My 5-year-old son is obsessed with Paw Patrol. He just can’t get enough of the show. I guess we have watched all episodes at least a hundred times, but he still needs his daily fix. He spends all his screen time with the little doggies and when screen time is over – guess what – he loves to play his favorite episodes running through the house. Now, I guess we’re not the only ones who have a Paw Patrol junkie at home, so there is definitely something unique about the show that lures kids into their world. But it’s not only about our son. We, as parents, live Paw Patrol too. I thought an article about the show from a parent’s perspective might be a good thing to dig deep into this foxhole and see what the show does to our little bugs, if there’s any educational value and if there are any reasons why you shouldn’t let your kids watch this show.
Over the years, a whole world has revolved around the show. Just look around your local grocery store or superstore. You can buy a whole lot of stuff that screams Paw Patrol. School bags, backpacks, shoes with Paw Patrol characters – the list goes on and on. You can buy all kinds of clothing for your kids (T-shirts, socks, hats, etc.) featuring their favorite characters. Toys are covered in Paw Patrol branding too ranging from books to action figures to bikes to playhouses. And if you don’t want your kids to miss their favorite show – no problem. You can buy them the DVD of every season. You can stream the show, of course. And lately, they released a movie that drives everyone crazy. And it’s well worth watching if you ask me – and my son.
What is Paw Patrol
Ok, but what is Paw Patrol? Paw Patrol is an animated series created by Keith Chapman, an English television writer and producer who has already built some incredibly successful children’s TV shows. Think of Bob the Builder or Roary the Racing Car.
In the US, the series premiered on Nickelodeon in August of 2013. Over the years, nine seasons were produced with the latest one being released in February of 2021. In August of 2021, Paw Patrol: The Movie hit the cinemas and another movie scheduled for 2023 was already announced. Good times for all fans.
What is Paw Patrol all about?
If you are not familiar with the show, then let me share my son’s perspective on it. He sees Paw Patrol as a group of friends who have cool jobs in Adventure Bay. The main characters are Chase, Rubble, Rocky, Marshall, Skye and Zuma plus their fearless leader/mentor – none other than Ryder. All these guys are rescue dogs and they spend their days saving the citizens of Adventure Bay (and beyond). They use all kinds of vehicles to reach people in need.
What kind of vehicles? Well, there are cars, trucks, helicopters, boats, submersibles and planes – not mentioning Ryder’s All-Terrain Rescue ATV that transforms into a snowmobile or PWC. And the best part is that they all have their own super abilities and superpowers. Yes, you read right: superpowers! But we’ll talk about all the characters, their traits and special abilities later in this article. So keep on reading.
Every episode has a similar format. That makes it easy for kids to follow the patterns and evokes a feeling of trust and security. Normally, the little pups are just doing everyday activities at the start of the episodes. They play with dog doys, other dogs at the playground or in the street.
You know what’s coming next: something goes terribly wrong and an emergency happens. The pups get a notification from Ryder via their blinking pet tags. Now the action begins and the tension rises in not only our little ones. The pups report to the base and form up in a line for the briefing. Again, through repeated gags around one of the characters always arriving late, the show creates an atmosphere of trust and security to their watchers. Chase announces that the team is ready for action and the puppies ride a slide down to their vehicles. They head out to complete the mission and when they all return, Ryder says his catchphrase: “Whenever you’re in trouble, just yelp for help!”.
The parent’s perspective
When I first watched the show, I asked myself: “Why does Ryder never go to school?”. And why is he allowed to have so many dogs? And why does he live alone with all of them? Where are his parents? And who allows him to ride all the vehicles at the age of 10? Questions over questions. And I thought that maybe the show isn’t that good a role model for my son.
I don’t want to question why the dogs have driver’s licenses and how they got them. But I wonder why there is no police, no fire station and no waste management in the town of Adventure Bay. Ryder and his crew seem to run the city completely on their own.
What always bothers me is how Ryder can afford his lifestyle. I mean, how can this 10-year-old boy afford to live in a tower with a water view? And if you take a look at the surrounding, there are multiple flat screens, an elevator and the coolest slide I’ve ever seen. Who the hell is funding his operations? Not even to mention all the vehicles…
The next thing that I wonder about is the way the show portrays adults. Ok, this is a TV show made for little ones, but I am not sure if they present things to them in the right light. Let’s just look at Mayor Goodway. She’s the Mayor of Adventure Bay and she is always panicking. Mr. Porter is a reckless driver putting the life of his grandson on the line frequently and Captain Turbot, the city’s most frequent help-caller, is literally about to wipe out all of the sea life. There doesn’t seem to be any competent adult in this city. That way, a child and his pups (dog children) need to take over and rescue the whole city. All the time. I am not sure if that’s the right frame our kids should look at the world.
But ok, this is probably just me and I am over-concerned by these topics. Let’s face it, it’s just a TV show made for kids 8 years and under. And critics are actually great for the show. At the end of the day, the show teaches children how to solve problems, work together on solutions by focusing on each individual’s skills and basic important stuff like respect, trust and friendship. And the show really does this well. If my son only gets these things in life right, the show was well worth our time.
The core Paw Patrol Team – 6 Pups and a boy
This section is your cheat sheet when you just need a short overview of the characters forming the Paw Patrol. If you want to watch the movie or any show together with your kids, just this section here is enough to impress your little monster.
Ryder is a boy with 6 puppies. Together they’re called the Paw Patrol. They have a headquarter that desperate people in need can call. Their motto: “No jobs too big, no pups too small!” That’s a great phrase you can say to your kids if you assign them a task, like cleaning up their rooms. It can work wonders.
Chase
Chase is German Shepherd police and spy dog. For most children, Chase is their favorite. And he’s the top dog of the crew. His signature color is blue,obviously, and he has a famous catchphrase: “Chase is on the case!”
Chase’s special abilities are his sense of smell and driving. I mean, driving fast.
Skye
Skye is the only girl of the bunch. Guess what her color is: Pink, of course. Despite being the only female character and her cute, feminine look, she’s a real tough pup. Her special skill is flying, hence her catchphrase: “This pup’s gotta fly!”
Marshall
The firefighter of the team. Marshall’s signature color is red and his special skills are extinguishing fire and first aid. The cute Dalmatian is the comedian of the team. Because he’s a firefighter his catchphrase is: “I’m fired up!”
At the end of each episode, Marshall makes the whole team laugh. And watch out for the elevator gags the others love to make…
Rubble
The English bulldog is the construction pup. His color is yellow and he loves to drive a bulldozer. Rubble is the only dog that might be a little bit overweight and he’s always craving food. If the crew is stuck in a sticky situation, it’s often Rubble who gets them out of trouble with his crane or drill.
His catchphrase is: “Rubble on the double!”
Rocky
He’s the green dog. Literally. His motto is: “Don’t lose it, reuse it!”
Rocky is an allrounder and he is great at fixing things. He is the environmental conscience of the troop and teaches our kids the right way of thinking when it comes to recycling stuff.
Zuma
What element can’t Labradors resist? Right, water. Zuma is a water rescue dog and he`s great at swimming and well, water rescue. Therefore his signature color is orange. Zuma is ready whenever water is involved with his hovercraft or submarine. His catchphrase? “Ready, set, get wet!”
Why is Paw Patrol such a hype among kids?
Psychology tells us that children are more likely to identify with specific characters if they have a role or occupation, so this could also be one of Paw Patrol‘s factors for why kids love it. The other main reason I believe is the way they focus on an educational theme for children with each episode. For example, in one episode the Paw Patrol races against time to fix up a broken-down airplane so an oncoming storm doesn’t cause a baby elephant to miss his flight and lose his parents. The kids learn about fixing up broken things like cars and airplanes while also learning that there is always a way of getting out of any problem if you put your mind to it.
The show’s visual appeal also makes it easy for the children to latch on and pay attention, especially with all these brightly-colored cartoonish animals that kids love so much. They did a good job of developing original characters that stand out and look distinct from each other while still remaining true to the core of their animals. There’s something about the designs that keep even the most reluctant kid glued to the screen, and if a child does manage to detach their attention from the show at any given moment, Paw Patrol makes it easy for them to re-engage by throwing in an exciting action sequence or a funny joke every so often.
There’s a lot to learn from Paw Patrol, and if you want your kids to absorb everything these six pups have to offer while also having fun watching them at the same time, then I suggest you tune in with your little one for some quality family time.
Is Paw Patrol appropriate for children?
Absolutely. I mean, the show he won various TV awards since its first release. Year after year! It can’t be bad, right?
Seriously, the show receives consistently high ratings. It was ranked the highest-rated preschool TV show in 2013 and held this position up to 2017.
Common Sense Media states that Paw Patrol is perhaps the best show to demonstrate the value of problem-solving. The show boosts the self-esteem of young children because they can relate to the characters. The show teaches teamwork and selflessness, another example why cartoon cuddly animals are popular among kids (they love to imagine themselves as one of them and then imagine what it would be like if their parents suddenly were transformed into a puppy or a kitten etc.).
Paw Patrol also teaches children how to interact with technology such as tablets and video games. This can be particularly useful for parents who are struggling to teach their kids the etiquette of modern technology.
Paw Patrol is free of bad language, crude humor, violence or sexual references. As far as I have seen it did not have any ‘negative’ content. The show is not too educational either, it’s just enough to keep your kid entertained and motivated for learning. I’ve never seen an episode where the children could not watch together with their parents, and in my opinion, that’s a big plus.
The Top 10 Paw Patrol Merch You Need To Know About
If your child loves Paw Patrol as much as my my boy, you probably need some gifts or presents every now and then. With all the various products around the show, here are the top 10 Paw Patrol products you may want to consider getting for your kids:
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Dan Duran, Kristen Bell, James Marsden (Actors)
- Cal Brunker (Director) - Cal Brunker (Writer) - Jennifer Dodge (Producer)
- English (Playback Languages)
- English (Subtitle)
- Liberts, Jennifer (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 144 Pages - 07/28/2015 (Publication Date) - Random House Books for Young Readers (Publisher)
- PAW PATROL CHASE PLUSH: Chase is on the case in his signature blue policeman uniform! This soft 6” plush toy features Chase with a big, embroidered...
- SOFT & HUGGABLE: This official PAW Patrol toy features surface-washable plush and soft, premium materials that meet our famous GUND quality standards....
- GIFTS FOR KIDS: The GUND PAW Patrol collection from the hit cartoon features all your favorite characters from the courageous crew, making them...
- QUALITY CUDDLES: Our award-winning stuffed animals and toys appeal to animal lovers everywhere, known for unmatched quality and huggable plush...
- PREMIER PLUSH: As one of America’s oldest teddy bear makers, GUND has crafted unique and classic stuffed animals and soft toys for 125 years. Today,...
- CHARACTER DESIGN: 2-Piece cold weather set includes hat and matching pair of mittens featuring Nickelodeon's most memorable team members. AVAILABLE...
- PREMIUM QUALITY: Hat is made of durable acrylic knit exterior and a soft micro-fleece inside lining for comfort and warmth featuring a yarn pom and...
- SIZE: One size, designed to fit toddler boys age 2-4. APPROXIMATE HAT DIMENSIONS: 7" (Back Length) x 6" (Front Length) x 10" (Length with Ear Flaps) x...
- FUN AND FASHIONABLE: Help his favorite pops with this fun and fashionable accessory Paw Patrol set. The colorful hat and mittens are sure to brighten...
- CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Hand wash cold with like color, only non-chlorine bleach when needed, lay flat to dry, do not iron. LICENSED PRODUCT: Officially...
![PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51vOVDZzj7L.jpg)
- McKenna Grace, Taraji P. Henson, Kristen Bell (Actors)
- Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
- Hardcover Book
- Random House (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 160 Pages - 09/05/2017 (Publication Date) - Random House Books for Young Readers (Publisher)
- This wearable gadget features a 3D Chase on the cover and characters from the hit show PAW Patrol
- Digital watch includes 12 clock faces, stopwatch, timer and alarm with a choice of alarm tones
- Four learning games build matching, problem-solving and math skills with adventure games featuring favorite pups
- Learn with the voice of Ryder and play games with the PAW Patrol pups
- Intended for ages 3–6 years; requires 1 CR2450 lithium coin battery; battery included for demo purposes only; new battery recommended for regular...
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Publishing, Nickelodeon (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 01/11/2023 (Publication Date) - Nickelodeon Publishing (Publisher)
- MIGHTY PUPS ACTION FIGURE: Dressed in his PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie uniform, this one of a kind Chase toy figure is a must-have, featuring...
- PAW PATROL MOVIE VEHICLE: Designed with authentic details and styling, Chase’s Mighty Movie Cruiser looks just like the exciting PAW Patrol car that...
- LIGHTS AND SOUND EFFECTS: Activate the synchronized lights and sounds in Chase’s police car toy, by clipping him into the seat of his awesome toy...
- COLLECT THEM ALL: Give the Christmas gift of PAW Patrol toys with holiday stocking stuffers like toy trucks, action figures, diecast cars, dinosaur...
- EDUCATIONAL LEARNING TOYS: PAW Patrol preschool toys & toddler toys are great Christmas gifts for kids who love playing with toy cars, toy figures &...
- PAW PATROL SOCKS FOR BOYS: These adorable Paw Patrol socks are officially licensed by Nickelodeon, they will bring smiles to any little one's face....
- CHARACTER SOCKS: Rock your favorite Paw Patrol characters under school clothes or with an awesome weekend look. These cute character socks will...
- COMFORTABLE MATERIAL: These socks are made from high-quality breathable fabric that is 98 percent polyester and 2 percent spandex. These durable, fun...
- EASY TO CARE FOR: These character socks are machine washable and easy to care for. Turn them inside out before washing to preserve the graphic design,...
- GREAT GIFT: These cute socks are the perfect gift for all Paw Patrol fans. They make ideal stocking stuffers for Christmas or Easter basket surprises....
I hope you enjoyed reading this article. You should be ready to watch the movie or any episode together with your children by now. I am happy t hear your thoughts and opinions about Paw Patrol and how you handle the show in your families. Share your experiences, negatives and positives with our community by commenting below. I really appreciate your input.
One Response
Hola! La verdad es q yo no me fijo tan especifico en los detalles de la serie, ya q la final es simplemente una caricatura…. En lo q siempre estoy pendiente cuando mis hijos estan viendo dibujos animados o peliculas es en la forma de comportarse y en el dialogo, ya q los ninos son esponjas y todo lo q ven lo aprenden y luego lo repiten. En esta ocasion, durante la pelicula de paw patrol (no la serie) note q la perrita Liberty (la nueva) es un poco grosera. Ej. Durante su primera mision le gritaba de forma poco cortes a los conductores para q se salieron del medio…
Que paso con el “con permiso”, y con el “porfavor”.
Yo se q probablemente estan trtando de llevarla a una personalidad “city like” pero aun asi no me agrado, pq yo quiero q mis hijos sean siempre “kind” cuando tengan q interaccionar con las personas…
Otra escena q encontre molesta es cuando Liberty va a preguntar a “su amiga” sobre los perros perdidos, esta le pregunta como ella esta y la perrita groseramente le dice “no te go tiempo para chismes”…
Osea…wow! Anyway… Esa es mi opinion. Espero no molestar a nadie con ella.