Julie Tottman - Superstar Dogs: Easy Tricks for Amazing Dogs

Ive been an animal trainer for film and television for more than twenty years, something I still pinch myself about. Animals have always been my absolute passion; at thirteen, I started working in a poodle parlor on Saturdays, and I did my apprenticeship there when I left school, becoming a doggy hairdresser soon after. It hadnt crossed my mind to look into animal training as a career until a friends fatheran art director in the film industrytold me the job existed. I couldnt believe it: getting paid to play with animals all day and go on film sets? It was too good to be true.

I felt sure I didnt stand a chance of breaking into it, but I managed to find the names of some agencies through a friend in the industry, and I eagerly contacted all of them. I did a lot of work for free before I finally landed a full-time job, and a few years later I was given an amazing opportunity when I was asked to work for an internationally acclaimed animal training company, Birds and Animals. Ive now run the U.K. branch for eighteen years.

One of the things I love about my job is how different each day is. At any one time, I might be working on anything between one and eight feature films, as well as commercials and TV shows, and over the years Ive trained reindeer, monkeys, mongooses, and bats, to name just a few. But dogs are by far the animal Ive worked with the most. In fact, the film that particularly sticks out for me through the years involved lots of dogs: 102 Dalmatians. I was the head puppy trainer, so essentially it was my job to play with adorable puppies all day! It was such an incredible experience.

Pretty much all dogs love to be trained, butjust like humansnot all dogs want to be actors. This means casting the right dog is very important. The first thing I look for is confidence. Film sets are often big places with lots of people, noise, and lights, so a shy or nervous dog simply wouldnt enjoy it. The second thing all dog actors need to be is greedy! A greedy dog with lots of energy is perfect, because he or she will be motivated by the reward and will really enjoy learning and having lots to do and think about.

I try to rescue as many dogs as I can when it comes to casting. Once I have the description of the particular type of dog needed, I contact rescue centers to see if they have any that fit the bill and are in need of a home. One of my favorite dogs over the years was an eight-year-old Yorkshire Terrier named Pickles. She was in such horrendous shape when I went to collect her: she had been rescued from a puppy mill and was very sick. I nursed her back to health and, once she was better, I trained her for a film called What a Girl Wants, which starred Colin Firth and Amanda Bynes. She was always so happy and would do anything I asked her to do, and she loved all the attention she got. She stayed with me after the filming was over and lived until she was twenty years old. Rescue dogs often turn out to be the best dogs; most of them just need love and understanding and to have their energy channeled in a positive way. It is wonderful to give them a second chance.