'Downward Dog' Spoilers: What Does Rescue Dog Ned Do After Work?
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is quite pleased with ABC's "Downward Dog" and the message that the show carries; however, they are displeased with the employment of two dog trainers, Nicole Handley and Sarah Schwaiger.
Both trainers are associated with Steve Martin's Working Wildlife, an animal-training company known for its numerous violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
PETA says that they are only concerned for the safety of the star of the show, Ned. The organization wrote to the production crew, informing them of their trainers' association with the said facility. Moreover, they inquired about Ned's living conditions, how he is being cared for on set and when the cameras are not rolling. Despite numerous follow-ups, the show's team has yet to respond to the organization.
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In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Allison Tolman, who portrays Nan, Ned's owner, shared that the show does not demand a lot from the dog. He does not have to learn extraordinary tricks. For the most part, he just acts like a dog, Tolman revealed.
"The hardest part for me was that I had to be somewhere emotionally in a scene, and then they wanted him to come up and lick a tear off my check, or whatever, and I would have to get in the space and stay there while they taught the dog what to do, which wasn't the easiest thing," the actress told EW. "But he's such a good boy, and our trainers are amazing."
For the uninitiated, ABC's latest comedy series "Downward God" follows the life of young Pittsburgh woman Nan and her emotional talking dog Martin.
In the same interview, Tolman revealed that she was once hesitant about the talking dog show. Even when she read the script, which she says was smart and funny, she did not bite. But as soon as she saw the shorts which the series is based upon, she was convinced.
