Editing Footrot Flats (section)

==Main characters==
[[Image:Footrot flats strip.png|thumb|A scene from a 1978 strip - showing ''Wal'' and ''The Dog'']]
[[File:Footrot flats Dog.jpg|thumb|A graffiti tribute at Big King Reserve in Auckland]]
[[File:Sculpture of Wal and Dog from Footrot Flats.jpg|thumb|Sculpture of Wal and Dog in Gisborne, New Zealand]]
; '''"The Dog"''' : The main character of the series, a [[Border Collie]], he considers himself tough and brave, but is quite soft and sometimes cowardly. His real name, chosen by Wal's Aunt Dolly, has never been revealed. He despises this "refined, aristocratic name" and goes to great lengths to censor it. Wal always calls him "Dog", gaining his loyal devotion. The Dog was born on October 13 at Aunt Dolly's holiday home for cats and raised by a Persian cat named Ninky Poo—which caused him, when he was a pup, to act more like a cat than a dog—before being given to Wal, who raised him to act more like a normal dog. He is a competent [[herding dog|sheepdog]] and is often put to work to guard things or get rid of [[rat]]s or [[pig]]s, but has a considerable independent streak. He is fond of rabbits, afraid of hares and dislikes seeing trees being cut down. He has several alter egos: "The Scarlet Manuka" who attempts to 'liberate' cricket balls, "Mitey Iron Paw", and "the Grey Ghost of The Forest". The Dog has claimed to have the following commendations: V.C. (Very Cute), D.S.O. (Doesn't Steal Offal), and B.A.R (What Sheep Do), along with the alias of '00Dog' (Licensed to be kind but fair). He usually attempts to act as a 'chaperone' on Wal's dates with "Cheeky" Hobson, leading to disaster for Wal.

; '''Wallace Cadwallader "Wal" Footrot''' : Wallace Footrot was born on 26 January in Northern Manawatu. He was educated at Apiti Primary School and later Foxton Agricultural High,<ref name="Ball1984">{{cite book|author=Murray Ball|title=Footrot Flats 9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C-VQnQAACAAJ|access-date=31 July 2017|year=1984|publisher=Inprint|page=3|isbn=978-0-86464-042-0}}</ref> where he excelled at tractor reversing and rooster imitations. Wallace established an outstanding relationship with [[muscovy duck]]s, but unfortunately failed completely with geese. Indeed, he seemed to have an uncanny knack of irritating them. Wallace took a full part in all school activities. He displayed a promising right cross during his time in the front row of the 2nd XV, but was unable to transfer this ability to the boxing ring. He rather let the side down during the inter-school championships by throwing in the sponge, which knocked the referee's glasses crooked. He was disqualified. On leaving school, he acquired {{convert|400|acre|ha}} of swamp between the [[Ureweras]] and the sea. He is unmarried, although he has an interest in Darlene "Cheeky" Hobson, who works as a hairdresser in Raupo. Wal plays [[rugby union]] for Raupo, where he is a [[Rugby union positions#Hooker|hooker]] and dreams of representing New Zealand's national team, the [[All Blacks]]. The Raupo XV often play against the Mill team, whose star player is Wal's sleazy neighbour, 'Spit' Murphy, who also competes for Cheeky's affections.

; '''Socrates "Cooch" Windgrass''' : Wal's neighbour and best friend. Cooch has compassion for all living creatures and nature, and thus has a natural affinity with animals. But he is no [[vegetarian]]. His family owns 1,000 acres of swamp, tussock, scrub, forest and mudflat. A [[Cordyline_australis|cabbage tree]] grows through his verandah floor, while a [[pūriri]] tree has pushed his house crooked. Cooch owns the Dog's girlfriend Jess and a pet [[Australian magpie|magpie]] called Pew. Cooch never drives a tractor, preferring to plod along on his [[Clydesdale (breed)|Clydesdales]]. He helps Wal with fencing, shearing and other farm jobs. He is unmarried but has a crush on his cousin Kathy. Murray Ball describes Cooch as 'eccentric, NOT an idiot!', having based the character on two people he knows.

; '''Dolores Monrovia Godwit "Aunt Dolly" Footrot''': Wal's aunt (by marriage). She was born in Cambridge, Waikato, and was the second daughter of Englishman Edward George Bogg and New Zealander Fiona Godwit Symington. She was educated at Lady Hinema Sacks-Grenville School for Young Ladies and was a prefect, captain of [[Field hockey|hockey]], [[lacrosse]], and [[boxing]]. She married beneath her station to Arch' "Toey" Footrot, a barber and unlicensed bookie, who was Wal's father's older brother. Unfortunately, Toey ran off to Australia with "a dumb but decorative darts stall owner with masses of black hair". Aunt Dolly's first cat was Archibald II. She owns a cat home (where Dog was born) on Prince Phillip Drive{{citation needed|reason=Should this be "Philip"?|date=October 2024}} in [[Tauranga]]. She is [[Conservatism|conservative]], reveres the British monarchy, always addresses people by their proper names, and she disapproves of Wal's relationship with Cheeky Hobson. Beneath her strictness she has a kind heart and takes to mothering abandoned lambs in the winter. Dog despises her for giving him his name.

; '''Darlene "Cheeky" Hobson''' : Wal's girlfriend. She is the proprietor of La Parisienne Hairdressing Salon in Raupo. Cheeky is despised by the Dog, who is always looking for ways to come between her and Wal. She has two younger sisters, Belinda (Book 10) and Avril (Books 14 and 24), also both disliked by the Dog. Near the end of the strip's run, Cheeky and Wal become engaged, much to the dismay of the Dog and Aunt Dolly, but at the last minute Cheeky dumps Wal to move to Los Angeles with a male stripper. She is first mentioned in Wal's mini biography at the start of Book 1 (September 1978) but does not appear until Book 2 (August 1979).

; '''Horse''': A large, fierce and practically invulnerable tomcat, based on a cat that lived on Murray Ball's farm. He is a menace to the Dog and the other characters, resisting attempts to be tamed. He has a girlfriend (Fred, first mentioned in Book 9, first appears in Book 11) who has tattooed ears, lives with a biker gang and loves leather. He occasionally fathers kittens. Horse "spoke" infrequently in the earlier comics, but subsequently communicated via actions and yowls. Horse has saved the Dog and Jess from the local rat population at the Murphy farm. Book 7 is dedicated to the real Horse and begins with an elegy, followed by a eulogy penned by Murray Ball to commemorate the irascible cat's passing. First appearance: Book 2 (August 1979).

; '''Janice "Pongo" Footrot''' : Wal's niece, daughter of Rex Footrot. She ages during the books. She starts off as a stereotypical little girl, dressing up the Dog, putting him in a pram and playing dolls; however, she slowly turns into a strong [[feminist]]. Despite being a "town" girl and attending boarding school, she is unafraid of wildlife and assists with mustering and other farm work. She insists her nickname Pongo derives from her ping pong skills, not because she ponged (stunk) as a baby. First appearance: Book 3 (July 1980).

; '''Prince Charles''': A very spoiled [[Welsh Corgi]] owned by Aunt Dolly. Has a higher view on life from listening to Aunt Dolly and living indoors. Often there are "class" clashes between him and Dog. He sometimes lusts after Jess but is even more fond of fine canine cuisine. In Book 12, he is asked to "service" a female corgi named Penelope Penrose IV, but fails to rise to the occasion, leaving Major to do the job at night. The Dog usually has to explain to Prince Charles the rougher aspects of farm life, like livestock mating and [[maggots]] eating mutton without gravy. Prince Charles is territorial when on his own turf. First appearance: Book 4 (April 1981).

; '''Rangi Wiremu Waka Jones''' : A local boy who often appears on the farm to give Wal a hand, he also plays with Pongo when she visits during holidays. Despite his short stature, he is a skilled rugby player, often getting the better of Wal. Rangi's father is an abattoir slaughterman and his mother teaches at Raupo School. In his first appearance, Rangi considers skinning the Dog to make a fur coat.<ref>{{cite book|author=Murray Ball|title=Footrot Flats 5|date=August 1981|publisher=INL Print Publications, New Zealand|page=4|isbn=978-1-86958-265-4}}</ref> As a testimony to Murray Ball's skill as an artist, the character of Rangi grew up over the years, appearing slightly older in each book from being a little kid to a teenager. First appearance: Book 4 (April 1981).

The characters are invariably known by their nicknames, such as Cooch, Pongo, Rangi, and Aunt Dolly. However, Aunt Dolly never uses the nicknames and always addresses them by their proper names.