The Darling Dog Company

Take your Dog to the Cinema?

I got approached yesterday by the people behind 'Dog Day Afternoon' an artist collaboration with Victoria Park and Chisenhale Gallery - they are putting on a film in Victoria Park and one at the gallery where owners and their dogs can view it together.

The Classic Homeward Bound film - have tissues at the ready!

The idea is that the artist Matthew Noel-Tod will be filming all of those that attend for a film he is making to be installed and viewed in the park in 2012. Here is what his team say about it all - Noel-Tod’s film focuses exclusively on children and animals – two of the primary reasons people make use of the park each day. Juxtaposing the two subjects of children and pets, Noel-Tod compares the unknown future of children as they grow up against the perpetual state of innocence ascribed to domesticated pets. Using references from popular film and television, the project presents an idiosyncratic reflection on contemporary life that mixes live action with animation (a technical mixture that is common to children’s films with animal protagonists).

There are a lot of words there but hopefully its basically just going to show the joys of children and animals in the park seeing as both of those groups are the key users of our open green spaces in London. Below is the schedule for the films:

2pm, Victoria Park, entrance Crown Gate West, near the Pavilion Café

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (cert: U), Duwayne Dunham, 81 mins (1993) Disney’s remake of the live-action film The Incredible Journey. Starring a voiceover from Michael J. Fox. Two dogs and a cat find their way home. Great fun for kids and adults.

Around the Park, William Wegman, 7 mins (2007) Around the Park was a public art project commissioned by the Madison Square Park Conservency in New York in autumn 2007. The video stars artist William Wegman's canine cast of Weimaraners enjoying an Autumn day in the park.

7pm, Chisenhale Gallery, 64 Chisenhale Road, E3 5QZ

White Dog (cert: 18), Samuel Fuller, 90 mins (1982) Withheld from release by Paramount for over 20 years, Sam Fuller’s complex investigation of racism and social conditioning. An animal trainer attempts to de-condition a racist ‘white dog’. A critical masterpiece for adults.

Around the Park , William Wegman, 7 mins (2007)

If you are able to go along remember that if there are lots of dogs there to keep a respectful distance between dogs, allow your dog its own space and if your dog has any issues around food or toys, don't let other dogs approach when your dog is chewing down on a lovely tasty chew!

Remember that there will be children there too, please encourage the children to ask before petting your dog, out of respect for your doglet but also to teach them that not only is it polite but its also key in stopping children getting bitten.

Have fun. I'm going to try and go to the evening viewing, see you there.

Using Technology to Aid a Behaviour Programme

This is Barney the Tibetan Terrier

As you may or may not know, TT are known for their issues with separation from their owner which is why it is crucial to sort it out early. Barney's owners started work with me nearly 2 weeks ago as Barney was only 3 months old.

He was starting to get upset when they left him and so would start barking and peeing on the sofa. So we started him on a programme to build on the amount of time he could be left. Most importantly we did it by tricking him into thinking that we were always there. Which with a dog like this, I feel is the best way to keep him calm and happy.

Using Francesco and Christina's brilliant ability with technology they did exactly what I had asked and have so far built him up to being left for an hour. I am so proud of the three of them as it highlights what determination and patience can do. Plus they were clever...

They utilised their computer that was in the room where Barney would be left and set up the recordings that I had asked them to use. And they set up the camera on the computer to record his behaviour so that after leaving him they could check out what he had been up to. It's a great of way of utilising your computer that you use on a daily basis to help out with your dog training.

I might start thinking about hiring Francesco out as my technical helper!