The first season of Orange is the New Black, the Netflix original series about a now lawabiding, upper-middle class woman who is sentenced to 15 months in prison for transporting a suitcase of drug money for her former lover 10 years earlier, had us glued to the screen, bingewatching episodes. Adding to the fun? Even with genius performances all around, a four-legged actor still manages to steal some scenes. Eight-monthold Avery, aka “Little Boo,” plays a therapy dog in-training assigned to inmate Big Boo. We got the low down on this canine cutie from Lisa Vinnecour, Co-Executive Producer of Orange Is The New Black who relates what it’s like for the canine actor on set.

What is a regular day on set like for Little Boo?
Like the other actors on Orange, the pup gets to have her own dressing room and waits to be called to set. When her scene is up, she is ready to go! And by ready, I mean she tended to fall asleep most of the time the cameras were rolling.

Which actors has she bonded with most?
Lea Delaria (Big Boo) worked exclusively with Little Boo, so they had the strongest bond. That being said, she spread her love to all.

Is she a set favourite?
She is! We are an animal loving set, so when she works, the crew is very happy to have her at work. When she was having a hard time focusing, my dog Lucy came down to set to help her out. She too was a fan of having Little Boo around.

Does she love acting?
If acting means sleeping whenever you want, getting a lot of treats, and an excessive amount of love, then yes!

Can we expect to see more of Little Boo in Season 2?
You’ll have to wait and watch Season 2 to find out!

To learn about Prison Dog Programs, check out our article on how these initiatives not only rehabilitate inmates and dogs (who are most often plucked from shelters), but also transform the lives of the recipients of these dogs now specially trained for service or therapy work. Talk about a win-win-win. moderndogmagazine.com/prisondogs