YOUR SPACE: Dog owner hopes ‘Bark for Barack' wins a trip

First came Obama Girl.

Now meet Obama dog.

Juneau the sheltie barks for Barack.

Sebrena Forrest taught her dog the trick to make his voice heard, even if it isn't at the polls.

In the trick, the dog chomps down on a sheep toy symbolizing the American voter and lets out a growl directed at the GOP.

If that sounds like something you might see on David Letterman's "Stupid Pet Tricks," there's a good reason: Juneau is trying out for a spot in the "Late Show" limelight - and so can your dog, cat, bird or whatever.

Talent scouts from Letterman's show will be at Shops at Briargate from 2 to 4 p.m Saturday to videotape pets vying for an all-expenses-paid family trip to New York City.

The free auditions are part of a daylong pet fest to raise money for Safe Place, a rescue that finds homes for the pets of terminally ill people.

(For information: 719-359-0201; info@safeplacepets.org; http://safeplaceco.org/events.htm)

They have three minutes to deliver the trick," Safe Place spokeswoman Joanne Bonicelli says.

Forrest says Democrats and Republicans have been telling her for four years that her Bush-bashing dog should be on "Stupid Pet Tricks." The trick dates back to the 2004 Bush-Kerry campaign as a way for the 51-year-old Army veteran and American Indian singer/storyteller to express her feelings against the president's stance on the war in Iraq.

"I got to thinking voters have a sheep mentality of let's-just-follow-the-leader-and-not-ask-questions. So I developed it with my dog," she says.

The original trick went something like this: Forrest says, "OK, here's the story of the little American voter," and she jiggles the sheep toy to represent the voter walking to the polls. When she states the voter is on the way to vote for President Bush, "Juneau grabs that thing and growls."

When she says the voter is a Democrat, Juneau changes his tune and barks approvingly.

She's still working on teaching the 7-year-old dog the names of this year's candidates for Saturday's audition. Juneau barks on cue when she says Barack Obama, but she can't get the same forceful growl for John McCain as he made for George Bush.
"He doesn't like the sound of that name. I'd like to say it is instinctual," she says. "I think a lot of dogs are mostly Democrats. They like everybody and understand that some people are more needy than others and need a little help."

She says the act gets the nod from her Republicans friends. "They think the trick is amusing and harmless."

Forrest, who has a disabling sleep disorder, has a dual motive for trying to get Juneau to New York: She wants to visit her dad in Vermont.

"I haven't seen him in 15 years. I can't afford a ticket and I can't drive for that long of a period - I lose cognitive abilities and concentration. It would be a hop, skip and a jump to Bennington from the Letterman show."

She got Juneau as a pup because of her ailment.

"The doctor said I would do better with canine companionship. When I went to the breeder, the snow was blowing in swirls. My friend said, ‘Gosh, I haven't seen snow like this since I was in Juneau,' and he picked his little head and ears up. He liked the sound of the word."

Good thing she didn't name him George.

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Tell me your stories: 636-0253 or andrea.brown@gazette.com