“Never work with animals or children,” great advice passed from one generation of filmmakers to the next. There is, of course, a plethora of films, television shows, podcasts, and much more that go against this advice, and many are better for it. Yucca is no exception. Additions like a drugged out cult centered around a small dog, and the emotional impact of a conversation had with a Shepherd bring out the weird emotional core of Yucca. Red and Shiloh may not have had more than a few scenes between them, but as we all know; there are no small parts, only small(er) actors.

This is Shiloh, a six year old black Shih Tzu. Although not really a desert dog, Shiloh thrives in his mostly indoor environment. Preferring a life of leisure, Shiloh’s dog cult leader status was tailored made for him. When he does go out, Shiloh loves adventures, people, and meeting people on adventures, but mostly he can be found lounging around the meddle studio or chasing after his favorite blue ball.

Meet Red. Red is an Australian Shepherd, and the only one at meddle who’s a Californian native. Before moving to Joshua Tree, meddle was run from a tiny house in the San Bernardino mountains. This was an environment that Shiloh could handle, but an Australian Shepherd could not. A few weeks after purchasing 2.5 desert acres, the search began for a puppy, and a few weeks after that, Red was exploring his new home. Since then, Red’s become the ruler of his little kingdom, spending most days exploring in the sunshine, or napping under the shade of a Eucalyptus tree.

You can catch both Red and Shiloh in the film when it’s released. Keep an eye out for them when you see it!