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« Ramblings From A Cracked (by the LPP) M&M
Greatest American Dog OWNER…..
Disclaimer: The views and opinions below are MY OWN views and opinions. If you want to leave yours, feel free in the comment section. People probably won’t like mine too much.
Also, I left my notes at home, so this is going to all come from my memory. Sorry if I leave stuff out.
So I’ve been watching this show since it started and I totally missed the last word in the title of the show all this time. I thought this show was about the Greatest American Dog. How crazy am I???
This episode starts out with a recap of all the other teams who were on this show, and let me say, I had totally forgotten how absolutely annoying Brandy’s voice was until my ears started to bleed again. How glad am I she was gone for the last several weeks. I also saw the Greatest American Dog AND Owner when Bill made a 2 second appearance. I miss them and still think they should have won.
The teams went back home and Travis told JD how impressed he was with JD telling the judges he doesn’t threaten his dog. Laurie tells him how his voice can be threatening and JD says that his dog is so tempted with toys he has to be more firm with her. To him, threatening would be going over to her and hitting her and telling her not to move when the other people try to distract her. When JD leaves the room and Laurie tells Travis that he still doesn’t get what the judges are trying to tell him. She does her impression of JD’s training and Travis totally changes everything he just said for Laurie. He also said that JD has not learned one single thing. What has Laurie learned? The only one learning is Travis because he’s new to the training. This really makes me not like Travis very much at this point. Pick a side and stick with it. Don’t change what you say every 2 minutes to make whoever is in the room with you happy. I bet if JD went back in the room again, Travis would change his story again. And is it just me or is Travis taking more training tips from JD every week? If he doesn’t like how JD “threatens” with his commands, why would he still watch JD? Also, why does Laurie think her way is the only way???
Instead of having a dog bone challenge, they are going to have 2 final challenges and one dog will be sent home after each challenge. The first challenge will have the teams come in one at a time and the judges will question them. After the questions, the judges will examine the dogs.
Laurie/Andrew are up first. They ask Laurie why her team should beat out Travis/Presley. (Why didn’t they ask her why her team should beat out JD/Galaxy too???) She tells the judges that Travis/Presley are still in the newlywed stage and that her team is more weathered with their relationship. (Is it just me or is that a plus for Travis/Presley??? A newlywed team made it to the final 3 against these old married couples???) She also thinks that the challenges were not geared toward smaller dogs (what challenges were geared toward any special size dog??? I thought all the challenges were even) and that Andrew has constantly proved his worth by doing anything she asks him to do.
Now it’s time for Wendy (one of the judges) to examine Andrew. She tells Laurie that the Greatest American Dog needs to be able to lead other dogs and people, so they want her to leave the room to see how Andrew leads another dog. They get Lucky in the ring with Andrew after the judge goes to get him from the door. They go round and round sniffing each other, then Andrew decided he wants his mommy, so he leaves Lucky, but Lucky is following him, so they have this cute little chase and it made me laugh. Andrew finally gets rid of Lucky and goes to find his mommy. The judges call Laurie back in and tell her that Andrew left Lucky 3 times to look for Laurie. Personally, I don’t think Andrew would do good in a room without Laurie there. It’s been proven over and over thru the whole competition. If the Greatest American Dog needs to lead other dogs and people, Andrew isn’t it, sorry. Andrew and Laurie do have a special relationship and they are wonderful together. That doesn’t make a Greatest American DOG.
Now it’s time for JD/Galaxy. They question JD and JD says that he’s been observing how all the other teams train their dogs and has let them do their own thing. They ask him to describe his training techniques and he says his voice is very stern and he means what he says. That’s all he has to do so his technique is very mellow. They ask why Galaxy would be the Greatest American Dog and he says that she catches and fetches and her obedience really shines. I agree with JD on that one. Galaxy will play with anyone and is very obedient and will let anyone give her commands. Laurie has even said herself that Galaxy is a great dog.
Now it’s time for Wendy to examine Galaxy. She tells JD that the Greatest American Dog needs to have good grooming and appearance and asks how often JD bathes Galaxy. He told her he bathes her a couple of times a year and Wendy isn’t happy about that. She tells JD that Galaxy needs to be bathed at least once a month. I think that’s a far easier issue to handle than a dog who doesn’t want to be separated from their owner. It is also possible to bathe your dog too often and it takes the oils out of their skin.
Now it’s Travis/Presley’s turn. They ask Travis what he’s done right in this competition. He says that he’s watched the other teams and taken what they’ve done and tried it with Presley. They ask what has surprised him and he said that he’s surprised by how he feels affects Presley and how he behaves. He thinks that how far they have come in this competition shows how much potential Presley has for the future. He’s not as obedient of as well trained as Andrew or Galaxy but could be if Travis puts the work in. They represent a great dog and a great owner.
Now it’s time for Victoria (another judge) to examine Presley. She said they know Presley knows what leave it means but does he know what her form of leave it means. She gets a treat and holds it in her hand for Presley to smell and see, but she doesn’t want him to take it. He almost does, so she pulls it back and tries again. This time, Presley leaves it and she gives him a treat from her other hand. Next she puts the treat on the floor and does the same thing. Next she puts it on his paw and tries with that. Presley does a great job with this test.
The judges call all the teams out and tell them their thoughts. They still have issues with JD’s training style, Andrew’s separation issues and Presley’s inexperience and lack of focus. They send JD/Galaxy home and I’m not too happy. I think Galaxy is the best of the dogs left. JD isn’t happy either and tells them that he wouldn’t call his training dominance training.
Back home, Travis says he thought JD was going to be the last to go home but “JD didn’t represent the owner of The Greatest American Dog” and I didn’t know this competition was about the owner but thought it was about the dog. That’s when I realized I had misread the title.
The next day, they have to face an obstacle course with stunts they have performed in the past and bring the elephant back. This time, the owner will have to throw their dog’s favorite toy under the elephant and get them to go under the elephant to get it while the elephant balances on 3 legs. So now they want the elephant to fall on the dog to see which will get crushed???
Travis/Presley are up first and Presley does a great job on the obstacles. They get up to the elephant and Presley goes and sniffs her foot. Travis squeaks Presley’s toy and throws it under the elephant. Presley doesn’t want to go under the elephant to get it and starts to go around. Travis calls Presley back and goes under the elephant and Presley follows. Travis goes under the elephant again and Presley follows him again. We’ll see what the judges think about this.
Laurie/Andrew are up now and Laurie is VERY close to Andrew during the obstacle course and is almost touching him thru most of it. At the last obstacle, Laurie PICKS Andrew up and puts him on the platform for the jumps. The judges don’t seem too happy about their job so far. Andrew does the jumps and goes to the elephant and gets his toy no problem. We’ll see what the judges think about this as well.
I wonder if the judges will be happier with a dog being almost held and put on their platform but went under the elephant no problem or a dog that did the tasks but needed help going under an elephant.
The teams go into the judges chambers and find all the other teams there. Presley is very excited to see the other dogs and starts to bark. The judges tell Travis that Presley did the obstacles wonderfully but had a little issue with the elephant. They thought Travis made the elephant uncomfortable by squeaking the toy and they think that’s what made Presley uneasy, but they liked how Travis showed Presley he wouldn’t make his dog do something he wouldn’t do himself. The judges tell Laurie that they wish Laurie had been further away from Andrew on the challenges and that it started off slow, but it had a great finish.
They now question Laurie and Travis one more time. They ask Laurie how the title of Greatest American Dog can go to a dog that is so mothered and too attached. Laurie says that Andrew really isn’t a clingy dog and that she’s been practicing the out of sight stays because she wanted to prove to herself that Andrew doesn’t have separation anxiety. You can see JD looking around to see if anyone is wondering how Andrew doesn’t have separation anxiety. She says that she never thought Andrew could do some of the things they wanted him to do but that he did it all. She also said that people look at smaller dogs and don’t think they’re really dogs because they are carried around more, but Andrew proved he was as much of a dog as any other dog.
They tell Travis that Laurie had described the relationship Travis/Presley had as more like newlyweds, fresh and exciting. Why should they give the title of Greatest American Dog to a 16 month old puppy. Travis said he learned how smart Presley is, how much he wants to learn and how much energy he has while he’s been at the academy. He thinks that the relationship they’ve built while at the academy is a great representation of Greatest American Dog. He says that if Laurie sees their relationship as newlywed, it’s like his women. He’s waiting for the right one but that he’s found the right dog and he’s going to be with Presley forever. This makes Brandy cry.
The judges deliberate and think both teams will be great as the winner. They need to pick and it’s a hard decision. They call everyone back in and award the Greatest American Dog and a quarter million dollars to….
TRAVIS AND PRESLEY!!!! You can hear all the women from the other teams cheer. They seem very happy with this decision. I admit that they are the team who learned the most, so this is ok with me. I wonder if that's why they used him as the O for the ad like I pointed out weeks ago. Hmmmm...
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Sep 11, 2008 10:12 AM
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Speaking for all the frou frou dogs in America, I have to say, "Andrew was ROBBED!"
It's not his fault his mommy is over-protective. I don't know why she felt the need to pick him up, like he couldn't climb steps. She hovered more in this challenge than any other.
I don't think Andrew has separation anxiety, he just wants to be with Laurie. As long as he knows she's nearby, he wants to be with her. We didn't get to see what would happen if she left the premises altogether. Would he whine, bark, become destructive? That, to me, is separation anxiety. He did play with Lucky a little before he went in search of Laurie (I disagree that he was just trying to "shake" Lucky, they were actually playing).
Andrew's courage with the elephant is just amazing. He didn't even hesitate.
As for Travis and Presley, the newlyweds, I agree that Presley has lots of potential, and had the most growth, but that's because he came in so untrained. So if you pick the winner based on raw potential, he wins.
I'm glad JD and Galaxy didn't win. I never saw any personality in Galaxy. I'm sure she's a sweet dog, but in his hands, she's just a robot. JD learned absolutely nothing, because he thinks he knows everything already. I wonder if he has any idea what a jerk he is.
Andrew is the winner in my heart!
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Sep 11, 2008 10:47 AM
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Hi twblues. Thanks for your views. Andrew is very well behaved and I wonder if he would have won if Laurie didn't hover like she did. I wonder what he'd do if Laurie left the premises altogether. I think the reason Andrew wouldn't be Greatest American Dog was if Andrew had to lead other dogs and people. He's proven so many times he's more interested in being around Laurie than he is with playing with other dogs or people.
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Sep 11, 2008 11:14 AM
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Hi Mannie. Have mixed feelings about last night's show. I LIKED Galaxy. Thought she was a fantastic dog, and though I started off really disliking JD for his smugness and cockyness his love for Galaxy won me over. BUT I did think his methods were a bit rough and tough, and that bothered me, but his dog didn't seem to think so and MAYBE if he hadn't been that way Galaxy wouldn't have been as fantastic as she was. When he picked up her back paws to "clap" them as they left, I really thought he was saying KISS MY A**.
I LOVE Andrew and am amazed at how well behaved and trusting and willing he is BUT I was also concerned with how dependent he is on Laurie. She WAS much too close to him, but it WORKS. And when she's not there he does run after her which could cause lots of problems if he does have to be on "display" and play with and be with other dogs and people - think that's the one trait he fails. (What ARE THEY going to do with the Greatest American Dog? I mean they mentioned the need to play with other dogs and be with people - H-O-W?? Do they expect them to go on tour or something???)
I thought Travis and Presley were amazing. How Presley agreed to "leave it" when someone else asked him to was amazing and I DOUBT Andrew would have done that without Laurie (though bet Galaxie would have).
I really liked Travis, and maybe you're right, it wasn't supposed to be the greatest OWNER, but let's face it, that had to be a big part of it because isn't it how a dog responds to it's "person"? Though I bet there are a lot of great dogs owned by not very great people!!
All in all, was happy, and glad to see Bill & Star, and glad Brandy cried instead of shrieking!!
OH Mannie - saw you'd done a thank you to David Flores in the past. Do you know where he went and who took his place? Wrote Mitovich but no response. HIS loss is indeed ours and I think the reason we're having trouble online!!
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Sep 11, 2008 11:28 AM
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When he picked up her back paws to "clap" them as they left, I really thought he was saying KISS MY A**.
Yeah, I thought that too and it wasn't called for.
If you're having problems with TVG, there is a blog on the main page from the TV Guide Community. They requested we reply with any questions to that e-mail. The woman who took over his place is Lauren Washington (I believe) and I've only seen her post once, so maybe she's a figment of my imagination.
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Sep 11, 2008 11:35 AM
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Great recap/blog Mannie!!
I personally think over all the winner should have been Star or Galaxy. They have shown to be the most well trained, easy going dogs around.
JD, sure, was cocky but why would that affect how the judges look at Galaxy??
Laurie needs to get off her high horse, I am sure she is a lovely person in real life (as stated by another poster on your blog ages ago) but in this show, it is not your way or the highway. Infact her method of training left us with a dog that cannot be left with other people because is too busy looking for her. Having a dog with seperation anxiety that was pretty bad and now down to mild, not wanting to be seperated from the owner is a good indicator of it.
It isn't a healthy relationship if she feels he wants to be with her because he loves, he is depending on her more then he should. But that is just my opinion.
Oh your ears were bleeding too? lol
I thought it was weird that they weren't all asked all the same questions but then I realized each one was geared for each specific dog....
I wonder if they will bring this show back next year... 
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Sep 11, 2008 1:04 PM
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Thanks Indy! I also thought it was weird that the judges didn't examine all the dogs the same or ask the same questions. It also seemed weird that the contestants didn't seem to answer what the judges were asking except for Travis. When the judges asked JD what he thought Galaxy learned, he said what he learned. If I'm not mistaken Laurie did something similar to that at one point. They asked something about the dog and it was turned into her answer. Maybe that's the way it was edited, but we'll never know.
People say Galaxy was robotic, why would Laurie compliment how good Galaxy is if she was robotic? Galaxy was easy going and would work with anyone.
Even though Travis/Presley won, I'll always think of Bill/Star as the winners.
I wish they'd bring this show back next year but revamp it a little. Decide if you're going to get mad for people pushing or if you're going to get mad for people giving up on their dogs.
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Sep 11, 2008 1:18 PM
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I didn't see this episode and am sorry that I missed it. (Really glad I got to see Bones, though!)
So, it was all about the owner, huh? Who knew?
I really loved Presley, so I am glad that Travis won. But all the dogs were great dogs in their own right, so any one of them would have been fine by me.
I used to have a hard-headed black lab that would put his will over mine no matter what training techniques were employed and quite frankly, I thought HE was the greatest American dog!
I have a question. If the panel of judges is so concerned over the dogs training and bathing and basic politcal correctness, why did they employ the use of an elephant? I am not saying that that one was trained badly but more of them are than are not. Elephants are frequently in the news for attrocities they have had to bear. Then they are in the news because of the straw that broke the camel's back and sent them on a rampage.
That rant belongs in another place, I know. For now I will close by saying that it will be a happy day for me when folks quit using wild animals for their pleasure and enjoyment.
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Sep 11, 2008 4:52 PM
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Hey Lynda! I'm glad you got to see Bones. I've never watched that show. Presley is a good dog and they all were. My favorites never win reality so I'm not shocked mine got voted out a few weeks back. I don't know what the point of using an elephant was. Maybe because they're SO big compared to the dogs. I love black labs, so I bet yours was the Greatest American Dog (well, besides my black lab!!!).
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Sep 12, 2008 11:43 AM
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