Original subtitles

Our story begins at a quiet house that's well protected by

a five-pound Yorkshire terrier named Gidget. Gidget may be

small, but she's got big responsibilities.

She never fails to attend to her watchdog rounds,

checking and rechecking the home's borders.

Gidget may seem a bit wound up, but that's okay, because protectiveness is in her DNA.

Yorkshire terriers, or Yorkies, were first bred 200 years

ago to protect English clothing mills. At an average of five

pounds, they may seem like a surprising choice for the job,

but the job was to protect against mice. Most modern Yorkies

have since let go of their working dog

days, but their instincts to protect remain.

And Gidget's got lots to protect. She's standing guard over

her four brand new pups. They're black and tan for now, but

in time their coats will lighten and turn silver and gold

like moms. Gidget's got three tiny boys and one teeny tiny

girl named Lo, who weighs just about four ounces.

While her brothers are caught up with lunch, little Lo sets

off on her first watchdog lookout. Or at least listen out.

Her eyes haven't yet opened, but her ears have, and they pick up an unfamiliar sound.

It's the guinea hen from next door, and

she's trespassing, along with a few friends.

Mom Gidget has little tolerance for noisy trespassers,

especially when her pups are trying to nap.

Gidget does her best to scare them off, but the noisy neighbors don't scare easily.

Gidget is getting more wound up than usual.

All that racket gets little Lo chiming in too.

Her voice may not be big enough to reach the guinea hens, but it does bring back up.

And thanks to its small protectors, the quiet house is quiet again.

Meanwhile, another story unfolds just a few towns away. But

these puppies live in a very different world. Right now, a

Labrador retriever named Sally is watching over a litter

with a very special destiny. But so far, the only thing Fred

here is concerned with is napping. Perhaps he already knows

he's going to need his rest. Becoming a seeing-eye dog takes

18 months and 500 hours of training. Good thing he lives at school.

This prestigious university trains the two most popular

breeds in the U.S. to guide the visually impaired. Labrador

retrievers, chosen for their calm and friendly nature, and

German shepherds chosen for being intelligent and alert.

All important traits for dogs whose eyes must

work not just for them, but for somebody else too.

Right now, Sally's eyes are on the pups. Three are golden

like her. Three are black like their dad. And three are,

well, German shepherds. Both litters were

born here, but raising them is a group effort.

While this may look just like regular petting, it's actually

the pup's first training exercise. A seeing-eye dog is in

constant contact with their human partner. So

they must get used to being handled early on.

Many dogs don't like to have their paws touched. But guide

dogs have to be tolerant. Basically, at this stage, the goal

is to sit back and relax. The kind of work that's right up Fred's alley.

But that kind of laid-back attitude doesn't come as easily

to everyone. Fred's classmate, a shepherd named Gus, seems

to embody his breed's alertness trait.

But for this exercise, he's a bit too alert.

Luckily, Fred is on hand to show Gus how to let go.

It's a long road to become a guide dog. So for now, these two better rest up.

Not too far away lives a country family with a fancy Italian

name. Legoto Romagnolo means lake dog from Romagna. And

these dogs are made for water. Their tight woolly curls keep

moisture and cold out, allowing them to stay in deep waters

for long periods. These Renaissance water dogs trace all

the way back to 15th century Italy, where they were popular

hunters' companions. But today, the breed is so

rare, there are only about 500 living in the U.S.

And here are two of them, three-year-old Sophie and Pippa, a

three-month-old puppy, who's looked up to Sophie ever since

the two met on this 20-acre farm.

Pippa is always working to get Sophie's attention.

But lately, Sophie's attention has been elsewhere.

A few days ago, Sophie became a proud mom, adding five

more rare little legotos to the breed's small population.

Four girls in cream and chocolate. Plus Riley, the

only boy, and the only one with a solid white coat.

Pippa's always been the only puppy around,

and she's not used to sharing the spotlight.

Though as far as she can tell, these guys don't look like much competition.

Yet for some reason, they're getting all of Sophie's attention.

But Pippa has a noisy plan.

But someone's squeaking louder than Pippa. And this one

doesn't need a toy to do it. Luckily, Pippa has a plan B.

But so far, it's not working.

Little White Riley steals the show by taking his very first steps.

And though Pippa's not impressed, Mom Sophie sure is.

Looks like Pippa's going to have to step up her game again.

Coming up, little Yorkie watchdog Low finds new perimeters to protect.

At three weeks old, the Yorkie pups only weigh about one

pound each. But big or small, boys will be boys. And the

three feisty brothers are tapping into their deadly hunting instincts.

But their sister Low has a little more direction.

She seems to take after her watchdog mom, Gidget.

She's already doing her own border patrol.

When suddenly, something stops Low in her tracks.

Mom's on high alert, too. But noisy neighbors are back.

Gidget lays down the law.

But these trespassers are not law-abiding.

Gidget is outnumbered and stuck inside. So she gets a little help.

This time, little Low inspires the boys to scare off the intruders, too.

And together, the tiny flock of Yorkies convince the noisy

flock of guinea hens to move along. At least for now.

At three weeks, the Legoto-Romagnolo pack is twice as big

and twice as adorable. At least Mom Sophie seems to think

so. Pippa is missing Sophie's undivided attention and isn't

sure what's so great about all these pups. Riley, who's been

working hard on his walk, is eager to show off his steadier

steps. But Pippa can't see what the fuss is about. He's not

even made it beyond the blanket.

But that's about to change, as the pups are brought out to the patio.

The puppy's first taste of solid food is served al fresco.

It's where Pippa used to enjoy meals all to herself.

Lunchtime is a hit. For everyone but Pippa.

Little Riley is eager to dive in.

Not just a one bowl, but two.

Pippa's not happy about having to share her outdoor dining

room. She decides it's time to claim the one thing the pups

haven't yet gotten their paws on. And she's

not going anywhere until they're back inside.

Unfortunately, these pups' little legs don't move very fast.

So it looks like she could be here a while. At least she's

living up to her water dog legacy.

Back at the seeing eye school, now that the pups can see for themselves,

they're one step closer to seeing for someone else. But

while Fred's eyes have opened, the low-key pup has trouble

keeping them open.

Fortunately, today's exercise isn't about sight.

A guide dog must be alert to loud, everyday noises.

But also know how to remain calm when confronted with them.

Fred has the calm part down.

He sees no reason to get out of bed for this racket.

Gus has the right reaction. He's alert, but not afraid.

Gus looks for the source of the strange sounds.

It's not coming from this.

Gus is sure he knows this one.

But he's still a bit off.

It seems this test is full of trick questions.

And Gus is getting a little frustrated.

And that's a sound Fred can't sleep through.

A friend in need is always worth getting up for.

And once again, the little lab guides the little shepherd

back in a calmer direction. Coming up, the seeing eye dogs

take their training to the next level. And little Lo takes on the noisy neighbors.

Back at the seeing eye school, five-week-old

students Fred and Gus have become inseparable.

Under Fred's calming influence, Gus learns to take it easy.

But the alert shepherd always keeps an eye out.

Just in case something suspicious shows up.

This vacuum's not here to clean. It's another test for the pups to stay calm.

And Fred is as unrattled as ever. But a good

guide dog can't always stay off his feet.

A seeing eye dog's paws go everywhere their human partner

goes. On the job, those paws must be prepared to cover a

variety of surfaces. And take each step with confidence.

So today's training is about getting familiar with different surfaces.

Gus wastes no time checking each one out.

But so far, Fred sees no reason to go anywhere.

But there is one thing that can get Fred moving.

His best buddy Gus, who's already on the go.

Preparing for their future is

exhausting.

Luckily for now, it's all about baby steps.

It's a new day at the lush countryside. And the growing

legoto pups are getting ready to see more of the big

outdoors.

Here on the farm, there are 20 acres for a pup to explore.

With all that space, Pippa can't understand why the pups

must be introduced to her pool.

The four girls start by dipping their toes in. But eager Riley doesn't hold back.

It's not exactly swimming, but the little pup can

be proud that he's doing more than anyone else.

Or is he? Pippa, feeling displaced, soon spots another pool

that a little pup like Riley can't possibly reach. But for

Pippa, it's perfect.

Except this pool's feeling kind of lonely.

But just when Pippa's feeling defeated again, she gets the

company she's been after. Seems Sophie likes the big pool

too.

Guess there are some perks to being a big kid.

The turf battle rages on at the Yorkie home

between Gidget and her pesky next door neighbors.

The high energy mom works tirelessly to keep the yard

clear of noisy neighbors. So her pups can enjoy it.

And at five weeks, they finally got the chance.

While mom keeps watch from above.

The boys don't think twice before running off to play.

But Lo has learned a few things from mom. So she makes her

rounds.

A round. And a round.

And a round.

But Lo's not the only one on the lookout. The guinea hens

see a Gidget-free lawn. And the boys look pretty clueless.

But little Lo shows the pesky neighbors she means business.

And just like her brave mom, two-pound Lo moves 50 pounds of

guinea hen off of her lawn. Coming up, the Legoto Romagnolos

find their inner water dogs.

And they're off to a good start. The Legoto Romagnolo pups are on the move.

At eight weeks, they're ready to take their water skills

to the next level. At the nearby creek, mom Sophie heads

straight for the deep end.

And Pippa heads out after her.

Where the little pups can't go.

But eager Riley throws caution to the wind and discovers

by accident that he can swim. So Pippa goes deeper, where

surely no little pup can go.

But Riley's right behind her.

And manages to keep his head above water. Mostly.

It's beginning to seem impossible to outdo that little

white pup. Who just seems to do everything she does.

Until Pippa realizes something. The eager pup's not trying

to show her up. He's trying to follow in her footsteps. So

for the moment, Pippa decides to shake off the competition

and Riley eagerly follows. Back at the Seeing Eye School,

the seven-week-old trainees get official scarves, which tell

the boys it's time to work. Today, laid-back Fred and his

alert buddy Gus are heading out for their first field assignment.

Of course, the boys haven't come here to buy more scarves,

as cute as they may look in them. Seeing Eye dogs are

required to have good manners while working in public.

They've come to a place pets usually don't go to practice

their best behavior. And various distractions

are presented to put them to the test.

Usually, little shepherd Gus has a hard time staying calm.

But it looks like mild-mannered Fred is rubbing off on him.

Today, it's Fred who's on alert.

Maybe Gus is rubbing off on him, too.

These two are supposed to be working, not shopping.

They may be serious students, but they're still puppies.

And the students soon got a friendly reminder that

this kind of messing around is too messy for class.

Fortunately, they've still got plenty of time to clean up

their act. Back at the Yorkie House, the sky is cloud-free

and the lawn is hen-free, thanks to little Lo, who's

been training the noisy neighbors to mind property lines.

And at seven weeks old, her brothers are now helping out.

But just when the miniature watchdog thinks she can relax,

miniature guinea hens appear. And they're even noisier than the adults.

But while their voices are big, their size is not, which

makes them tough to find, especially when they blend in with

the scenery.

These pesky neighbors manage to elude her.

Lo is close, but not close enough. She's quick,

but not quick enough.

The young watchdog leaves no leaf unturned,

except this one. After chasing off grown-up guinea hens,

this guy should be easy. But the tiny trespasser's not

budging. Lo is running out of ideas and steam. So for now, she calls it a draw.

Coming up, some unwanted dinner guests find their way into the Yorkie Hall.

The Seeing Eye dog pups have been in training for eight

weeks now. For their next exercise, they'll each pay a visit

to the home of a carefully chosen volunteer, so

they can apply their new skills outside of school.

Fred is the first pup to head off.

Because Fred has grown up at school, everything here is brand new.

But he's been preparing for this day.

Fred welcomes the touch of a new human

companion. He adapts to new surfaces with ease.

He remembers his basic commands.

And when it comes to strange sounds, he's got this one down.

But there are things here he hasn't yet covered at school.

And the future guide dog is suddenly feeling like he's in over his head.

And one look tells Fred this spot isn't for him.

This, on the other hand, must be.

But Fred's never eaten from a bowl like this, and

it takes a little while to realize it's not dessert.

But there are some things that Fred can figure out by

instinct alone. The laid-back pup knows just what to do in

this spot.

After a great trip down to the creek, the logoto pups are

excited to be back on dry land. Or at least the girls are.

Riley has found his inner water dog, and

now it seems no waters are too deep for him.

As for Pippa, she's decided to find a new corner of the farm.

Meanwhile, as much as Riley is enjoying the water, and the company of Mom Sophie,

something is missing.

So the pup decides to find her.

Riley's never met any of his neighbors on the farm before.

And though he's pleased to make their acquaintance, they're

not nearly as compelling as Pippa. While on the other side

of the farm, Pippa's having some communication troubles.

And that's when she sees a friendlier face coming her way.

And Pippa finally realizes the pup who she's been trying so

hard to outdo just may have been doing the right things all along.

The eight-week-old Yorkies are enjoying a pre-dinner nap.

When Lo awakes to a troubling sound and sight,

while she was sleeping, the noisy neighbors were invited

over to her house for dinner. And they're just about the

last dinner guests Lo would have wanted, especially

since they're now circling her dinner. Lo tries

to round them up.

But she just can't seem to ruffle any feathers.

Lo is at her wit's end.

Until she sees that with dinner guests, come new and exciting foods to try.

And the neighbors eat like, well, birds.

Which means there's plenty left for Lo. And now that they've

shared their food, Lo decides to share her bed. Sleeping it

off is a lot easier than chasing them off. Coming up, Riley

finds a new big kid to look up to. Seeing iDawg students

Fred and Gus are ten weeks old and on a mission. Only they

don't yet know where to. The boys are in for a treat. Today

is not a school day. By now, they've learned that when

their working scarves come off, it's time to let loose.

Fred and Gus have been training hard, but the

diligent students need time to play hard too.

About three months ago, a litter of pups was born

with a most honorable destiny. Of becoming guide dogs.

Fred, a yellow lab, was a natural when it came to keeping

calm. While Gus, a German shepherd, was born to be extra

alert. Together the two learned to balance each other out.

There's still a long road ahead before they earn their

seeing iDawg degrees, but the young students

can already see that the future looks bright.

The hills are alive at the Lugoto-Romagnolo farm.

While ten week old Riley and his sister are goofing around,

five month old Pippa is with Sophie, showing off what

mature pups do. But even mature pups want to have fun.

And it turns out having fun with new friends

is a lot better than competing with them.

Ten weeks ago, five very rare puppies made their grand

entrance into the world. But older pup Pippa wasn't so

pleased to see them.

Especially eager Riley, who always seemed to be trying to

outdo her. Until finally Pippa realized the pup didn't want

to compete with her. He wanted to be like her.

And now, at ten weeks old, he is more like her.

The once wobbly newborn, and the one and only Pippa, and

his four sisters have all turned into vibrant and adorable

puppies. Ready for graduation. Today, their new families arrive to pick them up.

And take the pups back to their new loving home. Where these

rare and special puppies will make their rare and special

families complete.

As for Riley, he gets a new big kid to look up to. One

who wants nothing more than a pup to follow him around.

Back at the Yorkshire Terrier house, young watchdog Low is

keeping a lookout. And it seems the miniature guinea hens

are encroaching on her lawn again. Luckily, she's a bit more

neighborly these days. Low is a natural born watchdog. Who

took after her super watchdog mom, Gidget. She quickly

proved she was a fierce guard dog. But sometimes you gotta

know when to give it a rest and let sleeping hens lie.