Given that her previous documentaries delved into RCMP scandals, gang violence, and mental disorders, North Vancouvers Helen Slinger wasnt completely surprised by the skepticism she sometimes met with when telling people that her next film would be about dogs.
She laughs, I did get some funny looks.
However, Dog Dazed quickly reveals itself to be something considerably more rigorous than a glorified YouTube clip of canine antics. Its 44 minutes are loaded with unique insights into the widespread impact dogs have on our lives and the world around us. Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»viewers will be particularly interested to learn the effect that off-leash dogs are having on Stanley Parks heron population.
I wanted to send the message that you had to be mindful of your impact, says Slinger, a longtime dog owner. To me, its an environmental story.
Slingers own wake-up call came a couple of years ago when she found herself balking at new leash regulations around the environmentally sensitive Capilano watershed. I truly did wake up the next morning as if a thunderclap had gone off, she recalls of her misplaced priorities. Id been willing to trade all sorts of deeply held values for my dogs freedom and my pleasure.
Quite aware that dog owners dont always respond well to criticism, Slinger ensures that Dog Dazeds tone remains light, interspersing finger-wagging with charming vignettes and fascinating revelations, including the fact that dogs trigger the same bonding chemical in us as babies.
[I wanted] people to have a version of the experience that I did... Just seeing your behaviour in a way that isnt shaming, says the filmmaker. We all know that we can be incredibly self-centred. We have these blind spots where we can rationalize our behaviour. I wanted people to be able to laugh about that and maybe think about changing.
premieres on CBCs Doc Zone Mar. 21 at 9pm and repeats on CBC News Net Mar. 23 at 11 pm.
