It was all black tie and tails, literally, last week at the North Shore Animal League America’s 2009 DogCatemy Celebrity Gala held on November 5th. The annual charity event featured a screening of celebrity-made short films, all about pets of course, nominated for awards in the following categories: Best Tail-Waggin’ Comedy, Best Musical, Best Dogumentary, Best Pawformance, and Best In Show. Geraldo Rivera, who adopted his Golden Retriever from NSAL, served as Master of Ceremonies for the lavish affair held at the elegant Cipriani’s on Wall Street. Celebrity attendees included Martha Stewart, Howard Stern, tennis star Monica Seles. But it was the P-List celebrities, i.e. the ones with paws, who were the biggest hits of the night. Rather than a red carpet, guests and V.I.P.’S (Very Important Pets) strutted their stuff on a much more appropriate “Green Carpet” with a dog park theme flanked by beautiful metal dog sculptures created by artist Dale Rogers. The most famous pets in attendance were the Celebripups (the famous Jilli the Poker Playing Yorkie, canine models and actors Bocker the Labradoodle and Eli the Chihuahua, Tito the Pomeranian, and Andrew the Great Maltese from Greatest American Dog) whose “Every Pet is A Star” film was nominated in the Best In Show category.
This year’s gala was sold out and all proceeds benefit the life-saving mission of the Animal League.
As we approach the one year anniversary of the final episode, most Dogsters have undoubtedly figured out what I knew the moment I left Canine Academy: there’s not going to be a second season of Greatest American Dog. Even though nearly 10 million viewers tuned in to the premiere, the show’s ratings experienced a steady decline throughout the season and ended with an average of 5-6 million weekly viewers. Comparing that to the ratings of other popular dog-themed television shows, including The Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel which barely averages 1 million viewers weekly, it would seem GAD was an overwhelming hit! Unfortunately airing on a major network during prime time was both a blessing and a curse. Major networks like CBS (home of other reality shows like Survivor and Big Brother garnering 20+ million viewers each week) require much bigger numbers to renew a show, and GAD fell short. But, here on Dogster, the Greatest American Dog fan club was extremely popular. That’s why I thought fans of the show would enjoy catching up with members of the cast. So here’s the 411 from those who were willing to share!
Elan and Kenji
Dog biz entrepreneur Elan and her gorgeous Giant Schnauzer Kenji returned to Oregon where Elan is currently running a growing doggie day trip service that leads tours to local lakes and parks in the Portland area. But you’ll never guess the new sport she and Kenji have plunged into. No, not dock diving (although the versatile Kenji has done this too). It’s scootering and dogsledding! What, can’t picture a Giant Schnauzer mushing? Well, apparently Kenji is a natural, and not only that, Elan is learning all she can from the top people in the sport, including professional dog sled racer Rachael Scdoris, who was nominated by ESPN as female athlete of the year. Knowing Elan, I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see this ambitious and dynamic young woman leading a team in the Iditarod one day.
For those of you who fell for the so called Laurie threw David under the bus bit, sorry, but you were had! The truth is, there was no betrayal and David and Elvis have remained one of our closest friends! This jetsetting duo is the toast of the Big Apple and are frequently seen at dog related events all around the city including the North Shore Animal League’s Dogcatemy Awards, Bideawee’s Gala on the Green, and even the Westminster Dog Show. In his spare time, Dr. David operates The Doctor’s Channel, an internet educational and networking resource for physicians, but even there he often mixes business with pleasure. Right now, the website features the recent nuptials of Elvis and his canine lady love. Definitely go check it out!
Go Tillman!
I hope everyone caught our buddies Ron and Tillman in this year’s Tournament of Roses parade! The skateboarding Bulldog was featured displaying his skills on the Natural Balance Pet Foods float. They are currently spokesdog/person for the pet food company and will be featured in the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade as well. This time they’ll be accompanied by Tillman’s little furbling Rose, the newest skateboarding bulldog.
Brandy, Beacon and Billy Brinser
Brandy and Beacon have been very busy this past year. In April Brandy got married and Beacon was proud to be the flower dog. Beacon has been in Elle magazine for a Kate Spade ad, placed 2nd in the talent contest for the Dog Day Afternoon in Orange County, and marched in a Fourth of July Parade. Brandy continues to train Beacon who recently learned how to clean up her toys and is now skateboarding. Beacon will turn 3 this year and has been a very good dog for Brandy. They enjoy trips to the Huntington Dog Beach and walks around their community lake.
One of the busiest and most visible members of the cast has definitely been Laura and Preston. In fact, we’ve collaborated together on past events and have several exciting future projects in the works. Building on our mutual commitment to therapy dog work (Andrew and Preston were the only certified therapy dogs in the cast), we founded The Pawtastics, a non-profit volunteer organization comprised of celebrity dogs, studio dogs, and exceptionally-trained canines and their humans who aspire to take therapy dog work to another level. We’ve also created Girly Dogs, a movement to empower and celebrate small dogs around the world. The pair hosts and stars in Preston’s Planet, a live, interactive internet show broadcast on The Stream.TV, and are spokesperson/dog for Natura pet foods. Preston was the cover model of the August/September ‘09 issue of Animal Wellness magazine, and plans are in the works for his own feature film!
Bill and Star
No matter where I go, there’s one pair I’m always asked about, and that’s Bill and Star. Bill says Star has shined brighter than ever and continues to shine more every day by entertaining literally thousands of people all over the country. She has helped raise money for shelters and rescues, received keys to the city, been the opening act for country western stars Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton, and even had a proclamation read in her honor by the Texas House of Representatives! Bill has recently started a dog training business specializing in obedience, tracking, herding and agility.
Since we both live in Virginia, we’ve seen our good friends Teresa and Leroy a lot this past year. We attended Leroy’s 5th birthday party in January and had the chance to meet many of his friends and Teresa’s satisfied clients. Teresa has been a successful dog trainer in Fairfax, VA for quite a few years and runs a successful training and dog walking business. From raising money for the The Animal Cancer Foundation, to being a spokesdog for Stella and Chewy’s dog food and a cover dog for the In the Company of Dogs catalog, Leroy has been very busy. Most recently the pair appeared on the QVC Network to demonstrate a line of dog toys. They are regularly featured guests at most of the pet industry trade shows such as H.H. Backer and Super Zoo.
Andrew and Laurie
This blog has enabled me to keep everyone abreast of what Andrew and I have been up to, but just to recap, he’s earned 4 agility titles, 3 additional rally obedience titles, has had featured roles in two short films, made appearances at dozens of charity events, was Grand Marshal for a walk-a-thon, has raised thousands of dollars for local animal rescue groups, and along with Preston even helped campaign for President Obama. Together we appeared on the cover of the November 2008 issue of the Whole Dog Journal, and have been featured and interviewed by numerous blogs and publications. My dog training and daycare facility, Pup ‘N Iron Canine Fitness & Learning Center, is booming more than I could have ever imagined! Even a year later we are recognized often, especially at dog shows and agility trials. It’s pretty funny to step up to the line and have the check in person do a double take and yell, “hey, I know you!”
And what about the winner? Travis reports that he and Presley have been having a wonderful time since the show. They’ve done a number of commercials including several for Exchange Bank in Oklahoma. They are currently working with KJ Productions out of Enid, Oklahoma to produce an education children’s DVD, with the first DVD set to be released November 2009. They’ve also worked a lot with Take Me Home rescue organization in L.A. If you were watching closely around Valentine’s Day, you may have caught Travis in a Zales Jewelry commercial he’d done prior to being on the show. If you missed it, hopefully they’ll air it again next year. Have your hankies ready, it’s a real tear jerker. According to his listing on IMDB, Travis has resumed his acting career and will be in an upcoming thriller called ICrime. Watch for it!
Wendy and Lucky at Paws for Style
As for our esteemed panel of judges, you can still catch Victoria Stilwell on the second season of It’s Me or the Dog, airing on Animal Planet. Alan Reznick is still Editor-At-Large for Dog Fancy and Dog World magazines, but the busiest has to be Wendy Diamond! In addition to her frequent appearances on NBC’s Today Show and running the pet lifestyle magazine Animal Fair, Wendy and her rescue Maltese Lucky continue to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for animal rescue with their one-of-a-kind red carpet celebrity charity events. Most recently, she held her annual Paws for Style celebrity gala event featuring top celebrities tripping the light fantastic up on the catwalk. She has several book projects in the works, It’s a Dog’s World, to be published by Random House, and a new Chicken Soup for the Soul dog and cat book coming out October 2009.
GAD was destined to be a one time thing. Successfully and safely managing 12 dogs of different ages, sizes, breeds, temperaments and needs, along with their equally diverse and demanding humans, while filming challenges that would not only be safe, but entertaining and fun to watch, and telling a story that would be believable and accepting by the viewing audience was an undertaking I don’t think anyone could have really been ready for. Undoubtedly the project sounded really good on paper, actually producing it was a different story. Whenever I’ve asked my castmates if they’d do it all again, most have said yes, and I concur. Who would pass up the opportunity to spend 6 weeks with his or her dog, away from all the worries, responsibilities and hustle and bustle of every day life? We wouldn’t be the people we are today and we wouldn’t have the relationships we have with our dogs if we hadn’t gone through this experience. But it also gave each of us an inside look at so-called reality shows, in general. They may be unscripted, but there’s definitely a storyline the producers intend to follow, no matter what, and they have the power of the camera and editing to do so. But none of us are complaining. We’re great, our dogs are great, and we are among a select few who will ever be able to say, we not only survived being on Greatest American Dog, we’ve thrived!
Did you want to see a second season of Greatest American Dog?
What message do you feel Greatest American Dog sent?
After seeing the show, would you have auditioned for it with your dog?
Do you believe what you see on reality shows is how things actually happened?See related Ring Time entries:
Never before has there been more information and resources available to help pet parents live harmoniously with their canine companions. If you surf the net you will discover thousands of training Web sites; the dog training section in bookstores and libraries is inundated with new titles every month; and dog training is a regular weekly feature on some television channels. However, you know what they say about a little knowledge. It’s dangerous, and incomplete and inaccurate information is even worse.
Where has all this abundance of conflicting and misleading information taken us? On one hand it has prompted many people to make more out of things that are really just normal dog behavior in certain circumstances. I receive many calls from concerned puppy parents about their aggressive 12-week-old puppy, only to determine the puppy is just exhibiting normal puppy behavior on its way to learning bite inhibition. And then there are the pet parents who feel their dog is showing dominance by jumping up on them to greet them, and they want to show him they’re the pack leaders like Cesar says. Uggggh. If I had a nickel for every time that term is over or incorrectly used I’d be rich! Well, okay, at least these pet parents are trying to be proactive and prevent issues before they become serious problems, and that’s certainly a good thing.
Unfortunately I also get calls from people whose dogs are struggling with very serious behavior issues like severe aggression but have unrealistic expectations of fixing those problems. Why? Well, they saw a dog with the exact same issue on TV and that dog was fixed in one episode! Make no mistake about it, behavior modification takes time, patience and consistency. There is no quick fix or magic to it, only the magic of television. Having been on the boob tube myself, let me state unequivocally right here and now that you can’t always believe what you see on television, and reality television is anything but real, it’s meant to be entertainment. Even if the genre is supposed to be public education, make no mistake about it, the show still needs to be entertaining. After all, if no one is watching, the show won’t get any sponsors to pay for it! Additionally, everything you see may not have happened in exactly the way it’s been presented, or in the same sequence, or even on the same day!
And what about follow up? Did the owners continue with the behavior modification? Has the dog continued to improve or has he reverted back to old habits? Rarely, if ever, are any of those questions answered on any of the television training shows. We’re presented with quick glimpses that end with the trainer closing up his or her computer or getting in his or her car and driving away. Happy ending? Maybe. Hopefully. But those profound and quick changes we’re presented can be extinguished just as quickly if there is no consistency in the training and behavior modification to follow.
And then there’s the subject of dog training methods. Even if the show instructs the viewers “not to try this at home,” overzealous owners will do so anyway, which can have disastrous and downright dangerous results. I know more than a few people who’ve been bitten when attempting to physically overpower or dominate their dog, like they saw the trainer do on TV. I am always hopeful that most will listen to the part of the disclaimer that tells the viewer to “contact a professional” first.
That’s where I come in.
While I may not agree with or use the same methods a television dog trainer uses, if his or her show helps make people aware of their dog’s behavior and gets them interested in training, that’s a good thing. If it prompts someone to pick up the phone and call me, all the better! Once I get them in the door, I’ll get my chance to show them how real dog training and behavior modification works.
What do you think about TV dog training shows?
What’s your favorite or least favorite show?
Who’s your favorite or least favorite TV dog trainer and why?
What kind of TV dog training show would you like to see?
As a dog daycare owner and operator, the first thing I look for in a potential employee at my facility, Pup ‘N Iron Canine Fitness & Learning Center, is a complete and unabashed love for dogs. I know it would come as no surprise to fellow dogsters that this attribute is pretty easy to find. I mean, come on, seriously, who doesn’t love dogs? However, then comes my second criteria – a love and diligence for caring for dogs, and that includes cleaning up after them. Not as easy a find, especially when it involves cleaning up after 30+ dogs a day! And that’s our daily challenge. Our goal is to create and maintain not only a fun and exciting environment, but a safe and healthy one as well. An essential part of a safe and healthy environment is cleanliness, and keeping an 11,000 square foot facility clean and healthy is not an easy feat. It’s challenging, not only to staff, but for our cleaning equipment as well.
Pup ‘N Iron will celebrate our 4th anniversary last month. Some of our staff has come and gone, but one thing has remained constant: our use of Dyson vacuums. Within the first few months of operation, we realized we needed a higher level vacuum to handle the volume of dog hair that accumulated daily from not only the daycare dogs, but the 100’s of dogs passing through weekly in our evening classes and weekend workshops. We researched the best animal hair vacuum products and the Dyson name kept coming up. We purchased our first model, the DC Animal 14 at that time, and have been using it the past 4 years. So, when the opportunity to get the newest animal model, the DC 28 arose, needless to say we jumped at the chance! Granted, as a current Dyson user, we were an easy sell, but still, we were definitely interested to see if the company had, in fact, improved on their older design in both efficiency and convenience. Okay, I must admit, before testing the model at Pup ‘N Iron, I tested it at my house first. With 7 dogs, come on, do you blame me? The biggest difference I noticed between this newer model and our older one was the much more powerful suction. In fact, it caught me off guard at first. You can really tell this vacuum is digging deep into the carpet, and that it does! And like always, it’s not very pretty what comes out. The best way I can describe using a Dyson is, be careful what you ask for. In other words, don’t use one unless you really want to get at the hair and dirt, because a Dyson will show you exactly how unclean an environment you’ve been living in. What ends up in the canister is never a pretty sight, but what isn’t on your floor anymore certainly is! Next up was the real test, how would it hold up to cleaning the hair from 35 daycare dogs? In reference to hair pickup and efficiency, it didn’t disappoint. Like our previous model, I have to give it a 4+ paws up. However on the downside, just like I noticed, my employees definitely commented that it was definitely a heavier vacuum and because of the suction, took more elbow grease to use. It doesn’t glide across the floor, but from my perspective, any machine that glides is probably not going to handle the amount of pet hair and dirt we deal with on a daily basis.
Two Dogster pup pals finally had the chance to meet and play agility together at the Pup ‘N Iron TDAA (Teacup Dog Agility Association) agility trials held on June 13 & 14, 2009. TDAA agility offers competition for dogs 17″ tall and under. It features smaller, more size appropriate equipment, and tighter courses within a smaller area, providing a level playing field and much safer environment for the small dogs to play. Remy, a Toy Poodle, and Andrew, a Maltese, have been pup pals ever since Greatest American Dog aired last summer. And now, not only are they pup pals, they’re agility pals too! The two pups (and their moms) have corresponded regularly since they discovered they both shared a passion for dog sports!
Remy has been competing in agility for the past 3 years and also has competed in rally obedience as well. His mom Pam is an agility instructor and teaches classes at Town and Country Animal Care Center in Apex, NC. Remy and his family traveled all the way from their home in Raleigh, NC to participate in the TDAA agility trials at Pup ‘N Iron Canine Fitness & Learning Center in Fredericksburg, VA. Along with Remy, dozens of diminutive dynamos came from all over the east coast to participate in the event, making it a huge (no pun intended) event! Even though the equipment is down-sized, the courses are just as challenging, if not moreso, than the other agility venues. Even still, both Remy and Andrew scored big!
Remy earned a 1st place and 3rd place gamers score, giving him two legs toward his TG1 title! Andrew earned one 1st and three 3rd placements and both his TBAD and TG1 titles! But in addition to his ribbons, Remy also took home a Limited Edition Andrew Doll. According to his mom’s blog, it was the best prize he received all weekend! Has your small dog ever participated in dog agility?
This week (May 17-23) has been National Dog Bite Prevention Week, a time when we’re presented with sobering statistics such as:
The CDC estimates that 4.5 million dog bites occur each year.
The odds that a dog bite victim will be a child are 3 to 1.
3/4 of dogs involved in bite incidents belong to the victim’s family or friend.
61% of dog attacks (61 percent) happen at home or in a familiar place.
And we get countless articles, blogs (like this one), PSA’s, and multiple soundbites on radio and TV. But then the week ends, and everything goes back to business as usual and we hear very little about dog bites unless, that is, it involves a famous dog. Yes, unfortunately it seems we just don’t take dog bites seriously enough.
Well this week I was bitten twice by one dog, and almost bitten by another. Fortunately the thick jacket and jeans I was wearing protected me from bodily harm by the first dog, who gave absolutely no warning. The second dog was kind enough to growl first, giving me time to get safely out of his reach. Granted, I am a dog trainer and behavior modification specialist and specifically deal with dog behavior problems, so naturally there’s a much higher probability that I would come in contact with an aggressive dog than anyone else. But still, encountering two aggressive dogs, during National Bite Prevention Week no less, warrants some serious attention. Despite all the information readily available in books and on the internet about the benefits of proper training and early socialization, dog aggression seems to be on the rise.
In addition to the two dog bite incidents this week, I was also contacted by several potential clients seeking help for their aggressive dog. This is a good thing. However, by and large, many pet parents tend to ignore the onset of aggressive behavior. We love our dogs so much and consider them our “fur kids,” so naturally it’s hard to accept that they could be aggressive. Often growls are considered “just talking back,” and small bites are “just nips.” However, these displays of aggression are usually warnings, and foreshadowing to much worse things to come. That’s why the very first sign, whether it’s a low growl, a sneer, a lip wrinkle, or even an air snap, should be addressed immediately without hesitation.
Rarely does aggression just pop up out of nowhere. When it does, the dog should be taken to his veterinarian for a complete medical workup. Changes in body chemistry and illness can manifest in aggressive and inappropriate behavior. Once all medical reasons have been ruled out, behavior modification should be explored as soon as possible.
An aggressive dog is not only a risk to others, but a risk to himself as well. Our society has become increasingly less tolerant with dogs that bite, and a dangerous dog’s own life is at risk. Additionally, the liability of managing a dog that could hurt others is extremely high. When a dog injures, maims, or kills, the owner is responsible and can face lawsuits, stiff fines and even jail time. Because dogs are social animals meant to live in “packs” or family groups, I personally believe that no dog really wants to be aggressive. In fact, I consider an aggressive dog to be a dog in constant turmoil and mental anguish, and owners should treat the situation just as they would any other life threatening illness.
Have you ever been bitten by a dog? Do you think people take dog aggression seriously enough? Do you have friends and neighbors with aggressive dogs? How do you handle when you dog growls, nips, or snaps at you or strangers?
Andrew and I, are pleased to announce the winner of the Dogster Dogsterrific Dog Park Contest! The prize goes to Veterans Park in Hamilton, NJ. The dog park was nominated by Arden Townsend because of its wonderful offerings such as agility equipment, a water fountain, and a separate area for small and large dogs.
Says Arden, “My husband and I, and more importantly our animals, love going to Veteran’s Park. We can take advantage of all the facilities including the trails, picnic areas, and especially the dog park. This fun and well-maintained facility has securely fenced separate areas for big and small dogs and features plenty of room to run, agility obstacles, a doggy water fountain, and benches for the people. We have made many friends – both two-legged and four-legged at the park. Our dogs love it – they start getting excited as soon as well pull into the parking lot. We have visited a couple other dog parks in the area, but they fall short of the standard set by Veteran’s Park. A good dog park should be a place where you feel comfortable and welcome. Veteran’s Park is such a place.
Arden Townsend”
As the winner, Veterans Park will receive a wonderful care package from Dogster including brand new, shiny water bowls, and a surprise visit from Andrew and me very soon! We can’t wait! Congratulations Veteran’s Park!
Ever since its formation in 1884, the American Kennel Club (AKC) has banned mixed breed dogs from being registered and competing in any of its performance events. Last week, after several years of contemplation, the non profit organization finally announced its plans to implement a Mixed Breed program allowing mixed, hybrid, and breeds not recognized by its registry to become registered and compete in obedience, agility and rally events. Mixed breeds will not be able to compete in conformation events, the “beauty pageant” type shows you see most often on television.
Well, it took 125 years, but I guess as they say, better late than never. Or maybe not. The proposed program is receiving mixed reviews and at best has garnered a cool reception by many mixed breed dog parents. While mixed breeds will be able to compete, they will be entered in a different class, separate from the purebred AKC breeds and will only be competing against other mixed breed entries. Additionally, the mixed breeds will earn different titles, identified by a -M suffix. In other words, the AKC Companion Dog (CD) title will be designated CD-M when a mixed breed dog earns it. This has become a major bone of contention for some. Says one mixed breed owner, “the AKC has always been elitist. They just don’t want some mixed breed showing up their precious dog with the champion bloodlines.”
Adds another, “They still want to treat our dogs like second class citizens. I can just imagine how they’ll treat us.” But there are others who are looking forward to the chance to finally enter their dog in an AKC trial.
One owner beamed, “I have both a Labrador and a Heinz 57. I can’t wait to enter them both in the same trial.”
There are other venues that have been welcoming mixed breeds in their performance events for quite a while, like the APDT, UKC, USDAA, and ASCA, but because of its size and prevalence, the AKC offers many more trials throughout remote areas of the country, making it the only game in town for some.
Registration opens up in October, and the registered dogs will be invited to start competing in April 2010. Time will tell whether or not mixed breed owners embrace this program. I know if I had a mixed breed I’d be one of the first to sign up! Although they’ll be in a different class, the mixed breed dogs will still be judged in the same ring, under the same judge and criteria. And when it comes to performance events, it’s all about the scores. How cool would it be for the mixed breeds to outscore the purebreds? I say, GAME ON!
I’d love to hear from mixed breed dog owners out there. What do you think about the AKC implementing this program? Will you register your dog and compete in its events? Do you think putting the mixed breeds in a different class is a slap in the face?
Now that all the hulaballoo and clamoring about where and how Bo made his way to the White House is over, it’s time to focus on what’s really important. As a trainer and human/canine relationship counselor, for me that means focusing on what kind of life Bo will now have and what kind of pet parents the Obamas will be. Bo has received some initial training via the Kennedy’s trainer, but now that he’s living at 1600 Pennsylvania avenue, his care and upbringing is in the hands of the Obamas. Or at least I hope so. Dogs are relationship-based animals, and its important for the people the dog interacts with the most to fully participate in his or her training. After watching the brief clips on the news of the family interacting with him, I must say that it appears the family, Sasha and Malia in particular are off to a great start! Rather than buying into the whole “be the alpha, stand over, poke, scruff, hold down and intimidate your dog” method that unfortunately has had a resurgence of popularity during the past 5 years, the family appears to have opted for the much more progressive, scientifically proven and American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior approved positive reinforcement training! I applaud the Obamas for going this route.
Do you think the Obamas will make good pet parents? Do you favor positive training or more dominant-based, “alpha” training? Do you think Bo will be a well behaved, well adjusted pet or a puppy delinquent?
Not a duckling, chick or bunny rabbit, but a 6 month old Portuguese Water Dog! A while back I predicted that the Obamas would, in fact, be getting a Portie puppy. At the time I speculated that they might be taking over the care for the Portie puppy Ted Kennedy and his family brought home last December. Well according to the latest, I wasn’t too far off. The Obamas are not taking the Kennedy’s pup, but rather are giving a home to a 6 month old Portie who is related to the Kennedy’s dog. Apparently the pup was a give-back to some Portie breeders in Texas. Many reputable breeders include clauses in their puppy contracts that stipulate the new owners may never sell or transfer the dog to anyone else, but rather must return the dog to the breeders. Apparently, for whatever reason, this pup’s owners couldn’t keep him and gave him back to the breeders. Mind you, most of this information comes via TMZ, so it’s not completely engraved in stone. But I couldn’t miss the opportunity to dish with my dawgs at dogster! The puppy is supposed to arrive on Tuesday, so stay tuned. We’ll all know the real deal very soon.
But if this is for real, then it’s the Obamas to the rescue in a total win/win situation. They get the dog that is right for their family, and this pup gets a second chance at life in a wonderful family!
Celebrity attendees included Martha Stewart, Howard Stern, tennis star Monica Seles. 
But it was the P-List celebrities, i.e. the ones with paws, who were the biggest hits of the night. Rather than a red carpet, guests and V.I.P.’S (Very Important Pets) strutted their stuff on a much more appropriate “Green Carpet” with a dog park theme flanked by beautiful metal dog sculptures created by artist Dale Rogers. 
The most famous pets in attendance were the Celebripups (the famous Jilli the Poker Playing Yorkie, canine models and actors Bocker the Labradoodle and Eli the Chihuahua, Tito the Pomeranian, and Andrew the Great Maltese from Greatest American Dog) whose “Every Pet is A Star” film was nominated in the Best In Show category.
One of the busiest and most visible members of the cast has definitely been Laura and 
Since we both live in Virginia, we’ve seen our good friends Teresa and 
Two Dogster pup pals finally had the chance to meet and play agility together at the Pup ‘N Iron 
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