Casting Parks and Rec characters as dog breeds

The Dog O’Day ranking of Parks and Rec characters as dog breeds wraps up with two rather hard to classify employees in Donna and Jerry.

Donna Meagle (Retta)

Position at the time: Parks and Rec Office Manager

Donna Meagle is a terrifying shopaholic most notable for her annual Treat Yo Self Days with Tom, and she’s VERY protective of her Mercedes SUV. Still, she is willing to let people ride in it when necessary, and she’s also known to have a real estate license (6.09, “The Cones of Dunshire”).

Once she went on vacation to Venezuela with April (2..05, “Sister City”), she loves Twilight (3..03, “Time Capsule”), repeatedly gave Ann relationship advice, and eventually winds up living in Seattle and counting placing ninth on Italy’s Got Talent and serving on a NASCAR pit crew among her accomplishments.

Show choice: Cat

April struggles with this pick in “Fluoride,” first trying a Poodle, because “you’re pretty and you like makeup and stuff.” Donna doesn’t mind this choice, but she hates the reasoning.

So April goes back to the drawing board: “You’re a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, because you’re outgoing, adventurous and you…. love Canada?” Again, nope.

Finally, she gets it: “You’re not a dog, you’re a cat! You’re temperamental, unpredictable, and hard to read.” She also says Donna makes people work hard to get close, but if they put in the effort, she’ll open up. This is true, proved by her relationship with Mike the elementary math teacher (Keegan Michael Key).

Dog O’Day choice: Mythical beast

Donna is confusing. So she should be a mythical beast of some kind from ancient mythology, the more obscure the better. They hide in the background (like she does), are dangerous (like she could be), and are certainly a force to be reckoned with (yep).

Jerry/Terry/Larry/Garry Gergich (Jim O’Heir)

Position at the time: Parks and Rec intern

Show choice: Old English Sheepdog

Poor Jerry. He means well and works hard, but has an undeniable talent for messing everything up. However, he enjoys his coworkers and is pleasant to be around, and he has a pleasant family and hobbies he’s …actually amazing at, like painting (3.11, “Jerry’s Painting”), and he eventually made a terrific mayor, serving for over thirty years until his death at age 100 in 2048 (7.13, “One Last Ride”).

But Old English Sheepdogs just look so comical, even if they are successful in the show ring. This was a good choice.

Dog O’Day choice: Miscellaneous, French Bulldog or Pug

Jerry is a miscellaneous rescue dog that is good-natured and loves life, but has terrible habits like snoring loudly and farting all the time. That, or he’s a Frenchie or a Pug, both of which are good companion dogs but are kind of forgettable.

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