The folks out at PBS actually sent me something, which is a bit of a surprise.  They sent on a copy of Through a Dog’s Eyes, and frankly, I’m glad they did.  This little beauty is really going to impress you if you have even a vague affection for dogs.

Through a Dog’s Eyes, you see, is all about service dogs.  That’s not just seeing eye dogs, though they’re certainly part of the equation.  These are dogs that do all manner of things for people, including turning on light switches and picking up dropped objects.  But it’s a lot more than the mechanical aspects, it’s also about the emotional side of things too.  And that’s exactly what we’ll be seeing with Through a Dog’s Eyes.

For one hour, you’ll be led by Neil Patrick Harris as you watch these incredible dogs get trained, almost literally from birth, until the day in which they choose the people they’re going to work with.  And it’s true, they do a lot of the choosing themselves.

There are a lot of surprising tidbits in here, all sorts of things you’ll likely be hearing for the first time, and a few things you may have heard already, just not lately.  It’s an incredibly educational little packet, and at the same time, it’s not dull.  It keeps moving along at a good clip, and that speaks in its favor by quite a bit.  There are some sad moments, more than a few good laughs, and plenty of things that will make you think.  You’d never guess that people who aren’t capable of speech can command a dog with just as much effectiveness as people who can say “sit” clearly.

Although I’m not sure I approve of Neil Patrick Harris as the narrator choice–several better choices spring to mind right away–it’s really a small quibble in the midst of a great overall title.

It’s surprising that, in this hour of spending time with these people and these dogs, you’ll both learn so much and never be bored with what you’re seeing.  That may well be one of the best measures of any movie experience, and Through a Dog’s Eyes does a great job of living up to that ambition.

Thus, the Screenhead Ten Scale hands over a full ten out of ten to Through a Dog’s Eyes, a fast, easy, and high quality look at an area of life most of us have never even considered.  And because it engages and educates all at once, it meets its goals and does so well.