, , ,January 20, 2012 - More than 60 dogs, many from Colorado, will perform in the "SuperDogs" show at the Budweiser Events Center [in Loveland, Colorado] on Jan. 22.

Among the fan favorites will be Leap, an Ibizan hound who's the highest-jumping dog in the world, and Power, a Belgian Malinois known for her Frisbee freestyle skills.

Then there's Puff Daddy, an old English sheepdog, who's a bit of a clown. "He's famous for doing things wrong on purpose," said Amy White, director of operations and general manager for SuperDogs.

Along with the high-flying acrobatics and athletic feats, the bloopers and silly antics are part of the show's appeal, she said. The dogs don't wear costumes, but they will don their fanciest collars or colorful bandannas for the occasion.

Spectators can meet the canine performers and talk to their trainers at the "Pat 'n' Chat," a popular 20-minute segment after the show.

For White, who owns Leap and two other show dogs, it's a rewarding experience. Not only does she enjoy hearing audience members talk about how much they enjoyed the show, she likes fielding questions from people considering adopting a dog. It can help someone find a new companion, she said.

SuperDogs, which was founded 37 years ago in Toronto, recruits dogs and trainers through auditions and casting calls around North America. White said many local dogs will perform in the Loveland show because there's a lot of talent in the Denver area. "It's a strong sports dog community," she said, noting that many of the canine performers have a background in fly ball, agility or disc competitions.

In addition, more than 40 percent of the dogs in the show have been adopted from shelters or rescue organizations, she said. "We try to showcase as many breeds and mixed breeds as possible."  

The dogs are remarkable athletes.  Dante Camacho from Calgary with his border collies, Meesh and Smeagal, and Ashley Stirling from Aurora, Ontario, with her Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever, Teague, do a stunning freestyle duet that has had the cameras going constantly.  Not to be outdone, Ethan Wilhelm from Las Vegas, Nevada, with his Frisbee dogs, Power and Arrow, has given audiences many outstanding chances to put their electronic equipment to good use as the dogs soar for their discs.    

The dogs are unpredictable.  Some of them are natural-born clowns.  You never know what they will do.  This is especially true of the young dogs in training who come out and enjoy a few moments in the spotlight.  Amy White’s Retro, an Ibizan hound from Ashburn, Ontario, and Shari Hunter’s Shazam, from Hillsburgh, Ontario, are just two of the many youngsters just getting used to the lights, the music, the cheers of the audience – and the flashing cameras.   

Best of all, the dogs are beautiful and assume virtually every colour, size and shape you can imagine.  While at the Royal, be sure to visit with them after the show in the President’s Choice® booth just outside the theatre.  Here you can snuggle with dogs such as Puff Daddy, Groove, Big Al, Gander, Ditto, and Kaboom, talk to the trainers, and even have your picture taken with your favourites.  Pat ‘n’ Chat with the stars of the President’s Choice® SuperDogs® makes for a heart-warming conclusion to your visit to the show.  Make sure to get pictures to preserve lasting memories. 

While at the SuperDogs^®, don’t forget to visit the President’s Choice^® booth to learn about the many Nutrition First^TM dog and cat products sold across Canada.  Members of the Paw Patrol will answer your questions and provide coupons to qualified pet owners.  You should also take time to browse the product selections at the SuperDogs^® merchandise table.  For collectors of our line of stuffed toys, there are several new items for sale.  Our new sparkly bandannas have been a hit all summer, so be sure to check them out.  SuperDog^® Frisbees, copies of Daniel and the SuperDogs, posters, collars and leashes, and other products will also be available.

Visit the Royal – and get the royal treatment.  Seeing the show, shopping at the merchandise booth, and strolling through the President’s Choice^® plaza, are just part of the whole SuperDog^® package.  You should also interact with the Paw Patrol, visit with the dogs during the post-show pat 'n' chat sessions, get tips from the trainers and learn about the shtick and humorous touches that give the show its special qualities, and even peruse the brand-new SuperDogs^® website, www.superdogs.com, which is full of information, profiles, photographs, and videos of the dogs in action.  The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair runs for ten days, November 4-13, 2011, and the SuperDogs perform three times a day in Hall D of the Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place.  Visit http://www.royalfair.org/files/superdogs_schedule_final_oct_5.11.pdf for the daily schedule.  Don’t miss it! 

from high jump to hockey, in family-friendly show 

By Andrea Holwegner, Times & Transcript

     October 26, 2011 – When Lorraine Purnell brought her Old English Sheepdog to try out for President’s Choice^®  SuperDogs^®  , she envisioned a perfect performance from the well-trained 10 month old pup.

     But Puff Daddy had a mind of his own.

     The enthusiastic youngster was having so much fun he dashed repeatedly around the course despite his owner’s plea to stop.

     Although Lorraine was a bit embarrassed by his uncontrollable performance, the judges loved Puff Daddy’s enthusiasm and today the six-year-old SuperDog^®  makes audiences laugh wherever he performs with the show.

     “Sometimes we’ll stop the music during the show and he’ll just be running on his own,” laughs Amy White, the show’s director of operations and general manager.  “If you look up in the audience, you can see kids literally holding their sides laughing because they enjoy seeing a dog just being a dog.”

     And Puff Daddy will once again bring smiles to adults and kids alike at this Saturday’s SuperDogs^®  show at the Moncton Coliseum. Close to 30 dogs from across North America will jump, run, dance, play hockey and even perform magic.

     SuperDogs^®  was founded 35 years ago and since then the show has grown to attract thousands of fans, regularly selling out at festivals, fairs and other events across the country.

     This weekend’s show will feature six events including high jumping, a spin-off of Hockey Night in Canada called ‘face off,’ Frisbee, freestyle featuring several dancing dogs, a pole weaving competition, relay and individual racing.

     The show was last held in Moncton in 2007, but has completely changed since then with all new dogs and events with the exception of high jumping. Yet even this event has taken on a new twist with the dogs jumping in a circle as the jumps increase in height.

     “If you looked at what the first SuperDogs^®  show was and what it is now, no one could have ever dreamt that it would become such a huge attraction,” says Amy. “We are constantly taking old events and putting a new twist on them to make them more entertaining for audiences. And being dogs, you never know when one of those silly moments is going to happen. You can’t choreograph everything.”

     The 45-minute show finishes with a “pat and chat” where audience members are invited to come onto the show floor and meet the cast members and their dogs.

     “There are not a lot of performances where you get to meet the stars afterward,” says Amy. “I think the dogs love it just as much as the kids.”

     Among the show’s crowd favourites are Leap, an Ibizan hound who is the world’s highest jumping dog and is known to leap to heights of 69”, and Pot Roast the bulldog who is best known as the “class clown” of the event despite also being a great athlete.

     “Pot Roast will sometimes wreck the show by damaging things or knocking things over,” says Amy.

     For example, in the middle of high jumping, possibly one of Pot Roast’s weaker events, he’ll knock down or steal the bars in attempt to gain the spotlight.

     Another crowd pleaser is a Rottweiler who goes by the nickname Slinger or The Great Slingerini in a new segment of the show where she performs magic tricks.  Here’s how it usually works: Without Slinger’s knowledge, an audience member chooses a numbered wooden dumbbell-like object and then pictures the number in his or her mind. Slinger is then asked to read the volunteer’s mind and seek out the correct dumbbell.

     How does she do it? It’s a magical secret that she has preformed flawlessly except for one time earlier this year when they were using bags of dog food instead of dumbbells. The audience member had chosen a bag of adult management pet food from President’s Choice^® , but apparently The Great Slingerini thought the cat food would make a much better choice for dinner.

     “We all kind of stood there stunned,” says Slinger’s owner, Sue Trout. “We didn’t know quite what to do or say. I’m sure I was 10 shades of red I was so embarrassed. But the crowd laughed. That’s the kind of thing where she tried so you can’t get down on her for that.”

     And none of the dogs in the show are ever punished for not performing correctly.

    “All of the SuperDogs^®  are trained using positive training and the dogs are not in trouble if they make a mistake,” says Amy. “A dog trained with correction and punishment might do something, but not with the joy these dogs do. You wouldn’t see dogs performing with their tails wagging and smiles on their faces. So if they make a mistake, we just roll with it.”

     Sue knows for a fact that Slinger not only enjoys, but looks forward to performing in SuperDogs^® . “This is a dog who doesn’t want to get up ‘til noon,” she laughs. “Honestly, she will not get up until noon unless you drag her off the bed. But anything that has to do with SuperDogs^® … that dog is right there raring to go no matter what time it is.”

     Slinger is the only Rottweiler in the show and is a positive example of the breed that is more often the subject of negative publicity.

     “There are a lot of good Rottweilers, but no one hears about the search and rescue Rottweilers who worked the Oklahoma City bombing or the 9/11 bombing. I like to put my dogs in the public spotlight and say, Hey, this is a truly loyal breed.  When raised and bred right, they can be one of the best pets you’d ever, ever want to own and generally they’re fabulous with kids.”

     Sue trains with Slinger six days a week although it may only be for 20 minutes or half an hour. But she also makes sure Slinger has lots of time to just be a dog.

     “There’s a fine line between overworking and having them be dogs,” she says. “They sleep on my bed, eat my leftovers and spit on my car windows. That’s life and that’s the way they are supposed to be. I want my dogs to be happy.”

     So how do these everyday dogs become SuperDogs^®? Many begin with training in other dog sports such as flyball, dock diving, agility, disc, rally and obedience. If they’re successful and enjoy the challenge, they may try out for SuperDogs^®  at the show’s open auditions and casting calls.

     “We’re looking for a dog who is not only a great athlete, but is comfortable around large crowds, music and lights,” says Amy. “You really do need a dog that is a showman.

     “There are absolutely dogs that understand when the show is on and they will perform differently.  They understand the audience cheers and applauding and they will play to that. The more people cheer and the louder people clap, the more fun these dogs have.”

     Surprisingly some of the best SuperDogs^®  have come from shelters or Humane Societies. In fact, 40 per cent of the dogs in the show have been adopted or rescued. 

     “I used to work at the Toronto Humane Society and so many of the dogs ended up there because they had too much energy for what the person wanted them for,” says Amy.  “But dogs like that are appealing to a Superdogs^®  cast member because we need dogs with endless energy that can run and jump, are willing to learn and have that sort of spunk.”

     And that’s exactly what Superdogs^®  cast member Shari Hunter discovered when she adopted a border collie/whippet from a shelter in Ontario. The pup had already been with six families before Shari rescued her. Although she’s now a retired Superdog^®at 14 years of age, Shari will never forget the day she tried out for the show in Aurora, Ontario.

     “They had a new event consisting of five high jumps in a row. My little rescue, Sarah, cleared 10 bars at the very end. She had never seen that many bars that high in a row. And she attempted it without hesitation. It was absolutely amazing to watch.”

     Her performance was rewarded with a trip to perform in SuperDogs^®  in Nashville two weeks later.

     Today, Shari has two Australian shepherds and a Jack Russell terrier in the show who all eagerly perform in all the events.

     “They love it,” she says. “As soon as they see me pack the car with the kennels they are at the door ready to go.”

     Of course, it’s not just the dogs who have all the fun. “I think it’s a lot of fun for the audience too,” she adds. “You don’t often get to see so many different breeds of dogs performing.”

     And you don’t have to be child to enjoy the SuperDogs^® . “Many adults come without children and they are some of our biggest fans,” says Amy. “You can see them cheering for their dog and rooting their team on as much as if not more than some of the kids.”

     Amy has four dogs in the show and despite participating for 12 years, she is always surprised and entertained by all the dogs — even her own. “I’ve seen Leap jump more times than I can count and I could still watch him forever,” she says.

     She also enjoys watching her Vizsla named Groovy, who is the troublemaker in Face Off. “She is trained to be naughty,” explains Amy. “She’s sent to the penalty box and when she gives the referee a hard time, the audience gets behind her and that’s always fun.”

     Although the event is for entertainment, Amy also hopes it may inspire other dog owners to spend a little more time with or increase their bond with their own pets.

     “All dogs have the ability to learn and train and do this,” she says. “But so much rests on the relationships we have with our dogs and acknowledging that they are an important part of people’s families. It’s important to enjoy your time with them whether that’s on stage or in your backyard.” 

When November rolls around, the President’s Choice^®Superdogs^® will be on the move again.  Back in Toronto for the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, from November 4^thto November 13^th, they have planned thirty exciting shows at Exhibition Place’s Direct Energy Centre, Hall D, plus a special Canine/Equine event in the Ricoh Coliseum on Saturday, November 12, at 1:30 p.m.  The President’s Choice^®Superdogs^® at the Royal – don’t miss it!  For more information, visit http://superdogs.com/ca_en/events.

Before the year is out, the Superdogs^® head south for two days of shows at the AKC National Championship in Orlando, Florida, on December 17^thand 18^th.  In the New Year, we’re off to Denver and Loveland, Colorado.  More about these shows can be found on the new American version of the Superdogs^®website at http://superdogs.com//main.  The Superdogs^® have performed for many years at the National Western Stock Show in Denver but the show at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland offers new challenges and excitement, and we look forward to it.

Our US website and the new French-language website, inaugurated today, are the latest proof that, as we take the show throughout Canada and the United States, we are also expanding our virtual horizons.  The President’s Choice^®Superdogs^®are always on the move – and so are the management and trainers who work behind the scenes.  Even between shows, considerable planning, organizing, looking forward, and expanding in new and surprising ways, ensures the perpetual success of the show itself as it moves around the continent and into the future. 

Performing pooches come to Coliseum October 29 

October 21, 2011 – There's Leap, who jumps so high he seems to fly, and Puff Daddy, who will impress with his agility.  Puff Daddy is one of The President's Choice^®   SuperDogs^®   .  Then there's Pot Roast and Mighty Mouse who - well, you just have to see them.

The President's Choice© SuperDogs^®   are rolling into town again, with their blend of humour, amazing feats and all around fun.

"We try to show a variety of dogs out there doing wonderful things," says Leonard Chase, the show's co-owner and producer.

"We are family entertainment. We are probably the only show in North America where someone at two and someone at 90 can come and enjoy it together. Everyone can relate to the dogs performing."

The SuperDogs^®   take over the Moncton Coliseum Oct. 29, with a show at 2 p.m. The famous pooches last visited Moncton four years ago.

About 30 dogs will be taking part in the Moncton show, including three or four local recruits.

The show started 35 years ago, and Chase says the dogs now entertain close to a million people a year at stops all across the country.

Chase says the show differs from an agility event where you would see only certain breeds of pure bred dogs.

"We have bull dogs, retrievers, chihuahuas, mixed breeds, poodles, old English sheepdogs," he says. "It has to be an assortment of dogs, the dogs you have at home."

Plus while agility events are all serious business, the SuperDogs^®   are all about entertaining, so the occasional flub is as welcome as the perfectly executed moves and the SuperDogs^®   carry it all out to lights and music.

Chase says about 40 per cent of the SuperDogs^®   have been adopted from shelters.

"Normally they are (at the shelter) because they are high energy, but those are the ones that make great SuperDogs^®  ," he says. "They want to go out and do stuff... It's how you challenge their energy. You have to make them secure and give them confidence and you have to love them, be kind, gentle and fair with them."

Chase says it takes about three years to train a SuperDog.^®  .

Chase says one of the main goals of the show is to demonstrate how much fun it can be to own a dog.

After every show the audience is invited down to meet the dogs and their handlers.

"To kids in the audience, these are super dogs - they are heroes," Chase says. "I always say everyone has been touched by a dog. There are only three types of people in our audience: they have a dog and think, 'My dog could do that,' they had a dog and this reminds them of Barney or Buck, or they want a dog and think, 'That is the type of dog I want.'

"And if you are not one of those people, then your uncle had a dog or a neighbour had a dog. When you think about it, it's usually the first time you talked to another species. The romance has been taken out of it because they are such normal things in our homes."

Because their goal is to be family entertainment, Chase says they try hard to keep prices low.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children and most merchandise is priced at between $5 and $20.

Tickets are available at the Moncton Coliseum box office, by calling the box office at 857-4100, or online at www.tickets.moncton.ca. 

The Markham shows took place on Friday.  Although it was a work day, the fair was packed, and the arrival of the President’s Choice SuperDogs^® did not go unnoticed.  With keen anticipation fans of the show bounded into the Livestock Arena, only to discover a structural oddity about the building – the stands line only one side of the performance ring, an unusual arrangement for the SuperDogs^® as well because they are used to audiences completely surrounding them.  But the SuperDogs^® love to perform no matter what: whether the ring is the size of a barn or the size of football field, they always run and jump without restraint.  As all three shows demonstrated, the embracing cheers of their fans inspired skilful, even comical, displays of athleticism.       

The next day, Saturday, brought more excitement – and more challenges.  The President’s Choice SuperDogs^® found themselves at University Stadium in Waterloo in front of a sold-out crowd of frenzied football fans.  The vibrant colours of the school uniforms, the remarkable displays of the cheer-leaders, and the antics of the home team mascot, all brought the fans to their feet – and so did the SuperDogs^®.  In just ten short minutes in front of yet another one-sided audience, the dogs showed off their own athletic prowess with energetic displays of Frisbee freestyle, puissance jumping, and relay racing.  Three cheers for the SuperDogs^® ! 

The President’s Choice^® SuperDogs^®, fresh from Toronto’s CNE and Vancouver’s PNE, have just finished a successful appearance at the 2011 International Plowing Match in Prescott-Russell, Ontario.  This coming weekend the SuperDogs^® will attend two more exciting events, the Markham Fall Fair in Markham, Ontario, on Friday, September 30, and a Wilfrid Laurier University football game in Waterloo, Ontario, on Saturday, October 1.  Whether as the highlight of a famous fair or as the half-time entertainment at a university game, the President’s Choice^® SuperDogs^® are always a thrilling diversion from the chores of the season.  Come cheer them on this weekend!

The Markham Fair, Canada’s largest four-day fall festival, runs from September 29 to October 2.  The President’s Choice^® SuperDogs^® will perform in the Livestock Arena three times on Friday – at 4 pm, 6 pm, and 8 pm.  The half-time show at Wilfrid Laurier University begins on Saturday at approximately 2:15 pm.  Tickets are available to the public at http://laurier.universitytickets.com.   

September 3, 2011 - During the season she wakes daily at 5 a.m. to boil hotdogs for her team.

After a quick bathroom break, the team naps while she continues preparing for the day's competition.

Trainer Lisa Sun's life is anything but conventional when her three pugs are performing with the President's Choice^®  Superdogs^®  at the PNE.

As the crowds cheer, her dogs sprint, jump, bob and weave their way through different activities.

Snap, Crackle and Pop's agility and speed betray their breed's sluggish reputation, but Sun has put in countless hours of work building and then honing their skills.

After spending one summer apprenticing, the six-year-old pugs are in their second year of performing at British Columbia's largest fair.

Sun and the dogs arrive at the Pacific Coliseum around 9 a.m. and begin practising for the noon show. The pugs elicit laughs from the raucous crowd and after their performance have a 10-minute "pat and chat" with crowds of adoring fans.

Then Sun gives them some downtime in their crate before it's back under the spotlights again at 2 p.m.

At 6 p.m. they start their last show of the day, but Sun says she often stays as late as 11 p.m. perfecting her team's canine stunts.

"They think it's a play day," Sun says of the dogs' demanding days. "They get more treats [at the PNE] than they ever do."

Sun, a Richmond native, started watching the Superdogs^®  when she was five and has been a spectator every year until she became part of the show.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience," she says. "I would do this for as long as they'd have me back."

Since first joining the PNE, Sun has performed with her pugs in Calgary, Edmonton and even went to a Newfoundland fair last November.

"I'm very lucky to have three little pugs with different skills," Sun says. "Anything they do makes the crowd laugh."

Snap is a big jumper and a fast runner who likes the racing events, while Pop's sense of rhythm allows him to compete in dancing events.