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
The Search for Santa Paws that is and take them there. Eli tells Jimmy to keep the pin and dubs him an official Santa's helper for his perseverance, before Jimmy heads home. Haggis, Rasta and T-Money arrive and join in as well determined to keep their promise to Paws. When Kate and James tell them he's in the hospital, they work together to rescue him and give him back the crystal. But the crystal is too weak to revive Santa. Paws tells Eli to put his crystal next to Santa to help, sacrificing himself as he'll turn back into a stuffed animal. Santa wakes up