Dog Gone Wild in TV Land

Preparing for the Wild World of Animals on Live TV 

by Anna Hovind

Chihuahua Blowing Kiss LIVE

In the world of TV news, it’s pretty common knowledge that the two most challenging groups to work with on camera are kids and animals because they can be a little, let’s say, unpredictable. So when I recently traveled to New York to work on a satellite media tour with the ASPCA, I was more than a little bit nervous about what was in store because we were going to have a dog in the studio. 

The Checklist: 

Our team collectively tried to anticipate every possible scenario of how to keep our canine guest contented, bending over backwards to anticipate the dog’s every need. Food and water? Check. Doggie treats? Check. Piddle pads? Check and double check. In short, we did everything humanly possible to set the stage for an unpredictable and potentially skittish pooch.

Deep Breaths: 

On the morning of the tour as we waited for our canine star to arrive, everyone was filled with anticipation and more than a little bit of trepidation. Would this pooch be too frisky for live TV?  Would there be a doggie “accident?”  Or two?  Would the pup be camera-friendly, or beastly?

Our questions were answered when a petite, perky pooch arrived ready for her SMT close-up.  Her name was Mara -- an adorable, tawny Chihuahua mix whose tongue was just a teensy bit too big for her mouth. At rest, it protruded between her teeth, making her look like she was blowing “raspberries.”  Mara arrived with her very own handler, a seasoned ASPCA volunteer whose job was to take the dog on walks during long breaks between interviews, and to be sure the little pooch had ample access to food and drink.

Our canine cutie’s mission during the SMT was to serve as a living testament to the awesome animals available for adoption at local shelters, and to encourage the viewing public to make adoption their first option. And boy, did she do her job!  She performed like a real pro during the interviews: no stage fright, yipping, nipping or answering the call of nature in the studio.  Well… there was ONE time that she tossed her kibbles immediately after an interview ended.  Thankfully, that graphic scene literally wound up on the studio floor, instead of live TV.  

The Unexpected Happens: 

For those of us behind the scenes, the biggest relief was that instead of having a furry drama queen in the studio, Mara was really mellow. That was a blessing considering she would be on camera for a series of interviews that began at 7 am and continued until 1 pm, with several “bio breaks” in between.  As the morning wore on, Mara actually got a little too relaxed on camera.  

Snoozing on LIVE TV

At one point, she fell asleep during an interview, with that little pink tongue sticking way out of her mouth and a paw thrust carelessly into the arms of the spokeswoman. For all intents and purposes, it looked like she had passed on to that great dog park in the sky.

Those of us watching the TV monitor in the green room erupted in peals of laughter, and when the interview ended, our normally calm, cool and collected producer burst from the studio doubled over in hysterics. The rest of the in-studio support team emerged, with tears streaming down their cheeks from stifling their guffaws during the interview. Like I said, kids and animals are always unpredictable.

Sleeping Beauty Adopted: 

The best news of the day, though, is that Mara touched so many hearts in TV land. By the end of the tour, two of the people in our control room were ready to adopt her, and she also had multiple offers from the crew members and producers at several stations that took part in our tour.

So, mission accomplished, Mara!  Here’s hoping that you’ve found your forever home, and that you’ve helped many others just like you find the happiness they deserve.

Anna Hovind is an Executive Producer with Firstline Creative & Media in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to Firstline, Anna worked as an anchor at CNN, appearing on Headline News, CNN International, CNN Airport Network and CNN Radio. She can be found on LinkedIn.