By TOSHIYUKI TAKEYA/ Staff Writer
May 4, 2018 at 07:00 JST
Editor's note: This is part of a series of videos offering an up-close perspective on the animal kingdom. A special 360-degree video camera system was set up in zoos and other facilities to show how the animals view their world as they interact.
Also visit our special 360-DEGREE LIVES page (http://t.asahi.com/360lives), where you can watch all the previous videos.
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For dog lovers who can’t keep animals in their homes but want to take a stroll with them, Tsukuba Wanwan Land can be their dreamland.
Located at the foot of Mount Tsukubasan in Ibaraki Prefecture, the animal theme park keeps and displays about 470 animals of 79 species. It also operates a veterinary hospital and a nursing care-home for old dogs and cats.
In March, eight Golden Retriever puppies and three Labrador Retriever pups were born at the theme park.
When they were brought into the room with the camera by zookeeper Yuko Suzuki, 28, the 1-month-old fluffy puppies seemed hesitant at first. But overtaken by curiosity, they approached the camera and showed no fear. Some of the puppies brought their faces close to the lens, while others tried to bite into the device and licked it as if it were a toy.
The 11 puppies soon started messing around with each other, before falling asleep as they cuddled up together.
The young dogs will be entrusted to newly enrolled students for training at a vocational school specializing in pets that stands adjacent to the park.
Many of the dogs continue to live with their guardians as partners after the students graduate, according to park officials.
The Golden Retriever was originally bred in Britain. Although the breed is generally regarded as calm and smart, young pups display a mischievous side and a tendency to gnaw on and break furniture, Suzuki said.
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