[2] Tale of a Dog was sold to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer not as an Our Gang comedy but as part of its MGM Miniatures variety series.

However, when Froggy, Mickey, and Janet overhear Buckwheat and Big Shot's plans to "surprise them with S/smallpox," they fear the worst and call all their friends and the Greenpoint Board of Health.

A panic grips the small town, with the gang's parents worried about their whereabouts and well-being, and the rest of the neighborhood kids running away from Buckwheat and Big Shot wherever they turn up.

Upon hearing the gang promise to feed him, Smallpox/Spotty turns to the camera and (via mouth animation) tells the audience (in a stereotypical southern African American dialect) "My, oh my; that shol' is good news!"

However, pre-production began on Dancing Romeo first, making Tale of a Dog the final film in the series to go into production.