Author: Louis Spirito

A PET’S 10 COMMANDMENTS (part II)

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Many of you have read this before but, since I’m a dog and an interested party, I thought we’d pass it along to those of you who haven’t. According to web sources, the author is a British bloke named Stan Rawlinson (www.doglistener.co.uk). While it’s meant for us 4-legged ‘kids’, it’s a pretty good way to treat our 2-legged friends, too.

A PET’S 10 COMMANDMENTS


1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.
2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.
3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.
4. Don’t be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainments, but I have only you.
5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.
6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.
7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to.
8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.
9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.
10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can’t bear to watch. Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.
                                                                    ~ ~ ~
REYES ADOBE DAYS – Lou and I  are thrilled to be participating in the ‘Authors’ event at next weekend’s Reyes Adobe Days, an annual festival celebrating the founding and cultural legacy of nearby Agoura Hills. In a way, it’s almost fitting, since Lou and Eugenie adopted me from the L.A. County Shelter in Agoura. So, in a sense, that caring community changed two lives, his and mine. We’ll be signing books on from 1:30 – 3:00 on Saturday, October 5, so if you’re in the area, stop by and say hello. You can find us at the Reyes Adobe Historical Site in the Adobe Barn, 30400 Rainbow Crest Drive, Agoura Hills, CA 91301. RAD runs from Friday – Sunday (Fr- 5:00 – 9:00 PM, Sat, Sun 11:00 Am – 4:00 PM) 

Hanging with my bipeds on the Pepperdine 9/11 Lawn



DOG BLESS YOU (A PET’S 10 COMMANDMENTS, pt. 1)

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Several months back, Lou discovered that our story and GIMME SHELTER had been featured on a website called ‘Dog Bless You’. We thought it odd but, ever since the book debuted, things like that have been happening on a regular basis. Recently, we learned the story of the man behind the site and how one amazing dog transformed his life.  Sound familiar? Here’s their tale (tail?) courtesy of the LA Times.

MAN, DOG, CREATE A NEW BREED OF PHILANTHROPY (Associated Press)
When Charlie Annenberg adopted an abandoned golden retriever named Lucky, a new breed of philanthropy was born. Lucky was 4 in 2001 when he teamed up with Annenberg, scion to a wealthy family known for giving money away. Annenberg incorporated Lucky into all his projects. They were on the road more than they were home as they traveled around making documentaries about people who were making a difference.
   Lucky became Annenberg’s sidekick and soul mate, and would eventually inspire donations to dog-focused causes from the $8 million or so that the philanthropist controls annually. Whether it was a chef at the White House or coal miners 100 feet underground in West Virginia, Lucky made documentary interviews easy because he made everyone comfortable. The workload for both man and dog grew with the website explore.org. Using state-of-the-art cameras, Annenberg brought wildlife to stunning life for millions of Web watchers. He and Lucky traveled to every installation in North America, and everywhere they went, Annenberg filmed Lucky interacting with people and places.
   In 2010, Annenberg decided to use his Lucky photos and films for a travel journal on Facebook, telling the story of their trips. Annenberg called the journal Dog Bless You, he said, because several years earlier Lucky had befriended a homeless man in San Francisco. They shared time and a sandwich with the man. As they were leaving, the man said, “Dog bless you.” The Facebook page was all about Lucky, but it captured the fervor for pets that was growing around the country. “Today we have an audience of 505,000 fans,” said Courtney Johnson, explore.org’s community relations manager.

Annenberg & ‘Lucky’

   When an earthquake and tsunami struck Japan in 2011, killing more than 18,000 people, Annenberg used Dog Bless You to send six search dogs. Then war veterans started returning home in large numbers, with wounds including brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder. Many of them needed service dogs. Passion for the cause on Dog Bless You soared. Service dogs cost between $2,000 and $50,000 each, depending on how much training they need, Johnson said.

Annenberg, grandson of the late publisher, ambassador and philanthropist Walter H. Annenberg, is a vice president and director of the grant-making Annenberg Foundation. In just three years, he has donated 170 guide dogs, search-and-rescue dogs or service dogs for veterans. Most of the dogs funded by Annenberg have been for veterans. Because there are waiting lists at almost every training school and experts say thousands of veterans would benefit from a dog, Annenberg plans to accelerate the dog grant program.
   Warrior Canine Connection in Brookeville, Md., is just one of the dog training schools Annenberg uses, but it’s also unique because dogs are raised for, by and with veterans. The latest group of nine puppies is even named after veterans, Warrior Canine Executive Director Rick Yount said.
   “It’s a good way to say, ‘We are not forgetting about your sacrifices.’ And [the namesakes] get to spend time with the puppies and get therapy themselves,” Yount said. Trained veterans teach the puppies for the first eight to12 weeks. Then the dogs go live with volunteers from military or veterans’ organizations.
“By the time a dog is fully trained, over 500 vets and servicemembers have been involved in getting it ready,” Yount said.
   As Lucky aged and slowed down, the format of Dog Bless You changed, becoming a tribute to every dog. And Lucky had to retire from traveling. Annenberg misses Lucky at work. “He was my partner on all these trips,” he said. “It’s not the same. He would open the door and make me look good. People always stopped and petted him. Everyone wanted to keep Lucky, especially the coal miners. Isn’t it interesting that every day was a new day for Lucky? And he just wanted to be petted? It’s been a great ride.”

OF DOGS AND MEN

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I don’t know how much longer Lou will let me keep posting so I thought I’d write about how we dogs usually avoid politics and stick to helping our 2-legged friends, no matter what their leanings.  Except when it comes to BSL, dog fighting and tainted treats, you’ll never catch us growling over partisan issues. That said, I wanted to mention the anniversary of 911 and what local students are doing to honor the memory of the people who died that day. For the past several years, students at nearby Pepperdine University (the water polo or volleyball players ?) have placed nearly 3,000 flags, from the victims’ respective nations, on the sweeping great lawn in memory of the dead. Lou and Eugenie took me there, and strolling through the impressive display flapping banners was a moving event. Lou said it reminded him of the simple crosses they place at Veteran’s cemeteries but I’ve never been so I’ll take his word for it. It will be up several more days so if you’re a local or passing by, be sure to stop and take it in.

Tanner, American Staffordshire Terrier on the Pepperdine University 9-11 Lawn

On a sunnier but related note, check out this video of a faithful pup being reunited with his soldier ‘dad’ who has just returned from a 6-month absence in combat. If this doesn’t make you smile, go see the undertaker, cause you just might be dead.

How many people would do this for a friend?
OM! Tanner and Eugenie getting mellow @ The Sacred Space, Summerland, CA

Lou with Tanner and his pal, Magnus, aka Mag-A-Noos @ Trancas Dogpark

CIAO, SUMMER

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I’ve been bugging him for month’s and Lou finally agreed to let me write this post. Good thing, cause I’ve got lots to talk about. First, how about a big ‘hoo-rah’ for President Obama, who came out against Breed Specific Legislation. Here’s a section from the official White House Statement on WhiteHouse.gov: “We don’t support breed-specific legislation — research shows that bans on certain types of dogs are largely ineffective and often a waste of public resources. In 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at twenty years of data about dog bites and human fatalities in the United States. They found that fatal attacks represent a very small proportion of dog bite injuries to people and that it’s virtually impossible to calculate bite rates for specific breeds. The CDC also noted that the types of people who look to exploit dogs aren’t deterred by breed regulations — when their communities establish a ban, these people just seek out new, unregulated breeds. And the simple fact is that dogs of any breed can become dangerous when they’re intentionally or unintentionally raised to be aggressive. For all those reasons, the CDC officially recommends against breed-specific legislation — which they call inappropriate.As an alternative to breed-specific policies, the CDC recommends a community-based approach to prevent dog bites. And ultimately, we think that’s a much more promising way to build stronger communities of pets and pet owners.”

                                                             ~ ~ ~ ~

Then there’s buzzfeed.com’s photo essay ‘37 Pictures That Will Restore Your Faith In Pit Bulls’, as if mine was ever lost. 
                                                             ~ ~ ~ ~
Finally, check out this ad for Beneful dog food, which has to be one of cleverest dog commercials ever. If only they had featured a certain breed, (guess) it would have been perfect.

Tanner and Eugenie practicing ‘downward dog’.

TANNER’S SUMMER READING LIST

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Although school has already started for some unfortunate kids, Tanner wanted to spread the word about some terrific books he’s gnawing on. First is JIMMY & ME by Lew Bracker, who takes a fond look back at his brief but poignant friendship with the Hollywood icon, cut off before his time. Then there’s Sarah Bracey White’s PRIMARY LESSONS, a memoir of a young African-American girl who was “ripped from her middle-class lifein Philadelphia and transported to a single-parent household in the South where she refuses to accept the segregation that tries to confine her.” Finally, there’s RUBY’S TALE by Patrick Bettendorf, the true rags-to-riches story of a thrown away pit bull and her journey from the trashcan to media darling. Tanner gives them all ‘2 paws up’, and he’s sure you will, too. If you haven’t yet read GIMME SHELTER, be sure to add it to the list. Tanner wants his friends to knwo that there will be no book reports and no one will be tested on the material. Enjoy.

              

MARLEY & YOU!

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Since November 2011, when his foster mother, Carla, was forced to move, beautiful MARLEY has been living at the Canine Rescue & Adoption League (C.A.R.L.) of Ventura County. We’re hoping one of you can change that. Carla says that Marley is “big and strong but extremely loving and gentle. He had do be taught how to bark by my girl pit, and even then he rarely barked. He never destroyed anything in the house or dug in the yard.  He got along great with my girl pit and even my sister’s male Yorkie, who lived with us. I am attaching pictures of him from the C.A.R.L. website, # 3731. He would  make someone a wonderful pet if they gave him a chance.” Carla would welcome calls or email from anyone interested in him. Her number is 805/302-8428) ckryhalesq@msn.com”

ps – We met Carla at Barnes & Noble in Thousand Oaks where she works and where we had our book signing on August 3.

TANNER COMES THROUGH…TWICE!

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We all know that dogs are man’s best friend but, the past few weeks, Tanner has been going above and beyond. On Saturday, August 3, he was the star of our hugely successful Barnes & Noble book signing in Thousand Oaks. He was friendly, sweet and so well-behaved, even when other dogs cruised by. People adored him and stopped to trade dog stories and to buy GIMME SHELTER. 

Then on Sunday, August 4, Tanner was back at it again, helping me serve as Grand Marshal and kicking off the fundraising walk at the American Cancer Society ‘Bark For Life’ event. Luckily it was overcast and cool, so he didn’t poop out on a very short stroll. As a reward for his PR efforts, Tanner got to scarf down some rare roast beef and to cuddle all night on the bed. By popular request, here’s the text of the welcome speech we gave.

“Dealing with cancer is challenging on many levels.  It is stressful, it’s frightening but it can also empowering. One thing that helps us cope with the struggle is the support of our friends, our families, caring strangers and our dogs. Given that this Malibu’s first annual BARK FOR LIFE fundraising walk, I should say especially our dogs. As someone who has grappled with cancer and other serious issues, I’ve seen firsthand the difference a 4-legged therapist can make. That’s why I’m here today…to speak about how dogs help comfort and heal us when we need it most.

1) THEY ARE CHEAPER THAN DOCTORS AND THERAPISTS, MORE FUN AND ALWAYS ON CALL.– That’s why they make such great healers. We know they will be there for us no matter what. They don’t care if we have insurance, and for most of us, their ‘fee’ is some cuddles and a rawhide treat or two…or five.

2) DOGS DON’T JUDGE – Except when it comes squeaky toys, they don’t judge. They don’t care if you lose weight, gain weight, have more hair, less hair or no hair. They don’t care about our jobs, the cars we drive or  the clothes we wear.  To our dogs, we have no flaws. We’re perfect just the way we are. They love us because that’s what they do. Period. All they ask from us in return is a little exercise and affection. if only all of our two-legged pals were so easy and accommodating.

3) DOG ARE PLAYFUL – Regardless of what’s going on in the world or our bodies – if the stock market’s down, or Dwight Howard ditches us for Houston, or Congress is behaving like
unruly kindergartners, or we’re feeling like we’ve been run over by a cement truck – our dogs are always up for play. We can take a lesson from them and when things get stressful, or seem hopeless, we can go for a ride and stick our head out the car window, or go for a run, a walk or just sit on a bench in the sun. Your dog never looks at you and says ‘We really need to work more’.

4) DOGS ARE WISE! – They live in harmony with nature. They don’t care about social trends, how many Twitter followers or Facebook friends you have, how much your movie grossed, how many books you’ve sold.  They have no list of  ‘should’s. They sleep when they’re tired, eat when they’re hungry (except pugs and labs, who eat all the time), play when they need exercise. They don’t worry (well, maybe just a little around dinner time) and they never give advice. They don’t dwell on the past, or try to control the future. They are fully PRESENT. Every day, they get, up wag their tails and go about their lives, doing their very best, living in the moment, every moment. They have one message: be joyous, be present, and LET’S PLAY! or as Laura so aptly put it, let’s BARK FOR LIFE.”

Lou & Tanner with Bark for Life organizer Laura Leonard and her rescue dog Barkley.

FIRE YOUR TRAINER, AND GET A DOG!

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Following hard on the heals of our last posting, the L.A. Times ran a piece ‘Can Pets Lead Owners to Health? , echoing our claim that walking your dog can help improve both canine and human fitness. 

                                                                                ~~~~~

In the blatant self-promotion category, this weekend will be a busy one for Tanner, Eugenie and me. On Saturday, August 3, from 11:30-12:30 we’ll be signing books at Barnes & Noble in Thousand Oaks, The Promenade, 160 S. Westlake Blvd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91362, (805) 446-2820.

On Sunday, August 4, we’ll be serving as ‘Grand Marshals’ of Malibu’s first annual American Cancer Society ‘Bark For Life‘ fundraising walk. It will take place at Legacy Park in the Civic Center. Registration starts at 10:00 and the event will kick off at 11:00 with a speech from yours truly.

Lou, Eugenie and Tanner @ Legacy Park, Malibu


‘HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME’ – A CAUTION

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While I love Sly and the Family Stone’s take on kicking back in summer, for lots of people, it offers a chance to bike,  hike, swim, kayak, golf, ploy tennis, and to make good on that New Year’s vow to finally exercise and shed some pounds. 

If you’re still having trouble finding the motivation, walking your dog might be the answer. Weight-loss guru Bob Harper says an early morning, low-intenstiy stroll on an empty stomach can rev up your metabolism. It’s also great for bonding with your pooch and Bowser’s kidneys will really appreciate the relief. One caution though. While sunny skies might be great for lounging by the pool, summer temps and high humidity can lead to heatstroke in humans and their 4-legged trainers. Responsible dog guardians should learn how to recognize and avoid heatstroke. (from GIMME SHELTER – ‘Dogs & Heatstroke‘)
                                                                           ~ ~ ~ ~
 Dogs regulate their temperature chiefly through panting. Heatstroke occurs on hot, humid days when they can no longer maintain a normal body temperature of approximately 101 degrees F. It often occurs when a dog is left outside on a hot day in direct sunshine or confined in a car, kennel or crate. 
It can strike suddenly, and if your dog’s temperature rises to 105 F or above, you must act immediately. If not, his internal organs will begin to breakdown, and he may die. Even if you are able to lower his temperature, he may still suffer irreversible internal damage.

The symptoms of heatstroke include: Rapid panting, Warm, dry skin, Pale gums and a bright red tongue, Anxious expression or disorientation (blank staring, an inability to respond to its name), Increased heart rate, thick, clinging saliva, vomiting, difficulty breathing, Collapse, coma and death follow shortly thereafter.

If you suspect your dog is suffering from heatstroke: It’s urgent to quickly reduce the dog’s body temperature. To do this: Remove your dog from the car, kennel or wherever he was confined and get him to a place with cool, circulating air, like an air conditioned room. If possible, immerse him in a cool (not cold) bath, or hose him down. DO NOT leave wet towels on your dog and DO NOT use very cold water–both can prevent your dog from cooling himself. Ice packs may cause hypothermia.To promote blood flow, gently massage the skin and flex the legs. While you’re working to cool him, it’s essential that he be transported to a veterinary hospital as quickly as possible. Even if you manage to reduce your dog’s temperature, take him to the vet for a thorough exam, since serious internal damage to your dog’s organs might have taken place.

To prevent heatstroke: On hot, humid days, or days with strong sun, NEVER leave your dog in an unattended car. Keep your dog indoors during the heat of the day in a well-ventilated or air-conditioned room. If your dog must be outside, make sure he has cold water, shelter and shade. Since dogs really don’t know their limits, try and keep your dog’s activity to a minimum. If you must exercise your dog, do it in the early morning or evening when temperatures are generally cooler.

Dogs Prone to Heatstroke Include: Young puppies, older dogs, overweight dogs, sick dogs or dogs recovering from illness or surgery. Short-faced breeds, like Bulldogs, Shar Peis, Boston Terriers, and Pugs. Cold climate dogs like Malamutes, Huskies, Great Pyrenees, and Newfoundlands. Double-coated breeds such as Pomeranians, Samoyeds, Collies, Shelties, Akitas, and Chow Chows.