Parents' Guide to

Littlest Pet Shop

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Product tie-ins dominate so-so cartoon.

TV Discovery Family Channel Kids' Animation 2012
Littlest Pet Shop Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 6+

Based on 18 parent reviews

superarminbros
superarminbros Adult
April 1, 2021
age 7+

This show is a disaster and a big mess

For starters I’m not the one to judge and be rude to anyone who likes this show as I think it’s pathetic and sad that people actually give acclaim to this garbage. This show isn’t necessarily boring but is the correct example of being a complete utter waste of time and crap for kids or anyone of any age watching this. Let me state why. First off, this show is like a feminine version of spongebob with GNC characters. The boy pets in this show act really weird it makes me cringe and have some potty humor indicated whenever they talk sometimes. The girl characters are also stuck up spoilt brats and are often condescending and all the pets never seem to really learn from their mistakes and keep finding faults in each other. The pets’ bickering and arguing takes up 99.9% of the time-slot per episode. The male characters tend to act inappropriate amongst the girl pets touching them grabbing them, giving little kids the wrong idea. And the girl pets as well, vice versa. Also numerous times you hear what the “heck”, or what the-, and dating and crushes and mean girl stereotypes are in this show but are just being used in the SAME way with a slightly different boring and dragging on plot for each episode that seems too absurd to be true. This show is just a bunch of mush mash mixed with forgettable songs and nonsense it’s absolutely atrocious. The pets are horrible role models and when they do apologize to one another it’s mutual like “oh I love you guys”, but it’s so outrageously dumb cause they quarrel again in the next episode. It’s like THEYRE TRYING TO MAKE ME HATE THIS degrading excuse of a show. The characters seem to want to find a problem just to have a conflict like it’s torture for themselves jokes on them. Thank god it’s over. If you want to check out shows for your child with good role models there are so many better choices than this crap.
Molly M.
Molly M. Parent of 6, 10 and 15-year-old
February 4, 2023
age 4+

The best show for kids.

The show is super fun and teaches great lessons to kids, such as being yourself and helping a friend in need. All of the characters are different and have their own cool personalities! You feel like the character’s friend joining them for all the adventures. Most other adult reviews I’ve seen are immature My Little Pony obsessed fans comparing it to their show… but they’re nothing alike and this is better :)
See all 18 parent reviews

What's the Story?

LITTLEST PET SHOP follows the adventures of Blythe Baxter (voiced by Ashleigh Ball) as she and her dad move to a new apartment above the Littlest Pet Shop, a one-of-a-kind day camp for animals. Blythe strikes up a friendship with the animals after she realizes she can communicate with them. From abstract artist Minka Mark (Kira Tozei) to shop comedienne Pepper Clark (Tabitha St. Germain), this is a menagerie unlike any other, and with such diverse personalities under one roof, there are bound to be adventures and laughs all around.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (18 ):
Kids say (34 ):

Littlest Pet Shop hangs its hat on the appeal of its bobble-headed animal stars more than on content that might outshine its well-known cast, betting that kids will keep coming back for more because they feel affection for the characters. It's a win-win position for the show -- if your kids already like the Littlest Pet Shop toys, then they'll be drawn to watching them in action onscreen; if not, then watching their personalities develop will endear one or more of them to kids and almost guarantee that will translate into sales of toys, games, and other products. It's a tricky issue that influences parents' decisions about the media their kids consume, and ultimately it boils down to kids' susceptibility to this kind of imbedded advertising.

Blythe is the shining star amid otherwise run-of-the-mill characters and frivolous content of the show, and in her, kids (and girls in particular) will find a model of integrity, self-confidence, loyalty, and creativity. Even though she's faced with a difficult situation in being the new kid in town, she stays true to her values and seeks out friends who accept her for who she is. In so doing, she's able to show kids the importance of liking yourself and resisting pressure to change for the sake of an "in crowd."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about brand names. Kids: Were you already familiar with the Littlest Pet Shop toys? Does watching this show change your interest in them? Where else do you see or hear the toys' brand names in your daily life?

  • Do you have a favorite pet shop character in the show? What appeals to you about him or her? What makes him or her different from the others in the store?

  • How does being able to talk to Blythe help the animals? How does it change her feelings toward them? Why is it important to get to know a person before making a judgment about him or her?

TV Details

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 suggesting a diversity update.

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