Our friends the dogs takes up the genre of the documentary, already popular at Netflix. The series composed of 6 episodes tells the touching destinies of dogs, close to their masters: the first focus on a dog within a family and the last three talk about jobs and volunteering around the animal.
The first three stories play on an important emotional charge. We find Rory, a "service dog" who is educated to be able to detect the epileptic seizures of little Corrine. We understand very quickly that the presence of the dog will change the life of the family.
The second episode focuses on Zeus, a husky stuck in Syria while his master Ayham had to flee the war. The third concerns Ice, a dog who accompanies his master who is a fisherman on an Italian lake and who has to deal with the shortage of fish.
These three episodes show the power of dogs with humans. They have an impact on our lives on different levels. The most touching episode remains the one about Zeus, because in addition to playing on emotions, it deals with a topical subject which is the war in Syria.
Filming in such a location is a technical feat. Most of the shots are taken using phones, but these images are of paramount importance.
An episode filmed in Syria
You can follow the difficult journey to save Zeus with the involvement of Ayham's friends and a conservation association called " Animals Syria ". One has the impression that the exfiltration of the dog to Libya and then to Europe represents the journey of refugees fleeing the fighting.
The bond between animal and man is very strong and particularly well represented, because his friends are ready to do anything to save the dog. It is an unconditional love that is described as the world collapses around them.
The episode is very well constructed, as it shows the ravages of war and the difficulty for civilians to flee with strong images. The case of Zeus also sheds light on the thousands of animals stuck in Syria and the associations that try to help them.
This episode highlights the reality of war and gives a face to the victims as when children play with Zeus in the streets of Damascus.
Intelligent realization
All episodes have underlying themes that give depth to the narrative. All these families are very attached to their dogs who play protective roles within the cocoon.
The stories unfold with ease with a mix of images, illustrations and interviews. The production has done an impressive job of research that allows to have an enriched documentary, coherent and beautiful to watch.
Episode 4 is the only one that seems to denote the rest: it talks about the groomer's profession. While the others deal with important and very current social facts , this one seems to be anecdotal.
We discover a little more Japanese culture through dogs and the world of dog grooming, but the subject is treated almost in a parody way.
An end dedicated to shelters and volunteers
The last two are dedicated to volunteering with a shelter that welcomes more than 1200 dogs in Costa Rica and a dog rescue association in New York. Both show the involvement of humans in the canine cause while it seems hopeless.
At first, this series seems like a cute and entertaining production that passes the time, but it's actually much more! This documentary acts as an advocate for animals. Dogs are represented as beings in their own right who must be treated with consideration and respect.
The spectator will necessarily become attached to these adorable dogs with extraordinary destinies. The series highlights the best of man and talks about a universal subject which is the love of an animal and the unbreakable bond with its master.