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Treat Yourself

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This episode is one video with 2 short stories. Each story gets its own review and score.

Good

Recommended age Unlock

Co-watching from age 2

Stimulating

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Treat Yourself

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Pretzel and the Puppies: Treat Yourself | Good, co-watching from age 2

Pretzel and the Puppies: Treat Yourself | Good, co-watching from age 2 - Slowscreen

Good · Co-watching from age 2. At Kibble Fest in the town of Montgomery, the Doxy dachshund family arrives to taste new kinds of kibble. One pup, Puck, does not...

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https://slowscreen.com/en/series/pretzel-and-the-puppies/s1/e2a-treat-yourself

https://slowscreen.com/en/series/pretzel-and-the-puppies/s1/e2a-treat-yourself

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Pretzel and the Puppies: Treat Yourself | Good, co-watching from age 2 - Slowscreen

Good · Co-watching from age 2. At Kibble Fest in the town of Montgomery, the Doxy dachshund family arrives to taste new kinds of kibble. One pup, Puck, does not...

Pretzel and the Puppies: Treat Yourself | Good, co-watching from age 2
Pretzel and the Puppies: Treat Yourself | Good, co-watching from age 2

slowscreen.com

Pretzel and the Puppies: Treat Yourself | Good, co-watching from age 2 - Slowscreen

Good · Co-watching from age 2. At Kibble Fest in the town of Montgomery, the Doxy dachshund family arrives to taste new kinds of kibble. One pup, Puck, does not...

Pretzel and the Puppies: Treat Yourself | Good, co-watching from age 2
slowscreen.com

Pretzel and the Puppies: Treat Yourself | Good, co-watching from age 2 - Slowscreen

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Pretzel and the Puppies: Treat Yourself | Good, co-watching from age 2 - Slowscreen

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Pretzel and the Puppies: Treat Yourself | Good, co-watching from age 2
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Subject Pretzel and the Puppies: Treat Yourself | Good, co-watching from age 2

Good · Co-watching from age 2. At Kibble Fest in the town of Montgomery, the Doxy dachshund family arrives to taste new kinds of kibble. One pup, Puck, does not...

https://slowscreen.com/en/series/pretzel-and-the-puppies/s1/e2a-treat-yourself

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This program is stimulating. It actively demands attention and can feel intense. For the recommended age, this may be on the more intense side. The pacing is fast. Images follow each other quickly, leaving little time to pause and take in what is happening. The sound is soft and supportive. The visuals are calm and well-organized.
This episode follows one clear thread: Puck does not want to try any kibble, and his family works to find or make one he will. Events build in a recognizable order, from arriving at the festival to tasting, then cooking, then the happy result, so a young child can follow what happens and why. The small caveat is the middle section, where many new flavors and ingredients like sweet potato, ginger, mint and blueberries arrive close together, which is a lot to hold at this age. Actions lead to clear, predictable outcomes throughout.
The family treats Puck with patience and warmth; no one forces him, and they reassure him with lines like 'we don't want you to miss out' and 'don't go, Puck, we'll miss you.' Small worries, such as his growling stomach or not finding a kibble he likes, are settled gently and right away. The one caveat is the high level of excitement, with constant cheering that keeps emotions running hot. Characters stay kind and consistent with each other from start to finish.
The pups try one kibble after another and rule them out, showing a trial-and-error process a young child can recognize, and Puck gets a real say by choosing the ingredients for his own batch. The limitation is that the breakthrough idea, making fresh kibble, comes from Mom and Mr. Kibble rather than the pups, so the adults supply the key turn. From there the pups carry it out and Puck acts on his own choices. The steps from problem to solution are laid out plainly.
Language stays concrete and matched to small children, with simple words about colors, smells and tastes, like kibble that is 'hard on the outside and soft on the inside' or 'not too salty.' Speech is clear and words are used consistently, and the playful invented words such as 'rainbow-licious' and 'bow-wow-autiful' read as obvious fun rather than confusing. The caveat is the heavy load of excited exclamations like 'Yeah!', 'Woo-hoo!' and 'Yum!' that carry feeling more than meaning. The cooking talk gives the language a useful, informative backbone.
The heart of the episode, being willing to try a new food, maps directly onto a very real challenge for young children, and making something with recognizable ingredients models a real cooking sequence. That said, the whole world is talking dogs at a kibble festival, and what they eat is dog food rather than anything a child would make at home, which softens the real-world link. The social setup is easy to recognize: a family, siblings cheering each other on, and a friendly market vendor. The message about helping a friend feel included carries over well to daily life.

More information

This score shows how inclusively the series portrays diverse people, families and cultures. Scale: Limited → Varied → Rich → Inclusive.
This is an all-dog world built around one dachshund family, their five pups, and the neighborhood market in Montgomery. Diversity shows up mostly as different coat colors, breeds, and names rather than varied family forms or life-worlds, which keeps the range of who appears fairly narrow. The episode is stronger in how everyone behaves: the pups share tasks and feelings without fixed gender patterns, and both the mother and Mr. Kibble take charge of cooking and encouragement. The result is a balanced group dynamic inside a fairly uniform setting.
This score shows whether the series stays close to everyday reality or leans into fantasy. Scale: Fantasy → Mixed reality → Realistic.
The world of Pretzel and the Puppies is a town run entirely by talking dogs, yet everything the pups do is drawn from everyday life: shopping at a food market, coping with a picky eater, and cooking a fresh batch of food together. There is no villain and no frightening turn; the only problem is Puck not wanting to try anything new, and it is solved through patience and teamwork. The imaginative side stays simple and consistent, with no magic rules to keep track of. For a three-year-old this is a comfortable blend of light make-believe and recognizable daily moments.
This score shows how enjoyable the series is for parents watching along. Scale: Tedious → Tolerable → Pleasant → Enjoyable.
Treat Yourself is well made and easy to sit through, with polished animation and a simple story about a picky pup that holds together from start to finish. For a watching adult, though, there is little to latch onto: the jokes are gentle dog puns pitched at children, and the high-energy chatter and repeated refrains can wear on you over time. The running stomach gag earns an occasional smile, and the craft never feels cheap. It works as comfortable background company for a parent rather than something that rewards close attention.

Themes

Food

Recurring

The episode is set at Kibble Fest, a festival full of bowls of different kibble flavors.

Cooking

Recurring

Mr. Kibble and the pups mix ingredients like sweet potato and ginger and bake a fresh batch of kibble.

Family

Recurring

The Doxy dachshund family, Mom Greta and the five pups, go to the festival together.

Siblings

Recurring

The pups Poppy, Pippa, Pedro, Paxton and Puck taste flavors and cheer each other on.

Perseverance

Recurring

The pups keep offering option after option, saying 'there's still so many kinds to try.'

Problem solving

Recurring

When no existing kibble works, the group solves it by making a brand new flavor.

Celebration

Recurring

Mr. Kibble welcomes everyone to 'the biggest and tastiest day of the year in Montgomery.'

Behaviour

Overexcited tone

The pups keep up high-pitched cheering and excited squeals like 'Yeah! Woo-hoo!' through much of the episode.

Fast pacing

Characters speak quickly and talk over each other during the festival and tasting scenes.

At Kibble Fest in the town of Montgomery, the Doxy dachshund family arrives to taste new kinds of kibble. One pup, Puck, does not want to try anything, so his brother Pedro and the rest of the pups help him search for a flavor he likes. When nothing works, Mom and Mr. Kibble invite the pups to make a fresh batch, and Puck chooses the ingredients himself. He tastes the kibble he made, loves it, and Pedro is praised for helping him try something new.

Season 1

10 episodes

Pretzel and the Puppies
S01 E01 Story A

Pretzel and the Puppies

Make Your Bark

Balanced
recommended age Unlock co-watching from 2

In the town of Montgomery, the Doxie family of dachshunds, parents Greta and Pretzel and their five pups, walk Mom to her job as mayor and notice a dull, blank wall that no dog wants to be near. Paxton suggests painting a mural, the city council votes to approve it, and the pups gather paint and try out designs at home. When they cannot agree on a single picture, they decide to let every dog add a paw print instead. The wall fills with colourful prints, dogs gather to play nearby, and Paxton is proud to have 'made his bark.'

Pretzel and the Puppies
S01 E01 Story B

Pretzel and the Puppies

Pup to the Races

Stimulating
recommended age Unlock co-watching from 2

In a sunny park, a litter of small dachshund puppies discovers the kibble cart derby but learns they are too short to reach the steering lever and brake of the big carts. Led by Pedro, they try one idea after another, stretching themselves, testing different boxes and wood, and finally building tiny carts they push instead of ride, using doggy discs as wheels. They race the new carts successfully and create a pup cart derby of their own. The episode closes with the pups and their parents celebrating and a short song about making your own spark.

Pretzel and the Puppies
S01 E02 Story A

Pretzel and the Puppies

Treat Yourself

Stimulating
recommended age Unlock co-watching from 2

At Kibble Fest in the town of Montgomery, the Doxy dachshund family arrives to taste new kinds of kibble. One pup, Puck, does not want to try anything, so his brother Pedro and the rest of the pups help him search for a flavor he likes. When nothing works, Mom and Mr. Kibble invite the pups to make a fresh batch, and Puck chooses the ingredients himself. He tastes the kibble he made, loves it, and Pedro is praised for helping him try something new.

Pretzel and the Puppies
S01 E02 Story B

Pretzel and the Puppies

Pups on Parade

Balanced
recommended age Unlock co-watching from 2

A family of dachshunds in the dog city of Montgomery learns at breakfast that their city is turning 100 today. The pups decide to throw a surprise birthday party and set about gathering decorations, ordering treats from Kibble Market and finding a place big enough. When they realise they forgot to invite any guests, they run through the streets calling everyone to come. The celebration turns into a city-wide parade, ending with the birthday song for Montgomery.

Pretzel and the Puppies
S01 E03 Story A

Pretzel and the Puppies

Do the Doxie

Balanced
recommended age Unlock co-watching from 2

Pretzel, a dad dachshund, takes his five pups to visit their grandmother Nana while Mom is at work. They discover that Nana's exercise class is closed, so the pups set out to find another way for Nana and her neighbourhood friends to move their bodies. After trying gardening and a tea party, they land on a dance party. The episode ends with everyone, including Mom, dancing the Doxie together.

Pretzel and the Puppies
S01 E03 Story B

Pretzel and the Puppies

Hot Dogs

Balanced
recommended age Unlock co-watching from 2

On the hottest day of the year, a family of dachshund puppies finds it is too hot to play their favorite game, Puck Duck. With help from their dad, the pups try one idea after another to cool down, from finding shade to playing with ice and water. When the ice melts and the water soaks away, they combine a hose and watering cans into a big sprinkler they call the Cool Down Play Zone. They invite every overheated dog in Montgomery to join, and the whole neighborhood cools off and plays together.

Pretzel and the Puppies
S01 E04 Story A

Pretzel and the Puppies

Bowl Them Over

Balanced
recommended age Unlock co-watching from 2

The Doxy puppies bring their friends Dylan and Delilah to The Bowl, a restaurant run by Jules, only to find the friends are allergic to wheat and cannot eat anything on the menu. Disappointed, the group heads home and recreates the restaurant as a 'Doxy Bowl,' then experiments in the kitchen until they invent a wheat-free dish of rice, beans and cheesy chews. The friends love it, and when Jules tastes the dish she adds it to her own menu. The episode ends with everyone able to eat at both restaurants.

Pretzel and the Puppies
S01 E04 Story B

Pretzel and the Puppies

Cone-Do

Balanced
recommended age Unlock co-watching from 2

Delilah, a young dachshund, arrives wearing a cone after hurting her paw and keeps bumping into things during tag and fetch. With Pretzel and her friends she rides a train to the park to find a game that works for her. There she discovers the cone helps her hear faraway sounds, which lets her find a lost pup and reunite it with its mother. The friends turn the discovery into a new game called Hear and Seek, and Paxton makes his own cone so he can play too.

Pretzel and the Puppies
S01 E05 Story A

Pretzel and the Puppies

Welcome Waggin'

Stimulating
recommended age Unlock co-watching from 2

A new dog named Gus Growler moves to the town of Montgomery with a long list of things to buy but keeps getting lost. The Doxy puppies and their parents, dad Pretzel and mom Greta the mayor, first tell him directions and then give him a tour, but he gets lost both times. Finally the pups draw him a colorful map, and with it Gus finds the kibble market, the bed shop, and the post office. The pups hang the map outside City Hall so it can help other new dogs in town.

Pretzel and the Puppies
S01 E05 Story B

Pretzel and the Puppies

Groom Games

Balanced
recommended age Unlock co-watching from 2

At Gigi's grooming palace, a group of puppies get their fur trimmed before heading out to play fetch with the Red Zoomer ball. One puppy, Dil, is too excited to hold still, so his fur keeps covering his eyes and he cannot be groomed or see. His friends invent stay-still games, a balance game, Pippa Says, drawing, and pretending to be a statue, to help him calm down. Once Dil holds still, Gigi finishes the trim, he can see again, and everyone goes to the park to play.

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