The show follows Max Fisher, a 10-year-old boy who one day finds Sharkdog, a half-shark, half-dog creature with an appetite. Now Max has to take care of him without letting his parents, his mom Julie, and his father Steven, discover him, that is until at the end of the first season, but they ultimately decide to let Sharkdog stay in the family, then the formula changes in Season 2.
Tropes used or discussed on this show:
- All Animals Are Domesticated: Sharkdog behaves like a domesticated dog, despite appearing to have never lived with any humans before Max.
- A Boy and His X: In the first episode, Max meets Sharkdog and adopts him as his Loyal Animal Companion.
- All-CGI Cartoon: The cartoon was done entirely in CGI.
- Bad People Abuse Animals: Captain Barb Quigley's entire motivation is to hunt down and kill Sharkdog.
- Big Bad: Captain Barb Quigley, at least until Season 2.
- Bratty Half-Pint: Dennis is like this most of the time.
- First Pet Story: It follows Max as he takes care of Sharkdog while he causes destruction.
- From Stray to Pet: Max found Sharkdog and decided to keep him.
- Halloween Episode: Sharkdog's Fintastic Halloween focuses on Max telling everyone a Halloween story.
- Hunting Is Evil: Captain Barb Quigley is obviously portrayed as evil for hunting Sharkdog.
- Land Shark: Sharkdog.
- Mix-and-Match Critters: Sharkdog is one of these, being a hybrid between a dog and a shark.
- Once a Season: Each season finale breaks the Three Shorts formula.
- Pet Monstrosity: Max keeps Sharkdog as a pet. In real life he would be considered a bloodthirsty monster, which he isn't in the show because it's a preschool cartoon.
- Precious Puppy: Sharkdog acts as one of these.
- Secret Pet Plot: Max and his friends, Olivia and Royce, care for Sharkdog in secret from Max's parents while dealing with the chaos he causes.
- Talking Animal: Sharkdog speaks a little English from time to time.
- Team Pet: Sharkdog is this for the main team: Max, Olivia, and Royce.
- Three Shorts: Each episode of Sharkdog consists of three 7-minute shorts shown together, except for each season finale which consists of a Two Shorts episode.
- Averted Trope: The Season 3 finale, Return to the Island, is a full 22-minute episode.