WHYY for Kids

The Dog Days of Summer

Children (and grown-ups!) who are crazy about canines won't want to miss the fun, fast-paced new special A Pug's Life: The Dog-umentary, airing Thursday, July 15 at 9 p.m. on WHYY TV12. The program introduces people who are passionate about pugs -- those stout little dogs with the big eyes and wrinkly faces -- and explores the special qualities that make this breed so popular.

Kids who like to dress up their dog will be inspired by the ways some self-proclaimed "pug people" choose to pamper their pooches when the program visits the annual "Halloween Howl" and Biscuits & Bath, a six-story doggy day care center that caters to a canine's every need, with services ranging from spa treatments to swimming lessons!

Young fans of the blockbuster film Men in Black will meet Frank, the precocious pug who co-starred with Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, and go behind the scenes to find out what it takes for a dog to make it big in Hollywood. The film also profiles pugs whose lovable dispositions help them win the hearts of special needs children as they play the role of therapeutic companions. So, if your kids are barking that they're bored, tell them to tune in to A Pug's Life: it will be a doggone shame if they don't!

-- Mary Eileen O'Connor

For more adventures in puppy-land, be sure to watch The Royals and Their Pets. Hosted by Penelope Keith (To the Manor Born), this humorous new special explores the relationships between British royals and their pets (like Prince Charles and Tigger, at right), and the roles these palace favorites have played in shaping history. The program airs Thursday, July 8 at 9 p.m. on TV12.