Greatest TV Animal Stars: Unforgettable Companions from Full House, Friends, and Beyond

Content: Although human actors are typically the stars of popular TV comedies and dramas, it is often their four-legged counterparts that capture the audience's attention.

While Comet, the adorable golden retriever from the hit show Full House, has become an iconic TV pet, he is just one among many animal companions that the sitcom cast had the pleasure of working with on set.

Candace Cameron Bure, known for her role as eldest daughter D.J. Tanner on Full House, attributed her love for animals to her experience on the show. In addition to dogs, they had a chimpanzee, a donkey, a ferret, and more.

In the Fuller House revival, the original family dog was replaced with a new one from the same lineage. D.J., now a veterinarian on the Netflix series, helped deliver a litter of puppies and her son Max pleaded for them to keep one. Eventually, they adopted Cosmo. Unfortunately, after almost four years, the dog who played Cosmo passed away due to complications from surgery.

"Our beloved Cosmo, our sweet boy, is now frolicking in the haven for dogs," the actress from the television series "Christmas Contest" shared on her Instagram account in December 2019. "I can picture him currently playing with Comet. Cosmo has been with us since the beginning of Fuller House, and we are deeply saddened by his passing during surgery complications. You will be greatly missed, our dear love bug."

While the cast and crew of "Full House" and "Fuller House" continue to mourn the loss of their cherished television companion, many other stars of the show hold a deep affection for their own animal co-stars. In the series "Bridgerton," a lively corgi named Austin was chosen to portray Newton, Kate Sharma's beloved canine companion.

Simone Ashley, who portrayed Kate on the popular regency series, revealed to Entertainment Weekly in February 2022 that she had a strong connection with the dogs on set. "I had a great rapport with him," she explained. "Although he could be a bit independent and do his own thing, I like to believe that when we were together, he paid attention to me. Whenever we would rehearse lines with Newton present, he would playfully roll over in the middle of our circle and greet us with a friendly vibe. It was absolutely adorable."

She went on to share a humorous anecdote about filming at a particular building location. "At one of the buildings, the driveway was covered in pebbles. I would have him on a leash, and in between takes, he would munch on the stones and later release them during his bathroom breaks."

The performer from Sex Education, while filming season 2 of the Netflix drama, developed a special bond with a puppy. However, her TV husband, Jonathan Bailey, didn't share the same connection. Jokingly, Bailey mentioned that the puppy, Austin, gave a remarkable performance but they didn't get along. Bailey explained that Austin had a fondness for sausages and they had to hold bits of sausage in their hand to entice him to jump on their lap. Despite not clicking with Austin, Bailey expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work with such a talented dog.

Scroll below to see more of TV’s most beloved pets through the years:

Credit: ABC; NBC; Liam Daniel/Netflix; Abc/Viacom/Kobal/Shutterstock

Beloved TV Pets Through the Years: Full House’s Comet, Friends’ Marcel and More

Content:

The most exceptional TV co-stars! Despite human actors typically taking the lead roles in cherished TV comedies and dramas, it is often their furry counterparts who seize the attention.

Comet, the adorable golden retriever from Full House, emerged as one of the most renowned TV pets. However, the sitcom cast also collaborated with numerous other animal companions on set.

Candace Cameron Bure, who portrayed D.J. Tanner on Full House, mentioned in a 2018 interview with Today that her love for animals was influenced by her time on the show, where she had the opportunity to interact with various creatures, including a chimpanzee, a donkey, and a ferret.

In the Fuller House revival, D.J. and her sisters had a beloved dog. However, in the pilot episode of the Netflix series, D.J. (now a veterinarian) helped deliver a litter of puppies with Comet Jr. and her son Max insisted on adopting one. The family eventually welcomed Cosmo into their home. Unfortunately, the real-life dog that played Cosmo passed away nearly four years later due to complications from surgery.

"Our beloved Cosmo, our sweet boy, is now frolicking in the realms of doggy heaven," expressed the actress from the show "Christmas Contest" on her Instagram account in December 2019. "I like to imagine him playing joyfully with Comet at this very moment. Cosmo has been a part of Fuller House from the very beginning, and we are devastated by his passing due to complications during surgery. Your absence will be deeply felt, dear love bug ️."

While the crew of Full House and Fuller House have mourned the loss of their cherished on-screen companion, many other stars of the show have also formed deep bonds with their own animal co-stars. To portray Kate Sharma's furry companion Newton, the show Bridgerton enlisted the services of a spirited corgi named Austin.

"I have a talent for handling dogs, so he responded positively to me," shared Simone Ashley, who portrayed the character of Kate in the popular and romantic regency series. During an interview with Entertainment Weekly in February 2022, she mentioned, "Although he would often exhibit a bit of sass and go off to do his own thing, I like to believe that when we were together, he listened to me. It was adorable to see Newton, the dog, join us during line rehearsals and playfully roll onto his back in the center of our circle, as if to say, 'Hey, what's going on?'"

Additionally, she amusingly recounted, "At one of the filming locations, there was a driveway with pebbles. With Newton on a leash, he would munch on the stones and later 'relieve' himself of them in between filming takes."

Despite developing a special bond with the dog while filming season 2 of the Netflix drama, the actress from Sex Education, did not have the same connection with her co-star, Jonathan Bailey, who played her TV husband. In a humorous statement, Bailey, who portrayed Viscount Anthony Bridgerton, commented on their lack of chemistry, jokingly mentioning their different preferences for sausage. He went on to describe their attempts to entice the dog onto his lap with bits of sausage, highlighting their unsuccessful efforts to connect. While acknowledging Austin's impressive performance, Bailey remarked that they simply did not click despite the opportunity to work together.

Scroll below to see more of TV’s most beloved pets through the years:

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Credit: ABC

Comet, ‘Full House’

The Tanner family patriarch Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) begrudgingly allowed his three daughters to take care of the golden retriever when the show began airing in 1987.

Credit: NBC

Marcel, ‘Friends’

Ross (David Schwimmer) formed a close bond with Marcel, a white-headed capuchin monkey, in the initial season of the sitcom. Marcel frequently joined the paleontologist as he made plans with his group of friends, often perching on his shoulder. With his entertaining actions, Marcel quickly became a movie star, making an appearance in the fictional film Outbreak 2: The Virus Takes Manhattan.

Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix

Newton, ‘Bridgerton’

The Sharma sisters (Kate and Edwina) accompany their lively puppy to England during the social season. Despite Kate's adoration for her furry companion, Anthony's affection for the adorable dog falls short compared to his previous infatuation with his soon-to-be wife.

Credit: David Rose/Nbc-Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

Eddie, ‘Frasier’

During his time on Frasier, Martin Crane (played by John Mahoney) had a Jack Russell Terrier as his faithful companion. One remarkable feat was Martin's ability to train the terrier to follow various commands, such as cleverly avoiding baths and attentively gazing at the actors.

Credit: Abc/Viacom/Kobal/Shutterstock

Salem, ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’

Once Sabrina Spellman, played by Melissa Joan Hart, discovers her witch lineage and joins her aunts Hilda and Zelda in the magical realm, she encounters an extraordinary revelation - their household cat possesses the ability to converse! Known as Salem Saberhagen, this former warlock faced a punishment imposed by the Witches Council, sentencing him to endure a century as a feline after his ill-fated attempt to orchestrate a coup. In addition to his role as a loyal pet, Salem becomes an essential mentor to Sabrina, imparting wisdom about the wonders of her newfound magical powers, often paired with his quintessential sarcastic charm.

Credit: HBO Max

Ghost, ‘Game of Thrones’

Jon Snow’s puppies! Kit Harington’s character on the HBO series raised a pack of six dire wolf puppies, including Ghost, an albino animal that was the runt of the litter.

Credit: Nickelodeon

Gary, ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’

Having pets is not limited to just humans! The Nickelodeon series unveiled a fascinating sponge residing in a pineapple beneath the ocean surface, accompanied by his loyal pet snail. Though Gary's vocal repertoire is limited to "Meow," he always remains by SpongeBob's side, offering unwavering support.

Credit: ABC

Vincent, ‘Lost’

From the inception of Lost, viewers were introduced to Walt (played by Malcolm David Kelley) and the other survivors who found themselves stranded on a deserted island, accompanied by the adored golden retriever named Vincent. While the human characters eventually managed to escape the island by the conclusion of the series, Vincent chose to make the tropical paradise his permanent dwelling.

Credit: Courtesy of Snoopy/YouTube

Snoopy, ‘Peanuts’

Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang go on plenty of adventures with Snoopy, a black-and-white beagle.

Credit: ABC

Stella, ‘Modern Family’

Jay Pritchett, portrayed by Ed O’Neill, fondly takes on the role of a devoted dog parent to a French bulldog. However, his wife, Gloria, played by Sofia Vergara, is far from pleased when it becomes apparent that their furry companion has a penchant for wreaking havoc on her belongings.

Credit: Hulu

Backup, ‘Veronica Mars’

During Kristen Bell's detective escapades in Veronica Mars, she frequently had the devoted Backup, a fiercely protective pit bull, by her side. Although the cherished canine passed away before the reunion movie in 2014, Veronica (alongside partner Logan Echolls) ultimately welcomed Pony into their lives prior to the Hulu miniseries in 2019.

Credit: PBS Kids

Clifford, ‘Clifford The Big Red Dog’

The PBS series introduced viewers to Emily Elizabeth and her adopted dog, Clifford, who kept growing and growing after she brought him home.

Credit: NBC

Cheddar, ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’

In the FOX series, Raymond Holt (played by Andre Braugher) and Kevin Cozner (played by Marc Evan Jackson) showcased their talented Pembroke Welsh Corgi, who amazed everyone with a multitude of tricks. The adorable Cheddar, adorned with a glamorous collar, also developed a fondness for wedding cake.