This particular episode is plodding. The middle part of season 1 was fairly weak.By the way, Smith was most definitely an actual officer. This becomes clear in later epsidoes such as "Prisoners of Space" and "Time Merchant". He didn't just sneak on the ship without actually having been in the military. He was some sort of quisling or double agent. Never made entirely clear in the show, although the voice over in the first episode indirectly implies that hes an "agent of a foreign power"I do agree that his behavior, especially in the first season, is inconsistent, but other than pratical concerns of ratings and Harris wanting to carve a broader niches for himself, this has been sort of explained as Smith undergoing some sort of mental breakdown.
Consdiring the amount of aliens who duplicate him, borrow his brain, etc, I could see
how that could damage the mind!

This show started when I was one. Unlike *Star Trek*, it wasn't carried by a local channel for long when it was in syndication, so I didn't get to see many episodes before this. The family aspect was nice. I like the show. However, it could have been better. In particular, Dr. Smith and his plots and antics get quite tiresome in a short time--I'm only about ten episodes into the first season. Also, Smith's level of skill, competence, and sense is so inconsistent. It's hard to believe anyone who would do a foolish thing such as take the weapons apart and not know how to get them back together ("One Of Our Dogs Is Missing") could have become a United States Army colonel--even as a staff officer--or could have played an important part in designing the spaceship or could have become and practiced as a medical doctor or be selected as an agent to undetake an important act of sabotage. On the other hand, I guess they'd have to take who was available to be an agent, and he did blow the job. Still... (Heck, in the aired pilot, Smith had enough chops to take an MP or sky cop down with one blow .) Seeing this show, it surprises me how little was original in *Star Trek*. I wonder where they got the idea for the collars in the "Gamesters of Triskelion" (*Star Trek* TOS). Again, it is a likeable show, but (I shake my head) it could have been so much better, even in its plot and character development . *Star Trek* TOS had its flaws, but it did do better. That may be why one reason why *Star Trek* got to be a major franchise in the end, while *Lost in Space* did not.

... so the Robinsons must have eaten the dog. It's all about survival, baby.

Good episode with the hairy Sand Creature providing more excitement than the Bush Creature from the previous episode. Funny scene with Dr. Smith trying to cowtow to the feist Dog. And yes, the dog does not appear again. Just as the duplicate Judy in an upcoming episode. Script writers werent on top of the story line. No continuity.
But the dog is cute and the episode works well.