They just asked if I would please give it a fair review, which I'm about to do. If you'd like to see a preview of the new show, DOGS OF WAR, watch it here. Then scroll down for my review.
My family all got together on Saturday evening and watched the premiere episode and 3/4 of us enjoyed it. You can guess which 1/4 of us thought it was 'okay, but I'm not sure how they're going to make a series out of it.'
The show features Iraq war veteran Jim Stanek who has returned home from the war suffering from PTSD. He has heard that therapy dogs are extremely helpful to veterans in his situation, but what he didn't realize was the cost (anywhere from $10-$60K) and the amount of time it takes to be paired with a therapy dog. He starts his own non-profit organization called Paws and Stripes, in which he rescues dogs from kill-shelters, and pairs them up with veterans in the same situation that he was in when he came home from the war.
The first episode tells the story of Army PFC Michael Spillar. Michael suffers not only from PTSD but a laundry list of physical ailments and psychological issues such as sleepwalking, tremors, anger issues and night terrors. Upon their first meeting, Jim and Michael bond over finding out that they were both in the 82nd Airborne Division. Jim knows how badly Michael needs the assistance of a therapy dog and makes it his mission to pair him up with just the right one.
The cameras follow Michael and his family as they take a trip into their little town and every sound he hears and every experience that Michael goes through is jaw-clenchingly hard for him. He says at one point "I'd rather have my leg just blown off, to show that something's wrong with me." PTSD isn't something that you can see like a rash or a cut.
Jim goes to the dog park at the Humane Society to watch the trainers at work with several dogs, hoping that one of them will be a perfect fit for Michael. It is at this point that I realize that I'm so much happier watching a show where someone truly cares about rescuing a dog from a shelter AND helping a vet see his way clear with the use of a therapy dog. I'd rather watch something like this, with a positive outcome for everyone involved than to watch people stranded on an island plotting against one another for a million dollar prize.
I won't give away what happens or whether or not Jim finds a good matching therapy dog for Michael, you'll have to tune in and see for yourself. But I will tell you this: I really enjoyed watching this premiere episode and will be tuning in again when the show moves to Sunday nights at 10:00 p.m. EST on A&E starting next Sunday 11/16.
*Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post, but they are sending me some cool DOGS OF WAR bandanas for my dogs. Both dogs are happy about the free swag, but that in no way influenced my review.
I'm going to have to watch this. And I totally agree with you---would much rather watch this than a lot of the garbage reality shows on TV.
ReplyDeletemy name is patti l noble I have watchany thing that was broadcast about any thing about the dogs of war your sister stations anmiale planet and discovery have had several of thes informative programs also. even though i am leadully blind i have ben training dogs for the past 40 years i started when i was nine. i trained plenty of friends and of our famiels dogs the serious training started when i entered 7th drade i recieved my first guide dog puppy his name was tweed he grew up to become a 95lbs black lad you could show him something and by the 6th time you showed him what you wanted him to do he had it nailed down and was ready to go on to the next task.i had my own service dog dasie fore 12/5 years the harnessthat she was trained to i just had on her fore reasons that were required. i traind her how to do all of the harness commands through her leash. i noticed when i watched your preview show. that you used bait also called treats. when your dog trainers were working with the gi;s and the dogs how become a team. it can take as long as a year for that to happen by the way. i realy like the treat method of training but unless you have a bait bag in your pocket or around your neck that is not a practial way sometimes.you can also do clicker training or you can carry a small squeaky toy. you give the comand and if your dog does what you have asked you first treat,click,or squeak the toy. when they become fummiular withe clicker noise or the sound of the toy you can stop the food reward.our guide dog instructor said he did not care if we were telling our dogs knock dogs in yedish do not stop talking to them untill you have a good strong working bound the reason you talked to them was so that they became famiular with your words voice twones and what you expected frome. if they blew an exercize comaly keep reapeting that exerrcise even if you had to repeat this process 100 or more times tso that they new you would not give up on them. i intend on watching and recording this whole series and i have already let all of my fellow dog lovers about it. thank you patti l noble my email is qazpatti@gmail.com.
DeleteThe crap on TV is beyond ridiculous. I do hope that the ratings for this show are good and hopefully it'll bring about attention to this situation and help some folks out who could really use the help.
DeleteI hope they put this on TV in the UK, it'll definitely have me crying like a little girl regularly.
ReplyDeleteI'll send tissues, Jamie. Lots of them.
DeleteNo idea this was even on, Teri! My husband would LOVE it, I think--can't wait to tell him about it :)
ReplyDelete