THE DOG HOUSE AUSTRALIA: WHY YOU NEED TVNZ’s FAMILY-FRIENDLY DOSE OF AWWS AND PAWS

The Dog House Australia

If you’re finding life a little stressful right now, I prescribe a family-friendly dose of awws and paws by way of this brilliant Aussie reality show.

Filmed at the Animal Welfare League’s Kemp’s Creek Shelter in West Sydney, it’s a matchmaking service between people looking for dogs and rescues needing homes. With shelter staff dedicated to finding the right home for each dog they receive, it’s a sometimes funny, often heartwarming watch.

The animal welfare league takes strays, surrenders and abuse uplifts. Only after being rehabilitated and vet-checked can they be considered for adoption, but the show doesn’t dwell on sad backstories. It’s all about the adoptions and the positives a dog can provide.

Featured so far are families with children, couples and older people. They’re all interviewed about what they want (there’s a lot of discussion and checks we don’t see), then the shelter staff meet and decide which dog might be the best fit. Only then is a playdate is arranged.

I love watching people when they first see the dog, but the best bit is when that connection happens. (If it happens – it doesn’t always.) A furry head pushes its way into someone’s lap, and human and dog just relax.

Narrated by Bondi Vet Dr Chris Brown, a New Zealand version of The Doghouse is being cast now.