Life’s Ruff

LIFE’S RUFF 2011 IS A GAME SHOW THAT’S GONE TO THE DOGS!

Opening August 10TH, a show about dogs, people and the games they play

Chicago, IL – What happens when you take 12 formerly homeless dogs that have been adopted by humans who saw the pups’ potential when no one else did? You get twelve saved dogs—a wonderful thing. But what would happen if the humans who adopted those lucky dogs team up with a professional positive reinforcement trainer who teaches them how to train their furry charges to perform fun tricks? You get an entertaining, educational and gamely named show called Life’s Ruff.

Life’s Ruff2011 returns to the Gorilla Tango Theater-the dog-friendliest theater in all of Chicagoland-by popular demand after a two-year hiatus. Since a tough audition process during the cold days of winter, these dog-human teams have been practicing regularly in basements, church auditoriums and parks. They’ve been honing their commands, creating individualized routines, drilling trivia questions, all while dispensing treats for a job well done.

Life’s Ruff is the brainchild of positive reinforcement trainer Chris Dignan. His nonprofit organization, the Dog Saving Network, was created as a fun way to gently educate the public on the benefits of positive reinforcement training to curb the problem homeless dogs in our country face. By providing the basic training dogs need to succeed in their adoptive homes, not only are humans building strong bonds but they are also ensuring their dogs will lead happier, fulfilled lives.

Too often dogs are returned to shelters for behavior problems that can be fixed. The Dog Saving Network and LR2011 is dedicated to teaching as many people as possible how to turn that around. Audiences will learn about the joys of adoption, and the importance of spaying and neutering. But don’t expect any finger wagging. The only wagging will be of the tail variety. LR2011 is the only game in town where dogs and humans play basketball, spin the wheel, “answer” trivia questions and interact with the audience for cool prizes. LR2011 guarantees that each audience member leaves with a big smile, increased dog smarts and a desire to go out and spread the word about adoption and training. All of which will greatly improve chances that more dogs will be saved.

Life’sRuff2011 is hosted by Chris Dignan, who is a marine mammal trainer for the Shedd Aquarium by day. It’s directed by Anderson Lawfer, actor, writer and game show host in Chicago. He is the creator of The Game Show Show…and Stuff! and Theatre Wars! at Strawdog Theater. The show is a multimedia extravaganza sure to please all age groups.