Who’s that Bull Terrier on your screen in the sunglasses with the babes at his side? It’s Spuds MacKenzie, of course! He’s the super cool dog who graced the airwaves between 1987 and 1989 as the mascot for Bud Light. If you’re watching him now, you’ve probably popped in an old VHS, are watching a special or have looked up his commercials specifically on YouTube.

Not in the Doghouse

In his glory days, Spuds traveled the country and enjoyed good times with friends, much like the folks at Anheuser-Busch suggested that you might do if you enjoyed their beer. You could recognize him from the signature black spot over his left eye. Spuds went to parties, swam on the beach and was even part of a rock band during his heyday.

Like any marketing campaign, Spuds wasn’t mean to live forever. The people at Budweiser moves on to greener pastures after several organizations expressed concern that using an adorable pup was targeting children to start drinking. While this may not have been the intent of the people who thought of the marketing scheme, Spuds was certainly cute enough for children to pay attention. Factor in merchandise like plush toys, and you can understand why the Center for Science in the Public Interest and Mothers Against Drunk Driving were rubbed the wrong way by Spuds.

Spuds might be burned into your memory, but he was only used for a two-year period. After that, the dog who played Spuds, Honey Tree Evil Eye, retired. She lived four more years before expiring from kidney failure. At ten years old, Honey Tree was within the normal life span for her breed; although, some Bull Terriers have lived to fifteeen years old. Kidneys issues aren’t necessarily typical of this breed, but she had lived a full life.

Your Very own Spuds

If you want to add a Bull Terrier to your family because you just can’t get enough of their white fur or triangular eyes, it’s important that you have your pet checked for deafness, which sometimes occurs within the breed. Bull Terriers also tend to have skin sensitivities and can develop allergies from mites and other pests. It goes without saying that you shouldn’t be intoxicating your Bull Terrier with alcohol, either.

However, this type of dog makes a good pet for assertive and active owners. Bull Terriers love people, so Honey Tree probably loved all the attention she got as Spuds.