Even before a reader left a comment on one of my “Greatest American Dog” articles about how could I buy the junk the show’s trying to sell us, I was already starting not to like certain things about the show. I’ll address more of those in a separate article to follow later, but for now I’ll talk about my main gripe: it seems they’re not so much looking for the greatest American dog as they are the greatest American trainer.
Because forget what happens in the Dog Bone Challenge, it all comes down to how well the owner worked with their dog for the Best in Show Challenge. That’s when it’s decided who will go home.
Which, quite frankly, sucks.
The events in the Dog Bone Challenges are more a true measure of the dogs themselves. Most of the time those challenges do test the dog’s ability more so than the owners. (Not entirely, as what owner isn’t somewhat responsible for their dog’s performance. Also, they do have to work together. The dog can only be as good as his person instructing him.)
But it’s not like the Best in Show challenges. That’s when everything’s riding on how well the owner handles their dog, because, during the judging, the judges remark on each dog’s performance, but it’s the owners they hold accountable.
Rightly so. It is the owner’s job to work with their pooch on the task assigned, and it is from the owner that the dog takes commands. Again, the dog can only be as good as the person instructing him or her.
But that’s where the show’s failing to live up to its name. Since they base who stays and who goes on the Best in Show Challenges, they’re truly gauging a dog’s trainer more than the dog’s retention of the training.
Which just isn’t fair to the dogs.
A better way to work it would be to not send anyone home and instead have each owner/dog pair earn points. Whoever gets the most at the end of all competitions wins.
Another way to truly judge how great the dog itself is would be to have a third–party professional trainer handling the Best in Show Challenge part. Think Dancing with the Stars where the celebrities are paired with dancing pros who teach them, but it’s the celebrities, not the pros, who are judged on their performances.
The Greatest American Dog could work it where professional dog trainers step in to train the dogs for the Best in Show challenges. And it would be the pros that would perform with the dogs during the Best in Show Challenges while the owners watched in the audience.
Then the judges could decide which dog performed best based on the dog’s performance, not on the owner’s training abilities.
Sadly, the way they’re doing it now really is more of a search for the greatest American trainer rather than the greatest American dog.
Related Articles
The Search for the Greatest American Dog
Loving “The Greatest American Dog!”
Greatest American Dog: The Personality Episode
The Greatest American Dog: The Elvis Episode
“A Dog is Not a Barbie Doll.” (And Other “Greatest” Quotes)