You don’t necessarily need a perfectly trained show dog to have a pet with potential for film or advertising.
In fact, productions need animals for all kinds of reasons.
A commercial might simply need a Golden Retriever to sit beside a family on a couch. A television series may need a cat that can comfortably be held by an actor. Another production could require a highly trained dog capable of hitting marks, barking on cue or performing several behaviours while cameras, lights and dozens of crew members surround them.
What productions actually look for
The requirements depend entirely on the role.
A pet may be cast for:
- Sitting or lying beside an actor
- Walking naturally through a scene
- Looking toward a camera or character
- Eating or interacting with a product
- Wearing clothing or accessories
- Barking or meowing on cue
- Running from one predetermined point to another
- Performing trained tricks
- Appearing simply as a believable family pet
Sometimes appearance is the primary requirement. Other times, temperament and training are much more important.
According to the American Kennel Club, professional canine performer Butters the Beagle was trained to respond to silent commands, allowing his handler to direct him while remaining outside the camera frame. The AKC notes that the more reliable behaviours a dog can perform, the greater the variety of production work they may be suitable for.
Another working dog profiled by the AKC, Jack the Boxer, appeared in television commercials after developing strong obedience and trick behaviours. His owner emphasized something particularly important for entertainment work: dogs need to remain comfortable around unfamiliar people, dogs, locations and distractions.
Sometimes the job is surprisingly simple
Not every animal appearing on screen is doing complicated tricks.
In Barbie, for example, professional dogs were used as background pets on the Venice Boardwalk. According to American Humane Society’s production report, some were simply placed on leash with background performers who walked them through the scene.
For Richard Jewell, the main character’s dog performed everyday behaviours including sitting, standing, lying down, walking and being petted. Trainers positioned off-camera used verbal commands and hand signals to produce the actions filmmakers needed.
That is an important distinction for pet owners.
Productions aren’t always searching for circus tricks. They’re searching for the right animal for a particular shot.
Temperament matters
American Humane Society recommends choosing dogs used in filmed media for calm, socialized temperaments and notes that animals need conditioning to comfortably perform within a production environment.
A film set can involve:
Cameras moving around the animal. Bright lights. Actors they have never met. Equipment. Repeated takes. Crew members. Strange floors. New smells. Waiting.
A beautiful dog that becomes extremely anxious around strangers may therefore be less suitable for a particular job than an ordinary-looking dog that confidently walks onto set and performs reliably.
Could your pet have potential?
Possibly.
Pet talent comes in virtually every size, breed, colour and personality because advertisers and filmmakers need animals that reflect the enormous variety of pets people actually own.
The first step isn’t deciding whether your pet is already a professional actor.
It’s determining what kind of work their appearance, personality and current abilities might make them suitable for.
At Purr & Bark Talent, we help identify promising dogs and cats for potential opportunities in advertising, television, film and media.
Think your pet belongs on camera? Submit your dog or cat to Purr & Bark Talent for consideration.
Sources:
American Humane Society — Dog Guidelines for Filmed Media
AKC — Butters the Beagle: From Show Ring to Film Set
AKC — Jack the Boxer: Canine Actor & Athlete
