Saagar Kote
‘Dog’ revolves around Jackson Briggs, a US Army Ranger, who lives a civilian life due to a brain injury sustained during his military service. He learns that his comrade and friend, Riley Rodriguez, has died. This leaves the fallen soldier’s dog, Lulu, without a caretaker. Jackson is tasked by his superior to bring the abandoned dog safely to Riley’s funeral in Nogales, a few days later, in exchange for a recommendation letter. In order to save his career and honor his friend, the protagonist accepts the job.
However, his journey with Lulu tests him in ways he never imagined, leading towards a complex animal-human bond. Directed by Channing Tatum and Reid Carolin, the comedy-drama road film is a nuanced exploration of trauma, friendship, loyalty, and redemption. In the narrative, the dog Lulu plays a pivotal role, challenging the protagonist at every turn. Her character and screen presence form the emotional core of the film. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Lulu is Partly Inspired by a Difficult Moment in Channing Tatum’s Life
Written by Reid Carolin, ‘Dog’ is a poignant navigation of an unlikely bond between two troubled souls. The bond between Lulu and Jackson takes the story to emotionally difficult zones. It is interesting to observe that the character of Lulu in the film partially stems from real experiences in the life of Channing Tatum, one of the directors of the film, who also plays Jackson. During 2018, he had the chance to travel for the last time with his Pitbull-Catahoula mix dog. Channing got the dog when she was six weeks old, and wanted to give her a Southern-sounding name, which ultimately led to him choosing “Lulu Bama,” which ultimately became “Lulu.” The same name is used for Jackson’s four-legged friend in the film.
Channing and his former wife Jenna Dewan collectively took care of the real-life Lulu, who was diagnosed with cancer and eventually passed away in 2018. In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Channing Tatum, while talking about the inspiration behind the film, said, “When I went on my last road trip with my puppy, (I experienced) that feeling of, ‘There’s nothing I can do. There’s nothing left to do,'” he tells Yahoo Entertainment now. “You just have to accept it and be thankful for the time that you did get and know that they’re not supposed to be here forever. I’m supposed to go on and she has to go someplace else.”
This tragedy in the actor’s life marked the beginning of the creative process for the film. The other director, Carolin, also confirmed that the end of Channing’s relationship with Lulu inspired the films and that they wanted to tell a story about the foundations of a relationship. The character of Lulu was also partly inspired by dog characters in films like ‘Turner & Hooch,’ and the Hungarian movie ‘White God.’ Although Lulu in the film is a fictional dog, her role in the life of the protagonist is informed by extremely personal and vulnerable moments in Channing’s life.
Lulu’s Chaos and Magic is Brought to Life by Three Canine Performers
Lulu deals with trauma and a sense of abandonment in ‘Dog.’ She shows anger, restlessness, and is quick to react to triggering sounds and sights. However, during her time in the military, she served Rodriguez loyally, walking into battle zones, and also keeping the spirit of the military unit alive. Her active, happy, and energetic life was disturbed after Rodriguez abandoned her, even before his death. In the film, she goes through a range of emotions that are also reflected by Jackson. As credited in the film, three dogs named Lana 5, Britta, and Zuza collectively portray Lulu. The production team acquired them from an Amsterdam-based kennel specializing in training dogs for military service.
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the production of the film was stopped for nearly nine months, which gave the crew more time to prepare with the dogs. The trainers and Channing Tatum took time to work with each dog. Interestingly, the three trainers decided to adopt the dogs that they trained. Britta is the one who occupies the maximum time on screen, and contributed to almost 80% of the workload. Reid Carolin confirmed that the three dogs are with their respective caretakers in different parts of the country. Britta lives in Hamilton, Montana, with her trainer.
Lana 5 resides in Charleston, South Carolina, with her trainer, and Zuzu lives with her trainer in Los Angeles. The team of trainers who collaborated on the film includes Kimberly Andrew, Joseph McCarter, Greg SmithAldridge, Julie Strang, and Andrew Simpson. One of the reasons why three dogs were required in the film is due to the vivid personality traits of Lulu in the film. So, to facilitate different expressions and nuances, three canine performers were necessary. All in all, the three dogs seen in ‘Dog’ bring Lulu’s complexities to life vividly.
Lulu is a Belgian Malinois with Dexterity and Charm
Lulu and the dogs who portray her in ‘Dog’ belong to the Belgian Malinois breed, which was originally bred for herding and protection. Due to their high focus, the dogs of this breed have evolved significantly and are part of tasks such as bomb-sniffing, due to their intelligence. The breed can be traced back to Belgium in the 1800s. The breed has a thick coat and is valued by police and military for its strength, stamina, dexterity, and loyalty.
The Belgian Malinois is also said to be easily trainable, which possibly made the trainers’ jobs on set easier. The breed can also act on command and is sensitive to its surroundings. The Belgian Malinois is an intelligent breed, widely considered an effective watchdog and protection dog that thrives on mental and physical challenges. In conclusion, Lulu’s behavior in the film is inspired by more than the story, but also the natural behavioral patterns of the breed it belongs to.
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