Greatest American Dog on CBS

By Ally Matteodo

Greatest American Dog once again deserves the title of Best TV Show of the Week.  This particular episode aired on CBS at 8:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, August 27^th.  When this program first aired there were twelve pairs of owners and their dogs, and now that number has been whittled down to five.  The main reward for the winner is a cash prize of $250,000 and the title of “Greatest American Dog.”  In order to win this prize the pairs must compete in a series of challenges that grow more difficult week by week.  This past week the first challenge involved the concept of bravery, with the premise being that individual dogs were placed in the center of a circle with their owner nearby.  Suzie, a full-grown elephant, was brought in, and would walk towards the dogs from a distance of 90 feet.  At 20 feet she trumpeted and then moved forward again to retrieve a banana within the same circle as the dog.  Whichever dog was able to stay in the circle won the challenge.  Both Andrew and Presley stayed in the circle as Suzie approached, so in a tiebreaker each dog sat in a circle as Suzie charged at them.  Presley raised his hind legs first and thus lost the competition, while Andrew and Laurie were able to enjoy the prize of the Dog Bone Suite. The second challenge of this episode was called “Stunt Dog.”  A complex obstacle course was set up for each dog to conquer. The course consisted of running up a steep incline, walking across a balance beam, and then jumping off a platform and whizzing along a “zip line,” during which the owner would jump off first and then call to their dog from the ground.  Therefore, the dog had to jump off onto the zip line completely on their own.  In the end, Bill and Star were eliminated by the judges.  Star failed to go up the steeper ramp, and she also failed to jump off onto the wire.  Bill left with style and grace, and Star took a little bow before the two left the mansion forever.

This past week the theme of Greatest American Dog was trust.  It was incredible to watch a gargantuan elephant thunder towards the dogs, only for them to remain seated.  The two that remained in the circle in deference to their owners’ commands were visibly shaken.  Presley wanted to leave, but the sound of his master’s voice reassuring him to stay gave him the courage to remain in the circle.  When three of the dogs jumped into thin air and whizzed along the zip line, it was unbelievable as well.  Dogs don’t understand the laws of physics and don’t know that the wire and harness they’re wearing will support them on the way down.  All they know is that if their master is encouraging them to do something, they must do it.  This is not out of a need for acceptance and this is not out of being unable to think for themselves; this is out of their unyielding confidence in their best friends. Greatest American Dog once again demonstrates how much we can learn from our canine friends. The dogs bring out the best traits in their human friends as well. When Galaxy is injured at the end of the show, J.D.’s worry and despondency are visible. He contacts the animal trainer right away to take a look at her, and refuses to compete any longer if there is any doubt about her health. It’s clear that he would not desert her, and would do anything to help take care of her. These altruistic relations are truly wonderful; if only human relations could be the same as these ones, the world would be a much happier place.

Best TV Show of the Week

The Parents Television Council - www.parentstv.org