Okay, last night Andy and I watched a new TV reality show, The Greatest American Dog (on CBS, Thursdays at 8pm.) I feel about this show kind of like I feel about zoos; with zoos, there are some issues of concern, but I am always thrilled at the opportunity to see exotic animals up close and personal that I'd never otherwise have a chance to see. This reality show was pretty much absurd, some of the contestants seemed fanatical and the challenges and rewards contrived. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I'm actually a fan of some reality shows. But not this one. The dogs all arrived dressed in clothes...aside from an occasional bandanna, I don't know why anyone would dress their dogs in polo shirts and frilly skirts. These dogs came in down vests, neckties and sneakers. Then they were asked to compete in challenges. The first challenge was like musical chairs. When the music stopped, the owners had to instruct their dog to get up on the "chair" and sit. It was actually kind of cute to see the dogs of all breeds and sizes doing their things. Later, we got a chance to see some special skills. (Andy continuously commented that Kelly would not fare so well in this competition.) The bulldog that skateboarded particularly caught our attention.
This dog was not just set on a skateboard and given a push. Tillman actually got on the board, pushed with his left legs, got on the board with all four legs, then pumped with the right legs, etc. He could even shift his body weight to steer. It was quite obvious that this was not a "trick" but real fun for the dog. And for that reason, I laughed and smiled, and will probably watch the show again when I get the chance. No matter what, face it, I just like watching dogs. If only this was just a showcase to see some pretty cool dogs--from the jack russell to the brittany spaniel to the border collie, these dogs were all cute, clever and lovable. The show iteslf; not so much.
List of contestants:
Ron and Tillman, an English Bull Dog who loves to skateboard
Travis and Presley, a Boxer loves to play
Laura and Preston, a Pomeranian that can strike a pose
Michael and Ezzie, a Boston Terrier who enjoys watching television
David and Elvis, a Parson Russell Terrier that enjoys long walks through Central Park
Elan and Kenji, a Giant Schnauzer known to stop traffic and draw crowds
Laurie and Andrew, a Maltese who loves his squeaky ball
JD and Galaxy, a Pointer/Collie mix does a fantastic back balance
Beth Joy and Belle Starlet, Mutt (Chihuahua/Pomeranian/Retreiver) is Bi-Lingual
Brandy and Beacon, a Miniature Schnauzer loves her stuffed animal that looks like her
Teresa and Leroy, a Border Collie who has done a couple commercials
Bill and Star, a Brittany that is trained in field trials
