Santa's Little Helper real-life breed will paint a different picture — of dogs that are peaceful, affectionate, [and] not given to drooling, panting". Some ideas for episodes featuring Santa's Little Helper come from reality. The plot of "Dog of Death" was based on Swartzwelder's experiences with his own dog, which had also suffered from bloat. However, unlike the events in the episode, Swartzwelder's dog did not receive treatment as the operation was too expensive and the dog was too old. "The Gold Coast Bulletin"s Ryan Ellem commented in 2005 that the Simpson family's dilemma with the cost of the veterinary procedure is a
Brother's Little Helper eventually stops at the school. There, he points the tank's cannon into the sky and shoots down a Major League Baseball satellite; inside are detailed documents on everybody's behaviors. Mark McGwire appears, distracts the citizens with a long home run, and hides the evidence under his cap. Marge takes Bart off Focusyn for good and puts him back on Ritalin. Major League Baseball, however, still spies on the Simpson family due to an autographed bat McGwire gave Bart that has a hidden camera. "Brother's Little Helper", which was originally called "Bart a Go Go", was written by staff writer George