With so much of the film's action hanging on the performance of the lead dog, as well as the various dogs that make Gordon's mail route such a hazardous gauntlet, the animal trainers on the production played a crucial role. They are. as director Whitesell attests, "terrific, really good. I think they are the best in the business." It is an opinion shared by cast and crew alike, as they watched the many complex actions and stunts performed by Bob, as Agent Eleven/Spot, and his four-legged colleagues.
Producer Simonds also underlines the importance of the film's live animal component in helping create the feel of physical comedy from the old school. "When you look back at those old films, like 'The Three Stooges' and 'The Keystone Cops,' says Simonds, "the stuff that is all just pure and physical and not done with fancy editing or CCI or augmentation in any fashion, is so funny — and it still holds up. That's why I didn't want anything animatronic with the dog -- I wanted it to be real."
As for the show's animal trainers, Simonds also feels that they are "the best in the business. They are professional, committed. You get on the set and you know the animals are going to hit their marks, sometimes even better than the actors."
Tracey Trench also chimes in with an enthusiastic thumbs-up for the animals and their trainers. "Our dogs were incredible," she says. "We had our lead, 'hero' dog and four stunt dogs, and each one was trained to do three or four different actions. We had dogs doing FBI maneuvers, doing cuddles, doing leaps, chases and growls -- we had them doing everything. These are the best trainers we have ever worked with. They are incredible."
Mathilde DeCagney is an animal coordinator with Birds And Animals, based in Los Angeles. In addition to working on the hit show "Frasier" for the last eight years, her recent credits also include the feature "My Dog Skip."
DeCagney. who brought the 1 00-pound Bull Mastiff, Bob, in from England for the role, explains why he is the perfect lead dog. "He's a very special specimen in the breed," says DeCagney "because Mastiffs are usually really big and the/re not as attractive as Bob is. What the producers were looking for was a super dog and Bob fitted the part in many ways.
The 2-year-old Mastifti who recently made his feature debut with a small role in the upcoming "One Hundred and Two Da1matians," was an immediate hit with the filmmakers. ""Everybody pretty much really loved him right away," recalls the animal coordinator with a laugh. "because what you see is what you get. He's a handsome man. He's got the attitude of a super dog. good-looking, with an excellent personality and a sense of humor. He's been doing wonders for us.
De Cagney explains that, historically, Mastiffs were warrior dogs that were also bred to work with bulls. "They're extremely muscular and powerful dogs who need a lot of exercise to stay in shape, but they are also wonderful family dogs. They love to be with kids and are very friendly'."
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