I've always considered myself somewhat of an "early adopter" of new technology and such. I like to try things to see how nifty they are, or more important, if they offer more convenience. Skype is one such technology service. I've been using Skype for years. It is an amazing service that allows people to communicate easily for free via the internet. It is sort of like Star Trek or the Jetsons. In my prior career I had a remote employee who lived in another state. I used Skype to "meet" with that person every day, and would even bring my laptop to other meetings so the remote person could be part of meetings in our main office.
But Skype also comes in handy for private use. I use it to talk to my nieces who live 3,000 miles away. Being so young, it is nice to be able to see them as they grow and develop. When I visited the Harry Potter Wizarding World in Orlando, FL recently, I used Skype on my iPhone to call my niece and give them a live, inside tour of the park. It was a real hit with them!
Since I travel a fair amount I use Skype to stay in touch with the goings-on back in Palm Springs. Namely, the poodles. I log into Skype from either my laptop of iPhone and, and the both Sheldon and Duncan recognize the sound of the Skype "ring". While in Asia recently, I called home to chat, and while Sheldon and Duncan were each on Skype, I took a snapshot of the Skype window. Here are the photos of each one on Skype:
As you can see, they know enough to come to the laptop screen to look at me. The funny thing is watching them sniff the air, in the direction of my face on the screen. Dogs use their sense of smell more than just sight- so despite hearing my voice, and seeing my face, they instinctively want to detect me by my scent as well. Sheldon has been known to look behind the laptop screen, to see if I am there, which if awfully cute, don't you think? It makes me happy to be able to see the kids and talk to them. So for that alone, Skype has become a valuable communication tool in this age. What about you? Do you use Skype much?
Calling all Pet Lovers! If you love pets and you love the Wheel of Fortune TV game show, this is THE week for you to watch! The venerable game show theme starting today is 'Pet Lover's Week'. I'm especially thrilled because our very own Tillman, the world famous skateboarding, snowboarding, skimboarding and surfing bulldog is being featured on the show. It was such a thrill to see Tillman do his thing yet again on national television. People always get a kick out of him.
Natural Balance Pet Foods, (for whom I work)is featured on the show this week, participating in the fun and excitement of the show. Be sure to check your local listings for when Wheel of Fortune airs in your hometown. It will be loads of fun to watch, believe me! Tweet
The time finally arrived. Young Duncan Diggory went to the vet for a procedure. We waited much longer than we did for Sheldon, to see how big he would get. Turns out, Duncan is bit longer and taller than Mr Sheldon but he is skinny as a rail, so in all just five pounds heavier. The Adventures of Sheldon & Duncan continue, as it was Time to be Neutered. Considering the procedure, Duncan handled himself rather well. He came home all groggy and woozy, wearing the e-collar cone on his head, to prevent him from licking the stitches. Oddly enough, Mr Sheldon was initially spooked by his brother's cone. Quite characteristically, Sheldon growled at Duncan when he approached, and would run away. Sometimes Sheldon would stand around the corner and watch nervously to see if Duncan was in the area. To show Sheldon it was still just his brother, I removed the cone for a few hours so he could "see" that it was OK and that Duncan hadn't turned into some kind of scary monster. Fortunately that seemed to do the trick, and soon they were back to their normal playful poodle selves. Before I went to work this morning, the boys sat in the kitchen, politely asking for a treat. They seemed to deserve a Tillman Treat, don't you think? Well, I thought so anyway.
It has been awhile since I've written of The Adventures of Sheldon & Duncan, and then yesterday I found inspiration for a new episode. The weather forecast for Southern California was menacing; threats of rains, wind and record cold temperatures. I envisioned a weekend being locked inside with the poodles unable to go out to play. Being young, large and energetic dogs, they need their daily exercise. Normally they go out several times per day to play- and burn off some steam. With the forecast of a long rainy weekend I decided to take them out a few times before the rains arrived. They love going for walks, especially when we get to one particular spot where it is safe to let them off-leash to run. Here is a short video clip of them out for exercise:
As you saw from this video, standard poodles are pretty good athletes. They love to run at high speeds and chase each other, taking turns at who leads in the game. It warms my heart to see them happy like this, enjoying their free time. It also serves as a reminder that some breeds need to run, and if paired with a home lifestyle that cannot offer that outlet, dogs can become unhappy and do naughty things indoors. So there is my PSA to urge folks to do your research on the needs of a breed before bringing one into your home. Meanwhile, both Sheldon and Duncan had another adventure while out for exercise. As it turned out, the rain was short-lived in the desert, and Palm Springs was spared most of the wintry-weather that fell on Southern California. So in the end, the poodles had access to their usual exercise adventure, repeated just like this video above. Indeed, it is good to be a poodle in my home.
Tuesday evening was a night of surprises and excitement at the Westminster Dog Show. I've spent the past five days in New York in various events and activities around the dog show for business, but I truly enjoy the experience as well. I'm sort of old school with this dog show in that I like to dress up for the evening show and mix and have fun. I wore my poodle cuff links (see photo below), even though none of the poodles placed for their groups on Monday night. Still, I wore them to show my enthusiasm for the breed that are so closely embedded in my life.
My Poodle cuff-links, I just love 'em!
Tuesday night featured Sporting, Working, Terrier Groups followed by Best in Show. (Monday was Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups). I must admit, I had my eye on the Scottish Deerhound from the very start, but I didn't expect him to win. I had picked the Bearded Collie or Pekingese for some reason. Needless to say I was thrilled with the judge's pick.
judges in the ring with the new Best in Show
Judge Paolo Dondina of Monterchi, Italy pictured here with his Best in Show pick GCH Foxcliffe Hickory Wind, a 5 year old Scottish Deerhound. As a representative of my employer, Natural Balance Pet Foods at the show, I was also Tweeting live from Madison Square Garden, using the Twitter hashtags #WKC and #WestminsterDogShow in all my Tweets. I was also happy to participate in an online fundraiser with a Twitter social media network organized under the #PawPawty hashtag. The special tag for Tuesday night was #WKCPawPawty to benefit Save A Pet rescue in Grayslake, IL. It was great social media comradery too!
As a live correspondent at the show, this PSA was recorded for the good folks at BarkWorld Expo
For those of you who followed along with all the Tweeting and live coverage, we sure had fun! It was a unique experience for us all.
Yesterday was the second official day of the 135th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.I spent the entire day at Madison Square Garden, shoulder to shoulder with the handlers, judges and groomers. It is always an interesting blend of activity under one roof. The differences in dogs alone is enough to give pause. The tiniest of tiny toy dogs to the most giant breeds are benched (meaning they remain assembled on display when not being shown). The Westminster Kennel Club is an all-breed, benched show so there are lots of dogs to see while walking around.
Dogs and their handlers are from all over the country competing in the most prestigious show in the US. I read somewhere that the Westminster Kennel Club is the longest running sporting event in American History, after the Kentucky Derby (horse racing). The sport of Dog Fancy has officially been around since the early 1900's, but of course human affection for dogs dates back thousands of years.
As the day progressed, there were plenty of sights that that caught my eye. This one (photo left) was an interesting switch. Most tables, it was the dog getting groomed. But here, it was the handler being groomed by the dog's groomer. I loved how her dog looked on while her handler's hair was brushed! Cute, huh? Well it seemed to me anyway!
A nervous moment of jitters of both the dog and handler.
Exhausted, but happy to be in the limelight.
This terrier was super cute with a great personality.
This cutie was standing on his grooming table patiently while he was given a hair trip. I just loved the towel draped around his neck, almost as a person would in a barber shop. I chuckled to myself because even if a few hairs fell onto his shoulder, his shoulders are covered in fur too. But maybe I was missing something.
He was also getting a manicure/pedicure. He extended his paw quite readily and stood perfectly still. These are the sort of things you don't often think about or see when they cover dog shows, so I just had to include this in today's post.
She is Pretty in Pink, don't you think?
a deflated St Bernard who didn't place in his breed group
Welcome to another year of coverage of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. By now you know I am in New York City with my company, Natural Balance Pet Foods participating in this revered dog show. I'm privileged to have many years of personal experience at Westminster, so it is familiar territory for me. Knowing a number of judges, handlers, groomers and such has provided first-hand knowledge of the sport of Dog Fancy. I love the pet industry in general, and feel very fortunate to continue to work within it.
Before I go any further, I should emphasize yet again that There are many many really excellent dogs (and cats) living in shelters across America that need a good home. If you are considering adding a dog to your home, please do some very simple research online and then visit your local shelter. You just may be surprised by the wonderful dogs that just need a second chance.
The Hound Group assembles
Dog Shows like Westminster showcase the traits and qualities of various dog breeds. It is an excellent opportunity to learn about the needs of breeds to determine if they are a good fit for your home and lifestyle. Westminster is the ultimate reality show, with elimination rounds taking place all day long to identify the Best in Breed to advance to each group, and ultimately Best in Group.
I've always enjoyed viewing each group of dogs and cheering on my favorites. Of course, I've had the opportunity to learn more about what makes each breed "standard" and "winning" to earn the vaulted title of Champion (CH) or Grand Champion (GCH).
Each group is fun to watch and pick one's favorites. Within the Toy Group I was partial of course to the Toy Poodle, but it was not meant to be this year. At left in the center is of friend Mr Kaz Osaka, a well-respected handler and groomer of poodles. Sadly, none of the poodles advanced to the finals, so they won't be competing for Best in Show on Tuesday. But they sure were swell, all the same!
The judging ring for the Toy group, before all the dogs entered the ring. I'm not personally a toy dog fan but some make really fun pets. I'm just thrilled to be here sharing all this excitement. I used a combination of personal opinion, knowledge of each breed and audience reaction to pick my own favorites within each group.
Betty White speaks about Adoptions and shelters
This photo of Havanese is for Diane @CosmoHavanese
I was busy Tweeting live via Twitter from Madison Square Garden, providing my own silly brand of commentary of each group and dog type. I'll be back Tuesday evening with more live commentary from Madison Square Garden, where at the end of the evening a new Best in Show cup will be awarded. Stay tuned! Tweet
There is only one Westminster. It is the granddaddy of Dog Shows here in the US. Dog lovers have once again descended on midtown Manhattan to compete for Best in Show at New York's fabled Madison Square Garden. The hotels and streets are filled with Champion Dogs and Bitches who have proved their worthiness over a series of local dog shows around the country over the past year and longer.
Organizers of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show wisely incorporate a strong focus on animal rescue and adoption as part of the promotions around the sport of dog breeding, handling, grooming and showing. There are of course, thousands if not millions of really excellent dogs and cats in local shelters waiting for a good home.
Watching the Westminster Dog Show is actually a great way to learn about various breeds, as they always include information about the breed traits, temperament and needs. This is the single most important thing people forget to do when they decide to add a pet to their home. It's never a good idea to pick a pet just on looks or what you've seen in a movie or on TV. Always read up on a pet's traits and needs before making a decision. Consider your own lifestyle, schedule, home environment and budget as factors in the decision of which breed to add to your life. Certain breeds are known to be great family pets, while others can be more focused on just one human. Some dogs have high energy needs and long to run- those wouldn't be a great choice if you live in a small apartment or don't have the free time to take the dog for the exercise it will need. So watching Westminster on TV is a handy step toward increasing your knowledge of various breed types.
When you go to a shelter to adopt, ask questions about the breed and be honest about your own limitations as a pet parent. Incidentally, if you are on Twitter, search for the hash tag #pawpawty to help shelters!
I've been attending Westminster for the past eight years- maybe longer I forget! It is so much fun to be around all the dogs who are clearly having FUN. You'll notice it when you watch the show on TV, when a dog wins, they get excited and smile, jump around and often kiss their handler. It is almost as if they know. Who knows, maybe they do!
Over the years I've had the opportunity to get to know hundreds of people who enjoy the sport of showing dogs. Is everyone perfect? No certainly not. But who among us are? By and large, the overwhelming majority of people who show dogs do it out of the love of dogs, and are exceptionally proud of their breed.
It was here that I became introduced to Standard Poodles. They love-love-love the show process. They clearly love to be groomed, primped and fluffed. I've actually caught my own Sheldon looking at himself in the mirror when he returns from the groomer. It is hilarious that he knows he looks good and wants to admire himself. Anyway, as I attend the various events here at Westminster I'll try to capture some moments and share them on the blog and on Twitter. Pets are my passion. My only regret is that my two standard poodles are back at home in Palm Springs. But come to think of it, they are probably relaxing poolside with a bowl of Evian Water while I am bundled up in New York. I'm perfectly OK with them getting whatever they want! Catch the 135th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on the USA Network Monday and Tuesday evenings.
Finally, dawn broke and the parade route started to light up
Once again I had the privilege of attending the Tournament of Roses Parade in beautiful Pasadena, California. This was the 122nd Annual Rose Parade, which is a really spectacular parade that showcases life in Southern California. My employer, Natural Balance Pet Foods had a float in the parade- our third year in a row in fact. Last year we made history with the World's Longest Parade Float. This year we broke another record with the World's Heaviest Float, but more on that later. Some people who attend the Rose Parade camp out along the route as much as 24 hours in advance to secure a prime spot. I was fortunate to have seats in the viewing stands from my company. I was also entertaining/hosting a number of customers with whom my company does business.
Parade organizers request attendees to be in their seats by 6:30 AM, mainly because of the sheer volume of people who turn up. We arrived by 6:00 AM- it was quite cold, 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4 Celsius) so it was rather chilly! We sat in the viewing stands, waiting for sunrise and observing the massive crowds settle into position along the route. I was seated at 90 S Orange Grove, which is the very beginning of the parade, just before it turn onto Colorado Boulevard.
I love the Rose Parade- the beautiful flowers that cover all the floats are a remarkable sight to see. I also love seeing marching bands and hearing their music too. When our float finally came into view, it was truly exciting. You see, working at Natural Balance is not just a regular job. We have FUN. We love animals and find ways to express that through our brand. Our Rose Parade float is a great example of that. Our float features the world famous Tillman and gang- who can all skateboard, snow board, and surf. This year they were skim boarding, while in another part of the float a group of Dock Diving Dogs were jumping into a heated pool and having a blast.
As the float approached, this is the front view!
Our co-founder actor Dick Van Patten once again rode on the float with his son Jimmy Van Patten. Together they cheered on Tillman, Rose, Lyle and Sully as parade viewers watched in amusement. Being a family company, the Van Pattens are involved and love being with the dogs on the float. The dock diving dogs wore body suits provided by Body Glove, who are experts in water sports gear. It was so much fun to see our float and to hear the audience's genuine appreciation and affection for these dogs.
This photo is from the LA Times of our Dock Diving Pool
Be sure to click on this photo below to biggify it!
Side view of our float. In the center is the massive pool, to the right is the skim boarding area!
Rear view of the Natural Balance float
The official certificate!
. As I mentioned earlier, our float was certified by the Guinness World Records as the Heaviest parade float in history. Weighing in at 84,300 pounds, all the water in the heated pool (not to mention the 14 dogs) made for a record-breaking float! It was made by Fiesta Parade Floats, the best float makers in the business!
If you were not able to see the Rose Parade, the clips below had coverage of the Natural Balance float. First ABC:
And here is the clip from KTLA- our float is right around the 4:00 minute mark:
And here are a few other floats I saw that caught my eye for some reason or other:
Look closely on top of the coach- POODLES!
This guy was doing some fancy rope tricks on his horse!
My favorite: The Ronald Reagan Foundation Float!
Kaiser Permanente (health insurance) had a neat float
Namco, the makers of Pac Man video game!
Cunard Cruise Line- this one is for Bee!
Rose Bowl team University of Wisconsin
Rose Bowl team TCU, Texas Christian University
US Bank, I just liked this one for some reason.
Warner Bros Float- you can see Sponge Bob!
Here are some of the goodies from this year's Rose Parade. My company made commemorative bags, pins, hats, mugs and t-shirts for our guests (see photos left). We also made blankets but I gave mine to someone in the stands.
The whole experience was a lot of fun, and I was so proud of my company's float. It felt great to see first hand how well the parade viewers responded with cheers of support and applause when the Natural Balance float glided by. Those dogs sure are a hit. I can't imagine how we will top this next year, but I'm sure we will find a way!
