Fort Hood's star attraction: Entertainers, TV shows pay visits to base - Fort Worth Star Telegram

By Jeremy Schwartz

Cox Newspapers

FORT HOOD -- The Dog Whisperer was running late -- autograph-seeking soldiers had slowed his exit from an on-post food court -- and the soldiers of the 178th Military Police Detachment were buzzing with anticipation.

Cesar Millan, whose show about training recalcitrant dogs is a cable TV favorite, had been at Fort Hood all week, filming an episode with Army families and visiting with troops.

The Army's hardened dog handlers and trainers, many of whom were veterans of deployments to Iraq, were eager to show the TV star around their military dog facility.

"I'm a dog trainer, so Cesar is like Michael Jordan for me," said Sgt. 1st Class Felix Cook, a gregarious kennel master whose wife came along with her camera. "We've had some celebrities here, but I told my wife, who I really want to meet is the Dog Whisperer."

Millan is just the latest celebrity to pass through the gates of Fort Hood.

In the past few months, Kiss frontman Gene Simmons has attended a deployment ceremony as part of his reality show Family Jewels, cast members from the FX show Sons of Anarchy joined a motorcycle safety ride, and the crew from ABC's Extreme Home Makeover built a house in Salado for a soldier wounded in the Nov. 5, 2009, mass shooting at the post and arranged a dream wedding with his fiancee.

Up next is a visit from country music star Billy Ray Cyrus and the filming of an episode of the Lifetime series Coming Home.

Ken Hawes, chief of the Army's Public Affairs Western Region office in Los Angeles, which serves as a liaison with Hollywood, said other posts also get regular visits.

"Each of our military installations is different and has a story to tell," Hawes said. "We use these entertainment shows to tell that story."

The Army offers Hollywood not just access to Army facilities but also technical assistance, equipment help and research for filmmakers, TV producers and documentarians working on military-based projects.

But the offer of help comes with some strings: The Army must approve scripts, and productions "must help increase public understanding of the Armed Forces and the Department of Defense" and "should help Armed Forces recruiting and retention programs," according to Defense Department policy. Army officials also review rough drafts, give advice to scriptwriters and suggest changes.

Hawes said that occasionally his office turns down requests.

"If we get a script that is not a positive portrayal of the troops and the filmmaker is adamant in not working with us," they pass, he said. "We're not going to help him tell an unfavorable story about the troops."

When it came to the Dog Whisperer episode, Army officials saw a chance to highlight Army families in a positive way. Throughout the week, Millan worked with a border collie mix named Patches, who was afraid of Army uniforms. And at the military dog training facility, he met dogs suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and the soldiers who bonded with them while at war. A three-man film crew trailed behind, capturing the moments for the American public.

Millan said he was happy to help soldiers and their families take better control of their pets.

"It's an honor to help people who helped me to live in this country," said Millan, who was born in Mexico. "To me, it's just something I want to do."

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The “Original” Dog Whisperer visits Bay area for Benefit - PR Web (press release)

Soquel, CA (PRWEB) June 02, 2011

Paul Owens, internationally acclaimed dog trainer and best-selling author, will present a program on nonviolent dog training “Solving Puppy and Dog Behavior Problems” on Wednesday, June 8 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. as a benefit for the Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel, California.

Owens, often referred to as the “original” Dog Whisperer, is known for his compassion-based training methods and is the author of the books, The Dog Whisperer, The Puppy Whisperer and The Dog Whisperer Presents Good Habits for Great Dogs. He is also featured in two dog training DVDs, The Dog Whisperer, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.

Does your dog exhibit annoying or unwanted behaviors such as begging, chasing, chewing, digging, excessive barking, house soiling, jumping, running away, or stealing? At this special evening event, Owens will share methods to correct a dog’s unwanted behaviors and bad habits in a loving, kind and compassionate way—and he will also explain how to correct human behaviors that inadvertently cause a dog’s unwanted bad habits. Attendees are invited to bring their dog training issues to the class and get advice on how to correct them; however, this is a class for humans only.

Owens will also share his background as a spiritual seeker in India in the 1970s and explain how he later applied the compassion teachings he learned there to the field of dog training.

Land of Medicine Buddha is a non-profit retreat center located in Santa Cruz County offering Buddhist classes and retreats, as well as personal retreats. The benefit will fund improvements to the retreat center’s handicap accessibility ramps and a portion of the proceeds will also support local animal charities. Workshop attendees can purchase Owens’ books and have them autographed after the event.

This benefit presentation will be held at Land of Medicine Buddha at 5800 Prescott Road in Soquel, California. The cost is $30 for the presentation only or $45 for the presentation plus a delicious vegetarian dinner served at 6:00 p.m. (for those who pre-register by June 7). Included in the evening will be a raffle for participants with prizes, including a $50 dog-training coupon from BingoDogs, free dog treats, and a free dog exam from Capitola Veterinary Hospital.

Registrations can be made by calling 831-462-8383 or online at ww.landofmedicinebuddha.org
More information on Paul Owens and his work is available at http://www.RaiseWithPraise.com.

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