Dog Days Parent Guide

Summer movies, like ice cream cones, come in lots of different flavors. Some are tiger – a bit wild with swirls of orange and licorice. Some are adventurous rocky road with a surprise in every bite. Still others are vanilla. There’s nothing wrong with vanilla ice cream. It’s cold, creamy and delicious, and you know exactly what you are going to get. Dog Days is a vanilla ice cream summer movie. However, it is told with such earnest sweetness that it’s vanilla in a waffle cone with sprinkles and a cherry on top.

Dog Days is an ensemble movie that tells five different (sometimes inter-related) stories about how pets bring people together in romantic relationships and friendship, through community involvement. As one character says, “Dogs open their hearts to us – to love and be loved. And I find that beautiful.” Its biggest weakness is that once the characters are introduced and their situations explained, it is obvious how the plot lines are going to turn out.

Despite its predictability, there is a lot to like or even love about this pooch picture. It is an unashamedly feel-good-happy-ending kind of movie. There are a handful of sad moments (including the death of a dog), but these are quickly swamped by the blossoming relationships between the open-hearted, kind, helpful people that populate the film.

For most viewers, the real stars of Dog Days will be the canine characters. They are all appealing, but Gertrude the chihuahua has an extra dollop of charm. I am not an animal person, yet even my hard, withered little heart melted at the sight of Gertrude in her therapeutic helmet with a tiara on top. Also irresistible are Mabel the soulful pug and Charlie the giant drooling furball.

Parents will be relieved to know that there are few things to worry about in this film. There are only a handful of mild profanities and terms of deity. Alcohol is consumed in two scenes – one in a bar and one at a baby shower where the father-to-be is slamming back wine to handle the stress. The biggest red flag involves a marijuana brownie which is eaten by Charlie, resulting in a trip to the vet and comic scenes of a very stoned dog. The word “marijuana” is never mentioned – the vet speaks in code about “glaucoma medicine” so children should be completely oblivious to what is actually going on here. Adults and teens, on the other hand, will catch on very quickly.

If your family is looking for a sweet summer treat, Dog Days might fit the bill. Be warned: if you have a child who has been begging for a new puppy, going to this movie could be a risky proposition. Two hours of relentless doggy charm could weaken the resolve of even the most determined parent.