Nelvana and Discovery Kids LatAm joint venture redknot is marking its territory in the kids space with The Dog & Pony Show. The first project for the JV sets the tone for its future slate, which is all about international appeal and colorful characters, says executive manager Patricia Burns.

Premiering September 5 on Corus-owned preschool channel Treehouse, the series for six to 11s revolves around the adventures of a dog and pony who move from their magical home into the real world. Created and exec produced by Josh Selig (The Wonder Pets!, P. King Duckling), the show will launch in LatAm starting September 14 on Discovery Kids.

The concept, unique art style and relatable story motivated redknot to choose The Dog & Pony Show as its inaugural series, says Burns.

“It has a sophisticated humor and adventurous characters whose story resonates with our demo because they’re moving to a new place and going through what kids experience when they leave home to go to school,” says Burns.

Originally formed in 2017, redknot was created to leverage Nelvana’s and Discovery Kids’ combined reach and resources when pitching internationally, says Adriano Schmid, senior director of production for Discovery Kids.

While the planned release in Canada and LatAm will help future sales efforts for The Dog & Pony Show, Schmid believes international buyers will be drawn to the show’s broad, gender-neutral reach; its variety of humor (slapstick, visual gags and vaudeville-style bits); and its universal messages, like the importance of accepting others and trying new things. The unique background art inspired by the teams’ doodling will help the series stand out further, he adds.

Looking forward, redknot is developing a few new series that haven’t been greenlit yet, says Burns. She’s focused on growing its slate with projects that have unusual characters, settings and stories.