America's Top Dog

Well, well...

You know of my particular fondness for the show America's Next Top Model (Although, my interest has been waning a bit during this last season) and I have often commented that ANTM has inspired many, many new reality shows.

Well move over Tyra, it appears CBS has ordered a new show produced by RJ Cutler (Actual Reality Pictures) called, America's Top Dog.

According to friends at CBS, "America's Top Dog is a new one hour-long series where 'man's best friend' can help its owner win big money!

From 'pageant dogs' to those dogs simply trained at home - will live together and battle it out in a dog competition that puts the dog's relationship with the person who has raised and trained it to the test.

In the end, only one team of loving owner and faithful dog will emerge the winner in this dog-eat-dog competition!"

Owners and Their Dogs

Personally, and this may shock many of you, I am not so much a dog person (Gasp). Alright, do not misunderstand, I appreciate dogs as someone else's pet and have a number of friends that prefer canine ownership.

Undoubtedly, dogs are truly 'loyal' and provide love unconditionally to their owners. Equally, owners are just as passionate (Obsessed) about their best four-legged friends and often consider them a member of the family.

Dogs in particular are often considered the reflective of an owner and they are often adorned with standard names generally given to most infants and are often treated as a 'baby' member of the family.

Having said (Yes, a non-sequitur), I am often puzzled as to why people say "Good Boy" to their dogs and speak to them using a silly tone one would generally use when speaking to babies. Literally interpreted, a dog is not a 'Boy', nor a baby. Perhaps I have missed the rules and special code of dog ownership that requires you treat your dog as a human child...

As well, I have never heard someone call a cat "Good Boy" - and use the silly infant talk when speaking to feline pets. Further, cats tend to have more 'Animal' related names than their dog counterparts (Ala Toonces, Socks, Smokey, Ms. Kitty and the like). Think about it...

The Dog and Pony Show
Many of you may have watched the competitive dog shows on television. The Westminster Dog Show has been airing for many years and is one of the most highest rated programs during its broadcast.

As a matter of fact, one of my favorite movies is the hysterical tongue-n-cheek Christopher Guest Mock-u-mentary Best In Show, which takes you behind the scenes of a major canine event competition with colorful characters, witty dialog and clever scenarios.

The brilliant and comical events all transpire around the hotel, in which the dogs and owners are staying and the convention center of where the 'show' event is set to commence.

Drama In The Doggie Park
The underlying theme is that dog shows/competitions are very similar to real life beauty pageants, complete with inherent drama, endless preparation and consumption, and stage-moms/dads. The pressure and the stakes are just as high and unrelenting.

Further, what you may not have noticed within the above Top Dog descriptive synopsis is that in true reality style (Remember, we have discussed in previous posts), is the fact that the owners and dog pets are competing against each other.

To magnify situations for the purpose of being interesting and really cue the drama, the owners and dog pets will ALL BE LIVING TOGETHER (Probably in a mansion, for 13 weeks - you should know this standard reality show ingredient by now).

What's The Deal?
What has yet to be determined is exactly what it is in which they (Dogs and owners) are competing.

Is it similar to America's Next Top Model where the winner gets the title of being America's Next Top Model (In this case, America's Top Dog) a feature in 17 Magazine (In this case, a pet magazine?), a $100,000 modeling contract with (Insert Pet Food Company Here), and the job as spokes dog for Pet Smart? These important details have yet to be announced...

Should be good fun and the show is expected to air later this year.