Why Is There Always an Animal in a Commercial?

Back in July, I asked a question that I still haven't gotten an answer to: why is there always an animal in a commercial? I wasn't kidding. If you live with a reactive, TV-watching dog, you've probably asked it too, while lunging for the remote to either mute or change the channel.

The Ad Break Lineup

Here's what a normal commercial break looks like in my household. First, a car ad shows a dog with its head out the window, looking happy as a clam. Gus rushes to the screen, screams at the dog, then checks behind it to make sure it isn't in the house. Then a drug commercial comes on, with a nice older couple or family running in the fields with their dog(s). Same reaction from Gus. Next comes an ad for paper towels, with cats knocking over liquids. You can guess what happens next. And the rotation goes on like that every time there is a commercial break. 

After the first or second round of the same commercials on every break, Gus remembers an animal is coming up and gets amped up before it even appears.

Repeat 100x per show, and that's why I don't watch anything with commercials anymore. If commercials had a rating system, it might help. At least dog owners would have time to distract the dog. Movies and TV shows already come with ratings. "This title contains nudity and violence." Why not: "This title contains nudity, violence, animals, and loud noises"? Maybe no one has ever cared enough. 

I care, and other dog owners who watch TV and have reactive dogs care. That's why BarkSkip is here. Slowly but surely, we map titles so reactive dog owners can take a break from the stress and noise.

At some point I stopped trying to win every night of TV. I picked one I could actually protect: Netflix movie night.

Saving Movie Night

A movie is the same file every time you play it. The dog shows up at the same timestamp whether you watch it today or next year. That means you can map it ahead of time, and that's why BarkSkip works. I hand-map each title, scene by scene. When a mapped trigger is coming, you get a 10-second on-screen warning (which you can cancel), then an automatic skip. You pick from 8 toggles: Animals, Loud Noises, Babies/Kids, Robots, Scary Things, Supernatural, Violence, and Weird Things. Gus gets all 8. Your dog might only need one or two.

What BarkSkip Can't Do

Unfortunately, BarkSkip doesn't help with commercials. It doesn't help with live TV, cable, or other streaming services. Currently, it skips scenes in supported Netflix titles. If a title isn't mapped, BarkSkip won't skip anything.

It also runs in desktop Chrome or Safari, not in a smart TV app. You can still put it on the big screen with HDMI, AirPlay, or a Chrome tab cast.

So BarkSkip won't fix the commercial issue; however, it can still help you and your dog have a stress-free movie night!

BarkSkip is a movie-night management tool, not a replacement for professional training or veterinary advice.

Try It For Free

Install BarkSkip for free, no account needed, and try it on one of the 5 rotating free titles. If it works for your dog, BarkSkip Pro is a one-time $15 purchase that unlocks the full catalog, with 3 activations per license.

And if anyone in advertising is reading this: maybe one ad without a dog? Just one? Gus and I beg you!

Install for Chrome | Install for Safari | Browse the Catalog

-Newton, Founder of BarkSkip