How do dogs act?
Meet the mutts out-acting half of Hollywood—this short doc pulls showcases the tail-wagging stars of film and TV.
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- In “Homeward Bound”, the emotional close-up of Shadow longing was real—achieved by simply showing the dog actor (Molly) a bird off-camera to get that intense look of focus and yearning.
- In “John Wick 3 & 4”, Halle Berry trained for eight months to become a certified dog handler—so she could command the action dogs herself in complex fight scenes.
- Stuntmen wore neon green pads on their groins to cue the dogs where to “attack”—making the hits look brutal but choreographed down to the inch.
Watch “The Art of Dog Acting”
You can watch “The Art of Dog Acting” for free on YouTube here.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 91/100
- IMDB Rating: not yet rated
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: not yet rated
Director’s Note: Directed by Alex Boucher (who also directed the documentary “How Muppets Break Free from their Puppeteers” (which my Daily Doc teammate Rob rates 90/100)).
Release Date: Originally posted on YouTube in 2020
My Review of “The Art of Dog Acting”
The Setup
Ever wonder how movie dogs know when to bark, cry, or jump at the perfect time? This doc breaks down the science and psychology behind canine actors, showing how top trainers use everything from verbal cues to hidden toys to get the perfect shot.
More Highlights from the Doc
- There are often multiple dogs per character—each picked for a specific skill. For example: one dog for close-ups, one for running scenes, one for stunts.
- “Turner & Hooch” used four different Hooches. “Beethoven” used three. Even Annie’s dog Sandy needed a backup.
- Some trainers even disguise themselves as extras to stay in the scene and guide the dog mid-shot without breaking the illusion ((e.g. the police officer in Spiderman 3 and the referee in Air Bud).
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- The dog Beau in Snatch nearly bit off an actor’s penis (luckily the actor’s cell phone in his pocket blocked it).
- Dog actors are trained using silent hand signals so they can perform amid dialogue or music without disrupting sound recording.
- Trainers start by teaching dogs to lock eyes with them—then build dozens of behaviors from that foundation of focus and reward.
- The highest-paid movie dogs often have their own trailers, grooming team, and daily routines—including massage and play time.
Wrap Up
“The Art of Dog Acting” shows why the real stars of many films might be on four legs. You’ll never watch a dog scene the same way again.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc