutored” | May 25, 1985 | Official print title and date; the opened listing does not establish the panel’s full visual content. |
| “Old Dog, New Trick” | June 3, 1992 | Official print title and date; the opened listing does not establish the panel’s full visual content. |
Why a reliable top ten needs more than dog-themed titles
A title, catalog synopsis, or product listing is not enough to accurately describe a cartoon’s scene or joke. To make a trustworthy ten-panel selection, each image needs to be checked in an authorized reproduction, with its caption and original date recorded. Otherwise, a list risks treating any dog cartoon as one where dogs act like humans—and may invent details the sources do not establish.
Rank #2
Where to look for more Far Side cartoons
The Far Side debuted in January 1980 and ran until Gary Larson retired in 1994, according to publisher Andrews McMeel. The publisher describes The Complete Far Side as containing every syndicated cartoon—more than 4,000—in broad chronological order. It is a collection of the full series, not a dog-only volume, and offers a practical way to browse for further examples. Simon & Schuster lists a three-volume slipcased paperback edition, though book editions and availability can change; see its Far Side books page.
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Best Value
Rank #4
- Author: Larson, Gary.
- Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
- Pages: 192
- Publication Date: 2003
- Edition: Illustrated
Rank #3
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