Holy Chihuahua! TV's top toon dogs

Well, here we are in the true dog days of summer, especially when it comes to TV. There's not much new on the tube, and we've still got a few weeks to wait before the new shows arrive. But, to be honest, we never quite understood why such a listless time has to be described by dissing our canine friends. After all, they've given us so much pleasurable viewing over the years -- especially these five animated pooches:

1. ASTRO -- This gray Great Dane gave much joy to George, Jane, Judy and Elroy Jetson. Well, maybe not George, who never quite mastered the treadmill-like device on which he walked Astro ("Jane, stop this crazy thing!").

2. HUCKLEBERRY HOUND -- Only on TV can dogs be blue, wear a red bow tie and talk with a honeyed Southern accent.

3. REN -- Certifiably insane Chihuahua who made life miserable for his feline partner, Stimpy, on the long-running Nickelodeon show.

4. MR. PEABODY -- This erudite, bespectacled beagle also wore a red tie. And he was the adoptive father of human boy Sherman, who time-traveled with him weekly on "Rocky and His Friends" in the ingenious "WABAC machine."

5. SANTA'S LITTLE HELPER -- Scrawny greyhound adopted on Christmas Eve by the Simpson family after he was unceremoniously booted from Springfield's dog-racing track for losing too many races.