Parents are warning that 'Show Dogs' portrays sexual abuse and is not OK for kids

Sonja Haller | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption 'Show Dogs' cuts controversial movie scenes The production company behind 'Show Dogs' decided to remove the scenes after parents and advocacy groups said the film sent kids the wrong message about sexual abuse. A revised version of the film hits theaters this weekend.

UPDATE: Show Dogs production company Global Road Entertainment issued a statement announcing the removal of two scenes from the film.

Show Dogs is a slapstick, buddy-cop comedy with talking dogs that seemed perfect for kids.

Except that parents say mixed among the gags about bikini dog waxing and glitter dog turds are dark scenes about touching private parts and going to your happy place while it's happening.

Terina Maldonado, a Mesa, Arizona writer for Macaroni Kid wrote a column, imploring parents to keep their kids far away from the movie.

The column struck a nerve with parents and has been making the rounds on social media and parenting sites.

The movie stars Ludacris as the voice of Max the Rottweiler and Will Arnett as his human partner. They are undercover officers who must crack the case of a kidnapped panda by infiltrating a prestigious dog show.

Too much emphasis on touching private parts

Maldonado attended with her husband, mother and three kids ages, 8, 5 and 2. The movie was silly fun until near the end, she said.

The first troubling scene comes when Frank (Will Arnett) tells the dog Max (Ludacris) he needs to get used to getting his privates touched — which is a part of any inspection in a dog show.

"He was telling him he needs to go to his zen place and I like right away was wait...what? And when it turns into this big pivotal scene in the end and he needs to be allowed to be touched to win the competition and red flags were going up and around in my mommy head," Maldonado said.

A second scene in the movie shows Max having his private parts handled during the finals of the dog show competition. Max goes to his zen place and pictures himself flying through the sky, dancing, and fireworks. Finding the stolen panda depends on his ability to let this happen.

"If it has just been a casual part of the movie, it wouldn't have been inappropriate." Maldonado said. "But it turned into this pivotal moment and it was teaching him to disassociate from himself while they were touching his private parts."

As a survivor of child abuse, Maldonado said that this type of disassociation is what child predators tell children to do when they're upset about being touched.

Her older kids thought the scene in the movie was funny.

"I don't think it registered with them," she said.

They discussed the scenes at an after-movie lunch. "We're always having regular conversations in different contexts in different settings in different ways about appropriate touch and that children have a right to protect their own bodies," Maldonado said. "People may say it's just talking dogs. But children don't always discern that."

An apology to parents

Show Dogs production company, Global Road Entertainment, apologized to parents in a news release Tuesday.

"It has come to our attention that there have been online discussion and concern about a particular scene in Show Dogs, a family comedy that is rated PG. The dog show judging in this film is depicted completely accurately as done at shows around the world; and was performed by professional and highly respected dog show judges.

"Global Road Entertainment and the filmmakers are saddened and apologize to any parent who feels the scene sends a message other than a comedic moment in the film, with no hidden or ulterior meaning, but respect their right to react to any piece of content."

Parents say it echoes of pedophilia tactics and grooming

Still, other parents have joined Maldonado in saying that the film carries a message of inappropriate touching.

I'm sure many people will feel that #parents are being too over-the-top about skipping #ShowDogs, but kids soak in what they see. When I preach that their body is theirs alone, why would I sit & laugh at a movie implying it's OK/funny to "grin and bare" inappropriate touching? — Emily Stopher Joyner (@ItsMEEJYo) May 22, 2018

Some parents go as far as calling the scenes pedophilia grooming.

Common Sense Media, a media watchdog group, recommends the show for ages 8 and older. The website references the plot point about the dog's examination saying, it could "strike some viewers as too close to the experience of sexual abuse."

But in 32 parent reviews on the site, parents collectively recommend the movie for ages 17 and older and many have much stronger opinions on what the scene implies.

Said one parent reviewer: "Made by pedophiles for pedophiles! This movie disturbingly uses highly humanized animal characters in the plot to teach young minds that in order to succeed and please your superiors, one MUST not only subject themselves to unwanted molestation, but they better learn to like it too. Very disturbing movie."

Please do not take your children to see #showdogs movie. It teaches children that touching of privates is okay and to go to a "zen place" when it happens. Child sex abuse is real. This is not okay. #showdogsmovie @arnettwill — Megan Nau (@NauMegan) May 22, 2018

Not every parent is in agreement, however.

Show Dogs @ShowDogsMov is a super cute, family friendly story about a prestigious dog show and a rescue operation.

Some of the subjects addressed in the movie are typical of dog shows.



This movie is not deserving of the overly sensitive criticism that it received. #ShowDogs — Movie Deputy (@MovieDeputy) May 22, 2018

Just a bad movie

Yet parents may want to avoid Show Dogs for another reason. Critics are calling Show Dogs a stinker. And this is for a movie where expectations weren't even that high.

For critic Barbara VanDenburgh, of The Arizona Republic there is no audience for which this movie is appropriate.

"For whom is this fun? Not to be crude, but to quote the movie itself in what might have been a rare moment of self-reflection, 'I cannot polish the turd but perhaps I can roll it in glitter.' Oh, Show Dogs. There isn’t enough glitter in the world."

I have made more entertaining videos with the My Talking Pet app than the entirety of the movie Show Dogs. You know things are bleak

when you find yourself nostalgic for Turner and Hooch.https://t.co/pXP7uSPtul — Barbara VanDenburgh (@BabsVan) May 17, 2018

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