Rather than Wonder Woman and Black Panther, a new Imax 3D film stars a different type of superhero — dogs whose powers have helped save people and animals.
Through the end of the year, you can see six amazing canines in action in “Superpower Dogs” at the Warner Bros. Theater at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
Tipper and Tony are super sniffers. The two bloodhounds use their incredible sense of smell to track poachers who hunt and kill endangered animals such as elephants and rhinos in Kenya, in East Africa.
A large Newfoundland named Reef is an ace lifeguard. Her size, strength, webbed paws and waterproof fur enable her to rescue people at risk of drowning along the coast of Italy. She can swim through choppy water and tow as many as six people on a life raft.
If You Go
What: “Superpower Dogs,” an Imax 3-D film.
Where: Warner Bros. Theater at the National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution Ave., Washington, D.C.
When: Daily through the end of the year.
Cost: $9 for adults, $7.50 for children 12 and younger. Best for ages 6 and older.
Info: Check superpowerdogs.com/find-a-theater. Read about the dogs in “Halo: Disaster Response Dog” and “Henry: Avalanche Rescue Dog.”
These dogs aren’t born with their powers, though. They learn their skills through training and practice.
You can see a superdog in the making by watching Halo onscreen.
When Capt. Kristian “Cat” Labrada, of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department, first met Halo as a pup, she was impressed by the Dutch shepherd’s intelligence and alertness.
Labrada knows that these are important traits for urban search-and-rescue dogs, who help find people trapped in rubble after disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes.
Mastering tough tasks
The film shows how Labrada trained Halo, preparing her for a big certification test. Halo had to learn to rely on her keen senses of smell and hearing to search for hidden people. She learned to walk on narrow boards, climb ladders and ignore distractions such as food or toys.
Some tasks were harder than others to master, Labrada told KidsPost by phone from her home in Palmetto Bay, Fla., while Halo romped outside with Labrada’s family.
“Halo isn’t motivated by food. She likes toys and games,” Labrada said. On the training site, “it was easy for her to pass by the hamburger, but she kept wanting to grab the tennis ball and play with it.”
Labrada learned from Halo how best to reward her. Many dogs welcome treats; Halo prefers a quick tussle with her tug toy.
It’s important to make sure the dog enjoys the work, Labrada said. As with people, sometimes it can take time to find the right match.
One of the superdogs, a golden retriever named Ricochet, started training as a service dog. Her handler soon realized, though, that Ricochet was best at sensing emotions and calming sad or frightened people. In the movie, her gentle presence reassures a little boy who is learning to surf.
“My dog and I are a team,” said Labrada, who is preparing with Halo for the busy hurricane season. “Together we can do things that we can’t do separately. The bond, that trust, is actually the real superpower.”
