Parents Are Out Here Battling It Out To “Find The Long Dog” On ‘Bluey’
Watching TV with your kids can be a little monotonous — unless, of course, it’s Bluey. While some kids’ shows can come off as loud and obnoxious, the Australian animated series about a family of heeler pups and their friends manages to be pretty damn irresistible. Bluey fans are constantly dreaming up or learning new details about Bluey’s family’s life that make watching the show even more enjoyable. The latest example: Parents are out here battling it out to “find the Long Dog.”
So, what exactly is the Long Dog game that has so many parents in a chokehold? Well, between the gentle parenting tactics, silly adults-only jokes that go over kids’ heads, and the overall antics of Bluey, Bingo, Bandit, and Chilli, the animators of Bluey have hidden one very cute and sometimes impossible-to-find Easter egg in nearly every episode. Enter the “Long Dog,” which is pretty much exactly like it sounds — a depiction of a dachshund-like pup in different colors or sizes that shows up onscreen somewhere.
Iykyk… but if you don’t, be forewarned: Now that you know about it, you’re gonna have a hard time not searching for it in each binge of your kids’ favorite show. (OK, be honest: Watching Bluey is your favorite thing to do, too.)
Where does the Long Dog appear?
The Long Dog is hidden in the background scenery of most Bluey episodes. He shows up in different ways each time. Sometimes, he’s a toy on a shelf. Or he might simply surface as a bumper sticker on the back of a vehicle. As with any good Easter egg, you’re often likely to think you spot a Long Dog, only to realize you were hoodwinked into noticing the wrong thing.
In other words, Long Dog is the “Where’s Waldo” of the Bluey world.
How did Long Dog start?
The first time Long Dog appeared on Bluey was in Episode 5 of the first season, titled “Daddy Robot.” He was added as a bit of a fun little game for those working in the Bluey offices.
“All of the background artists took a shine to him, so we started adding him into other backgrounds for the crew to find and enjoy,” said Nick Rees, the show’s lead background artist, in an interview with ABC Australia News.
Since Long Dog’s first appearance, it’s become a game for viewers and creators. Long Dog has become so popular, in fact, that it has even begun appearing in Bluey books and the Bluey magazine. You can even find a DIY Long Dog activity on the official Bluey website.
Long Dog on TikTok?
The hunt for Long Dog has become so wildly competitive in some families that people are sharing their Long Dog finds and frustrations on TikTok. Tbh, it’s hysterical.
While the game of searching for Long Dog is by no means tearing families apart, it’s added another layer of interactivity to “screen time” and helped to make Bluey one of the rare kids’ television shows parents actually enjoy watching.
Spoiler Alert!
Wanna be a winner, winner chicken dinner? As with all things that trigger adult obsessions, there is a Bluey Wiki. The Bluey Wiki has even dedicated a page to finding Long Dog, complete with not only season, episode, and scene info but with Long Dog’s exact location and color each time he’s found. And although cheating obviously takes a ton of fun out of the game, the Wiki can help settle some arguments among fans when two Long Dogs are spotted.
Looking for more ways to make your kiddo’s Bluey obsession seem less like a “screen obsession?” The Bluey website has instructions on how to play the silly games Chili and Bandit play with their kiddos on various episodes. Not only will they get your kids off the couch, but they’ll help you feel like you’re just as good of a parent as Bluey and Bingo’s parents.
