Why these dogs are watching Chicago at the Stratford Festival

Dogs in the Foster Puppy Program with Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides watch a performance of Chicago at the Stratford Festival. (Twitter/Stratford Festival)

The Stratford Festival is back in full form after two years of pandemic restrictions – and it’s not just people who are visiting the festival city for some world-class theatre.

Pictures posted to the festival’s Twitter account on Thursday show several dogs attending a performance of Chicago.

It might looks like fun, but the canines were there on serious business. They’re training to become future service dogs.

As Stratford Festival publicity director Ann Swerdfager explains, the theatre is actually an ideal training environment for them.

There’s a large group of people and the dogs have to stay still and quiet, despite extreme changes in lighting and sudden sounds.

“It’s an excellent opportunity for guide dogs to get experience that they wouldn’t get anywhere else,” says Swerdfager, adding that ensuring guide dogs are comfortable in the theatre is an important part of the festival’s mission to make their shows accessible to everyone.

The pups at Chicago were with the Lion Foundation of Canada Dog Guides, one of several similar organizations the festival has worked with over the years.

In addition to helping to train service dogs, the Stratford Festival also offers a variety of special performances including audio described shows, performances with American Sign Language interpreters and relaxed performances with less intense lighting and sound effects.

“Our guide is to make sure that anybody who wants to attend the theatre knows that our doors are wide open and that we will do whatever we can to let people enjoy the performance in whatever way they would like to,” Swerdfager said.

And what about the dogs, do they enjoy the performance? Swerdfager says that’s not really the point.

“We don’t want the dogs barking and moving around and enjoying the theatre,” she said. “Their job is to be there in case they’re needed and when they’re needed. You can see in the pictures, they usually lie down and just tuck themselves by the feet of their person.”