Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Silly canine grooming contest lacks bite.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Pooch Perfect
What's the Story?
Hosted by Rebel Wilson, POOCH PERFECT is a reality competition series featuring dog groomers competing for cash. Each episode features ten of the United States' top canine groomers, along with their assistants, showing off how well they trim and style a dog to meet the criteria of each challenge. They must also show how well they interact with the animal. Meanwhile, the judges, Lisa Vanderpump, celebrity dog groomer Jorge Bendersky, and veterinarian Dr. Callie Harris, observe the process. Those who impress get to stay in the game. The team who does not is eliminated. The last duo standing wins a big trophy along with $100K.
Is It Any Good?
This silly series, a spinoff of the Australian original, shows dog groomers shearing, shaving, and coloring dogs' fur, but their talents aren't quite enough to hold viewers' interest. It's clear that audiences are supposed to be tickled by watching contestants walk the runway with their four-legged models to impress the judges, but these moments border on the ridiculous thanks to the reactions of the audience, which consists of stuffed toy dogs and a few people dressed up as canine photographers.
Dog lovers might enjoy the wide-variety of puppers featured here, as well as some of the heartfelt stories the groomers have about their own beloved pets. But while the dogs seem happy, and are treated with affection, not all humans will appreciate what is being done to them. Despite Wilson's best efforts, the series doesn't succeed at elevating the competition into something that's worth investing in.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the kind of training dog groomers have to do their work. Are they as creative with people's dogs at their everyday jobs as they are on the series? Is that a bad thing?
Do you think it's responsible to use dogs as models in this way? Why or why not? How do you think your own pet would respond to a makeover?
Families can talk about having pets and what's required to take care of them appropriately and respectfully. What kind of pets, if any, does your family care for? How do you divide the work?
TV Details
- Premiere date : March 30, 2021
- Cast : Rebel Wilson , Lisa Vanderpump , Jorge Bendersky
- Network : ABC
- Genre : Game Shows
- Topics : Animals
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate