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Reality programming greatness again!  CBS brings us another edition of Greatest American Dog Show with housemates bickering, private confessionals, even some budding romance in this week’s episode.  Nothing sucks the audience in like all the drama you can muster.

In typical “reality” fashion the post production work tries to lead you to think in one direction and then pop a bit of a surprise on you in the end.  This week they are setting up a moment in the Best in Show Arena, which is the G.A.D.S version of Survivor’s Tribal Council.

Early in the show they focus on the fact that Laurie and her white Maltese Andrew perform very well. She demonstrates that she has no problem with Andrew playing with the house pariah Elvis, as she council’s Elvis’s owner David on how to handle a dog. Laurie’s approach is consistent with a child / parent relationship .. strict but not cruel, demonstrating who is the boss and to be firm with expectations.

Challenge one is an obstacle course of tangled leashes with teams attempting to lead their pet through the course in tandem. Laurie is teamed with last week’s Best in Show Bill & Star and come very close to winning the competition.  A neck and neck race versus owner’s Travis & Brandy, who take the challenge and end up banishing Laurie to the doghouse.  She had not expected that at all and demanded to know why.  She eventually determines that since she performs so well, she is considered a threat to the other participants.

David befriends Laurie with platitudes and comfort as she moves into the doghouse.

Finally after the second house challenge in which Laurie ends up with David on the losing team, we get to the Best in Show Arena. In the big plot twist for this episode, Laurie throws David and Elvis under the bus! She reveals to the judges that there have been issues in the house with Elvis all along …….. Probably a bad decision on her part, since she is considered a threat due to her ability to control Andrew, and now having shown a win at all cost mentality, she is going to be kept at bay by the other contestants.

Look for her to have a hard time in the house from here on out. I predict that she will not make it to the finals.

BTW, I have to admit that the editing and post-production on this show have given us some very funny one liners that have made me laugh out loud. During the obstacle course David comments about the “4 pounds of meat in my pocket” and Elvis not paying attention.  David also got off the other funny line in reference to the “Golden Boy” Travis continuing to win the challenges.

Also, keep an eye on the budding romantic tension starting to form among Travis and Laura .. with some jealousy demonstrated by Brandy.

This week, somewhat predictably, David and Elvis are expelled from the Canine Academy. “Elvis has left the Building!”

This week’s Judge Profile is:

Victoria Stilwell

Resume

• Host of “It’s Me or the Dog“
• Co-founder of Dog Trainers of New York
• Co-founder Dog Trainers of New Jersey
• Co-founder Dog Trainers of Georgia

Author

• It’s Me or the Dog: How to Have the Perfect Pet
• Fat Dog Slim: How to Have a Healthy, Happy Pet.

Groups

• Paws Atlanta
• Stray from the Heart (New York)
• Hong Kong Dog Rescue
• Greyhound Rescue of West England
• Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project
• Waterside Action Group

Certifications

• Animal Behavior and Training Associates
• Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT).

Final thought for the week, Are we rooting for the dog or the owner?  Can we differentiate? .. possibly as we get towards the finals we will start to lean towards the best dogs.

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