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By PAM SMITH, Guest Post
Greatest American Dog Recap: “My Dog Can Fly”
Airdate: August 27, 2008
This week’s theme is “Courage.” The Dog Bone Challenge will see how each dog can handle an elephant. The dog is to stay inside a circle beside a banana while the elephant walks over and picks up the banana. Surprisingly the two dogs that accomplish the task are the young dog, Presley and the little dog, Andrew. Then the tie breaker gets even crazier, each dog has to sit/stay while the elephant runs towards them, the first dog to lift his hind quarters off the ground is out. Who is the dog with nerves of steel? Little Andrew! The littlest dog is the dog with a heart of a lion! Laurie and Andrew enter the Dog Bone Suite to find photos of Andrew and Laurie’s husband in the room along with an encouraging card from Laurie’s husband. We see an emotional side of Laurie that we have never seen before.
This week’s Best in Show Challenge, “Stunt Dog” will test the courage of the dogs and their owners. The challenge will include three obstacles, an incline ramp, a balance beam and a zipline. A practice area has been set up for the owners to train on the day before. Each dog is put into a harness for practice. Laurie’s “leg up” is a TV stunt dog trainer; the other contestants work with safety trainers positioned at each obstacle. I’m thinking…this isn’t so bad. The next day we see the real course. Yikes! This is a job for Super Dog!! Each owner will choose between the easier blue incline or the steeper red incline. Both owner and dog will climb it — then traverse a narrow beam high above the ground. Both will have to leap off a 32-foot landing into the air and descend down a 50-foot zipline. Oh, my gosh! What dog is going to take a leap of faith and just jump into the air? It’s crazy.
Each owner and dog is harnessed up. JD and Galaxy are up first, choosing the harder red course. The judges comment that they would be surprised if any dog does this. Galaxy performs every stunt flawlessly and with tail wagging!
Next, Teresa and Leroy choose to tackle the red course. Teresa is more worried about Leroy’s barking rather that his ability to perform. Leroy speeds up the incline and across the balance beam happily barking away in that Border Collie fashion. Leroy stands at the top of the platform barking and just when we think he’s not going to jump, off he goes.
Bill and Star are next. Bill makes the decision to use the blue, easier course thinking the incline on the red was to steep for Star. Star performs on the incline and the balance beam but wants nothing to do with jumping off into thin air. Bill calls it quits rather than push her.
Travis and Presley choose the red course. Travis puts Presley into “sit stay” mode before each obstacle to curb his boxer enthusiasm. Presley performs each task when Travis asks him to.
Next, Laurie chooses the blue course because of Andrews’ size. He scuttles straight up the incline, across the beam but doesn’t want to jump and like Bill; Laurie chooses not to push and gives up.
Judges are impressed by JD’s, Teresa’s and Travis’s work with their dogs but feel like Travis made it hard for Presley. Victoria likes Bill and Stars relationship and the way he trained, but points out that Star didn’t jump. The same with Laurie and Andrew, great relationship, a lot for a little dog to accomplish but…Andrew didn’t jump. The judges give JD and Galaxy special recognition.
The three weakest teams are Bill and Star, Laurie and Andrew and Travis and Presley.
East Texas heroes Bill and Star are eliminated. Tears are shed all around from the judges and other contestants as Bill and Star take their final lap.
“This is the best thing that has ever happened to me — this old orange dog carried me further than I ever thought we’d go,” Bill says.
Star takes a final bow before leaving.
We will miss you Bill and Star! Thank you for being such great competitors and representing Texas with such grace and class. In our hearts, you are the winners!
Greatest American Dog airs at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays on CBS. Only two episodes remain!
Photos from Canwest Media, from top: Greatest American Dog logo, Laurie and Andrew, J.D. and Galaxy, Travis and Presley, Teresa and Leroy, and Bill and Star.
Tags: greatest american dog, cbs, bill and star, laurie and andrew, j.d. and galaxy, travis and presley, teresa and leroy, east texas