Educational Media Reviews Online

“When choosing a dog, you should look for a breed whose characteristics and needs complement your lifestyle and resources, both personally and financially.” The Right Companion – Introduction

The narrator introducing this program offers good overall advice and underscores its purpose. However, the program falls a bit short of its goal.

The clever morphing graphics and excellent video footage of each of the 40 dog breeds covered are the main selling points of this somewhat limited guide to choosing a dog breed. A number of current in-print books do a better job of providing information critical to making such a long-term commitment to a living creature - Books in Print currently lists 20 titles in this genre, and a recent browse of the Barnes & Noble bookshelves found 12 different guides, each with more than 40 breeds included, as well as two more extensive encyclopedia format volumes. However, this is the only guide available in a DVD or video format which lets viewers see the dogs in action (rather than just a still photograph).

Users can choose to start the movie and view each breed in alphabetical order, or page through a multi-page alphabetical index to skip to a specific breed. The program begins with a few words about the history of dogs and their long relationship with humans and a very brief comment on the responsibilities of caring for a dog including the time and financial commitments. A statement on the appeal of celebrity dogs (for example, Dalmations in the Disney movie) properly warns that such a breed may not be the right choice. Note, however, that viewers who skip to a specific breed will not see this information.

The interview style narrative follows a loose format, featuring shots of the person speaking about the breed interspersed with footage of dogs running (often in a show ring or field trial), interacting with humans, and being groomed by and playing with their human companions. Only the name of the person presenting the breed appears at the beginning of each segment. The spoken information generally includes a brief overview of the place of origin and original use, physical characteristics, accepted colors (for show purposes), personality, life expectancy, grooming for either show or companion use, suitability of the dog with children, and the extent of their exercise and grooming needs. At the end of each breed segment, a still graphic appears summarizing the breed’s activity level, grooming needs, and a few words describing their personality. A few of the graphics add a descriptive phrase below the breed name; for example the graphic for the Newfoundland includes the phrase “large dog”, and the Papillon includes “butterfly dog”.

On first look, the information seems useful. However, close comparison of the verbal and graphic summary content for many of the breeds reveals some disparities. For example, the Bernese Mountain Dog is verbally described as a “slow” dog, yet the summary graphic says they are “energetic, attentive, impetuous”, and although the narrator says they only need “minimal brushing” the graphic properly shows a rating of 2 out of 4 on the grooming scale. The Great Pyrenees graphic rates exercise as 3 on the 4 point scale and their personality as “obedient, hardworking, loyal”, yet verbally (and incorrectly in this reviewer’s opinion) it is described as a gentle family dog (true only with proper socialization) which does not need a lot of exercise. The Yorkshire Terrier breeder tells us how these dogs can spend their entire lives in an apartment using litter for their elimination needs and getting all the exercise they need just running through the rooms - quite a contrast to the graphic summary, which rates the Yorkie 2 out of 4 for exercise.

Many of the presenters do mention important points like the need to socialize a dog from a very young age and how important it is with some breeds to make sure they understand the human is the alpha, or boss. However, the Pyr breeder does not tell us about the critical need to socialize and firmly train this highly intelligent, livestock guardian dog accustomed to thinking independently. Some breeders also confidently assert that one can leave small children unattended with “their” breed, something always ill-advised by dog experts. And only one presenter mentions the potential for “any dog” to bite.

Many print dog books are organized by the show groups of dogs recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) and other breed organizations, such as herding, working, and toy. In this alphabetical approach the group to which each breed belongs is not included, and the differences in exercise needs between the groups are just briefly mentioned in the introduction; yet those looking to match a dog to a rather sedentary lifestyle might be well advised to avoid, for example, any breed in the herding group, so that one would need to do some research before watching the breed presentation in this movie.

The coverage is also somewhat limited. Only 40 of the AKC 150 recognized and 48 provisional breeds are included, and no coverage is given to the mixed breed - shelter or rescue dog - a major oversight. Another key omission is the lack of credentials of the breed presenters. Only when viewing the limited credits at the end of the movie does one realize they were all breeders, and only because the producers thank them as a group.

The viewer is provided with the telephone numbers of the AKC and the Canadian Kennel Club and advised to call these organizations to find a breeder in their area, however the viewer who simply skips around through the breeds and doesn’t watch through to the end will miss that information.

The technical quality, however, is excellent, with rich, full-color video and clear spoken audio, although in the Great Pyrenees audio portion the sound seems somewhat muffled. The transitions between footage and graphic information, and between breeds, are smooth with interesting graphics. The sound track includes different types of music that, in some cases, is thematic with some of the dog breed names; for example, an accordion plays lilting music that brings to mind the French Riviera while watching the segment on the French Bulldog, and the German Shepherd segment features a snappy marching tune. In some segments, the music is distracting or seems out of place, although it does not interfere with understanding the content, and when skipping through the index the audio track stutters a bit.

Although the video clips of the dogs in action are enticing, and there are certainly some good pieces of advice, the conflicting information, mis-information, and lack of key facts is problematic. A few modifications for the next edition of this work would be well received.

Not recommended.

Those interested in researching information on dog breeds would be better advised to begin at the American Kennel Club (AKC) web site which includes extensive individual breed information as well as advice on other factors in choosing a dog companion, including locating a reputable breeder, nutrition, training, socialization, and legislation as well as special pages for kids. Another site with good credentials is the Dog Owners Guide where, in addition to basic dog breed information, a broad range of topics including legal issues, insurance, rescue, health information, and book reviews can be found. Those wishing to see the dog breeds in action would be well advised to visit the dogs in person.