Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
“When given the chance, dogs are capable of amazing things…”
From rescuing trapped earthquake victims to helping people with disabilities, dogs have become more than just man’s best friend in today’s world. But honestly, the real reason I streamed Inside the Mind of a Dog, the Netflix documentary, was because I was having a bad day and wanted to watch some cute dogs. And if you’re a dog fan too, you won’t have any complaints about the screen time these adorable beings get. However, on the scientific front, it doesn’t quite live up to the expectations set by its title.
Directed by Andy Mitchell and narrated by Rob Lowe, Inside the Mind of a Dog starts with the familiar story of how dogs evolved from wolves by recognizing the benefits of befriending humans. “Survival of the friendliest” is how some experts in the documentary describe it. The bulk of the film, however, focuses on how dogs are trained to become service dogs or work in search and rescue operations. Despite its title, the documentary offers few eye-opening insights into what truly happens inside a dog’s mind, apart from confirming what we already know: they love their humans.
“How Service Dogs Are Made” would have been a more accurate title for this documentary, as much of it centers on puppies undergoing training to become service dogs. The film follows a group of puppies at Duke University’s “puppy kindergarten,” where they are put through a series of cognitive tests. Based on these tests, researchers assess which pups might excel as service dogs. Only a handful of interesting facts emerge, like how dogs follow human instructions more effectively than chimpanzees, even though chimps are our closest living relatives.
Overall, Inside the Mind of a Dog is an enjoyable watch for pet lovers, brimming with adorable canine moments. But if you’re seeking groundbreaking insights into a dog’s brain, you might leave feeling underwhelmed.
Stream the documentary on Netflix.
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