This film was the first of a proposed nine-picture deal between Hanna-Barbera and American International Pictures. Joseph Barbera approached his friend Samuel Z. Arkoff about producing live-action films, although William Hanna and other people at Hanna-Barbera weren't eager to venture outside animation. Arkoff was enthusiastic about Barbera's ideas. The deal was canceled due to creative differences and this film's poor box-office performance.
In Joseph Barbera's original story treatment, C.H.O.M.P.S. was a Doberman Pinscher. Besides, Dobermans being common security dogs, this would also fit in Barbera's ubiquitous 'Scooby-Doo' mold. Lou Arkoff, son of executive producer Samuel Z. Arkoff, suggested that the mechanical dog would instead be more of a non-threatening dog, in the same mold as Benji (1974). In the film, Wesley Eure's character showed off a failed Doberman prototype of C.H.O.M.P.S. that alludes to Barbera's early concept. Barbera liked the film, but he felt that this change in tone contributed to its weak box-office performance.
The title acronym C.H.O.M.P.S. stands for 'Canine Home Protection System' as in "Canine HOMe Protection System" i.e. The C.H.O.M.P.S. acronym is formed from the first letter in each word as well as the second and third letters in the second word 'home'.
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