Tag: dogs

Review: ‘Pets’ (2025), starring Sterling Davis, Travis Ford, Adam Burke, Sergi Basolí, Kristin Hartness, Jay Yontz, Rodney Stotts and Shinobu Takahashi

April 19, 2025

by Carla Hay

Sterling Davis and his cat Alanis Mewisette in “Pets” (Photo courtesy of Disney+)

“Pets” (2025)

Directed by Bryce Dallas Howard

Culture Representation: The documentary film “Pets” features a predominantly white group of people (with some African Americans, Asians and Latin people) discussing the special bonds that they have with their pets.

Culture Clash: Several of the pet owners talk about the challenges they face, particularly if they take care of several pets or if they take care of any pets with special needs.

Culture Audience: “Pets” will appeal primarily to people who like feel-good documentaries about animals and animal caregivers.

Jay Yontz and Kristin Hartness with their pig Ziggy and an unidentified pug in “Pets” (Photo by Al Drago/Disney+)

The documentary “Pets” offers a mostly lighthearted view of how pets and humans deeply affect each others’ lives. The movie excels at giving perspectives from people of diverse backgrounds and ages. The content is more entertaining than educational.

Directed by Bryce Dallas Howard, “Pets” has a similar format to her 2020 documentary “Dads,” which was her feature-film directorial debut. Some of the interviews are soundbites that were recorded in a studio, while the other interviews are in longer segments that are feature profiles. The interview soundbites are from children. The longer profiles are of adults who treat their pets like beloved members of their families. Besides the subject matter, the main difference between “Dads” and “Pets” is that “Pets” does not have interviews with celebrities.

“Pets” begins with a montage of video clips from social media showing people getting emotional when they find out that they’ve gotten pets as gifts. Throughout the documentary, there are soundbites of children commenting about their own experiences with their own pets. A recurring comment from all pet owners is that pets give unconditional love and generally make people feel better; people can learn a lot from pets; and pets can be easier to confide in than people.

Travis Ford and Adam Burke (a gay couple in Ridgefield, Connecticut) are shown during their journey of adopting a puppy named Blue from the Sato Project, a rescue group that finds homes for stray dogs from Puerto Rico. Ford and Burke say that Blue is the first pet they’ve adopted without meeting the pet in person first. They’re adopting Blue to be a companion for their senior dog Delilah, who was 17 years old at the time the documentary was made.

Sterling Davis (a cat rescuer in Asheville, North Carolina) talks about how he grew up in an abusive household that left him emotionally scarred, but his life changed with the help from a special Himalayan cat that he named Rick James, who died several years ago. Davis (who says he used to be a rapper) now operates a cat rescue service that does a lot of TNR (trap-neuter-return) work for feral cats that need to live outdoors. He says his experience surviving an abusive childhood has made him feel compassion for stray cats because he can relate to them feeling helpless in a bad situation. His rescue van (which is called Trap King) has an image of his cat Rick James. At the time this documentary was filmed, Davis had a cat named Alanis Mewisette that was his closest feline companion.

Sergi Basolí (an adventurer in Calella de Palafrugell, Spain) has dedicated his life to traveling by sea and by land. Before he met his love partner Eva (who is briefly seen in the documentary with their son Joe), he was a bachelor looking for a travel companion. He found that companion with a friendly mutt named Havana. And when he unexpectedly adopted a stray kitten named Goku, Havana treated Goku like Goku was her own child. Goku and Havana both learned how to live on sailboats and navigate rough terrain on hikes.

Kristin Hartness and Jay Yontz (an engaged couple in Providence, North Carolina) have a male pig named Ziggy, who was adopted by Hartness in 2011, when Ziggy was a baby. Ziggy is now almost 300 pounds. Having a pig of this size meant that Hartness and Yontz had to give up certain housing, so they spent a number of years traveling by motor home, just so they could keep Ziggy. Hartness and Yontz now own and operate Ziggy’s Rescue Farm Sanctuary, which has a specialty in taking care of animals with special needs. A cute female pig named Zippy (with paralysis in the lower half of her body) is featured in the documentary.

Shinobu Takahashi (a dog rescuer in Nagoya, Japan) talks about how a special dog he had named Daca changed him at a low point in his life when Takahashi was feeling down over the failure of a business that he owned. Daca (who is now deceased) inspired Takahashi to go into dog rescuing as a profession. Takahashi is also a dog trainer.

Shizue Funahashi (a retired widow in Nagoya) is part of a dog interaction program that Takahashi started for senior citizens because Japan has a law that rescue groups and adoption shelters cannot adopt out pets to people ages 65 and older. Funahashi talks about how her two dogs are her best friends. She also gets teary-eyed when she remembers how her late husband’s dog Pom Pom was his constant companion and died one year after her husband passed away.

Rodney Stotts (a falconer in Charlotte Court House, Virginia) says he used to be a drug dealer in Washington, D.C., but he turned his life around because of his love of animals. The special owl in Stotts’ life is named Hoot. Stotts has a rescue sanctuary for birds of prey and other animals. He’s also shown introducing Hoot to kids who visit the sanctuary.

The children interviewed in the “sound bites” parts of documentary are interviewed solo or in pairs. (The kids interviewed in pairs are siblings.) The kid interviewees are all adorable and range in ages from 6 to 15 at the time the documentary was filmed.

Howard’s children Beatrice Howard-Gabel and Theo Howard-Gabel are among those interviewed. The other children interviewed are Sabrina Beesely, Abner Chen, Axcel Chen, Eteri Coast, Sasha Dolan, Julia Gallagher, Amelia Jenkins, Xiaowan Jin, Iris Klumpe, Goldie Lee, Wyatt Liskey, Rhett Lopez, Mickele McKerring, Teddy McMahon, Tess Miyao, Ella Grace Oh, Kalista Price, LJ Randle, Jordan Roberto-Chen, Landon Sayer and Breanna Williams. Sayer is one of the more memorable kids because he and his dog both have cleft palates.

“Pets” touches on the realistic topic of coping with the death of a pet. It’s not a big part of the documentary, but the topic is handled with sensitivity without being too mawkish. Although the adults featured in the documentary profiles are engaging to watch, the documentary could have had better of a gender balance for the adults who are interviewed. Hartness and Funahashi are the only women who get significant screen time in “Pets.”

The documentary also could have been a little bit more information about pets in the workplace. For example, it would’ve been great to have at least one story about dogs that work for law enforcement, cats in bodegas, or horses that are part of guided tours. Mammals and birds get the vast majority of pet screen time in the documentary, while reptiles, amphibians and insects are barely mentioned and only briefly seen in the documentary. Of course, the possibilities are endless on what types of pets could have been in this documentary, so it’s understandable that the filmmakers had to narrow down the choices for a feature-length film.

“Pets” is an easy and very likable viewing choice for people of many generations and life experiences. There are plenty of other documentaries that explore the scientific aspects of domesticated animals. “Pets” is like looking at a family photo album and listening to personal stories rather than reading a fact-heavy textbook and getting an academic lecture.

Disney+ premiered “Pets” on April 11, 2025.

Review: ‘The Friend’ (2025), starring Naomi Watts and Bill Murray

March 26, 2025

by Carla Hay

Naomi Watts (pictured at right) and Bing in “The Friend” (Photo courtesy of Bleecker Street)

“The Friend” (2025)

Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel

Culture Representation: Taking place in New York state the dramatic film “The Friend” (based on the novel of the same name) features a predominantly white group of people (with a few black people and Latin people) representing the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.

Culture Clash: After her best friend dies by suicide, a writer reluctantly takes care of his beloved Great Dane, even though her apartment building doesn’t allow residents to have dogs.

Culture Audience: “The Friend” will appeal primarily to people who are interested in reliably predictable dramas about emotional bonds that can form between humans and pet animals.

Bill Murray and Naomi Watts in “The Friend” (Photo courtesy of Bleecker Street)

“The Friend” has its charms, but the slow pacing of this movie drags it down. It’s a predictable and competently acted drama about a writer who takes care of a Great Dane while grieving over her best friend’s death. You know how this movie ends. The ending is different from the ending of Sigrid Nunez’s 2018 novel “The Friend,” on which the movie is based, because it’s obvious that the filmmakers wanted to make the safest choice possible on how to conclude the film.

Written and directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel, “The Friend” had its world premiere at the 2024 Telluride Festival. It then made the rounds at other film festivals in 2024, including the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival. The movie takes place in New York state, where “The Friend” was filmed on location.

“The Friend” jumps back and forth in time but begins with a voiceover of protagonist Iris (played by Naomi Watts) talking aloud to the person who was her best friend but who is now deceased: a creative writing professor/author named Walter (played by Bill Murray), who used to be Iris’ teacher and remained her mentor for the rest of his life. (Murray is playing yet another sarcastic, self-absorbed character in this movie.) It’s soon revealed that Walter committed suicide without warning.

Iris muses in her narration that she thinks that the biggest thing that Walter probably worried about in the aftermath if his death: “What’s going to happen to the dog?” That dog is a 150-pound Great Dane named Apollo (played by Bing), who was Walter’s closest non-human companion. After the funeral, Walter’s widow/third wife Barbara (played by Noma Dumezweni) summons Iris to her home to confess that she doesn’t like dogs and doesn’t want to keep Apollo. Barbara doesn’t want to put Apollo in an animal shelter or kennel.

Barbara says the only logical solution would be to give Apollo to Iris because Iris was Walter’s best friend and would’ve wanted it that way. Barbara mentions that all the other people she knows can’t take Apollo because they don’t have the time or the room to have a Great Dane in their lives. Barbara also impolitely assumes that because Iris is a bachelorette with no children, then Iris must have more time than other people to take care of this dog.

Iris doesn’t want to keep the dog either. She explains to Barbara that she prefers cats. And the New York City building where Iris lives does not allow its residents to have dogs as pets. Iris, who teaches a creative writing workshop as a part-time job, also says she’ll be very busy working on the last book that Walter was working on before he died: his memoir, based on journals and letters that Walter left behind. A non-fiction book would have been a departure for Walter, who up until this point had only written novels.

You already know how this story is going to play out, as shown in the movie’s trailer. Iris takes ownership of the dog, which she thinks will be a temporary situation. Her plan is to give Apollo to an animal rescue group that can take Great Danes, but the closest animal rescue group that fits that description doesn’t have room for Apollo and puts Iris on a waiting list.

Iris lives in a fairly small one-bedroom apartment in New York City’s Manhattan borough. It’s a rent-controlled apartment that she inherited from her deceased father. Iris doesn’t want to move because her rent is extremely low and can’t be raised, due to New York City’s rent control laws. The first night that Apollo stays in the apartment, he takes over her bed. Iris is too passive to move the dog to make him sleep somewhere else in the apartment.

You can almost do a countdown to the scenes where Apollo makes a mess of the apartment when Iris is away (due to his separation anxiety) and Iris’ continuing struggle to handle a dog of this size when she takes Apollo for walks or gives baths to Apollo. Iris can barely tolerate Apollo. She gives him food, water and shelter, but doesn’t show him much affection during the first week or two that she’s responsible for taking care of him.

Over time, Iris begins to see that Apollo is also grieving over the loss of Walter. It’s how she starts bonding with this dog. Iris also struggles with the roller coaster of emotions of a loved one left behind by someone who committed suicide. And she starts to wonder if she really wants to give up Apollo after all. You know where all of this is going, of course.

And what about the apartment building rule that forbids residents from having dogs? The building superintendent Hektor Cepeda (played by Felix Solis) knows that Iris is taking care of Apollo and reminds her that the dog isn’t allowed. Iris keeps promising Hektor that Apollo is with her temporarily and she’s working on finding him a new home. The movie shows whether or not the building’s management finds out about this forbidden dog.

Iris is a loner, so the movie doesn’t have scenes where Iris’ friends or family members react to Iris’ new living situation. Therefore, “The Friend” has a lot of screen time spent on flashbacks to happier times when Walter was alive. Even then, Iris’ relationship with Walter was somewhat complicated because of Walter’s very messy personal life.

Walter had a long history of getting sexually involved with his adult female students, regardless of whether or not he was married at the time. In the conversation that Iris and Barbara have about Iris taking Apollo, Barbara hints that Walter left teaching because his affairs resulted in #MeToo complaints against him. “All that misconduct nonsense,” Barbara says in an irritated voice, as she mentions that Walter thought it was a mistake for him to stop teaching.

It’s not too surprising (and not spoiler information) to reveal that Iris was one of his affairs about 30 years ago, when she was in her 20s. Walter and Iris ended their sexual relationship on good terms and decided they were better as platonic friends. However, the movie drops big hints that Iris was probably still a little bit in love with Walter but didn’t want to admit it. In the last year of his life, Iris and been helping Walter with his memoir by keeping his records organized and giving him feedback on his work.

Supporting characters come and go in the movie, which is mostly about Iris adjusting to having Apollo in her life. These supporting characters include:

  • Val Douglas (played by Sarah Pidgeon), Walter’s estranged adult daughter whom Walter wanted to collaborate with Iris on Walter’s memoir.
  • Elaine (played by Carla Gugino), Walter’s cynical second ex-wife, who didn’t even know that Val existed until she saw Val at Walter’s funeral.
  • Marjorie (played by Ann Dowd), Iris’ building neighbor who is friendly to Iris and knows about Apollo.
  • Carter (played by Owen Teague), one of Iris’ students, who wants to write erotic science fiction but is frustrated by classmate criticism that his work is misogynistic.
  • Tuesday Cheng (played by Constance Wu), a pretentious former student of Walter’s who has an unspoken rivalry with Iris.

“The Friend” moves along at a pace that might be too leisurely for some viewers. The acting performances are perfectly fine, and there are some poignant moments that have to do with the effects of grief. The biggest letdown of the movie is that Iris is just so relentlessly boring. “The Friend” is a movie where the dog is often the most interesting thing about many of the scenes. If you’re inclined to like dogs, then “The Friend” is very watchable. Otherwise, “The Friend” might test your patience as it saunters along to a very Hollywood-styled sentimental ending.

Bleecker Street will release “The Friend” in select U.S. cinemas on March 28, 2025, with an expansion to more U.S. cinemas on April 4, 2025.

2025 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show: see photos and videos

February 12, 2025

Katherine Bernardin and her dog Monty the Giant Schnauzer, winner of Best in Show, celebrate during the 149th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show – Junior Showmanship, Group Judging (Sporting, Working, Terrier) + Best in Show at Madison Square Garden on February 11, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Westminster Kennel Club)

The following is a press release from Westminster Kennel Club:

The Giant Schnauzer named Monty took home the highest title of Best in Show at the 149th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina Pro Plan. Under Judge Paula Nykiel of Washington, Missouri, America’s most prestigious dog show came to a close at Madison Square Garden, “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” on the evening of Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Monty, a 5-year-old male of Ocean City, NJ, officially known as GCHG CH
Hearthmore’s Wintergreen Mountain RI CGC TKN FITB, is handled by Katherine
Bernardin and owned by Sandra Nordstrom, Katherine Bernardin, and Cherlann
Ambrose. Monty bested a field of over 2,500 entries in conformation, with two days of
Best of Breed judging from Monday, February 10 – Tuesday, February 11, 2025 held at the
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, culminating with the Group and Best in Show
competitions at New York City’s iconic Madison Square Garden. Bourbon, the 9-year-old female Whippet, officially known as GCHP CH Pinnacle Kentucky Bourbon, won Reserve Best in Show with handler, Cheslie Pickett Smithey.

On February 12, 2025, Best in Show was televised live on FS1 from New York City’s
iconic Madison Square Garden, the original home of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog
Show. The Empire State Building illuminated the New York City skyline in
Westminster’s iconic purple and gold to celebrate the 149th annual event.
For full results and video, visit westminsterkennelclub.org.

About The Westminster Kennel Club

The Westminster Kennel Club, established in 1877, is America’s oldest organization dedicated to the sport of dogs. It hosts the iconic, all-breed Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the second-longest, continuously held sporting event in the U.S. after the Kentucky Derby and, since 1948, the longest nationally televised live dog show. The Club’s mission is to enhance the lives of all dogs by celebrating the companionship of dogs and promoting responsible dog ownership and breed preservation. The Club advocates for purpose-bred dogs, with an understanding that each breed has a legacy and history that deserves to be taught, honored, and preserved. The Club uses education to raise awareness and encourage owners to conscientiously select dogs that are the right match for their families.

The annual dog show—a conformation competition for purpose-bred dogs—and the Masters Agility Championship and Masters Obedience Championship—where dogs from all backgrounds are eligible to compete—make Westminster Week, with thousands of dogs from the U.S. and around the world, a pinnacle experience for any dog lover. The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show has captivated canine enthusiasts for more than a century. Learn more at westminsterkennelclub.org. WESTMINSTER. There’s
only one.®

About Nestlé Purina PetCare
Nestlé Purina PetCare creates richer lives for pets and the people who love them. Founded in 1894, Purina has helped dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by offering scientifically based nutritional innovations.

Purina manufactures some of the world’s most trusted and popular pet care products, including Purina ONE, Pro Plan, Fancy Feast and Tidy Cats. Our more than 11,000 U.S. associates take pride in our trusted pet food, treat and litter brands that feed 46 million dogs and 68 million cats every year. More than 500 Purina scientists, veterinarians, and pet care experts ensure our commitment to unsurpassed quality and nutrition.

Purina Pro Plan is a leader in the advanced nutrition category, with more than 140 targeted formulas to help your pet thrive throughout every stage of life. It is also the food of choice for 17 of the past 18 Westminster Best in Show winners*. For more information, visit www.proplan.com or follow @ProPlan on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

Purina promotes responsible pet care through our scientific research, our products and our support for pet-related organizations. Over the past five years, Purina has contributed more than $150 million towards organizations that bring, and keep, people and pets together, as well as those that help our communities and environment thrive.

Purina is part of Nestlé, a global leader in Nutrition, Health and Wellness. For more information, visit purina.com or subscribe here to get the latest Purina news.

*The handler or owners of these champions may have received Purina Pro Plan dog food as Purina ambassadors.

2025 Puppy Bowl: see photos and videos

January 22, 2025

Puppy Bowl XXI (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery)

The following is a press release from Warner Bros. Discovery:

Puppy Bowl, the original and longest running call-to-adoption television event, returns for the 21st year on Sunday, February 9 at 2:00PM ET/11:00AM PT and will be simulcast across Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, Max and discovery+.

The annual three-hour television event will feature 142 rescue puppies from 80 shelters across 40 states – and two countries – as they compete in the cutest competition of the year. With more puppies than ever before, Puppy Bowl XXI will highlight their inspiring journeys from birth to adoption, as well as the tremendous dedication of the rescues and shelters that help find animals their forever homes.

“Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl serves as an annual pop culture programming event that continues to expand in reach, awareness and of course, puppies, every year,” said Howard Lee, Chief Creative Officer of U.S. Networks and President of Discovery Networks. “Win or lose, Puppy Bowl XXI will have the cutest players in the game on Sunday, February 9 and will inspire families across the country to adopt a new furry friend.”

The game kicks off when Puppy Bowl referee Dan Schachner blows the whistle and the PEDIGREE® Starting Lineup players take the field at PROGRESSIVE® Stadium. Julep, the first-ever St. Bernard-mix, and Smoosh, the only Pekingese to compete in the games, will head up Team Fluff while Mr. Pickles, a Pug-Chihuahua from Dallas, and Tuani, a Chihuahua-German shepherd who traveled all the way from Nicaragua, will look to bring Team Ruff to victory. The two teams will go head-to-head on the gridiron in hopes of bringing home the Walmart® “Lombarky” trophy and see which puppy player has what it takes to be named the MVP (Most Valuable Puppy) and win the SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. Underdog Award.

Eleven inspiring special needs dogs, including Jolene, an American Pit bull terrier-mix competing in a wheelchair, and Sprinkle, a blind and hearing-impaired Australian shepherd-mix, will take the field, giving it their all and not letting their disabilities slow them down.  

Interspersed with extended puppy play, star matchups and behind-the-scenes moments are the SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. “Pup Close and Personal” segments, sharing the backstories of some of the all-star athletes. Dan Smyers, from superstar country duo Dan + Shay, will bring a rescue puppy from Wags & Walks Nashville backstage at one of his concerts for some socialization and to boost their chances of being adopted. Additionally, Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi and his girlfriend, Nani, will visit The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City, where they’ll meet Parsnip, a rescue Pit bull-mix about to compete in the games. Derrick and Nani spend time helping train Parsnip and detailing the kind of home that will be a good fit for him. For more “Pup Close and Personal” stories featured in Puppy Bowl XXI, please click HERE. 

One incredible pup who displays “super” abilities will be presented with the Krypto Super Play award. Audiences can catch a special sneak peek of Superman within Puppy Bowl before its theatrical release on July 11, 2025. During the game, writer and director James Gunn will deliver a special message with his dog Ozu, who serves as the inspiration for the character Krypto in DC Studios’ Superman. 

Fan-favorite returning elements include the Adoptables segments featuring puppies – and a few kittens – that will be available for adoption during the game, sportscasters Steve Levy and Taylor Rooks providing play-by-play commentary, the Wisdom Panel™ pet DNA test results to help provide insights into each player’s breed mix and other unique traits, the Kitty Halftime Show presented by ARM & HAMMER™ Hardball™ and much more.   

Before the big game, the brand-new Puppy Bowl XXI Kickoff will air at 1PM ET/ 10AM PT on Animal Planet. Ten puppy prospects from across the country will engage in practice drills and show off their moves in the first ever Puppy Combine. Each pup will compete to be selected as the top pick in the Puppy Bowl Draft and join the Team Ruff and Team Fluff rosters. The show will also check in with BISSELL® and the BISSELL Pet Foundation® to see how they are continuing to make an impact with their lifesaving efforts and as they prepare to send Trixie from their partner shelter, Little Traverse Bay Humane Society, to compete in Puppy Bowl XXI.   

Audiences can join the conversation on social media with #PuppyBowl, and by following Animal Planet on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as Puppy Bowl on Facebook for more updates.  

Keep checking PuppyBowl.com for more information on the participating pups, the full photo gallery, and to vote on which pup you want to win the Pupularity Playoffs.  

Official Puppy Bowl XXI sponsors include BISSELL HOMECARE, INC, SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC., PEDIGREE®, TEMPTATIONS™, RING, WISDOM PANEL™, ARM & HAMMER™ HardBall™ Litter, WALMART, and PROGRESSIVE®. 

Puppy Bowl XXI is produced for Animal Planet by Bright Spot Content, an All3Media America company. 

About Warner Bros. Discovery  

Warner Bros. Discovery is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates and distributes the world’s most differentiated and complete portfolio of branded content across television, film, streaming and gaming. Available in more than 220 countries and territories and 50 languages, Warner Bros. Discovery inspires, informs and entertains audiences worldwide through its iconic brands and products including: Discovery Channel, Max, discovery+, CNN, DC, TNT Sports, Eurosport, HBO, HGTV, Food Network, OWN, Investigation Discovery, TLC, Magnolia Network, TNT, TBS, truTV, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, Warner Bros. Television Group, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, Warner Bros. Games, New Line Cinema, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies, Discovery en Español, Hogar de HGTV and others. For more information, please visit www.wbd.com.

Puppy Bowl XXI Participants

(All photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery) 

2024 National Dog Show: see photos and videos

November 28, 2024

Vito, Best In Show at the 2024 National Dog Show (Photo by Bill McCay/NBC)

The following is a press release from NBC:

Vito, a confident Pug, was crowned Best in Show on Thanksgiving Day at Philadelphia’s prestigious 23rd National Dog Show Presented by Purina.

Coverage of the show and Vito’s victorious moments were broadcast to a massive holiday audience on NBC following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. 

Owned by Carolyn Koch of Chapel Hill, N.C., Vito represents the very best in the pug breed. Vito’s registered name is GCGG Andi In Cahoots.

“Compact, features, movement – everything a pug should be,” offered Best in Show judge George Milutinovich of Fresno, Calif., who selected the Pug over a top-rated lineup, including a Welsh Terrier, Giant Schnauzer, Clumber Spaniel, Lhasa Apso, Berger Picard and Ibizan Hound. “I’d never seen him before. Wow. Just wow. Lots of dog in a small package.” Milutinovich continued, “To look at a pug is to put a smile on your face.”

“I was optimistic,” said Vito’s handler, Michael Scott, of Chesapeake City, Md., who is no stranger to the National Dog Show with a previous win in 2008, handling the Pointer, Holly. “I always hope to get a really good look [from the judge].” Scott concluded, “Vito has a beautiful head and expression. Great outline.” 

Scott claimed Best of Breed at the AKC National Show in 2023 and won Best of Breed at Westminster with a Toy Group 4th earlier this year. He’s a multi-specialty winner with now 25 Best in Shows at approximately 75 all-breed shows. 

Reserve Best in Show (second place) went to a Welsh Terrier named Verde and handler Gabriel Rangel from Rialto, Calif. Winner of the Terrier Group, Verde’s registered name is GCH Ch Studio Be Curious JP Justice Hero.

The following are the other 2024 National Dog Show group winners:

  • Sporting – a Clumber Spaniel named “Houston” of Keyport, N.J.
  • Working – a Giant Schnauzer named “Monty” from Chaplin, Conn.
  • Hound – an Ibizan Hound named “The Zit” of Spring Hill, Fla.
  • Herding – a Berger Picard named “Rupert” of Shingle Springs, Calif.
  • Non-Sporting – a Lhasa Apso named “JJ” from Sabot, Va.

This year marks the 23rd edition of the holiday special, which has become a family viewing tradition since its inception in 2002. NBC will air an encore presentation of the two-hour special on Sunday, Dec. 1, from 4-6 p.m. ET/PT.

2024 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show: Photos and Videos

May 15, 2024

Dog handler Kaz Hosaka and Sage, Best in Show and Non-Sporting Group winner pose during the 148th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show – Best In Show at Arthur Ashe Stadium on May 14, 2024 in Queens, New York. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Westminster Kennel Club )

The following is a press release from Westminster Kennel Club:

The Miniature Poodle “Sage” took home the highest title of Best in Show at the 148th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina Pro Plan. Under Judge Rosalind Kramer of High Point, NC, America’s most prestigious dog show came to a close at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.

Sage, a 3-year-old female of Houston, TX, officially known as GCHG CH Surrey Sage, is handled by Kaz Hosaka and owned by Cathy Gauche. Sage bested a field of over 2,500 entered dogs among seven group finalists to win the coveted Best in Show title on Tuesday night after two days of Best of Breed, Group, and Best in Show competition.

After bringing Sage to a Best in Show victory, Hosaka announced he is retiring from shows after 45 Westminster Dog Shows. Hosaka last won Best in Show in 2002 with a Miniature Poodle named “Spice.”

The German Shepherd “Mercedes,” officially known as GCHG CH Kaleef’s Mercedes, won Reserve Best in Show with handler, Kent Boyles.

Best in Show was televised live on FS1. The Empire State Building illuminated the New York City skyline in Westminster’s iconic purple and gold to celebrate the 148th annual event.

For full results and video, visit westminsterkennelclub.org.

About The Westminster Kennel Club

The Westminster Kennel Club, established in 1877, is America’s oldest organization dedicated to the sport of showing dogs. It hosts the iconic, all-breed Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the second-longest, continuously held sporting event in the U.S. after the Kentucky Derby and, since 1948, the longest nationally televised live dog show. The Club’s mission is to enhance the lives of all dogs by celebrating the companionship of dogs and promoting responsible dog ownership and breed preservation. The Club advocates for purpose-bred dogs, with an understanding that each breed has a legacy and history that deserves to be taught, honored, and preserved. The Club uses education to raise awareness and encourage owners to conscientiously select dogs that are the right match for their families. The annual dog show—a conformation competition for purpose-bred dogs—and the Masters Agility Championship and Masters Obedience Championship—where dogs from all backgrounds are eligible to compete—make Westminster Week, with thousands of dogs from the U.S. and around the world, a pinnacle experience for any dog lover. The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show has captivated canine enthusiasts for more than a century. Learn more at westminsterkennelclub.org.

About Nestlé Purina PetCare
Nestlé Purina PetCare creates richer lives for pets and the people who love them. Founded in 1894, Purina has helped dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by offering scientifically based nutritional innovations. Purina manufactures some of the world’s most trusted and popular pet care products, including Purina ONE, Pro Plan, Fancy Feast and Tidy Cats. Our more than 11,000 U.S. associates take pride in our trusted pet food, treat and litter brands that feed 46 million dogs and 68 million cats every year. More than 500 Purina scientists, veterinarians, and pet care experts ensure our commitment to unsurpassed quality and nutrition. 

Purina Pro Plan is a leader in the advanced nutrition category, with more than 140 targeted formulas to help your pet thrive throughout every stage of life. It is also the food of choice for 16 of the past 17 Westminster Best in Show winners*. For more information, visit www.proplan.com or follow @ProPlan on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. 

Purina promotes responsible pet care through our scientific research, our products and our support for pet-related organizations. Over the past five years, Purina has contributed more than $150 million towards organizations that bring, and keep, people and pets together, as well as those that help our communities and environment thrive. 

Purina is part of Nestlé, a global leader in Nutrition, Health and Wellness. For more information, visit purina.com or subscribe here to get the latest Purina news. 

*The handler or owners of these champions may have received Purina Pro Plan dog food as Purina ambassadors.

2024 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show: see photos and videos

May 15, 2024

Dog handler Kaz Hosaka and Sage, Best in Show and Non-Sporting Group winner pose during the 148th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show – Best In Show at Arthur Ashe Stadium on May 14, 2024 in Queens, New York. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Westminster Kennel Club )

The following is a press release from the Westminster Kennel Club:

The Miniature Poodle “Sage” took home the highest title of Best in Show at the 148th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina Pro Plan. Under Judge Rosalind Kramer of High Point, NC, America’s most prestigious dog show came to a close at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.

Sage, a 3-year-old female of Houston, TX, officially known as GCHG CH Surrey Sage, is handled by Kaz Hosaka and owned by Cathy Gauche. Sage bested a field of over 2,500 entered dogs among seven group finalists to win the coveted Best in Show title on Tuesday night after two days of Best of Breed, Group, and Best in Show competition.

After bringing Sage to a Best in Show victory, Hosaka announced he is retiring from shows after 45 Westminster Dog Shows. Hosaka last won Best in Show in 2002 with a Miniature Poodle named “Spice.”

The German Shepherd “Mercedes,” officially known as GCHG CH Kaleef’s Mercedes, won Reserve Best in Show with handler, Kent Boyles.

Best in Show was televised live on FS1. The Empire State Building illuminated the New York City skyline in Westminster’s iconic purple and gold to celebrate the 148th annual event.

For full results and video, visit westminsterkennelclub.org.

About The Westminster Kennel Club

The Westminster Kennel Club, established in 1877, is America’s oldest organization dedicated to the sport of showing dogs. It hosts the iconic, all-breed Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the second-longest, continuously held sporting event in the U.S. after the Kentucky Derby and, since 1948, the longest nationally televised live dog show. The Club’s mission is to enhance the lives of all dogs by celebrating the companionship of dogs and promoting responsible dog ownership and breed preservation. The Club advocates for purpose-bred dogs, with an understanding that each breed has a legacy and history that deserves to be taught, honored, and preserved. The Club uses education to raise awareness and encourage owners to conscientiously select dogs that are the right match for their families. The annual dog show—a conformation competition for purpose-bred dogs—and the Masters Agility Championship and Masters Obedience Championship—where dogs from all backgrounds are eligible to compete—make Westminster Week, with thousands of dogs from the U.S. and around the world, a pinnacle experience for any dog lover. The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show has captivated canine enthusiasts for more than a century. Learn more at westminsterkennelclub.org.

About Nestlé Purina PetCare
Nestlé Purina PetCare creates richer lives for pets and the people who love them. Founded in 1894, Purina has helped dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by offering scientifically based nutritional innovations. Purina manufactures some of the world’s most trusted and popular pet care products, including Purina ONE, Pro Plan, Fancy Feast and Tidy Cats. Our more than 11,000 U.S. associates take pride in our trusted pet food, treat and litter brands that feed 46 million dogs and 68 million cats every year. More than 500 Purina scientists, veterinarians, and pet care experts ensure our commitment to unsurpassed quality and nutrition. 

Purina Pro Plan is a leader in the advanced nutrition category, with more than 140 targeted formulas to help your pet thrive throughout every stage of life. It is also the food of choice for 16 of the past 17 Westminster Best in Show winners*. For more information, visit www.proplan.com or follow @ProPlan on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. 

Purina promotes responsible pet care through our scientific research, our products and our support for pet-related organizations. Over the past five years, Purina has contributed more than $150 million towards organizations that bring, and keep, people and pets together, as well as those that help our communities and environment thrive. 

Purina is part of Nestlé, a global leader in Nutrition, Health and Wellness. For more information, visit purina.com or subscribe here to get the latest Purina news. 

*The handler or owners of these champions may have received Purina Pro Plan dog food as Purina ambassadors.

2024 Puppy Bowl: see photos and videos

January 11, 2024

Puppy Bowl XX (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery)

The following is a press release from Warner Bros. Discovery:

Puppy Bowl, the original and longest running call-to-adoption television event, returns for a 20th year on Sunday, February 11, 2024 at 2PM ET / 11AM PT and will be simulcast across Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, Max and discovery+.

The three-hour television matchup will be the biggest yet, featuring 131 puppies, 73 shelters and rescues across 36 states and territories – including the all-time smallest pup, Sweetpea, at 1.7 lbs and the biggest, Levi the Great Dane at 72 lbs. Inspiring adoption stories will highlight the dedication and incredible work of rescues and shelters, as puppies from Team Ruff and Team Fluff take to the gridiron in the Puppy Bowl XX stadium to win the WAYFAIR® “Lombarky” trophy and find their forever homes. To celebrate 20 years of the game, four previous Puppy Bowl players return to be inducted into the all-new Puppy Bowl Hall of Fame.

The game kicks off when the PEDIGREE® Starting Lineup players take to the field. Dash, a Pomeranian/pug, and Maggie, a chow chow/American Staffordshire terrier representing the US Virgin Islands for the first time, will compete for Team Fluff while Tater, an Australian cattle dog/German shepherd, and Peanut Pretzel, a pug from Los Angeles, will look to bring Team Ruff to victory. As the game progresses, it will be revealed which puppy player has what it takes to be named the MVP (Most Valuable Puppy) or to win the SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. Underdog Award. 

Six special needs puppy players will also be introduced including Riddle, a pug terrier who suffers from the neurological condition cerebellar hypoplasia; Mr. Bean, a papillon who only has his two hind legs; and four pups who don’t let their deafness slow them down on the gridiron.

For the first time ever, puppies are taking over the show’s production by operating the cameras and lighting, directing from the control room, stage managing on the studio floor and even coaching Team Ruff and Team Fluff. Puppy Bowl referee Dan Schachner returns for his 13th year and for the first time, will have a puppy assistant coach, Whistle, who helps him call the plays and fumbles. With new camera angles, including a ref GoPro camera and wide-angle shot from the goal posts, viewers will experience getting nose-to-nose with the puppies. Fan-favorite elements including the slo-mo cam, NEXGARD® Brand Products blimp, the coveted water-bowl cam and the TEMPTATIONS™ Skybox kittens will return alongside sportscasters Steve Levy and Taylor Rooks providing play-by-play commentary between Team Ruff and Team Fluff.

Puppy Bowl XX begins with the annual pre-game show at 1PM ET/ 10AM PT on Animal Planet, going behind-the-scenes on the Puppy Bowl draft with exclusive interviews with coaches and players. Puppy Bowl fans will also learn more about each player’s breed mix and other unique traits from the Wisdom Panel™ pet DNA test that could help determine who will have a furry leg-up on the field. The pre-game show will check in with the BISSELL® Pet Foundation to see how they are continuing to make an impact with their rescue mission efforts and will also provide a first-look at the Kitty Halftime Show presented by ARM & HAMMER™ SLIDE™.

Also returning are the SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. “Pup Close and Personal” segments that share some of the all-star athletes’ backstories. Featured will be Baltimore Ravens’ Ronnie Stanley’s rescue foundation which trains dogs, including hound Linus, to support people with special needs; and Beignet, a New Orleans dachshund, who gets a nose to tail makeover before the big game.

Puppy Bowl’s annual ‘Adoptable Pup’ segments sponsored by PEDIGREE ® features puppies – and a few kittens – from 14 shelters and rescues across the country that will be available for adoption during the game. Country singer and adoption advocate Miranda Lambert will introduce the first segment, as her non-profit, MuttNation, will feature a senior dog seeking their forever home.

Following Puppy Bowl XX, TBS’ new series hosted by comedian and actress Sarah Silverman, “Stupid Pet Tricks,” will premiere with a special multi-network sneak peek across TBS, Discovery, truTV and Animal Planet on Sunday, February 11 at 5PM ET/ 2PM PT.

In celebration of Puppy Bowl XX, Warner Bros. Discovery is partnering with Best Friends Animal Society, a leading national animal welfare organization, to help animals find their loving homes and will match donations to cover adoption fees for their pet lifesaving centers nationwide from February 7-14. Text PUPPY to 707070 or head to PuppyBowl.com/donate to double your impact or find a shelter near you.

Audiences can follow the conversation on social media with #PuppyBowl, and follow Animal Planet on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as Puppy Bowl on Facebook for more updates.

Keep checking PuppyBowl.com for more information on the participating pups, the full photo gallery, and to vote on which pup you want to win the Pupularity Playoffs. Enjoy the spirit of Puppy Bowl at home with the official Puppy Bowl XX Collection, a curated assortment of apparel and accessories for you and your dog, available at PuppyBowl.com/shop.

Official Puppy Bowl XX sponsors include ARM & HAMMER™ SLIDE™, BISSELL®, MAYTAG™, NEXGARD® Brand Products, the PEDIGREE® brand, RING, SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC., TEMPTATIONS™, WISDOM PANEL™ and WAYFAIR®.

ANIMAL PLANET DRIVES IMPACT FOR PET ADOPTION WITH PARTNERSHIPS TO CELEBRATE 20 YEARS OF PUPPY BOWL

In celebration of the three-hour matchup featuring 131 puppies, 73 shelters and rescues across 36 states and territories, Animal Planet has paired with marketing and multiplatform partners to build opportunities for fans to experience Puppy Bowl. Best Friends Animal Society, Funny Face Bakery, National Football League Players Association, and Wag! join returning collaborators Bark Social, Grounds and Hounds, Pooch Perks, Southwest Airlines, and Valpak to support Puppy Bowl and raise awareness to find animals their forever homes.

“For the 20th anniversary of Puppy Bowl, we made this beloved pop culture event bigger and better than ever. In addition to working with a group of amazing brands and extending our reach, a big goal for our team was to drive more impact for pet adoption than ever before. Each one of our partnerships gives our fans fun ways to join the Puppy Bowl celebration but also drives awareness for shelters across the country,” said Karen Bronzo, Chief Marketing Officer, U.S. Networks Group, Warner Bros. Discovery.

This year’s Puppy Bowl partners include:

· Bark Social – Bark Social, the premier social club for dogs and dog lovers, will be hosting Puppy Bowl XX watch parties on Sunday, Feb. 11 from 1PM to 5PM ET at their Bethesda, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Alexandria locations. Bark Social’s venue hosts a professionally monitored off-leash yard and features a fully stocked bar/beer garden and cafe ready for happy hours, sports games, trivia, drag shows, and more. Cheer for Team Ruff or Team Fluff with your furry best friend while grabbing a drink, playing games, winning prizes, and enjoying delicious bites with lots of chances for social media-worthy moments. Attendees can even go home with their own new MVP from one of the on-site adoption experiences. For more details, please visit www.barksocial.com or @bark_social.

· Best Friends Animal Society – In celebration of Puppy Bowl XX, Best Friends Animal Society, a leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of cats and dogs in Americas shelters by 2025, will be waiving adoption fees from February 7 – 14 at their pet lifesaving centers across the country. Additionally, over 150 of Best Friends shelter and rescue group partners will also be participating in the fee-waived week. To find a participating shelter or rescue near you, visit bestfriends.org/puppybowl.

· Funny Face Bakery – Funny Face Bakery has partnered with Puppy Bowl to offer the ultimate treat bundle for pets and their humans. Their meme-worthy decorated cookies will be offered alongside special dog treats to celebrate the big game. Visit Funny Face Bakery or follow them on Instagram and TikTok (@funnyfacebakery) for more information.

· Grounds and Hounds – Grounds & Hounds Coffee Co. and Animal Planet have partnered together to create The Official Fuel of Puppy Bowl. For this limited release collaboration, the perfect blend was created to accompany a cozy winter morning with your best friend. Blending the highest-grade beans from Guatemala and Papua New Guinea, Grounds and Hounds developed the most aromatic and smooth Medium Roast blend to date. Each purchase of the exclusive Puppy Bowl Blend will include a complimentary official Puppy Bowl Game Day Bandana.

· Pooch Perks – Pooch Perks is the leading dog subscription box service dedicated to pampering furry family members. In collaboration with Puppy Bowl XX, a special selection of toys and treats have been curated to complement both Puppy Bowl and the month of LOVE in February. Each Pooch Perks Puppy Bowl Box comes with the official Puppy Bowl XX bandana, football & valentines themed toys and yummy treats and toys that both pets and owners will enjoy while watching Puppy Bowl.

· National Football League Players Association – The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) partnered with Animal Planet to connect dog lovers in the league with adoptable pups from Operation Paws for Homes for the ultimate puppy play date. Baltimore Ravens players Zay Flowers and Patrick Queen spent the afternoon with these pups as they tested their pet knowledge, discussed their experience with dog adoption, and participated in a few puppy piles. Follow @animalplanet and @nflpa on Instagram to see the fun moments.

· Southwest Airlines – Those flying on Southwest Airlines(R) during the month of February can enjoy Puppy Bowl content via the Inflight Entertainment Portal. Flyers can check out Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl On Demand TV series to watch past Puppy Bowl favorite games and moments, including Puppy Bowl XIX, and an exclusive video, “Journey to Puppy Bowl,” which follows three puppies as they flew on Southwest to the cutest game in sports. Want to bring your own four-legged friend with you onboard? Southwest allows small dogs and cats to travel in-cabin in an approved carrier.

· Valpak – From the mailbox to the gridiron, Valpak is all about tackling savings. Valpak is helping Puppy Bowl celebrate its 20th anniversary with a takeover of the iconic blue envelope, offering one fan the chance to score a $10,000 sweepstakes prize. Plus, inside select envelopes, there’s a chance to win $100 towards the adoption fee for a new best friend.

· Wag! – Wag! is partnering with Puppy Bowl XX to celebrate the love and joy of pets by offering $10 off pet care when you use code PUPPYBOWL. Plus, Wag! will be matching donations made through the Wag! app to Best Friends Animal Society, up to a total of $10,000, between now and the big game.

Multi-platform elements for Puppy Bowl XX can be found on PuppyBowl.com, including photo galleries, Meet the Players-style videos, and adoption page for animals in need of a home. The “Pupularity Playoffs” bracket returns for the fourth consecutive year as fans vote on the Most Pupular player in the starting lineup. Following a month of on-air placements and social promotion, the winner of the bracket will be revealed in the pre-game show on Animal Planet.

Puppy Bowl superfans can also show their team spirit using Puppy Bowl stickers/GIFs pack that are available on GIPHY and in-app on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and more. These are designed to add game day flair to viewers’ social posts, texts, and emails. AR filters are also available on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for fans to join the fun. The “Puppy Presser” allows users to share a spotlight moment with their pet, while “Puppy Bowl Gameday” creates an immersive experience, placing a viewer on the Puppy Bowl field for a touchdown and being chased by puppy players.

Viewers can also share their pets enjoying the game by posting photos on social media using #PuppyBowl for a chance to be featured on TV during the telecast.

Puppy Bowl XX is produced for Animal Planet by Bright Spot Content, an All3Media America company.

About Warner Bros. Discovery:

Warner Bros. Discovery is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates and distributes the world’s most differentiated and complete portfolio of content and brands across television, film and streaming. Available in more than 220 countries and territories and 50 languages, Warner Bros. Discovery inspires, informs and entertains audiences worldwide through its iconic brands and products including: Discovery Channel, Max, discovery+, CNN, DC, Eurosport, HBO, HGTV, Food Network, OWN, Investigation Discovery, TLC, Magnolia Network, TNT, TBS, truTV, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, Warner Bros. Television Group, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, Warner Bros. Games, New Line Cinema, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies, Discovery en Español, Hogar de HGTV and others. For more information, please visit www.wbd.com.

Puppy Bowl XX Participants

(All photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery)

‘Strays’ special screening at Universal City Walk: See photos of the adorable dog stars

August 18, 2023

On August 16, 2023, a special screening for Universal Pictures’ stray dogs comedy “Strays” (released in theaters on August 18, 2023) was held at Universal CityWalk in Universal City, California. Attendees included the dog stars of the movie: Sophie, a Border Terrier, who plays Reggie in the movie; Bennie, a Boston Terrier, who portrays Bug in the movie; Elsa, an Australian Shepherd, who protrays Maggie in the movie; and Dalin, a Great Dane who portrays Hunter in the movie. (Culture Mix’s review of “Strays” can be found here.) Here are photos from the event.

Review: ‘Strays’ (2023), starring the voices of Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher and Randall Park

August 17, 2023

by Carla Hay

Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell), Maggie (voiced by Isla Fisher), Hunter (voiced by Randall Park) and Bug (voiced by Jamie Foxx) in “Strays” (Photo by Chuck Zlotnick/Universal Pictures)

“Strays” (2023)

Directed by Josh Greenbaum

Culture Representation: Taking place in an unnamed U.S. city, the comedy film “Strays” features a cast of dogs and a predominantly white group of people (with some African Americans and Latinos) representing the working-class and middle-class.

Culture Clash: Four stray dogs band together to get revenge on the sleazy and abusive man who abandoned one of the stray dogs.

Culture Audience: “Strays” will appeal mainly to people who are fans of the movie’s headliners and anyone who doesn’t mind watching intentionally vulgar comedies about adorable animals that have some sweetness with the raunchiness.

Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell) and Will Forte in “Strays” (Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures)

The purpose of “Strays” is to disrupt the image that people have of movies where cute animals talk. It’s the “Jackass” of talking animal movies: crude, comedic camaraderie. If you can’t tolerate a lot of jokes about bodily functions, then avoid this film.

Directed by Josh Greenbaum and written by Dan Perrault, “Strays” has been very clear in its marketing that this movie is not a “family-friendly film” that’s appropriate for people of all ages. This is most definitely a very adult-oriented film for adults who aren’t easily offended when watching movies filled with cursing, gross-out scenes involving body waste, and explicit talk about sex. The fact that domesticated dogs who talk like humans are supposed to be the source of all this raunch is the whole point of the movie.

In “Strays” (which takes place in an unnamed U.S. city but was filmed in and around Stone Mountain, Georgia), viewers are first introduced to the movie’s narrator. He’s an optimistic and eager-to-please Border Terrier (voiced by Will Ferrell), who has lived his entire life with a loser named Doug (played by Will Forte), who never gave this dog an official name. Instead, Doug calls the dog horrible names that usually have the word “shit” in the name. (In real life, this Border Terrier is a female named Sophie.)

In the beginning of the movie, bachelor Doug is unemployed and living in a messy house. Doug spends his days and nights getting stoned and masturbating. A phone conversation between Doug and his mother reveals that Doug can’t live near a school that has children, which is the movie’s way of saying that Doug is a registered sex offender. Because the Border Terrier doesn’t know any better, he thinks Doug is a great person.

Doug likes to do something that the Border Terrier thinks is a game called “Fetch and Fuck.” Doug throws a tennis ball far away, so the Border Terrier can run off and fetch the ball. Doug only does this because he hopes the dog will get lost and never find his way back home. When the dog inevitably does find his way back home, Doug says out loud in anger: “Fuck!”

One day, Doug drives the Border Terrier several miles away, into the inner part of a big city where the dog has never been to before. Doug throws the tennis ball, knowing that this dog will be too far away to walk back to the house. Doug then drives away. Doug’s heinous plan works, and the Border Terrier gets lost.

While out on the street at night, the Border Terrier meets a rebellious and tough-talking Boston Terrier named Bug (voiced by Jamie Foxx), who sees how naïve this Border Terrier is and offers to teach him how to survive on the streets as a stray dog. (This Boston Terrier’s name is real life is Benny.) Bug calls this Border Terrier the name Reggie, since that’s the name that one of Doug’s girlfriends used to call this Border Terrier.

Bug tells Reggie that humans can’t be trusted and a dog’s life is better without having an owner because the dog has the freedom to do whatever the dog wants. Bug believes that humans “brainwash” dogs into thinking that dogs need humans. Bug also tells Reggie that stray dogs shouldn’t get too close to other dogs either, because all stray dogs should eventually learn to fend for themselves. Bug’s past is eventually revealed to explain why he detests humans. One of Bug’s quirks is that he is fixated on humping inanimate objects, including furniture (Sofia Vergara voices a character called Dolores the Coach) and lawn decorations.

Soon, Reggie is introduced to two of Bug’s closest dog acquaintances: Maggie (voiced by Isla Fisher) is an Australian Shepherd who is intelligent and has a super-keen sense of smell. She is a stray because her previous owners preferred to have a puppy. (In real life, this Australian Shepherd’s name is Elsa.) Hunter (voiced by Randall Park) is a Great Dane who is insecure and often fearful. Hunter trained to be a police dog, but instead he was placed in a retirement home to be a therapy dog for the elderly residents, and he ran away. (In real life, this Great Dane’s name is Dalin.)

This motley canine quartet then goes on a series of misadventures. All other animals in the movie do not talk. The only living beings that talk in the movie are dogs and humans. An English bulldog named Chester (voiced by Jamie Demetriou) makes a brief but memorable appearance as a neurotic dog who imagines that there is an invisible, electrical fence surrounding his front yard. The four strays also encounter a German Shepherd named Rolf (voiced by Rob Riggle), a K-9 police dog who trained with Hunter at the same K-9 academy.

Two other noteworthy dog characters in the movie are a philosophical Labrador Retriever named Gus (voiced by Josh Gad) and a feisty Chihuahua named Shitstain (voiced by Harvey Guillén), who is almost as combative as Bug. And when there’s a movie about stray dogs roaming around a city, there are inevitable scenes of the dogs trying to evade capture from the animal control officers. “Strays” also has some scenes that take place in an animal shelter, where an animal control officer named Willy (played by Brett Gelman) has a job that’s similar to a jail guard/janitor.

Dennis Quaid makes a cameo portraying himself as a bird watcher. Why is Quaid in this movie? Quaid is the star of 2017’s “A Dog’s Purpose” and 2019’s “A Dog’s Journey,” two sentimental dramas about a “talking” dog (voiced by Gad) who gets reincarnated and whose thoughts are heard in voiceover narration. Quaid and Gad being cast in “Strays” is obviously the “Strays” filmmakers’ way of poking fun at family-oriented talking dog movies.

For a great deal of the story, Reggie is denial that Doug abandoned him and that Doug is not a good person. When the truth finally sinks in with Reggie, he decides that he’s going to get revenge on Doug, with the help of his new stray dog friends. If anyone watching “Strays” complains about how unrealistic this movie is, the question must be asked: “What part of ‘talking dog movie’ do you not understand?”

The comedy in “Strays” is far from award-worthy, but it does bring some laughs, and it doesn’t try to pretend to be lofty art. The biggest flaw in “Strays” is an over-reliance on jokes and gags about defecation. However, the best parts of the movie have to do with the friendship that develops between these four dogs. Hunter has a crush on Maggie, so there’s potential for more than a friendship between them.

The expressions on these dogs’ faces are enough to charm viewers who like dogs, although obviously much of what is in the movie involves visual effects using computer-generated imagery. The voice actors also play their roles capably, with Foxx and Ferrell being the obvious standouts. As long as viewers don’t have skewed or misunderstood expectations for “Strays,” it can be amusing entertainment with some genuine, laugh-out-loud moments. It’s not the type of comedy for everyone, but neither is “Jackass.”

Universal Pictures will release “Strays” in U.S. cinemas on August 18, 2023.

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