My 5 Favourite Pet Care Documentaries

[Amelie Coel]

I love pets, and I love watching documentaries. So it’ll be no surprise to you that animal/pet care documentaries are my absolute favourite! There are so many great docos out there about every kind of pet imaginable. Dogs, cats, birds, reptiles – you name it, there’s been a documentary about it.

Today I thought I’d share some of my favourite animal and pet care documentaries with you. These are five of the best I’ve seen, and I highly recommend them!

1. Dogs Decoded

I’m a big dog lover – along with many, many other people in the world! So any canine documentary is right up my alley. Dogs Decoded is a lovely film that explores the strong relationships between humans and their canine companions. It goes even deeper than a feel-good look at this bond, though. The film looks into the science behind the way dogs act, think and respond to human emotion, and it makes for fascinating viewing.

2. The Cat Connection

Here’s one for feline fans! The Cat Connection is a BBC documentary exploring the secret life of one of the world’s most popular pets: the cat. Filmed in several countries, The Cat Connection takes a look at the cat’s journey from predator to pet, and looks into the reasons why humans have such a connection with this animal. Beautiful stuff from the BBC as usual.

3. Beyond the Myth

Beyond the Myth: A Film About Pit Bulls and Breed Discrimination is an eye-opening documentary about a highly misunderstood breed of dog. Pit bull terriers are commonly seen by the public as aggressive dogs to be feared and despised, but Beyond the Myth tells a different story. It delves into the reasons why pit bulls have the reputation they do, and showcases the debate around breed discrimination. I think it’s a must-watch for any dog lover.

4. The Paw Project

This is an important documentary for anyone who owns a cat. The Paw Project is all about the declawing of cats in America – both exotic and domesticated cats. Veterinarian Dr Jennifer Conrad explores the negative effects of several big cats who have been declawed, and explains why this process is harmful for pet cats, too. As someone who cares deeply about animals, I think The Paw Project is a great awareness-raising tool that I’m sure has done its part for the welfare of many cats.

5. Dogs: Their Secret Lives

One more dog doco – I couldn’t resist! This British documentary series, produced by Channel 4, takes a sneak peek at what dogs get up to when their owners leave the house. Through hidden camera footage, it shows ‘secret’ behaviour from many dogs of different breeds and personalities. But as well as being a funny behind-the-scenes look, the series explores different ways that dog owners can ensure their pets are happy and safe in the modern home. Entertaining and useful at the same time!

I hope you enjoy these animal documentaries as much as I did! I watched most of them on Netflix, but I know it’s not available in some countries. There’s a simple fix if you can’t access it: just use a VPN to mask your true location and you’ll be able to view all the pet documentaries you want.

Happy watching!