Interview with trainer Christine Mahaney, Part 1

Christine Mahaney was working part-time as a  paralegal when she and her rescued Border Collie, Toula, won Petco's America's Most Talented Pet contest. Since then, Christine has become one of the most sought-after on-set trainers in the Mid-west and Toula is currently starring opposite Johnny Depp in Michael Mann's "Public Enemies."

L: How did you get started working on TV and movie sets?

C: It all started with winning America’s Most Talented Pet contest with Petco.

L: Really? Wow! You didn’t even consider that beforehand?

C: Well, I dreamed of it. I actually worked as a paralegal. I’ve been training dogs my whole life. I always loved watching movies with dogs and the behaviors they got the dogs to do. Living in Michigan, you just don’t have those opportunities. You can dream it, but can you live it?

I went down to the store and stayed up till 3 in the morning getting my props ready – I didn’t even know what I was doing or what order, which probably worked better for Toula and I, because you have to just roll with it when you work with dogs.
We went in there – won first place [local], and then we won the top 12 – and then we won. So – it was really from the Petco competition that got us out got us out there.

When Mahaney flew out to LA to do to the photo shoot, (FYI: Toula flew “Celebrity Status” – which was available to Toula specifically because she was going out to LA to work on a job) she also took the opportunity to meet with the owner of Paws for Effect, an animal agency. They immediately asked Mahaney if she wanted to work with them.

That was in Nov 2007. By April, Mahaney was training a a 12-week old dog for them to use in film and commercials. After that, as more jobs became available in the Midwest, Mahaney worked more and more.

L: Do you, then generally work with dogs that are provided by the company?

C: It just depends. It’s about 50 / 50. Right now I’m working on a movie for Disney Pixar in Chicago. That’s a private party animal that I located. They wanted a bulldog. It really depends on what the script calls for.

For “Public Enemies” they wanted a Border Collie. Now, Toula is not a typical-looking BC. She doesn’t have the white blaze – but she fit the part.