What a fantastic weekend we had at the All About Pets Show, leading up to the Premiere of Talent Hounds on Monday night April 1st, 2013! The Pet Network was a media sponsor and the booth looked amazing with beautiful new signage, flat screen TVs and of course a spinning prize wheel and grand prize draw. We got to hang out with the Pet Network programming and marketing teams, as well as lovely host Laura and the producers from Fido & Wine.

We debuted the Talent Hounds film trailer and had a blast giving away tons of Pet Network prizes, our very own Talent Hound tees and colouring sets, as well as prizes from our friends. Spots-Light provided collars, harnesses and leashes that make pet safety simple! Super Scoopy: Pet Clean-Up bags provided us with a massive box of eco-friendly bags (that came in very handy for dogs passing by) and cute reusable pouches for dogs on the go.  Some lucky individuals even walked away with books byDr. Bruce Fogle, veterinarian and dog expert and star of the Talent Hounds Documentary!

Karin Lefler was thrilled to win our grand prize draw of a 32” flat screen TV which was dropped off yesterday- woohoo!

Many of our Talent Hounds friends came out to support us, catch a glimpse of their dog in the trailer, participate in events and enjoy the spectacles of the show! A big shout out and warm thank you to all.

Adorable rescue success story and TV star Linzy (picture above) and mom Reta were on hand to wow the crowd with charm, tricks and fun fashions. Seeing-impaired Arthur (below on stage) and wheel-chair superstar Heidi had no trouble drawing in a crowd with their amazing stories of perseverance. Mom Margaret, of Helping Homeless Pets, was on hand to answer any questions. Dexter, Peppermint and Alana of Dexter’s Rufflife also stopped by to hang out at the booth and strut their stuff in a fashion show.  We also had a great visit from talented, well-groomed TV star poodle Daniel and his lovely mom.

We’d like to say thanks to everyone for stopping by including Marcy & family (Mom of the very talentedSweetie and Lulu), Jo Anne & family (Mom of talented and beautiful Piper Cub), friends from Gemini K9and Toronto Police Services, Renee DeVilliers from All About Dogs, Mary (Mom of the adorableTwizzler), camera woman Cat Cuppuccio and photographer Trish Aleve of Pawsome Pet Photography(Mom of Buster, Harley and adorable foster Hollywood), Gillian Ridgeway from Who’s Walking Whoand her adorable puppy, Heather McLean from RUFF SPORT and her Fast and Furry team of fabulous dogs and people (sponsored by our friends at Bullwrinkles), Danielle LeVangie from the Red Barn Event Centre, Kate of  Dog-Ma Rescue (Mom of Big Al, Little Alex and Buddy), Marni with Great DanesDolce and Divo (who’s really grown since we saw him last),  Melissa from In Dogs We Trust with Bellaand Sophia and many more!

So many great new people stopped by the booth as well, not only to spin the wheel for some free swag from Pet Network, Talent Hounds, Super Scoopy Bags, Spots-light and more, but also to share stories and photos of their wonderful dogs. We all shared one thing in common, our love for dogs.

We are constantly looking to include more much loved Talent Hounds on www.talenthounds.ca. We can’t wait to see all the new submissions to the site!

Be on the alert as we post some great coverage and interviews from the All About Pets show via our “Roving Rover” reporters over the next few weeks! We will be doing a Rescue Round Up and a download on the amazing experts we met like Dr Stanley Coren and others.

Talent Hounds is an original new Canadian documentary that looks at the evolving roles that dogs have played in human lives, families and communities, and sheds light on the increasing humanization of these perfect pets in today’s culture.

The hour-long film will make its world television premiere on The Pet Network, airing Monday April 1 at 10 pm ET.

Director/Writer and dog-lover Susan Nation says “Forget diamonds, today a Dalmatian, a Dachshund or a Doberman might well be a girl’s best friend.”

Our canine companions have always been more than just loyal sidekicks. Talent Hounds explores the early history of the dog, starting with the domestication of wolves, and examines the many ways that humans have, through the centuries, turned the natural abilities of dogs to our advantage – whether by employing them to hunt, herd livestock and pull sleds, or by training them to assist in police work and saving lives.

The film also considers the remarkable role that certain breeds have come to play as companions, assistants and four-legged therapists for people with a wide variety of special needs, from kids with autism to the visually impaired.

Where is our relationship with the dog headed? For more and more Canadians, as Talent Hounds reveals, dogs are becoming full-fledged members of the family – even surrogate children. And there’s a lucrative industry dedicated to helping pet parents pamper their dogs as they would their own offspring, with everything from designer fashions and fragrances to spa visits and day care.

Talent Hounds includes insightful interviews with canine experts and dog parents, and showcases a selection of Canada’s most uniquely gifted dogs, chosen through a series of open casting calls.

Talent Hounds is produced by Hop To It Productions with the assistance of the Canadian Media Fund, the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund, BookShorts and the CMPA Transmedia Production Acceleration Program.

To visit the Talent Hounds Web site, which offers entertainment, info and tips for the community of proud dog parents, CLICK HERE. To find Talent Hounds on Facebook, CLICK HERE.

The Talent Hounds’ crew was in Ajax at Who’s Walking Who for an Open Casting Call on December 2nd. They were on the hunt for cuties, tricksters, athletes, and rescue success stories to be featured in the upcoming documentary on The Pet Network. Dog training studio Who’s Walking Who is owned and operated by “Top Dog” Gillian Ridgeway, a very well-respected trainer with many years’ experience.

Quite a number of talented dogs and pet parents braved the cold and drizzling rain to come out and strut their stuff including a couple that had driven all the way from Toronto to bring the gorgeous Airedale Sylvie – an absolute charm dressed for success in an eye-catching red bandanna. Also present were the handsome pups Shelby (a Novia Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever) and Stella (an Australian Cattle Dog) to which the camera crew did their best Marlon Brando impressions to. The cutesy pup Twizzler was quite the scrumptious treat.  Her owner, explained that she has two other dogs at home: a senior who might not live much longer and a middle-aged shy and anxious dog. It’s expected that the anxious dog will not be able to handle either the loss of its long-time companion or the sudden appearance of a “replacement-friend” in the form of a rambunctious puppy; so Twizzler was adopted to help smooth that transition now and has been a welcome addition to the family.

One special guy, Arthur, was born without eyes. Margaret, of Helping Homeless Pets, explained that Arthur’s breeder originally took him to a vet to be euthanized at the age of nine weeks after the poor adorable dachshund failed to be sold. The vet refused to kill the otherwise healthy animal, got custody of the puppy and called rescue. Margaret, now the puppy’s foster mom, named the pup after her father, a man that had always had poor eyesight and was blind for the last 30 years of his life – but like Arthur, was “never handicapped.” Of course, there are some adaptations for Arthur, but Margaret never gives him special treatment. Arthur is house-trained  has finished puppy preschool and will be doing regular obedience classes in the New Year, freely interacting with the other pups, running, wrestling, playing with them like any other dog.

Three more heartwarming rescue success stories showed up to show off their amazing talents for the cameras: a trio of Labrador Retrievers with mom Karen. While Karen and her dogs auditioned for the camera, Gillian explained how much the dogs had become transformed in the patient lady’s hand. Read Big Al, Little Al and Buddy’s inspiring stories here.

Of course, the professionally trained actors Noah and Yardley, both belonging to Gillian Ridgeway herself, stole the show when it was their turns to audition. Gillian has trained several of her dogs as actors for film, TV and commercials – including Levi who starred in many commercials over the years. To learn more about the documentary airing on The Pet Network early 2013 visit Talenthounds.ca.

Canadian Chihuahua Rescue and Transport (CCRT) rescues, fosters and provides necessary vet care for Chihuahuas and Chihuahua mixes across Canada. CCRT has re-homed close to 700 dogs since its inception. One CCRT member who was present that day for both the auditions and the fundraiser told us how she has personally fostered more than 20 Chihuahuas over the years. This demonstrated the pressing need for both the foster and adopting families of homeless Chihuahuas in Canada. (To learn more about the work of the CCRT, read Christine’s story here).

Talent Hounds social media manager Carrie became particularly smitten with a cute little Chi named Rudi, a CCRT rescue fostered by Canine Campus owner Lucinda Glenny (below). Lucinda, who has over twenty-five years’ experience breeding and training dogs, has a reputation for helping dogs with aggression and anxiety issues. Much to the delight of the entire crew and the CCRT, Rudi, also known as Mr. Personality, found his forever home that very afternoon.

The Talent Hounds team were also delighted by the appearance of some beautiful bigger dogs with big talents including: Sophia the Black Lab, Bella the Boston Terrier, Piper the Georgian Bay Sporting Dog, Sunshine the Purple Poodle, Callie the Standard Poodle and Zoe the Whippet.

Sophia, an Ultamutts star famous for her compendium of over a hundred tricks, came all the way from London, Ontario, to audition with trainer Melissa Millett of In Dogs We Trust. As you can see in this video, Sophia has some extraordinary abilities including reading and doing math. Some say that Sophia is even psychic! Talent Hounds was shocked to learn that this lovely lab had been slated to be put down as a pup and waited “behind bars” for over one year, before being discovered and rescued by Melissa. Melissa and Sophia were recently featured in Rick Mercer Report segment on Woofstock along with Bella (below), whom theTalent Hounds crew also had the privilege of filming at Canine Campus.

Brenda and her dog Indy drove five hours all the way from the Ottawa region with friends and pooch pals for visiting-trainer Cassandra Hartman’s Canine Musical Freestyle and Intro to Treibball Workshops — and to audition for Talent Hounds Casting Call. When asked what motivated this crew and canine caravan to travel all this way, Brenda immediately quipped: “We came for a very simple reason: to have fun with our dogs. That is what it is all about for us. Having fun with our dogs.” And the Freestyle and Treibball sure looked fun. The talented group impressed the crew with their amazing moves and training.

But it wasn’t all fun and games. Hartman, owner and head trainer of Cassandra’s Canines in Caledonia, Ontario, takes the value of the human/canine bond through fun and fitness very seriously, advocating owner health and well-being as part of the overall training routine with their dogs.

“Take Zumba classes, take yoga,” she advised, “Exercise in a way that makes you think about your body and your lines so that when you train with your dog, you are aware of your body in relationship to theirs.” This great advice gently prompted clients to see that in order to take the best care of their dogs, they need to take care of themselves. However, Cassandra’s final message was simply “Have FUN with your dogs!” prompting Brenda to nudge her canine companion Indy in affirmation: “That’s what I keep saying!”

Over the next few weeks, the Talent Hounds producers will be sniffing out a range of talents, dog breeds and training methods through an open Casting Call whereby proud pet parents and trainers can submit photos or videos of their dogs online or attend one of the live Casting Call auditions (listed in the Events section of Talent Hounds Web site). CLICK LINK for more information on Talent Hounds and the Talent Hounds Casting Call.

The engaging one-hour Talent Hounds television documentary traces the history and humanization of dogs and their changing roles and talents from wolves to wonder-kids. The website offers entertainment, networking and know-how for the community of proud dog parents. www.talenthounds.ca

Over the next few months, the Talent Hounds Producers will sniff out a range of talents, dog breeds and training methods. They will meet entertainers, fashionistas, cuties, heroes, hunters, sled dogs, herding dogs, working dogs, service dogs, guide dogs, therapy dogs, athletes, performers and dogs from rescues and shelters. And, of course, the people whose lives these talented hounds enrich.

Casting calls for talented dogs to appear in Talent Hounds will start November 9, 2012
Proud dog parents can sign up to showcase their dogs on talenthounds.ca.

Talent Hounds will be part of the strong new 2013 programming line-up from national specialty television channel The Pet Network. The Pet Network is committed to telling stories that foster compassion, care and a deeper understanding between people and their pets, so the Talent Hounds project is a great fit.

Talent Hounds is produced by Hop To It Productions and Judith Keenan of BookShorts Inc. with the assistance of The Canada Media Fund and the Canadian Media Production Association Transmedia Production Acceleration Program.
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