Seniors, A Dogumentary
directed by Gorman Bechard
starring Gorman Bechard, Patti Bullen, Jenny Cruise
What Were We Thinking Films
A dog may be a man’s best friend, but there sure are a lot of them in pounds and other depressing places. The problem is particularly bad for older dogs. Puppies are cute and you can train them as you want, assuming you actually take the time to train them. Older dogs, like older people, get set in their ways and by definition, you won’t have them as long.
We meet with photographer Jane Sobel Klonsky. She discovered the joys of photographing dogs on the short end of their life leash. Her art graces calendars and web sites and even a few corporate pages. Her images of elder dogs show them as lovable and heartwarming. Dogs and humans go back millennia and they are the first species we “domesticated.” Today they are as imprinted to us as we are tie them. The real story here is a group that founded the Old Friends Dog Sanctuary. They intercept dogs about to be euthanized, collect them and then transferred to those looking for an experienced companion.
The heart of this documentary shows the collected stories of humans / canine adoption. We meet an elderly gentleman whose dog mimes him. He sits, dog sits. He rolls over, dog rolls over. He’s more fun to watch than the dogs. Then there’s the smart pup that can identify over 1000 toys by name. The owners have to keep a chart so they don’t forget and embarrass themselves in front of their pet. I’ll admit the story is a bit thin; this is a film that really focuses on the animals and their personality, and lacks huge dramatic moments. But it is a treat for the dog lovers, and it may change your mind on what age pet you might bring into your life.
