It's Maria's MutS and Stuff. What a great idea on iHeartRadio. Welcome to
Maria's Mutts and Stuff. And with me, I'm so very excited because he's
also a return guest, and of course I'm such a big fan of his.
It is MutS Comics creator, author, animal advocate Patrick McDonald, So
Patrick, Hi him, happy to be here. Oh my goodness. You
know, it's really funny. I thought, and this is where I think
because of COVID, we lost years. I was thinking, you and I
spoke last maybe two or three years ago, like right before COVID, and
I looked and it was kind of weird. But December of twenty eighteen,
so it's been five years. Wow, time does go face. You're right
about COVID. Who knows what day it is or what time it is.
It's true, I know, like everything in our lives has become like pre
COVID post COVID, but it feels like, oh, it just happened a
couple of years ago, and it was like, no, it was a
long time ago. But anyway, so you've been very busy all this time,
and Mutts Comics it's been around for almost thirty years, but it's big
news because for those of us who follow, and it's millions of us,
guard Dog has finally gotten untethered. Yes, something I've been promising for I'm
not even gonna say how many years I've been promising it, but yeah,
And actually today was the day that Doozy officially adopts him. I saw that.
I saw that, so yeah. So for those who are listening,
say at a later date, today being December fourteenth, So guard Dog got
adopted. So okay, So guard Dog first was introduced? It was it
in nineteen ninety five? Is that correct? It was about a year into
this strip. Okay, So go ahead, I'm sorry, Oh, I
was going to say, and she has an interesting origin. I was doing
the strip for about a year, and I thought it would be fun to
have Elimoch to have like a villain or you know, some character that gave
them a hard time that they had to, you know, go up against.
And so I figured, well, I'll make a real tough dog in
the neighborhood. So in a catch book, I started drawing what I thought
was like the generic big gruffy dog, and I put a studied collar on
him to make them look tough. And then in my schedules, I drew
the studied collar, but then I added a chain and boy, as soon
as I drew that, I looked at the character and so, no,
this, this isn't a villain. This is a tragic character. And figured
I'd add him to the strip so I can get that message out there.
It's no way, you know all the chain dogs that are out there that
maybe inspire someone to take the chain off and bring their dog in. And
you have inspired people over the years. I'm sure you know. The nicest
thing about doing the strip is getting letters from people who you know, either
got inspired to adopt a new furry friend or bring their dog in the house
or Boy, I also get a lot of people who said they've gone vegetarian
or vegan because of my strick. Wow. Nice, it's nice letters to
receive. Yeah, absolutely, because it's like your talent has changed the world.
And I'm sure you don't look at it like that, but it really
is true. You've changed people's minds about things. You've enlightened people, educated
people. I mean, I'm sure you know people have dogs, they don't
consider them part of the family like we do, and they just keep them
tethered outdoors, which is not the life that a dog should have. And
I think you know with your column, you've educated that and guard Dog all
these years. So what made you decide to finally get guard Dog off his
chain now rather than years ago. Well, you know, I've always thought,
I mean, I would obviously free them someday, but also, you
know, a lot of animals I'm obviously friends link Connection and contact a lot
of animal welfare groups. You know, most of them thought that he had
that mission to do to you know, get that message out there about how
people treat their dogs and hopefully inspire some people. And so you know I
kept them on the chain for that purpose. But you know, I just
I don't know if you know. But just this January, I had I
did a book collaboration with the Dalai Lama. Yes, yes, and in
that book it's you know, it's a book about the environment, but you
know, all the beings on the planet too, and just that we need
to show more compassion and empathy. And boy, after doing that book,
I took a little time to say, well, how would I I never
really knew I was going to free but I never thought one hundred percent how
I was going to tell that story. So after doing the Dali Lama book,
I said, I should think about compassion for guard Dog, right,
And I started playing with the idea and the story started coming and I said,
yeah, I'm ready. I'm ready to do this. Wow. And
and the book with the Dali Lama that's Heart too Hard? Is that correct?
Yes? And so for people who are listening and they want to get
your book, they can get it through your website. Yeah, dot com
sells the book. And actually if you get it on mus dot com,
it will be uh autographed, but it should be in the bookstores in anywhere
you could get a book. But Mu's dot com you will get an autograph
copy. Well that's very nice, and that's perfect for the holidays that people
can you know, gifted or get one for themselves, gift themselves with with
Heart too Hard for the holidays. So okay, so back to guard Dog.
So now I love the fact that you've been posting real life stories of
people who have adopted a dog who was previously tethered. Will that continue in
your comics? Yeah? You know, uh on much uh Mu's dot com
guard Dog, there's a landing page where you could read the whole story.
If you to catch up, you can read it from the beginning, the
guard dog story. But to me, the best part of it is we've
been getting a lot of responses from people who have sent in pictures of their
own rescue chain dogs and those real stories are just so heartwarming and power Yes,
yeah, so as they come in, we've been posting them and they're
really beautiful. I'm hoping we can maybe do a guard dog book, and
if we do that, I'd love to include those real life guard dog stories
of the book. Oh, that would be wonderful. That would be wonderful.
And for those who aren't, they should follow you on Instagram, the
MutS comics on Instagram because you've been posting the true stories on Instagram, because
I've been seeing it there as I follow you, So yeah, we post
them there too. Yeah. But that's a great idea, I mean,
is that? And I know you just have a heart to heart. Will
that be the next book? You think? Are you thinking of another book
at this point? I know you're doing You do a lot, you juggle
a lot of balls at the same time. So you know, after that,
my latest book that just came out, I went from the Dalai Lama
to the Marvel superheroes. I actually did it all about the Marvel superheroes.
So I'm open to the universe. And right now I think the universe is
telling me a Carddog book. I think so. Right, So maybe we
could look forward to that in twenty twenty four. Knock on wood. Maybe.
Yeah. Well, well, you know that's assuming that's that's not right
on my part to assume that it would take you that short of time to
put it together, because you know, you have to write it, and
so I would say, you're going to start working on it next year,
Yes, yes, that's it. Yeah, No, I'm going to start
working on it soon because it's it's you know, the story's already there,
and I'll probably color it because you know, in the newspapers it's just black
and white. So there's a little work to do. But ninety percent if
it's already done, Wow, that's incredible. It's incredible, you know.
And I didn't realize because I guess in my brain, I assume that everybody
is is on the right page. But there are only about twenty three states,
is that right that have tether laws? Yeah, only twenty three and
even though they vary on how strong they are. So yeah, we still
have a lot of work to do. And on that much dot com slash
guard Dog landing page, you know, we give information of how you can
help and we connect you to you know, there's a lot of really great
rescue groups that you know work on these issues and have a lot of good
advice. So you could learn more about how you could help on that landing
page on What's dot com. No, that's and that's important because I know
whoever is listening right now, people who listen to the podcast are huge animal
lovers, just like you are. And you know, this is a great
way because there's number. There's strength in numbers, they say. So the
more people that I think get guided by what they can find at mutts dot
com, you know, the maybe we'll get more states to pass laws.
Well, I sure hope. So yeah, no, for sure. And
and you are also, because I know you do so many different things.
You're also on the board for Fund for Animals. Yes, yes i am.
And I'm almost on the board of the Charles M. Schultz Museum.
Oh wow, museum in Santa Rosa. Wow. And what is that?
What is that? What does that mean, what do you have to do
being on that board, Like any board, you know, you help steer
the direction of the museum and keep things going. It's such a wonderful museum.
I mean, Peanuts is the reason I became a cartoonist. Sonored beyond
that museum. Sure, wow, Wow, that's so cool. That's you
know, like you're just like the coolest person. You do know that,
don't you? No, you are. I'm sure my dog, my dog
thinks so. But other than that, well, there are millions of us
who think so, because you just are the coolest person. I'm sure I
told you that the last time we smoke five years ago, and you've just
gotten cooler over the years. If that was possible. Oh, that's funny,
but it's true. So what else can we look forward to from the
life of Patrick McDonald? Well, you know, the Guardbooks story was such
a fun undertaking. I mean, it's the longest story I've ever done in
Mutts, and I've really been taken with how the response. I mean,
when you look at Instagram and Facebook, the comments we've been getting. It's
funny. You know. I was touched as a youngster wheat and Peanuts and
wanted to give some of that joy back and really touching for me to see
how many people are responding to the It's so funny. They're just little pennanty
characters, but people, the daily comic strip is such a unique art medium.
We get into people's lives and they read them every day and they kind
of become part of your family. And it's amazing how people really care about
cartoon characters. Sure, it's also such a strange way to tell a story.
You know, this much guard Dog story lasted seven weeks. Yes,
yeah, and if that wasn't a book, you probably read it in ten
to fifteen minutes, right right now, that's truly yeah, because you had
to wait every day. People got really anxious. If we're worried about Guardo,
because you know, the length of time that you had to deal with,
is he going to get free? Is he not? Is he going
to survive? You know, just made it that much more tension. Yeah,
but I love that the comic strip has that unique ability, especially in
this day and age of short attention spans and everyone just wants everything fast.
That's true, Yeah, that's you know, I didn't think of it that
way. You're absolutely right. People always want the very fast response, but
seven weeks that's a long time. But people did wait and and I was
reading some of the comments. People were afraid that it was going to fall
through. He's not going to get adopted. I was like, oh my
god, it would never be that way, you know that. I mean,
I loved it because it made it interesting for them, But I was
also surprised that so many people would think that I would harm right, I
know, but I don't think it was about Yeah, it wasn't about you.
I think it was just where it's a cynical nation, you know.
I think you're right. There's so much negativity. Yes, there's everything.
Even things that are supposedly for kids always have such grim negative aspects to it.
I guess people just expected that anything could happen in this day and age.
Yes, in my head, I didn't think about that for once.
Of course, not of course. And it was like, yeah, but
I don't think I had anything to do with you. I think it was
just you're right. There's always such negativity and always a dark side, like,
oh, guard dog's going to get untethered and he's going to live his
life in a shelter or you know, you wouldn't do that. But I
think people are just always prepared for like doom and Gloom or something even report
guard Dog. Well, you know, I think another aspect too is do
you know the comic strip for Better or Worse? Yes? Yeah, so
you know, for Better or Worse was done in real time. You know,
all the characters aged at some point, the dog, you know,
was getting old, and she actually did it, you know, a strip
about the dog passing away. Right. I think some people thought, well,
Jesus, that dog could die in the comics. Maybe guard guard dogs?
Oh my good. I think I think that scared some people. Yes,
maybe that's the reason. I just I was just really surprised to see
those comments like, oh please, you know after seven weeks? Did you
did you plan for it to be seven weeks or it just so happened that
you just as you were writing it, just yeah, just as I was
writing it. It just you know, I just when I write, I
just like the story take over and see where it goes, right, right,
It's it's organic, so wherever it goes. It could have happened in
two weeks, but it just so happened to go for seven weeks. Yeah.
When I was doing it. I didn't think it was going to go
that long because I mean, again, it's a fairly simple story. I
mean, huh, his owners leave and he's alone for a couple of days,
and then Juicy gets them and brings them to the shelter. And I
was saying, well, that's not going to be that long a story.
But as it turned out seven weeks. Seven weeks, yeah, yeah,
I know, and it was like, oh, just to I mean,
you know, I follow it too, and just to see that his owner
left him, Like, how could you do that? But people do do
that, you know, but oh my goodness. You know, if you
do read the remarks on the Instagram and Facebook, you know a lot of
them are from the unsung eros of this planet there, you know, the
people who work at shelters. Yes, and boy, they all let the
readers know that this happens all the time. Unfortunately they see it, you
know, all the time. It does. Ye yeah, sounds like sounds
like a crazy villainous plot for my comic, but unfortunately, you know,
it happens, No, it does. It's it's really very sad, very
tragic. I mean I just remember years ago volunteering an animal Care center and
people would surrender their animals, and I would always say, like, I
don't understand how people can do that. And I remember people at the shelter
saying to me, it's better that they surrender the animal than they just leave
it behind. And that's exactly what you're talking about, which how good people
do that? But people human nature, some of it is awful, you
know, yeah, consciousness for sure. Yeah, And well you enlightened us
on human nature in such an entertaining way, though, and to have such
a positive outcome, So it's really so commendable and so excellent that you did
that. You know, all these years with guard Dog and everybody just always
wished that he could become untethered, and after all these years, for him
to finally become untethered and get adopted. It's just it's just so heartwarming and
so perfect. So thank you for that, Oh, thank thank you.
Even for me, it was rewarding, you know, whenever I drew,
like you know, if I did talks and I would draw them for the
people in the audience, I would always draw him free. Then I was
drew him free. So I felt like he was kind of an actor in
MutS, sure, but just it was really rewarding. Oh you see that
dog of mine finally can get a home and he has a home I know,
and just in time for the holidays. It's just so perfect. So
do you think you're going to be out on I mean, because guard dog
is so big? Uh? Will you do a speaking tour? Do you
think might come out of this? Wow, that's an interesting thought. I
I haven't been approached about that yet, but it's it's an interesting thought.
Maybe when the maybe when I get a guard dog book out there, maybe
when the book went a book comes out. Yeah, yeah, all right,
I'm just kind of thinking of things that would because I would come see
you to talk about a guard dog and hear you again, so you could
say to say to your agent like, well Maria will be there and she'll
talk about it on the air. So well, this has been wonderful.
Patrick, you are just the best, and thank you for doing all the
things that you've done all these years and continue doing to raise awareness. You're
like the biggest animal advocate that we know of, but you do it in
such a I can't even describe such a unique way, but just such a
wonderful way. We are truly blessed to have you on this planet, and
I really do mean that so well. And likewise, I think you know
your show is very informative and really so pro animal that it's great and I'm
happy to be part of it. Well, thank you, Patrick, and
I hope to speak to you sooner than five years. So maybe when is
that a deal with the book. If the book comes out, yes,
we'll talk then, yes. And for those who are listening, you can
learn more, you can get products, and a percentage goes to animal rescue,
you know, because that's what's in Patrick's heart, And you can find
all the information and products, especially this time of year for holiday gifts at
Mutts dot com. So, Patrick McDonald, thank you so much again,
have a great holiday and thank you for all that you do, and we'll
speak again. Thank you, take care you too, Okay, bye bye