What Is Inspector Gadget's Dog's Name? It's a Trick!

The name of the dog on Inspector Gadget is Brain.

But this is a trick question … and sort of a trick answer, too.

Here are three reasons why:

Brain Is Penny’s

OK, so first off, Inspector Gadget doesn’t own a dog.

But … but … but … Brain! I can hear your caterwauls. Save them for someone who’s wrong.

Me, though, I got this covered, and Gadget has no dog.

Oh, sure, Gadget lives with his niece Penny and Brain, a bipedal dog with the intellect of Brian from Family Guy — at least.

(Hmmm … “Brain” … “Brian” … “Brain” … “Brian” … there may be some ‘splainin’ to do around here for someone).

But I digress, parenthetically.

So, the three of them live together and go out on cases together, but Brain and Gadget hardly interact, other than the canine saving the man-ine’s dopey ass time after time.

No, the real bond is between Penny and Brain, who scheme to keep tabs on Gadget and defeat the bad guys, even though no one realizes they’re the, um, brains behind the Gadget operation.

Watch the show, and it’s clear that girl and dog belong to each other.

No One Owns Brain

Except … no one owns Brain.

Look, you might get away with putting Baby in the corner for a few. I mean, Patrick Swayze can be only so vigilant.

But you’ll never “own” a dog like Brain.

He’s like the wind.

Like eating water with a fork.

Like propping up the Leaning Tower of Pizza with a McDonald’s straw wrapper.

Doggie don’t need you, yo.

Certainly doesn’t need Gadget.

And he doesn’t need Penny, not really. I mean, he could get a job as a spy or a President or a vet tech or something.

And he can intercept messages on a secret collar, and then act on him.

And … well … dude walks on his back legs.

Brain Is No Dog

Right.

The underlying reason Inspector Gadget doesn’t own a dog is the most fundamental of all — there is no dog on the show.

It’s Penny who accompanies her uncle in the field, sure, but her home base is Brain, hanging nearby and listening on his Bat Collar.

If anything goes wrong, he’s there on the double.

And he always knows just what to do.

Heck, most of the time, he’s out there figuring out what to do before Gadget ever even screws up, and before Penny ever even thinks to call for help.

Brain anticipates.

He reasons.

Schemes.

Navigates and flagellates, when necessary.

And, yes, he walks on his back legs.

Brain is no dog, in other words. Hell, if he wanted to, I’ll bet he could laugh and play, just the same as you and me.

Oh, right … that’s something else.

Still, Brain is no dog. Therefore and henceforth, he cannot be Gadget’s dog.

Hmmph!

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