The 1986–88 animated series was produced by DIC Entertainment, with the second season co-produced by Crawleys Animation, based on Hank Ketcham's comic strip of the same name.

The show was sponsored by General Mills, which was also credited as the show's copyright owner.

The character Henry Mitchell, George Wilson and Ruff were voiced by Phil Hartman in the first season and by Maurice LaMarche in the second season.

Alice Mitchell and Martha Wilson were voiced by Louise Vallance in season 1 and by Marilyn Lightstone in season 2.

A planned deal to release 65 episodes on videocassette through Family Home Entertainment, signed in November 1985, led to a lawsuit from the show's producer, DIC Enterprises.

In 1987, CBS/Fox Video released a three-volume 75-minute VHS series under the Playhouse Video branding, combining several episodes into direct-to-video movies with newly created transitional segments.

On June 2, 1993, CBS/Fox Video released seven separate VHS compilations of the series in the United States, each grouping four to seven episodes under a themed title.

The complete series was eventually released on DVD, with Mill Creek Entertainment issuing the first season across two 2014 releases before the full series arrived on September 6, 2016.