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!

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!

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 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!

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.

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!

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:

• TV Dog Training – Helping or Hurting?
• Celebripups Hit the Big Apple for Charity
• A Day at a NYC Dog Run
• Dogster Pup Pals Win Big at TDAA Agility Trials
• Let’s Make Every Week Bite Prevention Week!

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?

See related Ring Time entries:

• Those Greatest American Dogs – 1 Year Later – Where Are They Now?
• Oh Mickey, You’re So Fine
• A Day at a NYC Dog Run
• Celebripups Hit the Big Apple for Charity
• Handling the Hair of Many Dogs

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?

See related Ring Time entries:

• Those Greatest American Dogs – 1 Year Later – Where Are They Now?
• TV Dog Training – Helping or Hurting?
• Dogster Pup Pals Win Big at TDAA Agility Trials
• Oh Mickey, You’re So Fine
• Celebripups in the City!

Andrew and I really wanted Mickey Rourke to win this year’s Oscar for Best Actor. His portrayal of Randy “The Ram” in The Wrestler was so heartwarming, and you could tell he poured every bit of his heart and soul into the performance, but more importantly, he’s really into dogs! Maybe Sean Penn has a dog(s) too, but we researched and couldn’t find a thing. So our guess is probably not. One thing is certain, you can’t get through an article about or interview with Mickey Rourke that doesn’t mention his pups! He thanked them in his Golden Globe acceptance speech. He is almost always accompanied by one of them on the red carpet, most notably his beloved sidekick Loki who recently passed away, may she run in peace. So Mickey’s not just a dog owner, he’s a dog lover. His dogs are a part of who he is and everything he does.

Rourke about Loki: “She’s the love of my life. She made it until six days ago. She left me at a time where, after 18 years, she knew I’d be all right.”

If I were keeping score that would make it Mickey Rourke, perfect 10, Sean Penn, zero.

And as if he needed any more points, have you seen Mickey’s dogs? He’s a big, burly guy, former boxer and proclaimed Hollywood bad boy. What kind of dog would you imagine him to have? Well I will confess when I heard his Golden Globe speech and imagined his dogs, I pictured Rottweilers, Boxers, Pit Bulls, Bulldogs or anything “bull.” Not so. Much to my delight his menagerie includes Chihuahuas and various Chi mixes, all small dogs, and some of whom wear clothes and jeweled collars. You go, Mickey! To me, it takes a strong, confident guy, secure in his own manhood to publicly display his love for his “girly dog.” In my book, that’s a slam dunk, home run and a touch down all wrapped up in one making Mickey Rourke the winner by a landslide.

While it’s probably not fair to favor celebrities with pets over all the others, on the other hand, I believe people who share their lives with animals have specific qualities that set them apart from the rest. It takes selflessness. When you get home from a hard day’s (or night’s) work and want to just plop down on the couch and kick up your feet, if you share your life with a dog or demanding cat, this is rarely an option. They want and need your attention and because you love them, you comply. It definitely takes some latitude and compromise in many areas. Let’s talk about housekeeping. Animals have no regard for cleanliness, this we know. Let’s be honest, dogs can be smelly at times, and sometimes downright foul. They sometimes drool and don’t care where it falls, like to roll in yucky things, lick their private parts and eat things off the floor. While cats are viewed as cleaner, ask any doctor and he or she will tell you that their mouths contain the most germs and bacteria of any domesticated animal. If a cat bites you, it’s almost a sure bet you’ll need a tetanus shot. And litter boxes? Enough said. So let’s just say, animal lovers, by design, are a lot less uptight when it comes to spilled milk, literally.

But all in all, I’d say the celebrities with pets are perhaps the most open and approachable as well. During the past two or three months I’ve seen Mickey Rourke in more photos and interviews than I could ever count. He even stops to talk to TMZ! As for Sean Penn, we all know how he views the paparazzi. He’s gotten into more than a few high profile scuffles with them. Who can blame him? They certainly are more than annoying, however Mr. Penn has also been known to snub fans as well. One thing I’ve found that unifies pet lovers is our willingness to talk about our pets. In fact, we seize almost every opportunity. Unfortunately, this doesn’t translate to questions about human children, particularly with celebrities. Most of them are far too guarded about them, and rightfully so. However when it comes to their pets, we have an “in.” It comes at no surprise that in nearly every interview I’ve seen with Mickey Rourke, he is asked about his dogs. Smart move, journalists! As for Sean Penn, et al, you’re on your own!

Which celebrities do you feel are the best dog parents?

See related Ring Time entries:

• TV Dog Training – Helping or Hurting?
• Those Greatest American Dogs – 1 Year Later – Where Are They Now?
• Let’s Make Every Week Bite Prevention Week!
• And the Winner is … Veterans Park!
• At Long Last, FINALLY the AKC says Mixed Breeds Can Play!