You’ve probably spent a good chunk of your life looking at that massive, cherry-colored hound and wondered: what is he? Seriously. Most of us just grew up accepting that a dog the size of a two-story colonial exists on Birdwell Island, but if you look closely at his ears, his snout, and that specific "velcro" personality, the answer is actually a lot more interesting than "just a cartoon."
The Great Breed Debate: Vizsla, Bloodhound, or Lab?
If you ask a room full of dog nerds about Clifford’s DNA, you’re going to get a fight.
A lot of people swear he’s a Labrador Retriever. It makes sense on the surface. He’s friendly, he’s got that classic "good boy" energy, and the live-action movie definitely leaned into the Lab-mix aesthetic to make him look more familiar. But Labs don't usually have those giant, drooping ears or that specific tuck in the waist.
Then there’s the Bloodhound camp. This actually has some historical weight. Norman Bridwell, the man who created Clifford back in 1963, originally drew Clifford as a somewhat droopy, horse-sized dog that looked remarkably like a Bloodhound. He had the jowls. He had the heavy-set brow.
But if you look at the modern Clifford—the one we’ve seen on PBS and in Scholastic books for the last thirty years—there is one breed that fits the bill almost perfectly: the Vizsla.
Why Clifford is Basically a Giant Vizsla
The Hungarian Vizsla is a sleek, athletic hunting dog known for two things: its striking "golden rust" coat and its "velcro" personality. They are obsessed with their owners. Sound familiar? Emily Elizabeth and Clifford are basically inseparable.
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- The Coat: Vizslas are one of the few breeds that naturally come in a solid, reddish-rust color from head to toe.
- The Ears: They have those long, silky, V-shaped ears that hang close to their cheeks—exactly like Clifford’s.
- The "Velcro" Factor: Owners call them "Velcro dogs" because they physically need to be touching you. Clifford’s entire existence is centered around his bond with Emily Elizabeth.
What Norman Bridwell Actually Said
Honestly, the creator himself was pretty chill about the whole thing. Bridwell didn't set out to create a purebred. In fact, he was just a struggling illustrator in New York trying to get a break.
He once admitted that Clifford wasn't based on one specific breed. Instead, he was an "all-American" mix of the dogs Bridwell had seen and loved. The red color? That wasn't even a deep symbolic choice. Bridwell just happened to have a jar of bright red paint on his desk that night. He dipped his brush in, and the rest is history.
"He’s a lovable dog. He tries to do the right thing... but his size makes him clumsy, so he causes damage. And then he’s forgiven." — Norman Bridwell
He was originally going to name the dog "Tiny," which is a bit on the nose for a dog that eventually became house-sized. It was actually Bridwell's wife, Norma, who suggested the name Clifford after an imaginary friend she had as a kid.
The Evolution of the Look
If you go back to the very first 1963 book, Clifford looks... different. He’s a bit more "houndy." His muzzle is longer, and he looks a bit more like a mutt you'd find at a farm. As the years went on and the animation styles changed, he became more "refined."
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By the time the 2000s TV series rolled around, his features softened. He became more rounded, more "puppy-like" despite being 25 feet tall. This is where the Vizsla and Labrador comparisons really started to take off.
The Science of Growing to 25 Feet
In the books, the lore says Clifford grew so big because Emily Elizabeth loved him so much. That’s a sweet sentiment for a five-year-old, but if you look at it through a "real world" lens, Clifford is a biological miracle.
If Clifford were a real Vizsla, he would normally weigh about 50 pounds. At his current height—which varies between 15 and 25 feet depending on the book—he would weigh roughly 80 tons.
He’d need to eat about 200,000 calories a day. That’s a lot of kibble. Most experts (and bored internet theorists) suggest that if Clifford were a real animal, he’d be suffering from a massive case of Giantism or a pituitary issue. But in the world of Birdwell Island, we just call it "The Power of Love."
How to Get Your Own (Smaller) Clifford
If you’re looking for a dog that shares Clifford’s temperament and look, you’ve got a few real-world options. Just don't expect them to grow over the roof.
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- The Vizsla: As mentioned, this is the closest visual match. They are incredibly loyal, medium-sized, and have that beautiful red coat. Warning: they have insane energy levels.
- The Red Fox Labrador: This is a specific shade of Yellow Lab that looks deeply orange or red. They have the classic "big dog" friendliness without the hunting drive of a Vizsla.
- The Bloodhound: If you like the "Old School" Clifford look with the droopy eyes and the big nose, this is your breed. Be prepared for a lot of drool.
- The Irish Setter: While their hair is longer and more "feathery," their deep mahogany red is the closest you'll get to Clifford's iconic primary-red color.
Why the Breed Doesn't Actually Matter
At the end of the day, Clifford isn't a show dog. He’s a metaphor.
Bridwell created him to represent the "big feelings" kids have. When you’re small, everything feels huge. Your mistakes feel huge. Your love feels huge. Clifford is a physical manifestation of that. He’s clumsy and breaks things because he doesn't know his own strength—just like a toddler.
He’s a mutt of the best kind: part Bloodhound, part Vizsla, and 100% heart.
If you're looking to bring a bit of that Clifford energy into your home, start by looking at local shelters for Red Bone Coonhound mixes or Vizsla-Labrador crosses. You'll get the look and the loyalty without having to move to an island just to fit your dog in the backyard.
For those who want to dive deeper into the history of Scholastic’s most famous mascot, check out the original 1963 sketches—it’s wild to see how much "Tiny" has changed over the decades. Keep an eye out for the specific "rust" coat color if you're browsing breeder sites; that's the secret to finding a real-life Clifford lookalike.
Next Steps for Potential Big Dog Owners:
- Research the exercise requirements for Vizslas; they need at least 1-2 hours of hard running daily.
- Visit a breed-specific rescue like the Vizsla Club of America to see if a "red dog" fits your lifestyle.
- Measure your living space—even a 60-pound "Clifford" feels big in a studio apartment!