Humans and their loyal canine companions are paired up for a race around the world, The Amazing Race style, in Amazon’s newest reality series, The Pack. In hot pursuit of a $750,000 first-place prize, the winner will earn a cool $500,000 and be given the incredible opportunity to gift the remaining $250,000 to a charity of their choice. But in truth, everyone competing on The Pack is a winner because getting to travel the world with your best friend all while completing fun and exciting challenges? It just doesn’t get much better than that. Hosted by gold medal-winning skier, Lindsey Vonn, and her King Charles Cavalier Lucy, the show warms even the coldest of hearts as it highlights the unbreakable bond dogs and their humans share.
With a Dog Safety Team onboard to monitor the health and security of each dog, the pairs are put to the test with fun, dog-centric challenges. Dogs are tasked with sniffing for “earthquake victims” and truffles, tugging on ropes to raise flags, and playing piano for a youth choir. Their skills are seemingly limitless and thoroughly impressive. But perhaps most impressive are the bonds shared between competitors and the unique stories behind each human/dog partnership. There’s Duchess the Black Lab who helped her mom Lucy heal after the stillborn birth of her son. Then, there’s Daniel who was passing a stranger and his dog on the street when he overheard that stranger say he was going to go kill this dog real quick. Daniel immediately jumped in to tell the stranger he would happily take the dog himself. The lucky Wire-Haired Rat Terrier is now called Allister and is Daniel’s best friend.
Then, there’s Mitra and Bozley. Growing up in Utah, the now-tattoo covered Iranian Mitra never quite felt like she belonged. In fact, Mitra points to feeling like an outsider as the reason she went looking for a dog in the first place nine years ago. She needed that person who would love her unconditionally, even if she was different from everyone else. She found the then eight-month-old Border Collie-St. Bernard mix online. “Someone was trying to get rid of him,” she said. “They didn’t want him anymore.” She could relate. Like with many rescue situations, Bozley wasn’t immediately smitten with Mitra. Mitra remembers, “he was growling at me when I went to go and take him.” But it wasn’t long before the two were completely in love and completely inseparable.
Now Bozley is Mitra’s shadow. He never leaves her side, and she can’t imagine life without him. He’s given her the courage to pursue her dreams. Six years ago they moved to Los Angeles together. They spend their days hiking through Eagle Rock and sharing each other's food. As for Bozley’s favorite pastime? Catching flies. And as for his ability to ever fly economy class? Mitra says The Pack spoiled him, and that “now he’s a bougie dog. I don’t think he’ll be able to fly economy. He got used to the good life.” That is simply adorable and proves dogs are the best.
Sources: The Salt Lake Tribune, Talkin' Pets