01x08 - Movie Star Dogs & Hounds and Horses

[bunniefuu]

BILL: Hello, welcome to It's A Dog's Life.

You already know
that dogs can be our best friends,

but did you know
that some dogs also have jobs?

It's true. All types of dogs

do all kinds of incredible things
to make our lives better.

There are dogs that rescue people in need,

dogs that use their sense of smell
in amazing ways,

dogs that entertain us.
And believe it or not,

there are even dogs that work with cats.
And who am I?

I'm Disney legend, Bill Farmer.

As the voice
behind Disney's Goofy and Pluto,

and dozens of other animated characters,

I'm stepping out from behind
the microphone to learn about

my favorite real-life characters,
dogs.

Come with me,
as I explore how each dog learns

to develop its special and unique talents.

And how the magical relationship
between dog and human

makes life better for both.

So join me and our canine pals
on It's A Dog's Life.

[DOG BARKING, PANTING]

For our first adventure,
we didn't go anywhere,

but stayed right here in my backyard.

Can you guess where I am?

Well, Buck, you done did it again.

[CHUCKLES]

First, you saved the town
from that stampeding herd of cattle.

Then, you rescued that boy

- who fell in the well.
- [WATER SPLASHING]

Heck! I'd say you've earned yourself
a heaping plate of chow. [CHUCKLES]

- [GROWLS]
- All right, all right. Two plates of chow.

[CHUCKLES] Put her there, pal. Yeah.

You done good, my friend. You done good.

MALE VOICE: Cut.

Great work today, great work.

- [INDISTINCT CHATTER]
- MALE VOICE: Thank you, everyone.

This is so cool,
we're on a real Hollywood movie set.

Hey, let's go meet the star, okay?

[MUSIC PLAYING]

I recognize you, you must be Monte.

You were in the live action,
Lady and the tr*mp, right?

It's a pleasure to meet you.

- And you must be Monte's trainer.
- I am. I'm Mark.

- Hi, I'm Bill.
- Hi, Bill.

BILL: Now, he's obviously got a wonderful
face and beautifully expressive eyes,

but how do you know
he's gonna be an actor?

You don't. You just have to start in
with the training.

Like, what are some of the things
that he's had to learn?

[MUSIC PLAYING]

MARK: He had to learn to ride in the back
of a horse and wagon...

[WHEELS ROLLING]

MARK: Act with another dog,

- with little Lady.
- BILL: Mm-hmm.

MARK: He had to learn how to eat pasta.

BILL: The iconic scene with the meatballs
and the spaghetti.

MARK: Yup.

He had to learn to say your lines right...
No, he didn't say any lines.

[CHUCKLES] I guess he has to bark on cue.

- Speak. Speak, speak. Yeah.
- [BARKS]

- What'd he say?
- He said it's lunchtime.

- [LAUGHS]
- [MARK CHUCKLES]

There's so much more I want to learn
about how they make Hollywood movies.

Well, you know the guy
you should really talk to

is our producer, Brigham.

Hey, Monte, you wanna take him to Brigham?
Okay.

He can do that? Let's go, come on.
Let's go.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Hey, Monte, wait.

Hey, my handprints.
Look, what do you think? Huh?

- [MONTE PANTS]
- [BILL GRUNTS]

Well, Brigham, you are the producer
of the live-action Lady and the tr*mp.

So you oversee the making of the movie,
in a way.

Exactly, yeah, you work with a large team

and hopefully, try to steer everyone
in the right direction.

Lady and the tr*mp is an iconic
Disney animated movie.

To turn it into a live-action movie,
those are some pretty big

- footprints to fill.
- Exactly.

BILL:
The original tr*mp, from the 1950s classic

was inspired by a stray dog found roaming

the streets near the Disney lot.
After the movie, tr*mp was adopted

by Disney animal trainers,
and given a forever home,

backstage at Disneyland.

More than 60 years later,

when researchers went to cast
the new movie,

they searched thousands
of rescue shelter pictures online,

until they found this face, Monte...
living in a shelter in Arizona.

BRIGHAM: This image of the animated tr*mp
was our North Star.

Not only did we want to find
a dog like that,

but we wanted to rescue a dog
because the whole nature of this story

is about everyone deserves
a loving home.

- BILL: Right.
- BRIGHAM: So we wanted to give

that dog not just an acting role,
but also a loving home

at the end of the day.

BILL: Do you think Monte knows
he's a big movie star now?

There are times that I'm convinced
that he does.

[BILL CHUCKLING]

MARK: You can see it's gone straight
to his head.

- [BILL LAUGHING]
- BRIGHAM: Yeah.

Brigham, it must take a lot of work
to train a dog to, uh, perform in a movie

- like Lady and the tr*mp.
- BRIGHAM: You're absolutely right.

You should have Monte take you over
to see Mark,

because he's the real expert
in that subject.

Then, Monte, take me to training.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Now?

[DOG BARKING]

Right, up here?
Oh, hey, Mark, how ya doing?

All right, here we are.
Okay, we're ready for some training now.

- MARK: Yeah!
- And what's the first thing

that you need to train a dog to do

- when it's starring in a movie?
- Well, you start off with basics.

- [BARKS]
- MARK: On your feet dog, speak.

- [BARKS]
- MARK: That's better.

But very quickly, we get
to one of the most difficult jobs we have,

which is trying to get the dog to look
in the right direction at the right time.

- They’re called eyelines.
- BILL: Okay.

MARK: We don't want the dog to just
be looking off camera at a trainer.

BILL: When he's supposed to be

- looking at someone, right?
- MARK: Exactly.

Especially in a talking dog movie...

- BILL: Uh-huh.
- MARK: ...they need to be looking at

whoever they're talking to.

How do you train him to do that?

We start off just teaching the dog
to look at us...

- BILL: Mm-hmm.
- MARK: ...and then, very quickly,

we go to some sort of a tool, like this,
which we call a bait stick.

And we put some bait on the end of it
and we can make it longer, like so.

And then we can get the dog
to look at that,

wherever you want him to look.

- BILL: Oh.
- Watch.

Watch it.

And you train him that
as long as he's looking at it...

BILL: He gets the treat. That's cool!

One of the harder things is to get them
to look at the actor

- that they're acting with, in the face...
- BILL: Right.

...instead of at their hands.

Which is usually where the treat
is coming from.

So we have another little training prop
that we use,

- if you could help me out today.
- [CHUCKLES] Okay, what do we got?

It's got a fork on the end of it.

- Oh, my goodness. Okay.
- MARK: It has a fork on the end of it.

- Right, it's all about the fork.
- Is this a good look for me?

- [MONTE WHIMPERS]
- [BILL LAUGHING]

- And then we put a little treat.
- Okay.

- Stay.
- Okay, I have food on my fork on my face.

Stay. Look.

- Yeah, he's looking right at me.
- Good boy.

[ROMANTIC MUSIC PLAYING]

BILL: Hello.

- And now you can give him that treat.
- All right.

BILL: Mark, probably the most iconic scene
in all of Lady and the tr*mp has to be

the spaghetti eating scene

where tr*mp pushes the little meatball
across to Lady.

- How did you teach Monte to do that?
- MARK: Well, like everything we do,

we break it down into steps.
First thing we had to teach him to do was

to do what we call a nudge.
We started with a little cup,

take a little treat,
put it underneath the lid.

Nudge it. And he wants to move
that to try to get to the food. Good.

- And he gets the food.
- BILL: Now he gets the food.

So the next step is don't put a treat

- underneath it...
- BILL: Mm-hmm.

- MARK: ...nudge it. Good.
- [CLICKER CLICKING]

And then you can graduate to a meatball.

Here. Stay. Nudge it.

- Nudge it. Good.
- [CLICKER CLICKING]

MARK: Nudge it. Good.

On cue every time.

When you filmed the movie,

how long did it take
to get that particular scene?

MARK:
We shot that scene over three nights,

- I believe.
- BILL: Uh-huh.

Did you use a real meatball
and real spaghetti?

We did, once.

- [LAUGHS] That didn't work?
- They...

No, they both ate the whole plateful.

And then we were done for the night.

BILL: Watching Monte train is amazing.

I wonder if he could teach me
some new tricks.

[DOG BARKING]

You come here often?

- [CUTLERY CLATTERING]
- [BILL EXHALES]

[GASPS] For me?

Oh, that was great, wasn't it? Yeah.
Oh! Thank you.

[GASPS] Here, you take that.

[MONTE BARKS]

BILL: Before we wrap this story,
one special note.

Like Monte,
many of the dogs who appear throughout

Lady and the tr*mp, are rescues.

After filming,
each found their forever homes

with members of the cast and crew.

If you're considering adding
a new dog to your life,

a rescue might be a great place to start.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

BILL: Hey everyone,
time for some pet friendly pointers

told with the help
of a very special friend.

[PLUTO BARKING]

Take a bath, comb your hair,
brush your teeth.

There are reasons your parents want you
to have good hygiene.

And that goes for your dog, too.

Regular baths are a must,
and great bonding time.

[YELPS, LAUGHS]

BILL: Give them a good scrub,
especially dogs with long hair,

- because that's where dirt loves to hide.
- [DOG PANTS]

And while their coat's wet,
look for any rashes or sores

hiding beneath their fur.

- FEMALE VOICE: Good job!
- [PANTS]

BILL: Frequent brushing will make sure
the fur doesn't stick together,

and prevent it from shedding
all over your home.

Hold still.

BILL: Ears can be sensitive
and get really dirty.

So, have your veterinarian show you
how to properly clean them,

- with Mom or Dad's help, of course.
- Good boy.

Finally, a pearly white smile looks great
on you, and your dog.

Brushing with official doggy toothpaste
and a brush

will keep your pooch's teeth strong
and germ free.

And your dog's fresh breath
will keep you smiling.

[BARKS]

[PLUTO BARKING]

BILL: For our next adventure,

we're headed high
into the Sierra mountains

- to meet a highly trained group of dogs...
- [DOG BARKING]

BILL: ...who use their many noses
to work together as one.

We are here at Red Rock Hounds

with our friend, Lynn Lloyd,
and her friend...

- Lucy! [CHUCKLES]
- BILL: Lucy, this is Lucy.

- And what kind of a dog is Lucy?
- LYNN: Lucy's a Walker Hound.

So, she is the type of dog
that you would see in the old paintings...

[IN BRITISH ACCENT] ...of the old
fox hunts in merry, old England.

- Yes, yes.
- Is that correct?

[IN NORMAL VOICE] So, what are we
gonna see? What takes place?

We get the hounds, we turn them loose,
everybody's now on their horses...

- BILL: Right.
- ...all dressed up...

- BILL: Okay.
- ...'cause we're trying to honor

- the tradition of hunting.
- BILL: Right.

And then we follow the hounds.

BILL: The tradition of dogs and horses
working together dates back centuries,

combining the horse's speed and elegance
with the dog's energy

and natural tracking abilities.

But while this may look like
the old movies,

no fox is ever hunted on this property,
nor is any other animal.

Instead, Lynn's club loves
the riding uniforms, the great outdoors,

and the pairing of horses and hounds
for fun and sport,

as well as to occasionally shoo away
a coyote from the ranch's 600 acres.

Lynn built it all by hand,
with room enough for lots of hounds,

horses, and even a few more
of Lynn's canine friends,

including Biggie and a pug named Pesoa.

Lynn loves dogs.

- BILL: Come on, Biggie, let's go.
- LYNN: Yeah, come on, boy.

BILL:
Well, it's a beautiful day for a hunt.

Oh,
and I think I see 'em up in the distance.

- LYNN: Hang on.
- BILL: Yes.

Well, here we are at the home
of the hounds.

Are you ready to go in and see the hounds?
Let us go.

Lynn's hounds have more than three acres
on which to play,

including their own doggy dormitory.

Oh, the home of the hounds, huh?
So this is where they live

- throughout the year, right?
- LYNN: Yes.

BILL: Lynn has more than 100 Walker Hounds
on the ranch,

and she knows every one by name.

Each is bred to be tireless, alert,
and intense when doing their job.

- It's about lunchtime I believe, right?
- LYNN: It is, it is.

- Okay, come on, boys. Come on, boys. Yes.
- BILL: In their off hours,

- these walkers are really fun and sweet.
- LYNN: Come on, boys!

BILL: And with all that stored up energy
before the hunt, they also love to eat.

Looks like my house at lunch.
Yes, you, too.

[HOUND HOWLING SOFTLY]

Now I noticed, when they howl,
they have a lower howl than a lot of dogs.

A lot of dogs are...

[IMITATES HIGH-PITCHED BARKING]
...high, and other dogs...

[IMITATES DOG HOWLING]
Why is it so low?

The sound carries better when it's low,
and we're trying to follow the hounds,

so we need their voice to tell us
where they are.

And they also have, like, little flags
on their tails, I noticed.

They're also bred to have a white tip
on their tail because when they're going

- through fields or sagebrush...
- BILL: Right.

LYNN:
...we can see 'em by their tail, too.

BILL: And here comes the main course.
What do we have for lunch today?

LYNN: We have kibble and water.

- Kibble and water. Mm.
- [HOUNDS HOWLING]

- Always great. All righty.
- Come on, boys. Come on, boys.

- BILL: Dig in guys.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah. There we go.

Lynn, do they eat this every day,
or do ya occasionally give 'em treats?

- They love hot dogs.
- Hot dogs?

But I only give it to 'em on treats,
you know, like special days or...

- Special days.
- Yeah.

BILL: Oh, that's good to know.

- [SNIFFING]
- [COLLAR RATTLING]

BILL: Hot dogs, huh?

That gives me an idea for a game to play
with Lynn and the hounds.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Let's see if those dogs can find this.

Just me and this hot dog.

[BLOWS]

- [CHUCKLES]
- [HORSES NEIGHING]

[MUSIC PLAYING]

[HOUNDS BARKING]

BILL: With food in their bellies
and the scent of hot dogs in the air,

time for these amazing hounds
to get to work, and show me how they hunt.

Across the ranch,
there are three main areas

for the dogs to search.

High desert hills, wide open fields,
and a large lake.

It's like we're playing
a giant hide and seek game...

and they're it.

First up, the hounds must climb
the steep desert hills

on the far side of the ranch.

This is a good test,

because Walker Hounds are bred
to do their jobs in rough, hilly terrain.

[HORSE SNORTING]

BILL: Of course,
walkers are famous for their noses,

and their ability to stay
on the hottest scent trail no matter what.

It looks as if the hounds are on my trail,
but next up, the wide fields,

where the winds blow all kinds
of smells together.

- [HORSES GALLOPING]
- [HOUNDS HOWLING]

BILL: As they search for the scent,
the dogs must also work closely

with the horses to not get stepped on.

It's a lot to keep track of,

and yet they do. Incredible.

[BIRD SCREECHING]

BILL: Nearly an hour into the hunt,
I walk over to the third site,

where I've found a nice cool spot

- to relax.
- [DUCKS QUACKING]

Well, I thought they'd find me by now,

I thought they'd find the scent
of this hot dog.

- [DUCKS QUACKING]
- BILL: Maybe I'll take a nap after lunch.

- [HOUNDS HOWLING]
- [HORSES GALLOPING]

[TRIUMPHANT MUSIC PLAYING]

So, they got ya!

- They found me, they found me. [LAUGHS]
- [LYNN LAUGHING]

They've got a pretty good sense of smell.

Oh, my gosh, how'd you find me?

Could you smell that hot dog all that way?

Three different terrains, acres to search,
and yet these remarkable hounds found me

and my hot dog.
No wonder they're such famous hunters.

Well, Lynn, thanks so much for having us
here at Red Rock Hounds.

I mean, we've had a wonderful time today,

we've learned about Walker Hounds, horses,
riders, you, everything.

And we also learned
that Walker Hounds can find hot dogs.

Yes, sir. And thank you, Bill,
so much for being here,

- I really, really appreciate it.
- Aw, thank you so much.

- Thank you.
- And thank you, too, for joining us.

So far, we've met some incredible dogs.

Now, it's time for you to show us
your special pets.

GOOFY:
Now, time for Goofy's Hometown Heroes.

[CHUCKLING]

- KAYLA: Okay, let's go.
- [MUSIC PLAYING]

Let's go, come on.

My name is Kayla, and this is Barley.

Barley is a Border Collie,
he's six years old.

I met Barley in 2017,
I was working at an animal shelter.

And Barley actually showed up
left in one of the overnight kennels.

Most dogs, when they come out of
those overnight kennels,

are really stressed out, and he came out
waggy and friendly and happy.

I basically called dibs on him
and brought him home that same day.

Barley really had a hard time
in his first home.

They just didn't have enough time
for a dog who really is happiest

when he gets a hike
and a training session,

and maybe a run every single day.
[CHUCKLES]

But that's exactly what we're looking for
for the work that we do.

Barley and I help sniff out
endangered species.

The really exciting project
that we've gotten to work on

is the black-footed ferret work.

Black-footed ferrets
are a highly endangered mammal.

At one point, I think there was only
about 18 of them left in the world.

Humans have been trying to get them
reintroduced back into the wild,

and what's really tough
about these black-footed ferrets

is they're nocturnal for the most part,
they mostly live alone,

and they mostly live underground.

We'll walk through prairie dog towns,
and once Barley does find that scent,

the scientists can come by that night
and find the ferret to check its health.

Once I'm sure that he's correct,
then I can give him his ball,

and we throw a big party,
and I tell him what an amazing dog he is,

and how smart he is,
and how handsome he is,

and all of that good stuff.
And then we go try to find more.

We go out into the wilderness,
I take Barley on planes, trains,

and automobiles.
We're based out of Missoula, Montana,

but actually get to work kind of
all across both the United States

and occasionally internationally as well.

It's not just
that we're helping protect wildlife,

and it's not just that we're rescuing dogs
that have a hard time finding a home,

but we're able to do both together.
Most of the dogs

that are relatively successful
in average homes

wouldn't be that good at this job,
so it's such a cool mix

of the dogs
that really need the help most,

doing the work that no other dog can do.

GOOFY: For helping ferrets and the future,
that dog's a real hometown hero.

[DOG BARKING]

[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]

- [THEME MUSIC CONCLUDES]
- [DOG BARKING]