Deputy Dawg

Deputy Dawg is a Terrytoons cartoon character, featured on the animated television series of the same name that aired from 1960 to 1963.
Background.
Originally, according to two articles from 1959, the character of Deputy Dog was supposed to be part of a series called Possible Possum, starring the titular character (who later became Musky Muskrat, according to Ralph Bakshi), and was meant for the Captain Kangaroo Show, and as a replacement for "Tom Terrific". Larz Bourne came up with the concept of the show and drew the first boards. It wasn't until mid-way in production that Deputy Dog became the star.
"The Deputy Dawg Show" first ran weekly from September 8, 1962 to May 25, 1963 (with a brief hiatus in December 1962). Each episode has a Deputy Dawg cartoon, followed by Dingbat, and then Silly Sidney. The British television debut came on BBC Television on August 31, 1963.
The cartoons are between four and six minutes long, and were packaged three at a time and shown as a half-hour program. The show was produced by CBS and was the professional animation debut of Ralph Bakshi (as animator) of adult animation fame. There were also six additional titles that were released theatrically, for show in cinemas, and which were not part of the original TV package.
Deputy Dawg (an anthropomorphic dog) is a deputy sheriff in Florida. As the episodes progressed, the location changed to Mississippi, and later to Tennessee. The other main characters are the "varmints" Musky Muskrat, Moley Mole, Possible 'Possum, Ty Coon, Vincent van Gopher, Pig Newton, and Dawg's boss the Sheriff, as well as Mrs. Deputy. A late addition to the cast was "Astronut" - a mischievous alien visitor who was later given his own spin-off show.
Deputy Dawg was voiced by Dayton Allen, a prolific voice actor who voiced many Terrytoons characters in television and theatrical shorts in the 1950s and 1960s.
Much of the comedy is sight gag/action based with some focused around comical accents and stereotypical southern characteristics. Many of the storylines involve Deputy Dawg protecting his produce from Musky and Vince, battling with some of the peculiar locals and trying to please the Sheriff. However, most of the crimes committed by Musky and Vince weren't treated seriously, and Deputy Dawg was on friendly terms with them most of the time (except when he had to perform his duties as a lawman and keep them from causing trouble). Deputy Dawg would pal around with Musky and Vince just as often as he would lock them up in the jailhouse, and the trio would often engage in their favorite pastime, fishin' for catfish. The central location for many of the yarns is the jailhouse.
Musical direction is by Philip A. Scheib (April 14, 1894 – April 1969), who also worked on "Sidney's Family Tree" (1958) and "The Juggler of Our Lady" (1958). The musical accompaniment often features a distinctive bass harmonica.
Deputy Dawg later appeared in episodes of the 1987 series "".
Deputy Dawg also appeared in the 1999 pilot "Curbside".
Many of the cartoons were issued on compilation VHS tapes in the 1980s. DVDs containing the episodes are also available online.