What type of animal was the Flintstones' pet Dino?

Dino was a Snorkasaurus, the fictional dinosaur species used for the Flintstones family’s pet. Although Dino was technically a prehistoric creature, the series portrayed him primarily as an exuberant, doglike companion.

He belonged to Fred and Wilma Flintstone and became famous for greeting Fred enthusiastically after work, often knocking him down and covering him with affectionate licks. Dino also displayed humanlike emotions and could react angrily when Fred tried to deceive him, making him both a pet and a comic character.

The species is not the same as a triceratops, stegosaurus, or brontosaurus, which are real dinosaur groups or commonly used dinosaur names. “Snorkasaurus” is a fictional Flintstones term, so it is best understood as part of the show’s invented prehistoric world rather than a scientific classification.

Dino first appeared in the opening credits of the pilot. His species received particular attention in the first-season episode “The Snorkasaurus Hunter,” while later stories emphasized his resemblance to a household dog.