By Meredeth Barzen
One of Animal Talent Pool's talented models poses for a headshot.
Admit it: You’re always staring down at your pooch’s adorable little mug, thinking ‘She’s so cute, she could be in commercials!’ Thinking it’s one thing, but dog moms and dads who are ready to make that lingering whim a reality call Debi Pool of Animal Talent Pool, a local animal modeling agency. So what’s it like to find the next big star to grace the kibble commercials?
Sidewalk Dog: How did Animal Talent Pool start?
Debi Pool: I worked for a photo studio for years and the photographer/director specialized in animals.
SD: Why did you choose Minnesota as your base of operations versus one of the coasts?
DP: I have lived in Minnesota all my life. I grew up in Winsted and my family still lives there. I grew up on a small farm and had animals to take care of: pigs, chickens, calves, my horse and dog.
SD: Do you have a dog? If so, has it done any professional work?
DP: I have a 15-year-old Malamute/Lab mix. She has done a lot of stand-in work when we need a dog for a test shot. She has also been in some Target ads in her younger years.
SD: How much of your work is with dogs versus other kinds of animals?
DP: We work mostly with dogs, but I have worked with everything from ants to elephants.
SD: Do you have a favorite campaign or project?
An image from a 1989 anti-smoking campaign for the MN Department of Health that Debi Pool worked on.
DP: I have worked on so many, it’s hard to say. My favorite one was many years ago. It was an anti-smoking campaign. We did a commercial to show how silly smoking looks by having animals smoke. (Not for real!) We had a deer, a chimp, a duck, a hippo and a number of other animals. Along with that, we did a poster of animal butts. At the end, it’s a snuffed out cigarette and it says ‘butts are gross.’ I have also supplied Target with puppies, such as the bull terrier you see on gift cards, in stores and on the web.
SD: If people think their dog would be a good model, what next step should they take?
DP: Send me a snapshot. If it is something I think a client would be interested in, I would call you in for a casting session. If you want to get your animal in modeling, you have to have a flexible schedule and your animal has to be very well trained.
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