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What Do You Know About Pomeranians?

PetSugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:30:15 -0700

Last week I had the chance to chat with Greatest American Dog contestant Laura, who shared some tales from time on the show and her deep love for her sweet little purebred Pomeranian, Preston. He is naturally white with creme highlights, but he rocked a pretty in pink mohawk on the show and stole my heart for being a class act. I decided it was high time we all test our knowledge of the Pomeranian breed. What do you know about them?

Photos courtesy of CBS

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Greatest American Dog Recap: "Salvador Doggy"

PetSugar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:59:06 -0700

It was another doozy on Greatest American Dog. With dancing last time and now painting this week . . . how much more can I take? I had the chance to chat with Laura yesterday – and decided to recap the latest episode with some of her comments. She was super sweet so stay tuned for more from her later on.

On last night's show: In the beginning of the episode, Preston still has the black mohawk from the night before which was the "dancing with the dogs" night. We were given the task to paint at about four in the afternoon. We had a lesson and, by the time we could start painting, it was nighttime – California (Agora Hills) at night with short hair, he was chilly. He was so exhausted – you know your dog, you know when they're just not themselves and I just looked into his little eyes glazed over like 'Mama, I'm having fun but I kinda just want to sleep in, I don't really feel like painting.'

On the painting process: We didn't get started until about noon, not because I was lazy. That's why I was really trying to be intricate with the stencils to prepare things for him to do. What the cameras didn't show was halfway through the day, it started raining and we had nothing done. Rather than having him paint in the rain, they didn't show me making stakes in the ground and taking a tarp to put a cover over him so that he wouldn't get wet and he wouldn't be cold. He was just so tired that I tried to make it as fun as I could have.

On her bond with Preston: He represents the bond I wish I had with my mom. I lost my mom to breast cancer when I was six and that's what that whole painting was about and I had explained to the judges and clearly they could care less. It's a dog, a dog doesn't know the difference between a heart and a pretzel, he did the best he could. When he's supposed to paint a picture of the love that we share and doesn't feel like doing it, I'm not going to make him paint any more than he really wants to.

On their performance: I'm doing what my mother would have wanted, if she was in that situation – she said to the people in my family before she died, 'Make sure my daughters do what makes them happy. Make sure they live every day and every moment doing what's best for them. I don't care about money, I don't care about education, I just want my daughters to be happy.' It was so emotional thinking about my mom and this incredible bond I'm so lucky to have with my dog. I felt bad that's why we went home and was disappointed in some of the comments considering it was supposed to be judged on the message and he used like nine different techniques, even though he was exhausted. I know Preston has lots of skills and maybe painting's not one of them and that's fine – I still love him more than anything.

What about her call-out on Beth Joy? Find out when you read more.

On her comments about Beth Joy: People have to realize that for every five sentences that you say on camera, you've probably spoken for about 30 minutes. I really respect Beth Joy and know she loves Bella Starlet more than anything. Her and I are very different in the way that we take care of our dogs and I don't necessarily agree with a lot of the things that she does and I felt really bad that it seemed like I completely threw her under the bus. It was just the fact that her dog has issues with her paws and she finished her painting about four hours earlier than everyone else – we all wondered why she tried to get through so quickly and not try to make it a little more positive and a little bit less stressful for Bella Starlet. Clearly she wasn't going to hurt her it was just like, you know, why are you still here? Really, why did Ron and Tillman go home last week, why were Michael and Ezzie kicked off the first week? We like you but you probably shouldn't be here, your dog's crying.

On the outcome: Travis felt bad. He's probably the most patient person in the house who was really sweet to get to know Beth Joy better than anyone else and did the right thing in defending her. It looks like it was Travis versus me in last night's episode but I happened to be the first one on stage and the judges poked and prodded about what was going on with Preston and I, asking 'well, was any dog overly challenged in your opinion?' and then they take it out of context and make it seem like I just threw it out there and volunteered the information when really my painting had nothing to do with Beth Joy. I think people at home, they know that both of us love our dogs. It's a show, they want it to be dramatic. All of us are friends. Travis and I adore each other. Laurie, Teresa, and I are good friends. We all respect Beth Joy so I hope that the public sees that, at the end of the day, we all tried to do what was best for our dogs.

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Greatest American Dog Recap: My Chat With Teresa!

PetSugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:30:53 -0700

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.

PetSugar: How do you feel about the use of the word "angry"?
Teresa: Angry was by far the hardest word. I don't necessarily think it was an appropriate word, but we just assumed that everything had been approved. Leroy does bite a lot at things that are out of control, like water or hoses or air, and I thought that we could do it. We used spray bottle and the hose to try to get him to show his teeth, which he did. You don't see that I'm clicking and rewarding and doing all of that as well; they cut that positive part of it out, and I can understand how it looks controversial. But he does bite by the pool, you see him bite at all the water [in last week's episode]. I thought I could teach the snarl first without using anything.

PetSugar: So then you went to the snarl bands . . .
Teresa: Laura had mentioned the snarl bands and that it would help with the stress of having to learn this in such a short time. He didn't love it but little puppies don't love collars, other dogs don't like harnesses or gentle leaders. I took one of the two avenues and I don't feel that it was inhumane; we were just trying to get the snarl and reward as best as we could. We got the shot really quickly and left the photo shoot early . . . he got to play a whole lot in the studio so he didn't leave there with any kind of bad taste in his mouth.

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Trend Setters: Furry Streakers

PetSugar — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 07:15:00 -0700

Well, well, well, the first question that came to my mind when I saw these pups (after why) was how, 'cause I know there's at least someone out there wondering how to follow the trend of these pooches snapped in LA. In fact, the streaked pups remind me of lil Preston's way of standing out on the set of Greatest American Dog. Since North already has a dark mask, ears, and back half, he's not quite a candidate but if you think this is cool not cruel, I've found the products for you.

For $25, you can pick up a tub of non-toxic, semi-permanent dye specifically formulated for pets in a gel product that's less messy than liquid alternatives. Coming in nine shades, the colors even include black if you fancy making a Maltese look more Boston Terrier or even Dalmatian while you're at it!

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The Greatest American Dog Dressed to Impress at the TCAs!

PetSugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:00:34 -0700

If you've been following the paths of Pop and Buzz, you'll know they were down in LA at the TCA Press Tour that wrapped up today. With panels and parties with all the major networks, they've met some very cool people, including several contestants from the Greatest American Dog. The five dogs present (left to right: Ezzie, Preston, Beacon, Tillman, and Bella Starlet) were just hanging out in the cabana with their owners all relaxed . . . and not at all fazed by the attention!

And how excited was I (read: very) when Pop passed along some cute candids she took when meeting Jarod, the show's host, and several of the furry contestants?! Check our exclusive pics out when you read more.

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Greatest American Dog: All the Antics, All the Fun!

PetSugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:15:19 -0700

Seriously, the premiere of Greatest American Dog was all I could have hoped for and more – but with 12 dogs (and 12 strangers) living together in a house, what else could I expect? Featuring misbehaving mutts and purebreds alike and challenges like doggy musical chairs, it was almost as funny watching the owners try to get their dogs to listen as it was to watch the dogs themselves. Learn a little more about the show (and see my favorite act) when you read more.

The contestants broke up into three teams for final performances in the first elimination of the series. While all the pups were cute, I loved that most of them weren't very different than our pets at home – fairly obedient but far from show dog performance perfection. Check out the fab Aloha team below.

I'm not sure if it was Preston's Mohawk or the incredibly trained Galaxy, but I felt this was the most cohesive theme and group. If you missed last night's show, watch the entire thing online at CBS.com.

Britney Still Roams While Kev Keeps it Together for Kids

Molly — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:17:27 -0800

As Britney's situation becomes more and more shaky, the unlikely hero (that might be a stretch, I admit) in this saga seems to be Kevin Federline. Up until yesterday, he's been staying quiet during this ongoing ordeal, sparking bizarre feelings in myself that perhaps he's not only a decent guy, but a healthy influence on Britney. Yesterday afternoon while Britney was herself meeting with legal counsel, Kevin asked an LA judge for an emergency hearing regarding the custody of their two children who are rumored to be under the care of her mother. According to some sources though, K-Fed and the Spears family are working together at this point to help both Britney and their babies. Here's more:

According to our Federline insider, K-Fed made a call to his mother, Julie Bleak, on Valentine's Day asking for her to help him take care of the children. Bleak flew to L.A. on Feb. 15 (the same day Spears, 25, checked into the Crossroads Centre rehab facility in Antigua). Our source adds that Lynne Spears has also been present for her grandchildren, taking care of the children round-the-clock with Federline.

"Britney's family feels that Kevin has been a blessing and they are very impressed with Kevin taking so much responsibility," says a Spears family source. "Britney's family found out from the news this morning that Britney had left the rehab. Britney has not asked to see the kids because she knows she is not well and she does not want to scare Preston. She has no credit cards or cash. She is basically on the run at the moment."

Now I'm not putting money on Kev being an amazing father, but in comparison to the babies' other parent, he's probably the right temporary choice. DiaperChangeZao. Well, at least Brit's got her new puppy? How did she get her hands on that without going home at any point? Sigh.

For more pics of Brit out with her puppy looking a bit like a cheerleader just read more

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