Dogs appearing in television commercials must first master basic obedience and indicate a strong desire to please. Then they must be able to cope with intense training and the stress of working on location in front of cameras, strangers and perhaps other dogs.

All those fun things you see dogs do on screen take many weeks of professional training to achieve effortless, natural-looking results. There is more to canine stardom than just a pretty face.

If your dog is especially photogenic, you might consider entering photos of it in a photography contest. Photography contests pop up everywhere. They may be sponsored nationally by dog magazines or manufacturers of dog products, or locally by camera shops, libraries, schools or humane societies. Be on the lookout for contest announcements and ask friends to help.

Author(s): McLennan, Bardi
Publication: Dog Fancy
Issue Date: October 1994