Bensalem Police Dog To Be On TV Show Feb. 19

BENSALEM, PA — A Bensalem police dog and his handler now know when they'll get their chance to shine on national television.

Bowie and his handler, Bensalem Township Police Officer Robert Schwarting, will be featured Wednesday, Feb. 19, on the A&E show "America's Top Dog."

The show, on which well-trained dogs and their handlers compete, debuted last month.

Bowie and Schwarting have earned numerous awards in local and regional competitions. The producers of "America's Top Dog" chose them to represent the east coast on the show.

When it's their turn, they'll be competing for top honors, as well as $10,000 and $5,000 for the animal charity of their choice. Each week's top finishers will return for a final round of competition, during which they'll vie for the "America's Top Dog" title and an additional $25,000 prize.

On the show, police dogs and one civilian agility dog compete on a K9 obstacle course built to represent real-world situations. They are tested on speed, agility, and teamwork by completing a series of expert tasks on a massive obstacle course including navigating a complex maze for scented items and apprehending and taking down a suspect in a bite suit, among a variety of other challenges.

"America's Top Dog" airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on A&E.