
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 4, 1994                   TAG: 9403050006
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: wendi gibson richert
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

A ROLE FOR ROVER

All right, canine lovers. We've all heard you boast of your pet pooches' latest deeds, but in all honesty, we've never really believed you. Now you can prove it, though, when your wonder dog wins one of these two contests from dog food companies Ralston Purina and Ken-L Ration.

Purina seeks one shining star for a reprisal of its '70s Chuck Wagon dog food commercials. The pup that can best charm the judges by performing three tricks - ``sit,'' ``fetch'' and ``speak'' - plus a neat trick of its own choosing, is the star. The winner dog will get $1,000 and a role chasing the chuck wagon around the set. Four runners-up lose the stardom, but get a thousand bucks each anyway.

To receive how-to-enter information, call (800) DOG-TIPS and leave your name and address at the tone. You'll also hear recorded training tips from pet expert Warren Eckstein.

OK, so what if your pet is clueless in the tricks department? Ken-L Ration doesn't care. Your pet does have to be pretty heroic, though, to be named Dog Hero of the Year. The 1993 winner is Weela, an American pit bull terrier from Imperial Beach, Calif. Weela saved 30 people, 29 dogs, 13 horses and one cat over a three-month period during flooding in her part of Southern California last winter. Top that.

To receive entry information, send a business-sized self-addressed, stamped envelope to Dog Hero Guidelines, P.O. Box 1370, Barrington, Ill. 60011.

May the best pup win.

by CNB