Wild, Wild World of Animals (July 2008)

Jeff Pfeiffer

18 years ago

greatest american dog Posted by RabbitEars

This month’s premieres and new episodes that may be of interest to you animal lovers:

Greatest American Dog — CBS, July 10. This new reality competition series pits 12 teams of dogs and owners from across the country against each other in challenges that test the dogs, and perhaps the people even more, as they must prove their ability to have their pet effectively trained. Like many other reality shows, these teams will also be living together. If you think things got pretty chaotic in The Real World households, try putting 12 pooches in the same living area. And like The Real World, the dogs all have their differences and unique personalities — some are “pageant dogs,” while others are home-trained. From there, you know the standard reality drill: Each week, one dog and owner will be eliminated (from competition, not literally), until the last remaining team gets to roll around in a $250,000 cash prize. Popular TV animal expert Jarod Miller hosts the proceedings, with dog pros Wendy Diamond, Allan Reznik and Victoria Stilwell (It’s Me or the Dog) serving as judges.

Animal Planet Dog Championships: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania — Animal Planet, July 12. Dogs from around the country compete yet again for the title of Best in Show. (In HD)

Dog Whisperer: Fear of Dogs — National Geographic Channel, July 18. Although Ernesto Robles’ four children constantly pester him to get a dog, Ernesto’s fear of canines stemming from a childhood incident is a big obstacle to this. Can Cesar help him overcome his phobia? (In HD)

Dog Whisperer: My Life on the Dog List — National Geographic Channel, July 25. Bravo star Kathy Griffin seeks Cesar’s help with getting her two rambunctious rescue dogs under control. (In HD)

Sharkville — National Geographic Channel, July 25. Scientist Ryan Johnson is on a quest to film the spectacular night-feeding behavior of South Africa’s notorious great white sharks. (In HD)

Rolex Superstars of Show Jumping — Animal Planet, July 26. Reigning Olympic, World, European and Aachen horse-jumping champions compete against each other in this event. Over four rounds, each rider first rides their own horse, and then rides each of their competitor’s horses. Defending U.S. champ Beezie Madden is among the competitors. (In HD)

Shark Week 2008 — Discovery Channel, July 27-Aug. 2. The summertime favorite is back for its 21st year, featuring six new programs. MythBusters: Shark Special (July 27) finds hosts Adam and Jamie investigating myths about sharks, as well as building a 16-foot-long robo-shark. In Surviving Sharks (July 28), “Survivorman” Les Stroud learns how to play it safe in the water, and tests popular theories of how to survive shark encounters. Day of the Shark (July 28) chronicles six recent shark attacks that took place at different times of day, to determine if day or night is safer for swimming. Dirty Jobs: Shark Special (July 29) finds Mike Rowe traveling to the Arctic Circle in search of the Greenland shark. How Not to Become Shark Bait (July 29) tests shark attraction theories and informs viewers on how to be safe in the water. And Mysteries of the Shark Coast (July 31) is a two-hour visit to Australia’s northeastern coast, home to more species of sharks than anywhere in the world, to find out why many of them are now disappearing. (In HD)

Wild China — Animal Planet, July 30. Coming from the filmmakers behind Planet Earth, you know this should be pretty cool. The special is an exploration into China’s rare and surprising wildlife, including never-before-filmed images of giant pandas, crested ibis, snow leopards, Siberian tigers and Bactrian camels. (In HD)

Dog Whisperer: Canine 9-1-1 — National Geographic Channel, Aug. 1. A chronicle of two dogs picked from an Orange County audition to work with Cesar. (In HD)

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Shark Week 2008: Credit: David Fleetham/Mira.com/drr.net

Wild China: Credit: Animal Planet/BBC