Doggies Got Talent: Greatest American Dog to start on CBS

Twelve extraordinary teams of dogs and owners from across the nation will compete for the title of Greatest American Dog, premiering Thursday, July 10 (8 to 9 p.m. ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured: Top row, left to right: Galaxy, Presley, and Kenji; Second row, left to right: Ezzie, Elvis, and Beacon; Third row, left to right: Andrew, Leroy, and Star; Fourth row, left to right: Bella Starlet, Preston, and Tillman Photo: Cliff Lipson/CBS ©2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

What will they think of next — dog owners and their talented pets competing to see which pet will win the coveted title of Greatest American Dog?

CBS will premiere its newest summer reality series Greatest American Dog tonight (July 10) at 8 p.m. ET/PT featuring 12 teams of dogs and owners across the nation.

Hosted by zoologist Jared Miller, the show also will feature judges Wendy Diamond (author and founder of Editor-in-Chief of Animal Fair Magazine), Allan Reznik (editor-at-large of Dog World and Dog Fancy Magazine) and Victoria Stilwell (author and host of the TV series “It’s Me or the Dog”).

The 12 teams include a hodgepodge of “pageant dogs” to those simply trained at home. The dogs and their owners will live together at the Canine Academy mansion and compete against each other in challenges that put the owner’s ability to train their dogs to the test. The judges will eliminate one dog and their owner each week.

Up for grabs along with the title of Greatest American Dog is a hefty $250,000 cash prize.

On the premiere, the teams will arrive at the Canine Academy with the owners comparing their competition. They will first compete in a dog bone competition titled “Musical Chairs” with the winning team winning the luxury Dog Bone Suite. The winners also will be given the power to banish one team to the Dog House, a small structure on the grounds of the Canine Academy. The teams also will compete in their own version of “America’s Got Talent” properly named “Doggies Got Talent.” Their performances will be judged with one team being sent packing in the end.

Here’s a look at the 12 teams:

• BETH JOY and BELLA STARLET from New York. Bella Starlet is a 10-year-old mixed breed (Chihuahua, Labrador Retriever, Shih-Tzu, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever andPomeranian mix). Personally I can’t figure out how this dog could be a mix of all those breeds! Beth Joy is Bella’s acting manager.

• BILL and STAR from Flint, Texas. Star is a 7-year-old Brittany. Bill’s occupation is building maintenance.

• BRANDY and BEACON from Orange County, California. Beacon is a 1-1/2-year-old miniature Schnauzer. Brandy is a fashion designer.

• DAVID and ELVIS from New York. Elvis is a 2-year-old Parson Russell Terrier. David is a doctor.

• ELAN and KENJI from Portland, Ore. Kenji is a 1-year-old Giant Schnauzer. Elan is an aspiring dog salon owner.

• J.D. and GALAXY from Bend, Ore. Galazy is a 9-year-old English Pointer Border Collie. J.D. is a dog entertainer.

• LAURA and PRESTON from Los Angeles. Preston is a 5-year-old Pomeranian. Laura is a film producer.

• LAURIE and ANDREW from Stafford, Va. Andrew is a 5-year-old Maltese. Laurie is a doggie day care owner (former fitness trainer)

• MICHAEL and EZZIE from Los Angeles. Ezzie is a 2-1/2-year-old Boston Terrier. Michale is an aspiring comic.

• RON and TILLMAN from Oxnard, Calif. Tillman is a 3-year-old English Bull Dog. Ron is a construction manager.

• TERESA and LEROY from Fairfax, Va. Leroy is a 5-year-old Border Collie. Teresa is a dog sitter (former high school Latin teacher)

• TRAVIS and PRESLEY from Los Angeles. Presley is a 1-1/2-year-old Boxer. Travis is a bartender.

Greatest American Dog is executive produced by R.J. Cutler, Stu Schreiberg and Stephen Kroopnick for Magic Molehill Productions, Inc., in association with Actual Reality Pictures and Triage Entertainment, Inc.

Pictured top row from left are Greatest American Dog teams: David Best with Elvis, Laurie Williams with Andrew, Brandy Yant with Beacon, Michael Piper Younie with Esmeralda, Beth Joy Knutsen with Bella Starlet, and Laura Nativo with Preston; Bottom ro from left: Ron Davis with Tillman, JD Platt with Galaxy, Elan Hagen with Kenji, Travis Brorsen with Presley, Bill McFarlin with Star, and Teresa Hanula with Leroy Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.