Pick of the Litter Episode 1: Meet the dogs who stole our hearts in Disney Plus show
The Disney Plus show 'Pick of the Litter', like the 2018 documentary film of the same name that inspired it, takes a closer look at the elite dogs that graduate from the Guide Dogs for the Blind school in California, and the trainers who guide and instruct them.
These dogs are trained from an early age to make sure that they will be suitable, well-mannered and loyal companions for their visually impaired owners in the future. And it's a much more intensive and challenging labor of love than appearances suggest - the training could take up to a year sometimes - but thankfully, in the end, all that invested love and attention gradually becomes a two-way street, resulting in a lot of joy and career satisfaction for both the dogs and the trainers that interact with them on a daily basis. Here are the three biggest takeaways from the pilot episode of 'Pick of the Litter' called "Meet the Dogs" that aired December 20 on Disney Plus.
Adorable and playful
The first few minutes of the show introduce us to the dogs while they are still puppies, and these opening shots are sure to warm the cockles of your heart when you see those cute puppies gamboling around, curiously exploring their surroundings and playing with their trainers. The show chooses to focus on six dogs, all from the same litter, and their trainers. The pups' names are Tartan, Tulane, Pacino, Paco, Amara and Raffi.
A lot goes to make a good guide dog
Out of 800 dogs who are raised and trained for the Guide Dogs for the Blind organization, only about 300 will make the cut. The ones who don't will have to "change careers" due to any number of reasons, such as being too fearful, too noisy or too difficult to manage and control. Being a well-trained guide dog is not just something that any dog can learn to do either - it's got to be part of their genetic makeup - even the dog's parents are evaluated to make sure they are of suitable pedigree. Right from the time they are three days old, they are trained for over a year in etiquette, discipline, and calm, independent decision-making until they are approved for graduation from the guide dog school. And there is no room for error - one wrong move on the part of the dog could put their future visually-challenged owner at risk, so it's imperative that they remain calm, vigilant and responsible at all times. Months and months of careful grooming could suddenly go haywire if the dog were to momentarily forget its training, so a lot of effort goes into disciplining these dogs until it becomes second nature for them.
The dogs give back too
Time and time again, we see the instructors being rewarded for their efforts to discipline their dogs. Having nurtured and cared for them for so long, they have now developed a strong and loving bond with these dogs - they're treated like a member of the family. And it's the children of the dog trainers who seem to have benefited the most from this particular arrangement - a transgender child revealed that they were able to use their dog as a conduit for emotional support and security, while another girl admitted that her confidence grew in leaps and bounds thanks to spending time on training exercises with her dog.
Created by the Guide Dogs for the Blind organization and directors Dana Nachman and Don Hardy from KTF Films, ‘Pick of the Litter’ manages to be simultaneously adorable and inspirational. The Guide Dogs for the Blind organization stated, “We are delighted that the series captures both sides of the harness by showcasing the people who love, train, and are paired with GDB dogs. Thanks to the folks at Disney+ and ABC studios for giving a new platform to share our life-changing mission!” We couldn't agree more, and look forward to more episodes as they come out on a weekly basis.