What is the name of Stan's dog in "South Park"?

The name of Stan Marsh’s dog in South Park is Sparky. He is introduced in the season-one episode “Big Gay Al’s Big Gay Boat Ride,” where his behavior becomes the center of the story.

The episode first aired on September 3, 1997, as the fourth episode of South Park’s first season. Stan initially boasts that Sparky is the toughest dog in town, but Sparky’s attraction to another male dog leads Cartman to label him gay. Stan then struggles with the idea and tries to make his dog act differently.

Sparky runs away and ends up at Big Gay Al’s Big Gay Animal Sanctuary. Big Gay Al helps Stan understand that homosexuality is not something that needs to be corrected, giving the episode an unusually direct tolerance message for an early animated comedy.

George Clooney provided Sparky’s voice, although the role consists almost entirely of barking. The dog is most strongly associated with this episode, so viewers sometimes remember Big Gay Al or the sanctuary but forget Sparky’s name.