Home » Feature » Animal Planet
‘Top Dog’ rises to top of TV pack
Print Edition
The new television show “Top Dog,” the first original TV dog show of its type in China, has become popular among viewers in Shanghai.
The doggie variety show and competition produced in Shanghai, which debuted on Shanghai-based Dragon TV early last month, has achieved high ratings and got dog lovers talking.
The first episode won the top spot for the 10pm time slot on 32 provincial satellite TV stations, according to CSM Media Research.
“My family has never missed any episode of this show since it was first broadcast (on January 8) because it is both interesting and impressive,” says Zhang Xiaopin, a 43-year-old kindergarten teacher.
The show aims to demonstrate many different abilities of the dogs that are featured and includes seven big events like jumping, waiting, ball-catching and discipline in refusing food to test their agility, submissiveness, balance and speed.
The canine competitor that wins the final match will be invited to participate in the Crufts Dog Show 2014, an annual show in Britain that is comprised of different events, according to “Top Dog” organizers.
The eligibility requirements are simple.
Regardless of the breed or species, every kind of dog with a legal dog license and health certificate is welcome to take part in the show, organizers say, It is a perfect chance for mixed-breed and untrained dogs to show what they can do, they say.
Several people who have enrolled their dogs say they are participating not so much for awards or glory, but for reasons such as “broadening dog’s mind or gaining more experience for ourselves and the dog.”
“Through this show, we want to find a suitable partner for our dog, Simba, a three-year-old golden retriever,” says dog owner Lin Peng, who works in a foreign company as a senior manager.
Lin’s family is made up of dog aficionados. They raise two dogs and treat them as family members. Their two-year-old daughter views the dogs as siblings.
Lin’s wife, Zhou Furong, believes that humans and dogs can live harmoniously with each other. She criticizes families that abandon their dogs when the woman gets pregnant.
“Many people are concerned that the dogs have worms and fleas, or will do harm to pregnant women or small children,” she says. “But based on my personal experience, their concern seems to be unwarranted, as long as the owners are careful about canine hygiene.”
Despite having a small flat where they cannot raise a dog, Zhang and her family still understand the intimate affection and inseparable relationship between many dogs and their owners, she says.
“Dogs are pretty much like your children, which makes you joyful at their every sign of progress and anxious about their every minor setback,” she says.
According to A Lang, a professional dog trainer in Shanghai, dog owners should raise their pets more rationally so as not to spoil them.
He also indicates that appropriate rewards and exercise improve the dogs’ ability and enhance the enjoyment between human beings and animals as is shown in “Top Dog.”
“Top Dog” is on at 10pm on Wednesdays on Dragon TV. Anyone who wants to sign up for the show should visit http://zt.hisports.com/topDog_index.html to download the application form and send it to topdog@smg.sh.cn.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
