Bonnie Buchanan is a talent agent for the stars! Animal stars that is! Dogs in print ads, in TV ads, on greeting cards and in movies as well as other areas.

The first thing Elizabeth and I noticed when we walked in the Bon-Clyde Training Center in Sanford, NC last weekend were the posters and ads on the walls. There are ads for mobile phones, banks and more all featuring dogs from Bonnie’s agency, frequently Bonnie’s own Border Collies.

Gracie being filmed

Elizabeth and I were spending the weekend in Sanford so that Elizabeth could attend a handling seminar, Only 15 Points to Go, given by Greg Strong. (She had a great time and learned a lot but that’s another article.) The seminar was held in the spacious and well appointed training facility which has classes for obedience, handling, agility and acting.

Acting? For Dogs? Yep!

I had some time to spare so I talked to Bonnie about her acting classes, her clients and her talent agency. She shared some experiences and demoed some talent for me.

Where do all those dogs we see on movies and in TV and in ads come from? Sanford, NC? Yes, some do and some come from NY, CA and VA and Bonnie represents lots of them.

Do you think your dog has what it takes to be a great actor or model. Some basic behaviors needed are stays with distractions, coming reliably in every situation, holding various positions. Some of the things Bonnie teaches dogs in her acting classes are using their paw, using their nose, backing up, crawling, holding a variety of things, using different expressions and chaining a group of behaviors together.

If you think your dog is up to the challenge, fill out Bonnie’s Talent Search form HERE and submit it to her agency. For more information on Bonnie’s Talent Agency or her Bon-Clyde Training Center, go HERE

I hope to see your dog in a starring role soon!

Dani