Patrick Aryee of Amazing Dogs talks wonder of nature

Dog O’Day – While filming Amazing Dogs, were there any moments in particular that stood out about the process?

Patrick Aryee – One moment that stood out was the challenge of filming not the smallest, but one of the biggest species of dog out there.  The Maned Wolf is the tallest of the wild dogs so of course the crew and I, had to find one.  I’d made my way to Serra da Canastra National Park, in Brazil.

Whilst I helped a team of biologists with their research tagging, the film crew would follow closely behind with the hopes of capturing one on camera. But considering it’s the tallest species out there, it was much harder to find than expected, and that’s all thanks to the high grasslands, that offer them cover and protection.  With only 20,000 left of them in the wild – that’s less than a quarter the number of people it would take to fill the University of Michigan football stadium – this tropical savannah is crucial to their survival.

When we finally laid eyes on one we couldn’t believe what we were looking at.  Imagine a fox, with the legs of a deer, that gallops like a horse.  Truly unbelievable.  Now I understand why the maned wolf is also known as a fox-on-stilts!

Dog O’Day – What are you hoping viewers take away from this series?

Patrick Aryee – As with all my shows, I hope this series can transport viewers from the comfort of their homes, to the far reaches of the globe.  Ultimately, I’d love for viewers to be left with a sense wonder, excitement and curiosity to find more about mother natures wild treasures.

Amazing Dogs episode 2, “America,” will air on Sunday, August 4 on the Smithsonian Channel, while episode 3, ‘Africa,” will air on Sunday, August 11. Both episodes will air at 8 p.m. across all time zones.