Super Pet Expo a howling success despite snowstorm
BY JAY BODAS
Staff Writer

JAY BODAS Craig Rogers throws a Frisbee to his dog, Riggs, at the Coca-Cola Classic K-9 show at last weekend’s Super Pet Expo at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison.

EDISON — Whoever said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks never met Chanda-Leah, a 12-year-old champagne-colored toy poodle from Canada.

The pet, headlined as “The World’s Smartest Dog,” was at the Super Pet Expo at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center this past weekend. Her repertoire of tricks ranges from balancing a tea cup on her head to fetching a tissue when someone sneezes.

“Chanda-Leah is in the Guinness Book of World Records for most tricks performed by a dog and currently knows 1,094 tricks,” said owner and trainer Sharon Robinson. The two traveled from Hamilton, Ontario, for the show.

The poodle is also a television show veteran. She has appeared on “The Maury Povich Show,” “Live with Regis and Kathy Lee,” the “Tonight Show” with Jay Leno and “The Late Show” with David Letterman.

Robinson says she started performing with her dog as a way to give back to the community. Now, she does the shows purely for charity.

“I bring Chanda to nursing homes, children’s hospitals, and schools,” Robinson said. “We do a whole hour of tricks. I wanted to do something to brighten up people’s lives, and to watch a kid smile and [laughter] is the best thing. I am retired now, and I give away every penny Chanda makes.”

Earlier the same day, the Tinton Falls Police Department demonstrated their K-9 unit. They practiced ordering their dogs to chase after and apprehend an actor portraying a suspect they were seeking to arrest.

“We are one of about 10 K-9 units in our area,” said Sgt. Jerry Turning, who has been a handler and trainer for more than seven years. “Our job is to find things from criminals to lost Alzheimer’s patients to guns discarded in the woods. We once found a missing autistic girl from a neighboring town, and we located her a half-mile from her house. Of all the things we do, finding a missing person, that’s what it’s all about.”

The demonstrations were just part of the two-day show. The expo hall was filled with exhibitors who peddled pet-related products and services. Some booths offered pets that were up for immediate adoption. One vendor showed off his devices for disabled pets.

“We try to teach people there is an alternative,” said Mark Robinson, founder of HandicappedPets.com. “I started the company about two years ago, mostly because I had to put my dog to sleep due to K-9 epilepsy, because I didn’t know of the alternatives. We have pet safety belts that will protect a dog in the car, and we also have wheelchairs for dogs. There is also a discussion board on our Web site where thousands of people discuss pet-related issues.”

The owner of a K-9 hero from the 9/11 terrorist attacks was not far away in a neighboring booth.

Scott Shields, the former director of Marine Safety for the New York City Urban Parks Search and Rescue Team, was at the expo with his golden retriever Theodore. His dog is the son of Bear, the first search-and-rescue dog to arrive on the scene of the World Trade Center collapse on the morning of Sept. 11.

“Bear was the most decorated dog in the world,” Shields said. “I ran the first search-and-rescue teams into the World Trade Center, and Bear was the only dog there for hours. He found both the fire chief and a fire commissioner who were trapped in the rubble.”

Bear died in 2002 from injuries he suffered that morning.

Shields wrote a book about the experience titled “Bear: Heart of a Hero,” with all profits from its sale going toward funding search-and-rescue teams. He now goes wherever disaster work calls him. Most recently, he and Theodore traveled to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina struck, where they were able to help thousands of people escape the flooded city.

After two days of exhibits, the expo’s Sunday session was canceled due to the blizzard that hit the entire Northeast. But despite the unexpected weather conditions, the show was a success, according to SuperPetExpo.com President Eric Udler, who organized the event.

“This is New Jersey’s No. 1 pet show,” Udler said. “I wanted to organize an event where pet owners could get together, shop for pet products, and have a good time. We promote proper pet ownership and adoption in a fun-filled family experience. This is our sixth year, and thousands come. After all, where else can you do all this in the winter?”