The Underdogs Huey and Casper
I’ve been watching the Underdog programme on BBC 2 for the past few weeks willing those adorable rescue dogs to do well in their training and final performances in front of millions of television viewers.
My general view of the series is that the dogs and celebrity trainers that progress to the following weeks trials are the ones that show most promise in their advancement of training skills, both dogs and trainers being judged on their improvements or lack of improvement in the case of some.
The professional judges give there comments and marks quite sensibly and without prejudice, however, the public voting leaves a lot to be desired, usually voting for their favourite dog based on emotions rather than the dogs ability and its trainers’ skills.
Being a dog lover, I naturally want all the dogs to win, being practical I realise this will not happen. It grieves me to see a dog like Albert, with trainer Clive Anderson, who have both progressed enormously over the weeks with their training, have to leave the show on a final public vote, a vote that can only have been based on cuteness and humour from both dog and handler respectively. It can certainly not have been based on training skills and obedience.
Yes Casper is a cutie, he melts my heart, his body language just asks for him to be picked up and hugged and without knowing it he is an extremely comical character, I am sure there is a film part just waiting for him if only he could be trained, which, in the right hands I am sure he could be.
Huey, his American celebrity trainer, is also a comedian but I am afraid that is where his skills lie, he is not a dog trainer, ‘though he clearly loves and adores Casper he is using him to show off his own skills as an entertainer.
Appealing as it is to see this double act create havoc and laughter on the programme, I am afraid it is not what the programme is about. There is a serious and a lighter side to this series and it would be a travesty should Casper and Huey go on to win the final.
If the programme makers are serious about the show being about the dog and trainer that have achieved the most progress over the course of the series then my advice for future series would be to get rid of the public’s vote.
Technorati Tags: underdog, BBC+2, rescue+dogs, dog+trainer, Casper, Huey,
April 25th, 2007 at 6:57
Common sense has prevailed!
Congratulations to Selina Scott and Chump, well deserved winners.
Good luck Casper, we hope you find a good home, you certainly deserve to.
April 25th, 2007 at 15:04
I would have liked to see what Chump could have done without the constant feeding around the course.
I have to say that I disagree. The Underdog show was not really about dancing dogs and getting them to jump through hoops and most certainly not about the handlers, it was about raising awareness of the plight of rescue dogs.
Casper made the biggest journey and I think that the public reflected that in its votes.
I must say I was put off my dinner by judges who were constantly fawning over Selina Scott.
What Huey and his trainer did do for Casper was to teach him to be a dog again and to start a new life.
The dogs are the winners here but lets not forget the thousands abused dogs that need rescuing out there.
April 26th, 2007 at 10:47
I’m glad Casper has regained his confidence and hope he finds a loving home BUT the idea of training is so that the dog can go out and react to commands from a new owner for the dogs sake and for others. If a competition is about one thing you can’t enter and then do whatever you think i.e. use a skateboard in the Marathon. Enjoyable and amusing but not the point.
April 26th, 2007 at 19:04
Unfortunately I can’t see them dropping the public vote as this would curtail the revenue, some of which I notice goes to Children in need. Surely it should all go to dog orientated charities. It was great to see the dogs do well, lets hope that they go to good homes. Cute though Casper was it was a relief that Chump won the final. It would have made a mockery of the whole series had he won.