Peanuts: The Complete Story Of How Snoopy Lost His Doghouse
Peanuts offers readers a treasure trove of storylines, but none showed Snoopy as vulnerable as he was in the weeks-long storyline of his doghouse being burned down. A reason for the fire was never given, although Lucy has her theories, leaving readers guessing what could have happened. Nevertheless, Snoopy was distraught over the loss of his house and all its many valuable belongings.
Snoopy's house burning down was actually not the first time that Snoopy's house was destroyed. Rather, Snoopy's house being burnt down is the third time his house was ruined. Maybe Snoopy should invest in some safety materials for his home - especially a fire extinguisher.
15 "I Smell Smoke!"
September 19th, 1966
When Charlie Brown is awoken by the smell of smoke and a panicked Snoopy banging on his door, he rushes outside to see a distraught Snoopy, whose doghouse is on fire. Snoopy sobs about losing his home as well as his many belongings, like his books, records, pool table, and even his prized Van Gogh.
A motivating factor for Charles Schulz in writing this storyline was to cope with his feelings about his Sebastopol studio burning down.
His doghouse is one-of-a-kind, being like a Mary Poppins bag that fits everything into one compact package, containing some luxurious items like an amazing Van Gogh piece of art. In addition, he is losing his home that he cherishes. Consequently, the event is a huge blow to him, and understandably so.
14 "Waah!"
September 20th, 1966
The fire, having run its course and been put out, has left behind a slew of damage. All that remains of Snoopy's doghouse is its skeleton structure. At the sight of the still-smoking house, Snoopy starts to bawl his little beagle eyes out.Everything that he had in there, which was a lot given the many belongings and rooms he supposedly had in his house, is completely gone. Snoopy is usually not the most emotional dog, rarely showing any waterworks. However, when something as tragic as having his doghouse burn down happens, he can't stop crying, showing readers a more vulnerable side of Snoopy.
13 "Probably Smoking in Bed"
September 21st, 1966
Lucy and Linus see the charred remains of Snoopy's doghouse in shock. Given how unnerving Snoopy's house being destroyed is, Linus wonders how it could have happened. While Linus talks about all the effects of this tragedy on Snoopy and how horrible it is for the beagle, Lucy is focused on one thing and one thing only: the house probably burned down because Snoopy was smoking in bed. Lucy is always the first to think the worst of Snoopy, as far as blaming him for his own house burning down, which is pretty low even for the perennially crabby Lucy.
12 Snoopy and His Doghouse
September 22nd, 1966
Used to climbing on top of his doghouse and lying down on the roof, Snoopy tries to do the same with the bare bones of his house. It definitely does not feel the same for poor Snoopy, but he tries his hardest regardless. Laying on top of a house with no insides might not offer the most comforts, and it's clearly a letdown for the already severely downtrodden Snoopy.
This would not be the last time Snoopy's doghouse would get destroyed, with it happening at least two more times.
If there is something that Snoopy loves to do, it is lie on the top of his roof, an activity that is just not the same anymore - and not nearly as comfortable as before, either.
11 "A Can of Dog Food Every Month!"
September 23rd, 1966
Charlie Brown informs Snoopy that his fire insurance for his doghouse has lapsed because he did not keep up with premiums. This lapse is news to Snoopy; he does not know how that could have happened, because he sent his premium every month: a can of dog food. Given how seriously Snoopy takes his food, he meant business when he sent the company a dog food can every month, being yet one more piece of bad news for the down-on-his-luck beagle who cannot seem to catch a break. To add insult to injury, Snoopy had very expensive items in his doghouse, which will now not be covered by his fire insurance.
10 "Her Kind Deserves to Be Bleahed!"
September 24th, 1966
Lucy decides to harshly scold Snoopy, blaming him for his house burning down because she thinks that he is being punished for a sin he committed at some point.Snoopy is not about to take that treatment from her (or anybody for that matter) and "bleahs" at her with authority, making his feelings towards her known. He scares her off - for now - acknowledging that people like her deserve to be "bleahed." He definitely isn't wrong. Throughout Snoopy's house burning down ordeal, Lucy has not been the most empathetic, or even just plain nice, and her casual cruelty is the final straw for Snoopy.
9 "He's Not a Man... He's a Dog"
September 26th, 1966
Lucy is not renowned for her kindness or sympathy, which is nowhere more clear than in this strip when Lucy tells Snoopy that his home burning down is no big deal because a little tragedy can help someone be better. She proclaims that "man was born to suffer." Lucy seems to pay no mind to Charlie Brown's rebuttal that Snoopy is not a man, "he's a dog." According to Snoopy, dogs are not born to suffer, but rather to bite people's legs and sleep in the sunshine. Whether man or dog, Lucy's words are best kept to herself in this circumstance - or any circumstance.
8 "This Is Ridiculous!"
September 27th, 1966
A house with only its frame left is not the best source of shelter in any weather, but especially not in a downpour. Snoopy finds this small truth out the hard way when it starts to pour, and he runs to his burnt doghouse only to get no relief from the torrential rain. Fed up with his lack of a real roof, Snoopy stews about the ridiculousness of having to sit in the rain in his own house. There is only so long that a pup can deal with a burned-out doghouse, with readers seeing Snoopy's patience getting smaller and smaller with each day that his home is still not fixed.
7 "Even My Pinking Shears?!"
September 28th, 1966
Charlie Brown goes over the list of all the things that Snoopy lost in the doghouse fire, such as his ruined carpeting, his pool table, his library, and his Van Gogh, which has been destroyed along with basically everything else. Despite being told that a Van Gogh was ruined, all Snoopy is upset about is the loss of his pinking shears. For those who do not know, pinking shears are scissors that are used to cut fabric. Given Snoopy's penchant for making outfits for his alter egos, one could understand why he was upset at the loss of his pinking shears, seeing that those scissors get a lot of use.
6 "What Sopwith Camel?"
September 29th, 1966
Embodying his World War I Flying Ace persona, Snoopy reports for duty to bring down the Red Baron. To do so, though, Snoopy needs access to his Sopwith Camel, which is his fighter plane. But when he gets to his doghouse, which he used to pretend was his plane, he remembers that it is charred to a crisp and definitely not ready for flight. Even in his fantasy life, his burned doghouse poses a problem for him. As much as he wants to just fly and fight the Red Baron, his burned doghouse brings Snoopy right back to reality.
