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Peanuts' Snoopy has a long history with skating, having not just one but two different skating alter egos. As a result, it is not all that surprising that he has a major storyline that involves skating. What is surprising is that one particular 1965 skating storyline involved Snoopy falling head over heels for an ice-skating beagle and asking her to marry him.
While that sounds like a heartwarming premise, the storyline takes a turn and the romance is not to be. From the elation of falling in love to his heart being smashed into a million pieces, this storyline was a departure from Snoopy's usual fantastical and humor-driven storylines, with more vulnerable aspects of him being shown to readers. Consequently, Snoopy became a character who is so much more than comic relief, all while delivering a storyline that tracks the beginning to the end of a relationship.
14 "It's Lonely Skating by Yourself at Night"
January 22nd, 1965
Snoopy does not get lonely too often. He makes his own fun, always entertaining himself. In the rare moments that he is not immersed in his world of fantasy, he can typically bug any one of the Peanuts kids for some companionship or cookies. He has even crawled into Charlie Brown's bed before. However, when Snoopy is ice skating one night all by himself, the loneliness hits him in a melancholic way for the seemingly first time. He usually loves to ice skate, but readers can see plain on the usually upbeat beagle's face that he is just not feeling it. He looks sad and downtrodden, which is a far cry from how audiences typically see him.
13 "Where Are All the Girl Beagles?"
January 23rd, 1965
Skating can be quite a social activity, but that is apparently not the case for Snoopy, who laments how he comes to the ice rink every night, but there is never anyone around, especially any girl beagles. Snoopy wants some female company, but a deserted, iced-over lake at night is evidently not where to find them. The set-up for Snoopy's desire for a female companion is laid in this comic strip and the one previously, so when Snoopy does fall head over heels for a girl beagle who is sure to show up very soon, it is seen as perfectly serendipitous and as if by fate.
12 "Good Grief! There She Is!"
January 25th, 1965
After a long while of Snoopy wishing he could meet some girl beagles while he skates, he finally comes across one who literally stops him in his tracks. Interestingly, readers do not see the object of Snoopy's affection in this strip or in any others of the "Ice Skating Girl Beagle" storyline.
A lot of Peanuts characters were based on people (and dogs) from Charles Schulz's real life, including Snoopy.
An intriguing decision made by Schulz, the Ice Skating Girl Beagle was not the only love interest of a main Peanuts character to have never been shown, with Charlie Brown's crush, the Little Red Haired Girl, also never being shown to readers. Regardless of knowing what Snoopy's love interest looks like or not, he is instantly smitten, which was not an all-too-common occurrence for the lackadaisical pup.
11 "She Liked Me!"
January 26th, 1965
After a long round of wishing to meet some girl beagles, Snoopy finally sets his sights on a pretty girl beagle who just so happens to be at the rink at the same time as him. He is overjoyed, even more so when the girl beagle likes him back. He is so over the moon that he literally tumbles over for his new love interest. Snoopy can typically stay pretty even keeled, so to see him jump for joy and bounce around in exhilaration is different from what is typically seen from him. As a result, the point is nailed home that Snoopy has feelings for this female beagle like never before.
10 "Have I Ever!"
January 27th, 1965
Charlie Brown, being the caring owner he is for Snoopy, gets curious about what his dog does to spend his time - or, more importantly, who he spends time with. When Charlie Brown questions Snoopy if he has been at the rink skating with a girl beagle, Snoopy lets Charlie Brown know that he definitely has been after playing just a tad coy at first. Charlie Brown knows his beagle can get swept up into fantasy, so he is already a little worried at the first mention of Snoopy skating with the girl beagle. Yet, Snoopy is so elated that no one can bring him down, even the neurotic Charlie Brown.
9 "Watch Yourself, Snoopy!"
January 28th, 1965
When Snoopy makes a habit of skating at the rink with his ice-skating girl beagle at night, he attracts the attention of the other Peanuts kids, including Lucy. When Charlie Brown lets Lucy know why Snoopy is going down to the skating rink, Lucy is her typically obnoxious self and yells at Snoopy to be careful, because teenage marriages never last. Snoopy may be a teen in human years, but he is a full-grown adult in dog years. Nevertheless, Lucy's heart is probably in the right place, if very rude and loudmouthed, but this is Lucy after all. Puppy love is given a whole new meaning in this comic strip.
8 "My Dog Has Flipped"
January 29th, 1965
Flipped means to lose one's composure or to become very enthusiastic, which is the perfect term used by Charlie Brown to describe Snoopy's newfound boundless energy for his beagle girlfriend. When Snoopy meets his waiting girlfriend down at the ice skating rink, he cannot skate towards her fast enough. Unbeknownst to Snoopy, his round-headed kid owner is watching him in shock and even a little horror.
Despite the immense success that it would later have, network executives thought that A Charlie Brown Christmas would be a flop due to the perceived slow pacing of the special, Linus's bible-quoting monologue, the jazz soundtrack, the child voice actors' inexperience, and the lack of a laugh track.
Charlie Brown cannot believe that his buddy is so in love and that it has caused such a change in his beloved dog. Charlie Brown would not usually resort to such sneaky tactics as spying, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
7 "I Could Have Skated All Night"
January 30th, 1965
Being in love can make one do some silly things, like bursting out into song. Snoopy becomes infatuated with the ice-skating girl beagle, spending time with her at the ice-skating rink. He had such a great time with her that he could have skated all night, making him go into an impromptu skating rendition of the song "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady, which was a hit film in 1964, all while doing his happy dance.
Snoopy's dancing and singing out of love and joy make him start thinking about marriage.
Unable to keep his happiness inside, Snoopy's dancing and singing out of love and joy make him start thinking about marriage with this fellow beagle - who he has just met. Lucy started trouble bringing up marriage to this love struck pup in a previous strip.
6 "I Won't Stand in Your Way"
February 1st, 1965
Charlie Brown cares about Snoopy's happiness, which is nowhere more clear than in this continuation of the "Snoopy in love with an ice-skating beagle" storyline. When Snoopy seriously considers asking the girl beagle to marry him, Charlie Brown gives Snoopy his blessing, letting the dog know that if he wants to marry her, then Charlie Brown will not have any objections. While Charlie Brown does not seem completely sold on the union, he is supportive and is willing to adopt a live-and-let-live attitude about it all. Charlie Brown's blessing means the world to Snoopy, who gives Charlie Brown a warm hug like he has never given him before.
5 "The Marrying Kind"
February 2nd, 1965
With Charlie Brown's blessing now given, Snoopy begins to get the inklings of cold feet. He wonders if he is actually "the marrying kind," questioning his more selfish characteristics and the fact that he and his beagle wife would need another supper dish if they were to get married. Snoopy, a beagle, puts more thought into getting married than some humans do. He wonders if he is suited to be a good partner in a marriage, which gives readers a vulnerable look at Snoopy, who is usually a source of comic relief or the picture of laid back, cool, and confident, even when the reality does not match the level of confidence.
4 "I'll Even Get Her a French Poodle Maid!"
February 3rd, 1965
After second guessing if he truly does want to get married, he spends some time with the girl beagle at the skating rink, and he is right back to wanting to walk down the aisle. After skating with her, he thinks of marrying her and having her live in the doghouse with him. Moreover, he wants her to live in luxury, even wanting to get her a French-Poodle maid. With how massive Snoopy's doghouse apparently is on the inside, a French Poodle maid is not the worst idea, and it's sure to please the skating girl beagle... if they ever do get married. Spoiler alert: they don't.
3 "Wish Me Luck!"
February 4th, 1965
After much thought, Snoopy finally decides that tonight is when he is going to ask the girl beagle to marry him. He is bursting with excitement, eager to be married to her and, pun intended, "skate through life together." He is so optimistic, which is made all the more special by his long thinking process beforehand, making his decision to ask her to marry him more thoughtful than it would have been otherwise.
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The reader can feel the excitement leap off the page, and it's impossible not to root for Snoopy to be happy. Readers do not see the girl beagle, so they do not know how she feels or if she is as dedicated to the relationship as Snoopy is, creating a little suspense about whether Snoopy will be told yes or get rejected.
2 "He Doesn't Approve of Me"
February 5th, 1965
Poor Snoopy goes from excitement about asking his girlfriend to marry him to heartbreak after she has to turn down his marriage proposal because of her father. The girl beagle's dad objects against the marriage because he does not approve of Snoopy due to his history as an obedience school dropout.
Snoopy was just too cool for school, apparently.
Snoopy's past as a pupil at Ace Obedience School has come back to haunt him, as his decision to drop out is the sole reason that his love's father will not let them get married. If Peppermint Patty, a human, could graduate from obedience school - as shown in a September 1976 storyline - then Snoopy could have too. But he was just too cool for school, apparently.
1 "Waah!"
February 6th, 1965
When Snoopy's marriage proposal gets rejected, his storyline with the ice-skating girl beagle comes to an unfortunate end with the beloved Snoopy totally heartbroken. Trying to console his despairing dog, Charlie Brown gives Snoopy some words of wisdom, telling him that heartache is a part of life. Surprisingly, Snoopy takes this in stride and agrees, vowing to not let his heartache get him down... only for him to be seen sobbing in the next panel. It is hard for Peanuts readers to see Snoopy upset, but Charlie Brown does his best to help his dog with his heartbreak.
Peanuts
Created by Charles M. Schulz, Peanuts is a multimedia franchise that began as a comic strip in the 1950s and eventually expanded to include films and a television series. Peanuts follows the daily adventures of the Peanuts gang, with Charlie Brown and his dog Snoopy at the center of them. Aside from the film released in 2015, the franchise also has several Holiday specials that air regularly on U.S. Television during their appropriate seasons.
Created by Charles M. Schulz
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