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Hopewell Junction native Jill Viggiani, who now is the owner and head trainer at MotoDog Training in Huntington, Vermont, will appear on “America’s Top Dog” with her 6-year-old purebred boxer Moto this week.
The episode featuring Viggiani - a 1993 graduate of John Jay High School in East Fishkill - is scheduled to air at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 29 on A&E Network.
The show features police canines and their handlers being put up against civilian dogs and their trainers in a three-round obstacle course.
The winning team receives $10,000 each week and a $5,000 bonus to donate to a charity supporting animals. The courses are designed to challenge the dogs’ teamwork with their owners, their agility, and other abilities.
According to A&E, “in each episode of "America's Top Dog," four teams of top K9 police dogs and one civilian ‘underdog’ —along with their handlers—compete through a massive, three-round obstacle course that challenges their unique set of skills.
From chasing down suspects and delivering a takedown bite, to tracking down scents and leaping over walls, the competitors must draw on every aspect of their training and the strong bond and trust between dog and handler.”
The show’s creators worked with the Los Angelos Police Department and other top experts to ensure that the course was “safe and fun for dogs and their handlers, but still offered an intense challenge.”
Challenges include a rope bridge, a 46-foot pool, a fire escape a scenting challenge in a 3,000-square-foot maze and both the trainers and dogs will be up against a running clock.
“The bonds of love and partnership between a handler and his or her dog is truly special, and ‘America’s Top Dog’ showcases this in a thrilling and enjoyable way," Viggiani said in a statement. "Moto and I trained very hard together and we can’t wait to show the world Moto’s abilities.”
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