Santa's Little Helper the show, but voice artist Frank Welker has also voiced him. Santa's Little Helper has become a popular character following his appearances on "The Simpsons". He ranked 27th in Animal Planet's 2003 television special "50 Greatest TV Animals" that was based on popularity, name recognition, and the longevity of the shows. He has also been featured in merchandise relating to "The Simpsons", such as video games, board games, and comics. Santa's Little Helper is a greyhound that appears on the animated television series "The Simpsons" and is the pet dog of the Simpson family. He can often be seen on
Media in The Simpsons this mocks "how many children's programs have become little more than the ad to the merchandise". Gray also writes that "The Simpsons" "illustrates how the ad as genre has itself already invaded many, if not all, genres. Ads and marketing do not limit themselves to the space between programs; rather, they are themselves textual invaders, and part of "The Simpsons" parodic attack on ads involves revealing their hiding places in other texts." "The Itchy & Scratchy Show" is a show within a show that appears occasionally in episodes of "The Simpsons". They typically appear in the form of 15-60 second