 Other times however, Tom does keep his promise to Jerry and the partnerships are not quickly dissolved after the problem is solved.The following characters were introduced in the theatrical shorts that were directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.Spike, occasionally referred to as Butch or Killer, is a stern but occasionally dumb grey American bulldog who is particularly disapproving of cats, but is gentle towards mice (though in his debut appearance, "Dog Trouble" (1942), Spike goes after both Tom and Jerry), and later, his son Tyke.