Mr. Digger

Mr. Digger is an old badger who hates it when animals barge into his home in the 1981 film The Fox and the Hound. He was animated by Kathy Zielinski and also voiced by John McIntire.

Personality
The badger is very old and acts very grumpy. He seems to enjoy his privacy as he doesn't like it when Tod repeatedly enters his den. He is also quite unsympathetic, as even after the Porcupine explains that Tod is new to the reserve, he instead orders Tod to "go back where [he] came from."

Role in the film
He is first seen when Tod is trying to find a den in the forest. Tod goes into a den that he thinks is empty until the old badger comes and starts yelling at him. Tod tries to explain that he thought the den was empty, but the badger doesn't listen or believe him, and tells Tod to get off his property.

The badger is seen again when Tod accidentally lands on his den when he is poked by the porcupine. The badger starts yelling at him more than before. When the badger learns that Tod is new to the forest, instead of taking Tod under his wing and imparting little words of wisdom, he orders Tod to go back where he came from (not realizing that Amos Slade is hunting Tod). The Badger is next seen watching in anger as Tod and Vixey confirm their love for each other. The Badger is not seen throughout the rest of the film after this.

The badger might seem like an antagonist, but he may be just behaving like a typical grumpy recluse, who don't like it when others, in their words, trespass into their territory, whether intentional or not.

Trivia

 * John McIntire, the voice of the grumpy badger, was married to actress Jeanette Nolan, the voice of Mrs. Tweed, from 1935 til his death in 1991. They also voiced characters together in The Rescuers, in which he was Rufus the Cat and she was Ellie Mae the Swamp Mouse.