(Photo Credit: Stratford Festival)
The most adorable audience ever
What could be more adorable than a group of Canadian service dogs watching a live musical performance as part of their training?
Not a single clap or woof came from the audience when the cast of Canadian production of “Billy Elliot: The Musical” took their final bow after a recent show. That’s because the very polite crowd consisted of about a dozen future service dogs. The dogs attended an August performance at Ontario’s Stratford Festival as part of their training.
The event was part of a two-year training program by K-9 Country Inn Working Service Dogs. To acclimate the canines into every possible situation, the future service dogs have toured zoos, subways, and crowded fairs. This is to help them become familiar with unfamiliar lights and sounds, rapid movements and bustling crowds they might encounter with their handler, according to head trainer Laura MacKenzie.
In this particular situation, the dogs were expected to sit under the seat or curl up at their handlers’ feet while their humans enjoy the show. While all the dogs stayed calm and quiet throughout the show, there were a few curious pups that apparently couldn’t help but peek their furry heads over the seats to catch a glimpse of the show.
The non-profit theater company, which hosts “relaxed performances” for audiences sensitive to light, sound, and noise, said it was “thrilled” to host the dogs for training.
By: Maytinee Kramer
