With only one elimination left until the finale of Greatest American Dog it was time to for the dogs to show their loving side. With two challenges that showed the dogs loyalty to their master, the show put a new spin on man’s best friend. On last weeks episode we learned that Galaxy’s leg was potentially injured and it put fear in JD that he would have to leave the competition. The next morning, Galaxy’s leg seemed magically healed but JD took him to the vet just to make sure. There he learned that Galaxy was as fit as a two year old, making the matter disappear and the competition continue.

For the Dog Bone challenge the four pairs had to compete in an endurance type challenge. Each were stationed on a stump facing each other. The last pair to get down from the stump would win the Dog Bone suite and a leg up in the next Showdown challenge. Since Andrew is so used to sleeping, Andrew’s lay down took Laurie out of the challenge. She knew he couldn’t stand up that long and was happy he lasted the time that he did. Next to go down were JD and Galaxy. Galaxy also laid down which isn’t surprising considering her injured leg. That left Travis/Presley and Teresa/Leroy. Since they were the final two, and Travis didn’t think Presley could last long, a deal was brought to the table. Travis wanted to give Teresa the win and in return they would share her leg up. Teresa wouldn’t take the deal though and seeing that Presley wasn’t enjoying the challenge, Travis called Presley down. In return Teresa took home her second Dog Bone win, giving her the leg up and a quick video chat with her boyfriend.

During their break between the Dog Bone challenge and the Showdown, the dogs and masters took some time to swim. Andrew didn’t seem to take well to the pool as he paddled even when dry while the other dogs seemed to love it. Presley and Travis swam together while JD let Galaxy wade while he sunbathed. Teresa had a different approach and that was letting Leroy do as he wished in the pool. At one point he seemed to be wild and JD felt it was bad training as Teresa didn’t reprimand him. She did give her reasons though and that was Leroy’s inability to herd. Rather he splashes the pool and “herds” the wave that is created from the splash. It makes sense, but I highly doubt that’s what he’s doing.

After the fun was done it was back to the game with the start of the Showdown challenge. Thanks to her leg up, Teresa was able to see what the challenge was before anyone else. She learned that the dogs would have to sit in half circle and not move from it. They would also be called and enticed by the three other players so it was important to get your dog to stay with you. Teresa used her advantage to train Leroy in the middle of the night. She tried to get him to stay as she threw toys and other things and it seemed to go well. The next day everyone was given the chance to bond with the other dogs. Teresa played it smart and tried to get the dogs to go for the toys when she yelled stay. Laurie’s game play was just having fun with the dogs. She wants to have a mix of play and love with them, to create a bond that would pull them away from their owners. Travis didn’t know what he was doing and just kind of hung out with the dogs while JD took his normal approach. He mimicked the owner’s voice and tried to get the dogs to play. The only one he had trouble with was Andrew, who actually ran away from him. It took him awhile to find Andrew, who ran outside to Laurie. The dog just couldn’t live without his mom and did anything to get to her.

When it came time for the Showdown everyone was filled in on how the challenge worked. Laurie and Andrew were up first and Andrew didn’t budge one bit. He actually yawned as the others tried to lure him away from Laurie. The judges loved Laurie’s technique as she wasn’t in a controlling position but rather calmly talking to Andrew. The others had some problems though and it actually put the judges in a three way stalemate for awhile. JD and Galaxy did well during the challenge as Galaxy hardly budged. The judges felt JD’s stance with Galaxy was harsh and almost robotic. He snapped back at them AFTER he knew he was safe, which may be ruled in next week. That left it down to Teresa and Travis. Although Presley ran completely out of the ring, the judges felt he performed loyalty over Leroy’s feared stay. That’s why Teresa and Leroy were chosen to leave, making the final three for the finale. Either JD/Galaxy, Laurie/Andrew or Travis/Presley will win Greatest American Dog and the $250,000. Who will it be? Tune in next week to find out!

While we wait for the finale, leave a comment and let us know who you think should win Greatest American Dog!

Bookmark It

When was the last time you actually saw a dog flying on prime time television? Well tonight that very event happened as three of the five remaining pooches on Greatest American Dog took flight. Following Beth Joy’s elimination last week, the remaining five took some time to reflect on her time in the house. Everyone agreed she was a bit loopy but also said they would miss that from her. Laurie also made an interesting comment, saying how she believe everything she said. It was fun having Beth Joy and Bella Starlet around, the show just wasn’t the same without the two.

Before the Dog Bone challenge began Laurie reminded us that her Andrew was the last small dog in the competition. She also realized that could be held against him, since most of the challenges are situated for larger dogs it seems. Travis was also having a realization of his own and that’s how much Presley has grown since starting the show. He looked up to Bill, who was teaching him how to be a trainer. I do see the transformation in Presley though as he was learning everything from scratch during the competition. The two have grown in terms of skill since the beginning and I think they have Bill to thank for a lot of that.

Out in the backyard it was time for the Dog Bone challenge. Out came a huge 9,000 African elephant to surprise all of the owners and especially the dogs. I think all five of them barked and reacted to the enormous animal entering the yard and it didn’t look good for the challenge. What the dogs had to do was sit in a circle while the elephant walked towards them, sounded it’s trunk and then reached for a banana. The dog that didn’t move while the elephant was coming towards them would win the Dog Bone challenge and leg up in the next elimination.

Bill and Star were up first I believe and although Star sat for awhile, the elephant was too intimidating and scared her off. Laurie was up next and was eager to win. She didn’t even have to coach Andrew to sit while the elephant was coming and she moved on to the tie breaker. Teresa’s Leroy was jumpy during the entrance of the elephant and that didn’t end here as Leroy was out during the elephants noise. Galaxy surprisingly got out of the challenge as well, even though JD once again pumped her up saying Galaxy has been around more strange animals then any other dog there. Travis and Presley were up last and Travis used his skills that he learned at the house to coach Presley into staying in the circle the entire time.

This put a tie breaker challenge between Laurie/Andrew and Travis/Presley. The first dog to lift it’s butt off the ground would be out as the elephant charged at the two. Both did very well and lasted long, but Presley lifted up right as the elephant got to the two dogs. That gave Laurie and Andrew their first Dog Bone win and put them into the Dog Bone suite! It was nice to see Laurie get a taste of home as she was the only one yet to win. It’s obvious that she is close to her family and also very close to Andrew. There were MANY pictures of the two hanging in the suite along with a letter from home which Laurie read in private.

Thanks to the Dog Bone challenge win, Laurie also got a leg up in the Showcase challenge. What the dogs had to do were several stunts. The first was climbing a steep incline followed by running across a balance beam suspended high in the air. The last stunt had the dogs gliding down the zip line into their owners arms. During the challenge all the dogs did well with only two not being able to glide down the zip line. JD and Galaxy were chosen as Best in Show as they easily finished the course and JD’s coaching was praised by the judges. Sadly Galaxy was hurt it seems during the challenge and it may hinder their performance next week and possibly remove them from the game. The only other team to be safe this week were Teresa and Leroy. Although Leroy wouldn’t stop barking and stopped rather long before jumping with the zip line, his trust in Teresa impressed the judges and saved them for one more week.

Since the show is at its final five it is going to be sad to see anyone leave from here on out. All the dogs are amazing as well as their owners. In the bottom three this week were Travis and Presley. Although Presley quickly finished the course, he wasn’t being controlled well by Travis. The judges didn’t like that Travis hyped Presley up so much then tried to make him stop and weight. Laurie and Andrew were also in the bottom three simply because Andrew didn’t jump from into the zip line. Although Laurie had the leg up, the zip line really wasn’t tested during any of the practice runs and that’s why they were up for elimination. Sadly it was Bill and Star who were chosen to be expelled this week. Since Bill gave Star the easy route on the course and she didn’t jump into the zip line, the judges felt they had the worst performance. Like I said getting down to so few numbers, it will be hard to see any of them go and this time it was the hardest of them all! Bill and Star did amazing on the show and hopefully there is a reunion so we can see the duo shine once again!

Bookmark It

The Greatest American Dog is showing just what dogs can do and I’m really excited as it seems the show is becomming a summer hit! On the last episode Brandy was eliminated from the game, giving Travis some room to breath and mingle. Brandy seemed to be holding him back a bit as she was very protective but with Brandy gone, Travis turned his attention to Laura. They had bonded a bit before but now they were full on flirting, through their dogs of course. Too bad the showmance was killed just as quickly as it started.

For the Dog Bone challenge the dogs were tested on their intelligence. They were given the task of finding their favorite foods behind a wall. The quickest dog to retrive the food would win the Bone Suite for their owner plus a leg up in the showcase. With an 8 second find, Star gave Bill his second Dog Bone win in a row but Bill had other plans. Since Teresa gave him the suite last round, he decided to repay her by doing the same for her. This mean Teresa would gain the leg up along with the suite, which her dog Leroy seemed to love more then her.

Along the lines of intelligence, the dogs were put to a painting challenge for their showcase. Each pair had to create a painting that represented their relationship. The dogs were the only ones who could touch the canvas, meaning the dogs would become doggie painters. When it came time for judging, Teresa’s leg up helped tremensously as she was named the best in show. She had a dog painting trainer help her create a piece of art that showed that Teresa and Leroy had a loving relationship but one that also had some down sides. The judges seemed to love that more then the art and that’s why they gave her the best in show.

In the last few rounds Travis and Presley were in the bottom of the barrel. Travis knew he had to pick up the pace this time and that he did. he created a meaninful painting that also looked great. The judges loved his symbolizom and that’s what kept him out of the bottom three. Bill and Star remainined in the middle by creating a painting that looked good but lacked a unique touch. The judges thought he did a good job, but didn’t use enough techniques. The last to not be in the bottom three was Beth Joy and Bella Starlet. The judges loved the symbolizom of the spiral and the painting itself. They also loved the fact that Beth Joy worked through Bella’s fear of her front paws, but that was part of a small controversy.

During her time with the judges, Laura spilled the beans that Bella Starlet yelped a few times during her time with the sponges on her paws. Beth Joy didn’t take well to that as she felt Laura was simply trying to get out of being in the bottom three. The talk didn’t work though as the judges hated Laura and Preston’s blob of a heart that looked more like a “pink pretzle”. Also in the bottom three were Laurie and Andrew since the judges thought their painting looked more like a poster then a painting. JD and Galaxy also made it to the bottom three, thankfully, since JD lied to the judges and their painting was too much of a jumbled mess.

In the end Laura’s lack of ability to control Preston’s painting movements and their very rushed painting gave them the boot. I’m sure her showmance’s backing of Beth Joy over herself didn’t please Laura too much so it would have been fun to see how things went down if she stayed. But we will never know and the fight between Laura and Beth Joy will never be more then we saw tonight. Guess we don’t have much to worry about though as the judges get into a small cat fight next week. Is Greatest American Dog turning into the next Big Brother with all these fights? I sure hope so!

Bookmark It

The Greatest American Dog took on America’s Top Model last week but this week it was all about Dancing With the Stars; or rather Dancing With the Dogs.  When the group returned from the modeling showcase it was party time. In the Dog Bone suit Laurie, Travis, Brandi and Beth Joy had a small party but Brandy wasn’t feeling it. After putting PJs on Beacon she basically shut down and wouldn’t respond to anything Brandy had to say. It wasn’t that Beacon was sick but rather just overworked and tired. Laurie took the time to explain to Brandy how she can’t humanize her pet, Brandy didn’t like that too much. She lashed out at Laurie a bit, telling her it’s her dog and she can do what she wants. It’s like Beth Joy’s “moment” all over again.

Later that night Bill was upset over his good friend Ron leaving. It seems Teresa saw that and decided to pick up where Ron left off as she became very buddy buddy with Bill. The two shared a few moments together, one which would give Bill a leg up a little later. As the two talked about missing home, Teresa mentioned how she’d love Bill to win the Dog Bone suite and see his wife. Little did she know she’d be giving him the chance to do just that the next morning.

At the Dog Bone challenge each dog was giving the challenge to cross a very narrow beam. The dog to go across the beam the quickest would win the Dog Bone suite for their owner and a new prize as well. For some reason the “Dog House” choice was removed and replaced with a leg up in the following Showcase challenge. The winner would essentially receive an advantage that could give them a boost at the challenge that meant the most when it came to saying in the game. Since all but two dogs crossed the beam there is no point mentioning them all and those two were Bill’s dog Star and Teresa’s dog Leroy. Although both crossed the beam, Leroy was much faster and gave Teresa the Dog Bone suite and the advantage. But after little thought she asked if she could give it away and decided to give Bill the suite so he could see his wife and family. It was a bold move on Teresa’s part since she was in the bottom three last week but now she had something to prove.

That night Bill finally got to see his family and everyone was supportive. Not only did he get the room, he gained a friend and shared his photos and letters with Teresa as well. The next morning Brandy tried to get Beacon pumped up but there was nobody home in the mind of Beacon. She tried four times to get Beacon to sit on command and all she would do is stand there, blankly into space. It was odd since nobody really tried to help her but now they all see it as a competition. In the end Brandy got so frustrated with Beacon, and I think Beacon with her, that they both gave up and called it a day. Luckily it was time for the Showcase challenge, or maybe not lucky for them I guess.

In the next Showcase challenge it was all about dancing. Each pair would have to put on a 1 minute routine to a themed song and showcase their best dance moves: human and dog. Since Teresa gave him the leg up in the challenge, Bill got a professional choreographer to help him with his moves. When they got to pick their songs Laurie was happy with ragtime and it showed in her performance with Andrew. They moved well together and the tricks they both did were pretty great. In the end she and Andrew were even crowned the Best in Show and my view on Laurie is finally changing, she may be my new favorite. Another who did well was JD and Galaxy. He really knows how to train his dog as they both rolled in sync and he also showed off some crazy moves on his own, that being JD. I don’t think I liked his performance as much as the judges did, as it relied more so on JD then on Galaxy but hey, whatever they say must be true. They are dog experts anyway right?

With the choreographer in hand, which I think Bill needed very badly, Bill and Star pulled off a great routine. They both showed much enthusiasm and after dancing to some old time rock and roll, Star leaped off the stage and greeted the judges which they loved. Although those were the best performances, the rest had some trouble. Teresa and Leroy were great together except for one problem: Leroy’s barking. Teresa couldn’t handle it during the dance and blamed herself for it. Luckily Leroy pulled off some great moves which I think saved them from the bottom three. The only other one who was not in the bottom three, but probably should have been, was Beth Joy and Bella Starlet. Their theme was Broadway and the only dancing both did was hop around and twirl. It was rather odd at the end too where Beth Joy grabbed Bella by the hands and “dog danced” their way to the finish. Yeah just turned me off once again.

With only three remaining that brings us to the bottom three. Travis and Presley have been great so far but were knocked down a few pegs thanks to the dancing challenge. Although Travis danced around to the country music, Presley did not and that’s the reason they were in the bottom three. Next up was Laura and Preston who had a few fumbles throughout the dance. It seemed like Preston and his bow tie didn’t agree as he sat down to scratch it several times. Luckily Brandy’s lack of training with Beacon saved Laura since Beacon just couldn’t pull anything off. One judge noticed that Brandy was over training her dog and that’s what led to Beacon shutting down. It basically forced Brandy to shut down too as she almost quit earlier in the game. As the two took their last lap it showed that they were happy to go home but sad at the same time. It was another touching moment for the show and once again another episode of Dogs take over other reality TV shows. What will it be next week? Painting of course!

Bookmark It

CBS has ordered a new reality show for the summer and this means we will probably see one or two episodes and it will disappear for ever. They haven’t had much luck with reality shows lately so we can only assume The Greatest American Dog (GAD) will suffer the same fate. Premeiring in July, GAD will showcase talented dogs and their owners. Not only will the dogs compete against each other but they, and their owners, will live together as well. It’s basically like “I Know My Kids A Star” but for dogs. I don’t understand why CBS insists on canceling great reality shows to bring us crap that gets canceled in a few episodes. First there was Rock Star that had great potential yet they cancel it after two seasons. Kid Nation was another show that was amazing and did fairly well in the ratings, yet we hear nothing from it again. Even Pirate Master would have been a good show to try again or even re-run the episodes which were only shown online. GAD seems like a show that was plucked from Animal Planets lineup only to be re-branded for network TV. It will most likely suffer the same fate as Pirate Master, Secret Talents of the Stars and Armed and Famous. Below I left you a few clips that CBS has up for Greatest American Dog. You can decide for yourself if it will be worth a watch but who knows.

Read the rest and discuss with fellow fans!

Bookmark It