Dog Man: A Parent’s Guide to the Books, the Bathroom Humor, and the 2025 Movie
TL;DR: Dog Man is the undisputed king of the elementary school library. It’s a graphic novel series about a cop with a dog’s head, filled with puns, "bathroom humor," and surprisingly heart-tugging themes of redemption. If your kid is obsessed, they aren’t alone—about 15-20% of kids in grades 2-5 are reading a Pilkey book at any given moment. The big news? The Dog Man movie hits theaters in January 2025, and it looks like a rare win for both kids and parents.
Check out our full list of graphic novels for reluctant readers
If you’ve walked into a Scholastic Book Fair in the last eight years, you’ve seen the bright, neon covers. Created by Dav Pilkey—the same mastermind behind Captain Underpants—the series follows the adventures of a police officer and his dog who are injured in a bomb blast. Through a "surgical mishap" (don't overthink the logic here), the dog’s head is sewn onto the cop’s body.
The result is a hero who has the body of a man but the impulses of a golden retriever. He fights crime, but he also gets distracted by squirrels and occasionally rolls in dead fish.
The books are written as if they were created by the protagonists of Captain Underpants, George and Harold. This means they are full of intentional misspellings, "Flip-O-Rama" animation pages, and a chaotic energy that feels exactly like a 4th grader’s sketchbook.
Ask our chatbot about the best order to read the Dog Man series
There’s a reason Dog Man is a permanent fixture on the NYT Bestseller list.
- Low Barrier to Entry: For kids who find walls of text intimidating, the graphic novel format is a lifeline.
- The "Forbidden" Factor: The humor leans into the "gross-out" category. There are poop jokes. There is a villain named Petey the Cat who builds "Living Spray" to bring hot dogs to life. To a seven-year-old, this is peak comedy.
- Visual Storytelling: Pilkey uses "Flip-O-Rama" (where you flip a page back and forth to create a DIY animation). It makes reading feel like an interactive game.
- Empathy: Despite the toilet humor, the series eventually introduces Lil’ Petey, a clone of the villain who is pure, kind, and chooses to be good. It tackles themes of nature vs. nurture in a way that actually hits home for kids.
After years of fans begging for it, DreamWorks is finally bringing the badge-wearing pup to the big screen. The Dog Man movie is set for release on January 31, 2025.
From the trailers, the animation style looks unique—it preserves the "hand-drawn" feel of the books rather than going for hyper-realistic 3D. This is a huge win. It feels like a comic book come to life, similar to the vibe of The Bad Guys or Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
The Voice Cast:
- Pete Davidson as Petey the Cat (Perfect casting for a cynical, slightly chaotic villain).
- Lil Rel Howery as the Chief.
- Isla Fisher as Sarah Hatoff.
If the movie follows the tone of the Captain Underpants movie, expect a fast-paced, meta-humor experience that won't make you want to scroll on your phone the whole time.
We hear this a lot. Parents see their kids laughing at a giant toilet or a bionic cat and wonder if their child’s brain is melting.
The No-BS Review: No, it’s not brain rot. In fact, Dav Pilkey has been very open about his own struggles with ADHD and dyslexia. He specifically designs these books to be accessible to kids whose brains work differently.
While the humor is undeniably "low-brow," the vocabulary is actually quite sophisticated in spots, and the emotional arcs (especially regarding Petey the Cat’s redemption) are more complex than your average Saturday morning cartoon. If Dog Man is the reason your kid stops asking for Roblox for an hour to sit in a corner and read, it’s a massive win.
The OG series. Start here. It’s silly, it’s crude, and it’s addictive for the 6-10 age bracket.
A spin-off where Lil' Petey teaches a bunch of baby frogs how to make their own comics. This is actually a fantastic resource if you have a kid who likes to draw. It demystifies the creative process.
If your kid has finished every Dog Man book twice, The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey is the logical next step. It has a similar "reformed villain" vibe and heavy visual storytelling.
Another great alternative. It’s about two alligators who are secret agents. High on puns, slightly lower on the "poop joke" scale than Pilkey.
Find more books like Dog Man for your kid
Recommended Ages: 6 to 11
- Kindergarten - 1st Grade: They’ll love the pictures and the "Flip-O-Rama," but they’ll need you to read it with them. Be prepared to do funny voices and explain what a "cyborg" is.
- 2nd - 4th Grade: The "sweet spot." This is where the independent reading happens. They will likely start drawing their own Dog Man comics. Encourage this!
- 5th Grade and Up: Some kids start to age out and move toward things like Percy Jackson or Wings of Fire, but many keep reading Dog Man for the comfort factor.
Safety Considerations
There is very little to worry about here in terms of "safety."
- Violence: It’s "cartoon violence." Think Looney Tunes. Lots of explosions where characters just end up with soot on their faces.
- Language: No "bad" words, but plenty of "stupid," "dumb," and "shut up." If your household has a strict "no-potty-talk" rule, Dog Man is going to be a challenge for you.
Read our guide on handling "potty talk" and bathroom humor
The biggest thing to understand is that Dav Pilkey writes for the kid, not the parent. He isn't trying to win a Newbery Medal for high literature. He’s trying to make a kid who hates school feel like they can conquer a 200-page book.
If you find the books annoying, that’s okay. You don't have to love them. But recognize that for a lot of kids, Dog Man is the "gateway drug" to a lifetime of literacy.
How to talk about it:
- Ask your kid: "Why do you think Petey the Cat is so grumpy?" (This leads to great conversations about feelings and past experiences).
- Ask: "If you could combine two animals to make a hero, what would they be?"
- If the bathroom humor gets to be too much, set a boundary: "Dog Man jokes stay in the book or the playroom; we don't use them at the dinner table."
Ask our chatbot for tips on transitioning kids from graphic novels to chapter books
Dog Man is a net positive for the digital-heavy world we live in. It’s physical media that competes successfully with YouTube and TikTok.
The upcoming Dog Man movie is likely to be the biggest family event of early 2025. If you want to be the "cool parent," grab a copy of the latest book, Dog Man: Big Jim Finds His Way, and read it together before the movie drops.
- Check the library: Most libraries have long waitlists for these, so put your holds in now.
- Mark the calendar: January 31, 2025, for the movie.
- Encourage the art: If your kid starts drawing, get them a decent sketchbook. The Cat Kid Comic Club books are basically "how-to" guides for aspiring young artists.
Check out our full review of the Dog Man series See why we recommend the Captain Underpants movie for family night