The Stories of Pip and Ace – Remarkable American Guide Dogs

The two videos featured in this post were created by Dogs Inc, a nonprofit in the United States dedicated to breeding, raising, and training exceptional working dogs. They tell the stories of two remarkable dog – Pip and Ace.  Dogs Inc train guide dogs for people with vision impairment, service dogs for veterans, and companion dogs for those navigating difficult life experiences. Each dog is paired with a recipient at no cost, along with full training and lifelong support. So how did these charming videos come about?  As Dogs Inc (formerly Southeastern Guide Dogs) is entirely funded by private donations and supported by volunteers, they had to find a way to get themselves more attention from the media and public.  In a stroke of genius, they decided to tell the story of just one Guide Dog – Pip.  

And here he is.  He looks a little overwhelmed – the other recruits seem so much bigger and more reassured than him! In this adorable video, Pip enrols at Guide Dog school.  His hero is Ace, who even has a statue outside of the training school and Pip wants to follow in his pawsteps. However, to put it frankly, Pip isn’t up to much.  Not only is he a little small, he’s clumsy too. His big dream of becoming a Guide Dog looks like it isn’t going to happen, especially when he flunks the test at the end of his training.  However, when he comes to the rescue of a blind woman he proves his worth and finally lives up to his hero, Ace. 

Watch the video below.

This animated tale of a guide dog was a massive internet hit, with over half a billion hits, so Dogs Inc decided to follow up with another (and yes, I am a little late to this party but I couldn't resist featuring these animated shorts!).  Considering the success of the first, this was probably a no-brainer! Of course, Pip’s story had already been told, so it was decided that this video would tell the story of Ace. Here he is!

We already know that Ace is a hero as his statue is outside the Guide Dog Academy, but this tells the epic journey of how he became a canine legend. So we meet Ace when he has already been placed with his human.  However, there is a fire and only Ace can save the day. His selfless act of heroism, saving not only his human but others, too, ensure him a place in the pantheon of legendary dogs!

Here is the story of Ace – Guide Dog supreme!

Dogs Inc have also released animated shorts about two other dogs, Hope and Lucy, which you can find on their YouTube channel. Although these films are creative and inspirational representations, not documentary accounts of specific real dogs at Dogs Inc - they reflect the real kind of work and impact that the organisation’s dogs have in people’s lives.