It’s summmmmerrrr! That means hitting the pool, watching a lot more Netflix, and binging on popcorn and candy at the movie theater (well, that’s what it looks like in our house at least!). And there’s usually a long list of feel-good funny ones as well as action-packed dramas to choose from. One such movie is out right now—Show Dogs—and it’s getting quite a bit of press, but not all of it is good.

The recipe for a kids’ classic is there: famous faces and/or voices (Will Arnett and Ludacris with a cameo from Shaq), talking animals that come to life, and farts and butt-slapping. Really, what more do our kids need? Well, unfortunately, for all of the fun and humor and life lessons packed into Show Dogs, some are saying it sends the wrong message to our kids about consent and the touching of their private parts.

The premise of the show is that Max, a police dog, infiltrates a dog show in the hopes of rescuing a kidnapped baby panda. Well, unfortunately for poor old Max, being a “show dog” (even if only undercover) means getting your private parts inspected, and touched. His initial reaction is to resist, but, as reported in an article on Macaroni Kid, he’s repeatedly trained to “go to his ‘zen place’ while it happens so he can get through it.” And, in the end, that’s exactly what he does. 

Fearing that he’ll lose the competition and all hope of finding the panda, Max does succumb to this pressure. “The judge’s hands slowly reach behind Max and he goes to his ‘zen place'”, Macaroni Kid says. “He’s flying through the sky, dancing with his partner, there are fireworks and flowers-everything is great-all while someone is touching his private parts.”

Parents are saying this is problematic and sends the wrong message to our kids, since we tell them to NEVER let anyone touch them there. In fact, some say the movie goes so far as to depict “grooming”—a term used to describe what predators do as they “train” kids to relax, get used to being touched, accept being touched, etc.

Listen, I get it. This is a kids’ movie. And is everything in kids’ movies (or even movies for adults) supposed to be taken as fact? No. We recently saw Peter Rabbit, which was criticized for the way it portrayed deadly food allergies. My son is allergic to nuts and has an EpiPen. We still laughed, enjoyed the movie, and looked past that scene to enjoy the story as a whole.

And we are huge Star Wars fans. My kids know they can’t (and shouldn’t want to) cut someone on half with a light saber.

It is our job to teach our kids that movies are movies. That talking dogs aren’t real. And that sometimes fiction is really just that—fiction.

However.

Our kids see themselves in these characters, even if they are animals. (Sometimes especially if they are animals.) My daughter was inspired to be a brave police officer by a tiny bunny in Zootopia. And to overcome her stage fright by an elephant in Sing

The creators of these movies know what they are doing, and they intentionally create characters our kids love. Characters they idolize. Characters they copy, in speech, and in actions.

So even though Max is a dog, and in real life, performance dogs are inspected, and probably do have their bodies touched prior to a show, in Show Dogs, Max isn’t just a dog anymore. He’s a character being forced to consent to something that we’ve taught our kids is inappropriate, never okay, and downright abusive. 

Take this criticism however you want to take it. You may choose to boycott the movie all together, as many did with Peter Rabbit, or to movies like Star Wars because of violent scenes. Or you can take your kids to see it and have a conversation afterwards. Maybe this movie provides an opening to a discussion you haven’t had yet, but have been meaning to start. Turns out a talking police dog can open that door for you.

In the end, we need these kids’ movies for our sanity this summer, because the days are daaaaaang long. But more importantly, we need our kids to be safe and know that they are in charge of their own bodies.

So God Made a Mother book by Leslie Means

If you liked this, you'll love our book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Order Now

Check out our new Keepsake Companion Journal that pairs with our So God Made a Mother book!

Order Now
So God Made a Mother's Story Keepsake Journal

Karen Johnson

Karen Johnson is a freelance writer who is known on social media as The 21st Century SAHM. She is an assistant editor at Sammiches and Psych Meds, staff writer and social media manager for Scary Mommy, and is the author of I Brushed My Hair Today, A Mom Journal for Mostly Together Moms. Follow Karen on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/21stcenturysahm/, Twitter https://twitter.com/21stcenturysahm , and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the21stcenturysahm/

This Time In the Passenger Seat is Precious

In: Kids, Motherhood, Teen
Teen driver with parent in passenger seat

When you’re parenting preteens and teens, it sometimes feels like you are an unpaid Uber driver. It can be a thankless job. During busy seasons, I spend 80 percent of my evenings driving, parking, dropping off, picking up, sitting in traffic, running errands, waiting in drive-thru lines. I say things like buckle your seat belt, turn that music down a little bit, take your trash inside, stop yelling—we are in the car, keep your hands to yourself, don’t make me turn this car around, get your feet off the back of the seat, this car is not a trash can,...

Keep Reading

So God Made My Daughter a Wrestler

In: Kids, Motherhood
Young female wrestler wearing mouth guard and wrestling singlet

God made my girl a wrestler. Gosh, those are words I would never have thought I would say or be so insanely proud to share with you. But I am. I know with 100 percent certainty and overwhelming pride that God made my girl a wrestler. But it’s been a journey. Probably one that started in the spring of 2010 when I was pregnant with my first baby and having the 20-week anatomy ultrasound. I remember hearing the word “girl” and squealing. I was over the moon excited—all I could think about were hair bows and cute outfits. And so...

Keep Reading

A Big Family Can Mean Big Feelings

In: Faith, Kids, Motherhood
Family with many kids holding hands on beach

I’m a mother of six. Some are biological, and some are adopted. I homeschool most of them. I’m a “trauma momma” with my own mental health struggles. My husband and I together are raising children who have their own mental illnesses and special needs. Not all of them, but many of them. I battle thoughts of anxiety and OCD daily. I exercise, eat decently, take meds and supplements, yet I still have to go to battle. The new year has started slow and steady. Our younger kids who are going to public school are doing great in their classes and...

Keep Reading

You May Be a Big Brother, but You’ll Always Be My Baby

In: Kids, Motherhood
Mother with young son, color photo

It seems like yesterday we were bringing you home from the hospital. Back then, we were new parents, clueless but full of love—a love that words can hardly explain. I can vividly recall holding you in my arms, rocking you in the cutest nursery, and singing sweet lullabies, just like yesterday. I can picture those times when you were teeny-tiny, doing tummy time, and how proud I was of you for lifting your head. And oh, the happiness on your face when “Baby Shark” played over and over—that song always made you smile! We made sure to capture your growth...

Keep Reading

“It Looks and Tastes Like Candy.” Mom Shares Warning about THC Gummies All Parents Need to Hear

In: Kids, Living, Teen
Hand holding bottle of THC gummies

What Aimee Larsen first thought was a stomach bug turned out to be something much more terrifying for her young son. Her 9-year-old woke up one day last week seeming “lethargic, barely able to stand or speak,” his mom shared in a Facebook post. At first, she assumed he had a virus, but something about his behavior just didn’t seem right. She called an ambulance and asked her older sons if their brother might have gotten into something, like cough syrup or another over-the-counter medicine. Their answer? “Yeah, THC gummies.” THC gummies are an edible form of cannabis that contain...

Keep Reading

My Child with Special Needs Made His Own Way in His Own Time

In: Kids, Motherhood
Mother holding child's hand walking across street

I want to tell you the story of a little boy who came to live with me when he was three years old. Some of you may find this story familiar in your own life. Your little boy or girl may have grown inside you and shares your DNA or maybe they came into your life much older than three. This little boy, this special child, my precious gift has special needs. Just five short years ago, he was a bit mean and angry, he said few understandable words, and there was a lot about this world he didn’t understand. Unless...

Keep Reading

Dear Daughter as You Grow into Yourself

In: Kids, Motherhood, Tween
Girl in hat and dress-up clothes, color photo

My daughter, I watched you stand in front of the mirror, turning your body left and right. Your skirt was too big and your top on backward. Your bright blue eyeshadow reached your eyebrows and bold red blush went up to your ears. You didn’t care. I watched you marvel at your body, feeling completely at ease in your skin. You turned and admired yourself with pride. You don’t see imperfections. You don’t see things you are lacking. You see goodness. You see strength. RELATED: Daughter, When You Look in the Mirror, This is What I Hope You See I’m...

Keep Reading

Organized Sports Aren’t Everything

In: Kids, Motherhood
Young girl with Alpaca, color photo

Today I watched my little girl walk an alpaca. His name is Captain. Captain is her favorite. He’s my favorite too. I met his owner on Instagram of all places. She thought I was in college; I thought she was a middle-aged woman. Turns out, she is in high school, and I am a middle-aged woman. This random meeting led to a blessing. We call it “llama lessons.” We take llama lessons every other week. It’s an hour away on the cutest hobby farm. Our “teacher” is Flora, who boards her llamas at the alpaca farm. She wants to teach...

Keep Reading

I Had to Learn to Say “I’m Sorry” to My Kids

In: Kids, Motherhood, Teen, Tween
Mom hugs tween daughter

My two oldest kiddos are at the front end of their teen years. I remember that time in my own life. I was loud, somewhat dramatic, I let my hormones control me, and I never—ever—apologized. This last part was because no one ever really taught me the value of apology or relationship repair. Now, I could do some parent blaming here but let’s be real, if you were a kid whose formative years were scattered between the late ’80s and early ’90s, did you get apologies from your parents? If so, count that blessing! Most parents were still living with...

Keep Reading

5 Things Your Child’s Kindergarten Teacher Wants You To Know

In: Kids, Motherhood
Child raising hand in kindergarten class

I am a teacher. I have committed my life to teaching children. Of course, before I began this career, I had visions of standing in front of a group of eager-eyed children and elaborating on history, science, and math lessons. I couldn’t wait to see the “lightbulb” moments when students finally understood a reading passage or wrote their first paper. And then I had my first day. Children are not cut out of a textbook (shocking, I know) but as a young 23-year-old, it knocked me right off my feet. I was thrown into the lion’s den, better known as...

Keep Reading