Pet hero: turn your dog or cat into a hero

Why a pet hero works so well

A pet hero is a hero drawn to look like your own animal: a dog with a cape, a cat with a mask or a rabbit that is extra fast. Children who already love their pet often enjoy seeing them in a story. The pet becomes a familiar hero in your child’s story.

A pet hero also connects the story to home. A cat who always finds the sunniest spot, or a dog who runs round the garden every day, can become a hero with a special gift. Those small details are what make a story feel personal.

Choosing the right photo

A good photo is the starting point. Kidori uses the photo to draw your pet, so it helps when the animal is clearly visible. Keep these points in mind:

• Only one pet is in the photo, clearly visible, with the whole head in frame
• The photo is sharp and well lit, without heavy filters
• No people are in the photo, children included
• The file is a JPEG, PNG or WebP of up to 10 MB

What happens to the photo

It helps to know exactly what happens to the photo. The photo is uploaded and checked by OpenAI, which also uses it to draw your pet. We keep the photo until you delete the hero. After that the photo is deleted too.

In the parent area, Kidori asks for explicit consent before a photo is uploaded. Read that text carefully. Only pets may appear in the photo, and if you want to stop, you can delete the hero.

In child mode a child can add a pet as well. A parent must first add a pet photo once in the parent menu.

Your pet hero in your child’s stories

Once the hero is ready, it can take part in any story, just like other heroes. Pick it in the story generator or in child mode, and start tonight’s story. The hero can also star in a series, so it returns on other evenings.

Pet heroes are part of the Family plan, which you can try free for 14 days.

A short checklist for your first hero

Before you start, take a moment to choose which pet gets the lead role. Pick the animal your child cares about most, even if it is not the most photogenic pet in the family. The story works better when it is about something your child really knows.

Get the photo ready before you begin. One good photo is better than ten blurry ones. If there are people in the photo, Kidori will not accept it and you will see a message with the reason. Then choose a photo that shows only the animal.

After that, take your time over the name and the kind of animal. A short, easy name is the one that sticks, especially with young children. Say it out loud: if your child repeats the name straight away, it works.

Want to refresh the hero’s look later? Kidori then uses the same photo, because it stays stored for as long as the hero exists. You do not have to start again when you want a new drawing, and the hero stays recognisable for your child.

Pet won’t sit still? That is fine too. A pet hero can be cheerful, sleepy or curious, just like the animal itself. Those small quirks are what let your child recognise the hero straight away.