Spike the Bulldog

"That's ma boy!"

- Spike to Tyke Dog.

Spike the Bulldog is an American bulldog who is often seen as a recurring antagonist in the Tom and Jerry series, though he is also a protector of sorts towards Jerry Mouse (he saved Tom Cat once in "The Truce Hurts"), sometimes going as far as being an enforcer of sorts to the mischievious rodent - however there is no denying that Spike is often unjustly cruel towards Tom (a stereotype of dog/cat rivalry) and although he often gives Tom several chances to avoid his wrath he will attack the cat viciously once those chances have been spent.

Tom often tries to get revenge on Spike, so it can be argued that much like Jerry Mouse himself Spike can play both the good guy and the bad guy depending on the cartoon - in general though he is a bully in regards to Tom and threatens bodily harm to the cat, to the point of making Tom fear for his live on numerous occassions. (Spike is friendly to the cat on some situations, however.)

Spike can also be friendly when he wants to be and is seen to be a caring father, showing that although a fierce opponent he isn't entirely without merit.

Also Tom's fear of Spike is showcased in the fact that when he had a nightmare about having died he envisioned Spike as none other than Satan himself.

Ironically despite there close friendship nowadays in early appearances Spike was an enemy of both Tom and Jerry, with the cat and mouse occassionally teaming up to rid themselves of the aggressive beast: this element of Spike seems to have faded over time as he is now considered primarily Tom's secondary-nemesis (next to Jerry himself). In the Tom and Jerry Show in the 1970s, Spike was sometimes the rival to a basset hound called Droopy, another MGM creation.

In Tom and Jerry Kids, His personality is softer, but His animosity with Tom as a kitten (or Tom's Child) still existed. as He threatens Tom.

Trivia

 * In Quiet Please, he has an anchored sailor tatoo in his arm, ready to skin Tom alive after he was really being disturbed by Jerry who planted a dynamite stick beneath him.
 * After he and his son was being bothered and messed up by Tom. Jerry was the next to bother and messing up them, so he could blame all of his troubles and disturbance that he put on them on Tom and Spike completely fall for Jerry's tricks and blames Tom.
 * In Tom and Jerry show 2014 Spike is no longer Jerry's friends, he finally realizes it was Jerry who was really causing all of the disturbance and the trouble had put on him, his son and Tom and also stealing his bones and messing up his son

Villainous Acts

 * Dog Trouble - he Once Chases Jerry.
 * Several episodes, he also enslaves Tom(with Jerry joining the party).
 * Pet Peeve - He tries to capture Jerry and compete with Tom.(Both get kicked out of the house anyways.)
 * Truce Hurts - One of the episodes he eats Jerry, and tries to have all the steak to himself. (In fairness Spike, Tom, and Jerry all fought for it.All three, return to enemies)