Like his namesake in Gremlins, little furball dog Gizmo is cute and cuddly…unless you look at him funny; then he's ready to perform impromptu surgery (sans anesthetic) on your gonads. Gizmo is one of several "problem child" dogs, most of whom are straightened out in Woof!: It's a Dog's Life 2 by celebrity dog trainer Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis with a few loving words of encouragement and a good swift yank on the choke chain. In this nine-episode double-tape sequel to the bestselling original, culled from the popular PBS series, Uncle Matty travels across the U.S. working with dogs and their owners, dispensing canine tips and advice, and even whipping up some gourmet dog chow in the kitchen (turkey meatloaf, anyone?). Divided into bite-size recurring segments such as "Beyond the Basics," "Something to Bark About," and "Healthy Dog, Happy Dog," Margolis tackles simple commands ("sit," "stay," "come," "let go of my nuts"--okay, that's one of my key commands), recurring unwanted behaviors (such as excessive barking, biting, or chewing), and offers tips related to such specific situations as newborns and dogs, while visiting dog owners who include Lorna Luft (Judy Garland's daughter), Jennifer Nicholson (Jack Nicholson's daughter), and Burt Ward (best known as Robin on the '60s Batman series, but currently running a shelter--i.e., his house--for about 90 Great Danes, with a food bill that comes to several thousand dollars per month). As the proud and occasionally flustered owner of a big Bernese mountain dog and a small Golden Retriever (both of whom are under two years of age but are exceptionally hard of hearing), I could commiserate with the pet owners profiled here (although I have to say that Uncle Matty would not look out of place on The Sopranos and I suspect that the dogs instinctively sense that he would settle their Purina in a New York minute if they gave him any backbark). Dog owners, naturally, will love to watch someone else's Dogs Behaving Badly in this fun series that works as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, a good single-volume dog training tape (such as Training You to Train Your Dog [VL-9/02]). Sure to be popular, this is definitely recommended. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)While most dogs are raised to be…well…just dogs, some are trained for a particular purpose. Providing an entertaining and informative look at how a dog matures from an undisciplined and eager young puppy into a dependable guide dog for the blind, Future Guide Dogs offers a glimpse into a world rarely seen by outsiders. Viewers will follow the process of breeding, raising and teaching these dogs to become professionals with j-o-b-s, while also discovering what makes guide dog training different from regular training, including the fact that guide dogs are also taught disobedience in certain circumstances (i.e., to disobey when a person's command would unwittingly place him or her in a potentially harmful situation). A well-made documentary on a fascinating but little-covered topic, this is recommended. Aud: J, H, P. (J. Asala)
Future Guide Dogs; Woof!: It's a Dog's Life 2
(2002) 45 min. $19.95. Digital Cinema (dist. by Library Video Company). PPR. Color cover. Volume 18, Issue 3
Future Guide Dogs; Woof!: It's a Dog's Life 2
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