Will the series continue?

[iluvdogs]

Does anyone know if Greatest American Dog will continue with new series and new dogs? I think it would be great if they did.

[doxielover]

I would love to see another installment. My idea for a great show would be to have different trainers go into a shelter and pick a dog to work with. They can have different challenges each week...starting with loose leash walking, basic commands, etc. I think watching that kind of progress would benefit the general public's understanding of how to teach certain behaviors. At the end, think how adoptable these lucky dogs would be.

I know reality TV is anything but real. This concept would probably be too boring and they would have to spice it up. I for one would love to watch something like this.

This was just a thought I had last night as I was watching the show and got really bored with the judges asking questions to the owners.

[bella'smom]

Don't know, but I hope so! Although it had a few "flaws" I thought overall it was a good show! Of course I'm biased because I LOVE Victoria from her other show, "It's Me or the Dog"!

[Tenzin]

Yeah, I'm afraid watching trainers do proper, patient training wouldn't be sufficiently show-biz. You have to jazz it up or have the right kind of "hook," Who saw last week's episode of Dogtown where they showed people patiently rehabilitating and training some of the "Michael Vic" pitbulls.? A really interesting, positive and moving program!.

I almost stopped watching the show after the first few episodes because I was so frustrated with some of the challenges (like "doggy painting" ) and found some of the people so maddening (Beth Joy, Brandi, etc. ). Chatting about it on this forum and on Dogster kept it interesting for me.

Personally I would have chosen Laurie and Andrew, but I knew (and predicted!) that they wouldn't give the prize to the fluffy little white dog (not the right "image" of dog-hood). They went for the cute "boy and his big puppy," but that's OK, Travis and Presley were good too.

[Elef]

Re: Dogtown Watching Cherry, the poor frightened dog, starting to come out of his shell was so wonderful. Looking at the scars on those dogs just broke my heart. I can't watch shows like that, so I don't know why I watched this one.

[Mattie]

We had a show in the UK were celebrities trained a dog from a Rescue Centre, they were allowed to pick their own dog but they had to travel to the centre to train it. They had to teach a dog certain things every week and was voted by the public on who went out. Several trainers would also give their impressions and they only saw what we saw.

It was a popular program and many people realised that there was another way to train dogs instead of the old fashioned ways.

A few of the celebrities adopted the dogs and all dogs found good homes after the series had finished.

[Tenzin]

Sounds like a great show, Mattie -- I would certainly watch a show like that if it came to US TV (telly).

[ckranz]

Team dog play. I for one have many dogs and each one would have performed well in some tasks, but not so well in other. The idea of the team would be to have the owner pick his best dog for a particular challenge.

Another show improvement would be better judges. Of the 3 selected, I though VS was really the only person qualified to judge the interaction and bond between dogs and their owners. The other 2 were just magazine editor. Sure they are active in the dog community, but seemed to have little or no experience in judging.

There are pleanty of resources for judges (All sporting venues have judges, other behavorists or trainers) Could you imagine a panel with VS, Patricia McConnell and Jean Donaldson?

Perhaps take a page from groomer has it and each week feature a guest judge who is an expert with the particular theme they are judging....just stay away from the "pet psychics"

[ckranz]

egads a double post

[Gershep1]

Who saw last week's episode of Dogtown where they showed people patiently rehabilitating and training some of the "Michael Vic" pitbulls.? A really interesting, positive and moving program!.

I did. But the big networks will never show a program like that. Unless they make it into "A Bunch of Celebrities Most People Never Heard of Rehab a Dog," and the audience gets to text in a vote on who's the most popular celeb rehaber. Just like Dancing With the Stars!

[Missymay]

Mattie, I'd watch a show as you detailed, especially if it gave me the opportunity to add to my toolkit and learn something new.

[bella'smom]

Since there's very few DECENT shows on TV anymore, I would probably watch just about any show about dogs!

[revoleiggod]

I suspect CBS will not be doing this show again but maybe a cable network will pick it up and probably do a lot better with it. First they should change the name.

[Poshie]

I believe that since it is clear that a contestent need not apply should they choose to use force training methods the show would be much less edgy and aversive. Just think no more snarly faces from everyone! This would apply to mixing in judges who would support the same otherwise it could turn into a real dog fight. I would actually pay to watch that one.

cheers

[emmabeth]

For UK peeps, the show mattie mentions 'The Underdog' is back, on Living (satellite/cable channel) shortly...

But might be 'sexed up' from the original very staid BBC version....