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
Springfield (The Simpsons) legs, presumably some sort of insect or spider (or perhaps a mutated animal from the vicinity of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant), that was driven into extinction by its production. Places based on places shown in "The Simpsons" exist at Universal Studios Florida, including one based on Krusty Burger. Lard Lad Donuts is a donut store in Springfield. Its mascot is an (estimated) tall statue of a rather chubby boy proudly holding a donut over his head. The name and the statue of the eponymous boy are likely references to Big Boy Restaurants. In "The Simpsons Game", the Lard Lad