Netflix has a new dog-umentary! It’s called “Pick of the Litter” and follows five labrador pups, training to receive the prestigious title of Guide Dog.
Each dog endures a strict two-year training program to prepare them for their life duty of helping humans. What an honor!
“The stakes are high and not every dog can make the cut,” reads the film’s description. “Only the best of the best. The pick of the litter.”
What happens to the doggos that don’t graduate?
Have no fear, these dogs are adopted out. That makes for an easy training schedule for new dog owners, amirite? I mean, they’ve already been house trained and taught to obey commands. A dog lover’s dream.
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Guide Dogs for the Blind is celebrating 75 years of partnering humans with pups to “prepare highly qualified guide dogs to serve and empower individuals who are blind or have low vision from throughout the United States and Canada.”
The show focuses on five labradors named Patriot, Potomac, Primrose, Poppet, and Phil. All five make you want to squeal with cuteness, but being the pick of the litter means hard work, training, and teaching them how to care for the vision impaired.
These pups were born into their destiny of being a guide dog, but with their different personalities either all or none could make it.
“You never know which make it all the way to guide,” says a voiceover narration. “It could be one, it can be none.”
Dana Nachman and Don Hardy, who directed the film, have won several awards since the documentary debuted in January 2018. Their experience has been eye-opening.
“You walk down the street and you see people who are visually impaired walking with these dogs, and you don’t realize just how much control the dog has in that situation,” Hardy told “Today.” “When you grab that harness and feel the dog instinctively take control, it’s terrifying.”
Are you wondering how it pans out for these labs? You can check out “Pick of the Litter, not only on Netflix but Hulu! So grab the tissues and snuggle up with your pooch to check it out.
