GAD elimination interviews

With just one (!) more episode of Greatest American Dog, I got the chance to chat with Teresa, who was eliminated last week with her Border Collie, Leroy. We talked about her water-loving pup, and I got her side of the story on those controversial snarl bands. Learn all about Leroy's barking, his new BFF, and much more in the interview below.

PetSugar: How's Leroy doing with the barking?
Teresa: He only barks in a high-energy performance setting. He's sitting right by me now . . . no barking. Practice time . . . no barking. Performance time . . . barking. He just loves to do it and it's part of his style. It's getting slightly better but it's going to take some time to get it to be perfect. I need to figure out how to keep his brain more stimulated (if I do the same things over and over he gets bored). It may make things harder for me but, if it makes it easier on him and curbs some of the barking, then that's what we'll have to do.

PetSugar: What was your dog's favorite part of this experience?
Teresa: I think it's pretty obvious that he loved the pool and to be able to let loose and not be under tight wraps all the time. He's loved water since he was a puppy. Normally I try to get him to at least look at me because there are times when I don't want a sopping wet dog, but for the most part he did listen and it is a good impulse control exercise for him. I tried to let him swim as much as I could – he probably swam at least 45 minutes every day – and we don't ever get to do that at home.

PetSugar: Did Leroy have any special friends on the show?
Teresa: Laura and I clicked immediately and we've become the best of friends since then. In such a short period of time I feel like I've known her since like kindergarten. We just had little tags made that say "Be" and "Fri" on one side for Preston, and Leroy wears on his tag "st" and "end," so when it comes together it says "Best Friend." Preston looks like a little, white toy breed, but he doesn't behave like that – he's a giant dog wrapped up in a little Pomeranian body. Leroy normally doesn't like other dogs as much as he likes Preston. He has his circle of friends, and Preston really broke through that circle and has become Leroy's friend, East Coast or West Coast.

PetSugar: And favorite toys?
Teresa: Anything that you can throw! If you throw the top of a Tupperware container, he's going to think it's a frisbee. You throw something round, like throw an apple, he's gonna fetch it and think it's a ball. He also really likes any kind of toy with things hanging from it like a Wubba – he'll shake it and shake it and hit himself over the head . . . I think that's what it's for?

Finally, hear her side of the "angry" challenge when you read more

First puppies and now an elephant?! For last night's episode of Greatest American Dog, the remaining humans (Travis, J.D., Bill, Laurie, and Teresa) had to get their pets (Presley, Galaxy, Star, Andrew, and Leroy) to sit in a circle as an elephant approached them, made tons of noise and flapped its ears, and eventually got close enough to pick up a banana placed nearby. It came down to a faceoff between Presley and Andrew, and the smallest pooch there (Laurie's Maltese) didn't move a muscle – wow! Next, it was a course finishing in a doggie zipline – that J.D. and Galaxy made look like a piece of cake – but, unfortunately, two dogs (Star and Andrew) wouldn't take that leap. In the end, the judges chose to send Bill and Star packing which made me sad 'cause I was totally pulling for them, but happy since I got to chat with him this morning. . . . and, yes, he's just as sweet on the phone as he looks on TV:

On meeting an elephant for the first time: You remember, we've got our back towards that elephant? I'm watching Star and saying "sit, stay, sit, stay" and her eyes are getting bigger and bigger and it's like one of us has got to move, I hope she tells me when I'm supposed to move! That was thrilling to me, just thrilling.

Learn what happens when Star meets the elephant for the second and third (?) time when you read more

I recapped last Wednesday's episode of Greatest American Dog with some answers from my chat with Beth Joy, but here's the rest of the interview – you don't think I'd get off the phone without asking about her pooch's name, do you? Don't forget to tune in tonight at 8 p.m. to see which duo's going home this week!

PetSugar: How did you decide on her name?
Beth Joy: When I rescued her, her name was Maggie and I was like "eh, you're too beautiful – you're bella" so I named her that. She does movies so she has her middle name Starlet, all my dogs and cats have middle names it's not just Bella. Her nicknames are Cuddle Muffin, Puppy Monkey, Baby Girl, Smoopy, it's a wide range however I'm feeling.

PetSugar: What's it like seeing her on TV?
Beth Joy: She looks gorgeous! It's funny to see her and let all of America and the world see who she is. It's just an honor. I love watching her and every time it's on, she sits in her California bed that we got from the show and watches herself.

PetSugar: Is there anything you wished you'd see more of?
Beth Joy: This show should have been so much more about all the dogs having fun than all the drama. There are some funny things that happened in the pool and wild stuff around the house that they didn't show and it was sad because that was really what we all (as the cast members) thought that they would have shown because it's about dogs.

PetSugar: What was your experience being on the show?
Beth Joy: We learned amazing things on the show, dogs can learn tricks at any age, I want everybody to know that. I'm happy to be the one representing rescue dogs with Bella Starlet on the show, she's a pure mutt and she's quite an amazing dog as you can see on her website – we have fun.

Learn what's up next for Bella Starlet Dog when you read more