Genius dog Mr. Peabody takes a scooter in new film

What vehicle to you give to the the genius dog at the center of your story? That was the question hovering over the movie Sherman and Peabody, which comes to screens next March.

While he is known as the animated dog who adopts human son Sherman as a separate cartoon in the 1960s Rocky and Bullwinkle show, the canine Mr. Peabody never drove. But modern dogs need wheels!

Director Rob Minkoff said there was a long discussion about what Mr. Peabody should drive in the new version.

"We were exploring what it might be and we ended up discussing all sorts of motorcycles. Large ones. Kind of a Harleys and other things," says Minkoff. "But none of them made sense."

They eventually decided on the very urbane scooter with the sidecar for Sherman.

"This is the one that sort of fit his personality, it's in his character," says Minkoff. "Mr. Peabody has been all over the world, he's traveled everywhere."

Naturally in the animated world, there's no problem with a dog driving. Even the local police don't hassle Mr. Peabody.

"He's never had a problem with the police before. He's got a clean record," says Minkoff. "As long as you obey the traffic code and rules, there would not be a problem."

"Some people might look askance at a dog driving a scooter," he adds. "But not everybody."