[Discussion] Documentaries on Dogs

[vanessajune]

I was hoping to get lots of recommendations of documentaries about dogs to watch and if they are available online. I'm happy to buy/rent some if they're worth it. I'd like to watch ones that may not be as accurate as well to just see what people are talking about. Please post some titles and why you would or would not recommend them!

Here is my list so far: Will try to add links I find for all later.

• Dogs and More Dogs Mostly about evolution of dogs. Broadly covers a lot of topics (relating to evolution) that I have seen in other videos and seems pretty current in terms of information. Enjoyable, would recommend.
• A Dog's Life WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND This one has felt like the most awesome documentary so far, because it dealt mostly with the difference in cognitive function for dogs and had some well explained/defended studies. It was an awesome change of pace from reading papers on the subject. I can't wait to try some experiments with the shelter dogs...Only downside is that you have to move to Canada to watch it.
• Pedigree Dogs Exposed This movie was pretty interesting. I work with shelter dogs so it was helpful to be reminded of "the other side," if you will. I think the movie is a great starting point to do your own research. It exposes you to a controversial set of problems regarding dog breeding, the origin of these problems, and the consequences from them. I will admit that this documentary came off as biased that the breeding practices are bad, so as a documentary it might not be very good, but I enjoyed watching it.
• The Wonder of Dogs
• City of Dogs
• The Secret Life of a Dog
• For the Love of Pugs
• Tough Love: A Meditation on Dogs & Dominance
• One Nation Under Dog haven't confirmed link yet
• Dogs Decoded
• MINE
• Dogs and More Dogs
• Send in the Dogs Episode 1 linked, it's a series.
• And Man Created Dog Rather in depth look at the evolution of dog and theories around it. Pretty interesting, would recommend.
• Science of Dogs
• Dog Factory This movie was an interesting look into the problem of sketchy puppy sellers. It is enlightening to become aware of the (in my personal opinion) icky people that take advantage of ignorant people's desire for a cute, little, warm, ball of slobber and love. Although sad/unsettling, I did enjoy it.
• Icebound: The Greatest Dog Story Ever Told
• Dogs on the Inside, Available on Netflix. I didn't like this one very much as a "documentary" since it wasn't very informative but it was a warm and fuzzy movie on shelter dogs getting some help by using the low security prison inmate population. Wouldn't recommend for information, but would recommend for looking at dogs. Haha.
• Dangerous Dogs Not very informative, mostly like watching an episode of animal cops. Definitely had some concerning cases, but enough happy endings to not lose all faith. Not bad, but would recommend as an awareness video rather than informative.

If anybody cares I will update after I watch them with a recommendation!

EDIT: Adding very brief notes of completed documentaries for anybody else looking! Also added links for the videos I have found so far. Thank you to everybody that recommended or discussed, I got a lot more suggestions than I thought and just wanted to say I appreciate it!

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@vanessajune the secret life of the dog is a BBC documentary that's very well made and interesting.

 

[seekeroftruth0]

@imagebeastmarkbeast I second this one

 

[colton112]

@imagebeastmarkbeast If this is the one with the injured navy guy and the golden retriever filling his shopping cart it teared me up so bad.

Edit: it was a yellow lab and it put the items in his lap not a shopping cart

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@colton112 It is indeed I may be biased but I recommend it to just about everyone who has an interest in learning more about dogs.

 

[vanessajune]

@imagebeastmarkbeast Thank you! Will add it to the list. Always a fan of BBC...

 

[buck1hunter]

@vanessajune Best in Show is an awesome chaser after a marathon of harsh or depressing dog documentaries.

It's done in the style of a documentary following show dogs and their handlers and it is absolutely hilarious.

 

[seth528hz]

@buck1hunter Honestly it might as well be an actual documentary. So true to life.

 

[vanessajune]

@buck1hunter Ooh, sounds delightful! Thanks.

 

[leryc]

@vanessajune City of Dogs (BBC) is a Louis Theroux doc about the abandoned/problem dogs of LA and the people who work with them.

There's one bit (36 mins) in it where a trainer does some weird, almost magic thing on a dog that was highly reactive, and it's like he almost, in a couple of minutes, resets it into being an easy-going animal. If anyone here could explain what the hell he did (or how it works, exactly, on the dog's mind), I'd be interested to know.

 

[vanessajune]

@leryc I will get back to you on that! I've done lots of reading (before getting into documentaries) and maybe I can make an educated guess. Thanks for the recommendation

 

[phillnb25]

@leryc I don't know how it works, but the guy basically sat on the dog with his knee over the dog's back. We don't know that this thing worked beyond the few minutes of that segment.

 

[leryc]

@phillnb25 I don't know how long it work for, but before that, the dog had been going for the presenter and had to wear a muzzle just to be let out of his enclosure, and then there the dog was, even standing on the presenter's lap in the car, looking pretty relaxed. Even if it was for a short time, getting from one extreme to the other like that (assuming it hadn't been doped or something, which would negate the trainer's holistic-sounding spiel) seems pretty impressive.

 

[phillnb25]

@leryc Well, part of the problem with the dog's owner was she was yelling in that screechy voice and getting in his face while yelling at him. Not a great way to handle a reactive dog.

 

[aaron_boydstun]

@vanessajune There is a short series available on Netflix called "dogs with jobs" it's interesting to see - I've watched a handful of the episodes

 

[oldtmer]

@aaron_boydstun Also a very weird watch when you're unemployed.

 

[vanessajune]

@aaron_boydstun Hooray for Netflix! Thank you.

 

[jesusismylord77]

@aaron_boydstun Love this show! Occasionally a tear-jerker fo SHO

 

[jesusismylord77]

@vanessajune There's an episode of "The Nature of Things" (a show on The CBC) called A Dog's Life that I watched on an Air Canada flight once... only 45m long but pretty interesting!

 

[vanessajune]

@jesusismylord77 Awesome, heard about that one. I will have to get creative since I live in US. Thank you!