While not all of Pluto's shorts are classics, more the good-but-not-great quality, they are still watchable and that is the case with Pluto as well. Sheep Dog falls into the good but not great category. The story conceptually is rather predictable, another one of those that follows the Pluto vs something or somebody else formula and doesn't do much new with it. Pluto also has been much more compelling than here, here he is a little bland. He is still appealing in his likability and how protective he is but he is not very funny and the short never really plays to his strengths or what he is most good at. There is still much to enjoy though. The animation is very nicely done, the character designs have been more fluid before and since but the handsome and colourful backgrounds and the colour vibrancy are striking. That the music has always been one of the main merits in the Disney shorts has been said many times before and that is still the case with Sheep Dog. It is characterful and lively, and the orchestration has a real lushness to it. The gags are very amusing and are timed well, the best coming from the interactions between the father and son coyotes, the contrasts between the two make Sheep Dog most fun to watch. The pacing has the odd slow spot but is secure on the whole. And the coyotes are really enjoyable, another one of the Disney/Pluto shorts where the supporting characters steal the show from under the titular character. The sheep are cute as well. Overall, Sheep Dog is entertaining but it is not exceptional. 7/10 Bethany Cox
Review of Sheep Dog
