Sydney Sweeney brought a furry friend as her plus one to the Met Gala afterparty and while it was an adorable sight to see, fans don’t think it was the wisest decision.
This past Monday, some of the world’s most beloved A-listers swarmed New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art to attend the annual Met Gala, with this year’s theme surrounding Black menswear, titled “Tailored For You.”
Highlights
- Sydney Sweeney brought her German Shepherd puppy as her plus one to the Met Gala afterparty, attracting widespread attention.
- Fans criticized Sydney for exposing her puppy to the overwhelming paparazzi flashes, fearing it was stressing the young dog.
- Others defended Sweeney, stating German Shepherds bond strongly with their owners and prefer being close to them.
And while the 27-year-old caused a flurry of mixed reactions with the outfit she chose to wear, one particular moment after the red carpet drew in many eyes — and not in an inviting way.
Sydney Sweeney was slammed by fans for bringing her puppy to the Met Gala afterparty
Image credits: Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images
The Euphoria star was one of the many celebrities who walked the carpet, stunning in an all-black attire that pooled softly at her ankles, her hair slicked back into a tight bun.
In one specific clip posted on Reddit, one person managed to capture Sweeney walking out into a swarm of paparazzi — en route to the afterparty — with her German Shepherd in her arms.
Image credits: sydney_sweeney / Instagram
She showed her little friend to the photographers, even pausing to take selfies with a couple of them. While it could have been brushed off as a light gesture, commenters were worried that the dog was feeling overwhelmed.
“Sydney Sweeney showing off her dog to the Paparazzi,” read the concerned caption. “The puppy seems so stressed :( ”
It appears as if everyone else was in agreement.
Those online were worried Sweeney's dog would feel overwhelmed by the presence of the paparazzi
Image credits: taieb_gedeon / TikTok
Image credits: taieb_gedeon / TikTok
“All the flashes are stressing me out!” one person complained.
Another slammed her, saying, “This is awful!”
“This is so cruel, take that poor baby inside!” a third ordered.
Fans thought the puppy looked stressed in the clips that were shared
Image credits: taieb_gedeon / TikTok
When a netizen asked whether this public attention was a good move, someone replied, “It’s a bad [idea]. Flooding your dog like this can lead to massive reactivity and behavioral issues. Even more so when they’re young and going through fear periods.”
“Don’t take ur f–cking dogs to such an event wth,” a comment read. “Rich people tend to forget that their dogs just stay normal dogs and not get used to this sh–t as they do.”
“It hurts more when you remember they dog ears are so much more sensitive to sound — they hear MUCH louder than us humans. How awful for the poor pup,” another stated.
Although it is unclear how old Sweeney’s puppy is, PEOPLE reported she had announced his addition into her family on April 21, 2025, and had named him Sully.
When a similar video hit TikTok, the replies were much more light-hearted.
One person pointed out how sounds are much louder and clearer for dogs than they are for humans
Image credits: sydney_sweeney / Instagram
Image credits: sydney_sweeney / Instagram
“Yall there are dogs in kennels and in pounds I think the one going to a met gala after party is fine,” one comment read.
“Germen shepherd owner… they LOVE being w their humans NO MATTER WHAT THEYRE DOING OR WHERE,” defended one person.
Another reassured, “As a gsd owner of multiple years i can tell you rn that dog would much rather be with her than at home. they are velcro dogs. they wanna spend every second with you for their entire life lol.”
Image credits: sydney_sweeney / Instagram
As Bored Panda previously reported, Sweeney’s dress was inspired by Kim Novak’s costume in the 1968 film The Legend of Lylah Clare.
The original fit was designed by Gilbert Adrian—a legendary costume designer—for Joan Crawford in the 1930s before it was adapted for Novak, meaning it carries decades of Old Hollywood history.
Viewers, however, didn’t think her stylist played to her strengths, with one person saying that while the outfit carried a “vintage elegance” to it, the “drama” and the theme were missing.
The dress code was drawn by Monica L. Miller’s Slaves to Fashion book, a narrative that emphasizes the movement known as “Black dandyism” and its historical ties to the Harlem Renaissance aesthetic, where attendees are encouraged to reimagine historical outfits through a Black cultural lens.
One person claimed these kind of events were not an "appropriate environment" for a puppy
