• Bill Farmer, Goofy's voice actor, says he is apart of the canine family, but not necessarily a dog.
• Goofy first appeared in May 1932, but he gained his name in 1939.

Disney has created dozens of recognizable characters since its founding in 1923, including princesses like Cinderella or Jasmine, as well as others such as Mickey Mouse and Lightning McQueen. 

While most of these characters are obvious in what animal or object they portray, Goofy can be difficult to decipher. Some believe him to be a cow, specifically an Aberdeen Angus cow, due to his relationship with Clarabelle Cow in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Others consider him to be a dog, closer in relation to Pluto.

With this in mind, what exactly is Goofy?

Is Goofy a dog or a cow?

Bill Farmer, Goofy’s voice actor since 1987, told Yahoo that Goofy is “not a dog.” Pluto, Farmer explained, is a dog. Goofy, on the other hand, “seems to be in the canine family” without explicitly being labeled as a dog. Farmer says “Canis Goofus” is the Latin term to describe Goofy, meaning that Goofy is not simply a dog or a cow. He’s just Goofy.

The acclaimed voice actor stars in Disney’s "It’s A Dog’s Life," the ongoing Disney+ show, launched in 2020, revolving around dogs across the United States and their important jobs. IMDb says the show also educates the audience on pet care and the accompanying responsibilities.

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When was Goofy’s first appearance?

Goofy first appeared in May 1932 in the animated short “Mickey’s Revue” where he plays a minor audience member role, says DisneyParks Blog. He appeared in a newspaper comic strip under the name “Dippy Dawg,” but 1939’s film "Goofy & Wilbur" officially gave the character his signature name. 

Since then, Goofy appeared in releases such as 1995’s A Goofy Movie, 2000’s An Extremely Goofy Movie and the children’s show, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse."How to Stay at Home" from 2021 features Goofy teaching the audience how to complete important tasks at home while managing life in the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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