Best Dog Commercials in America

I saw this advert for the first time (although I don't think it's very new).  It is now one of my favourite dog adverts.  I love the sentiment and the execution of the advert connecting Americana with our love of dogs.

If you're a dog person like me than you may notice or look out for the great commercials with dogs. Dogs are big business and becoming even bigger business in North America and Europe.   Our canine friends are now being used in all sorts of advertising mediums throughout fashion, music, TV, film and basically any content selling products or services that hit emotional cords to dog people.

I give Chevrolet a big thumbs up to this advert for the sentiment.  Chevy definitely hit my emotional dog cord.

I just want to end this little blog post by suggesting to all Chevy pickup truck owners to drive their dog safely throughout America and use a crate if you need to transport your dog on the freeway or highways of America in the back of your truck - or better yet put your buddy in the front passenger seat...

Enjoy putting the Chevy to the levy with your pooch x
Heidi

Nuns and Dogs

This weekend I had the opportunity to visit some cloistered nuns and their dogs in Tehachapi, California.  Yes, nuns and dogs.  My mom is a big fan of the Norbertine Sisters, the first order of Norbertine Sisters in California.  The sisters live in a very small monastery in a remote part of the California desert mountains called Tehachapi (which is a Native American word for windy mountains).  Tehachapi sits over 5000 feet above sea level so it was definitely a climb for my little jeep up those windy mountains.  Tehachapi is known in California for being the four seasons town as it is one of the few places in Southern California that truly receives all four seasons of weather.

My mom has been wanting me to go out with her and visit the Norbertine sisters for a long time but alas, I have always been in London or traveling in some other remote part of the world.  This past weekend was an opportunity to do a little road trip with my mom and to visit Mother Mary Augustine and her fellow sisters out in Tehachapi.  Road trip?  I’m always game for a road trip especially when there are working dogs to see.

We left my mom’s house around 6am and we took the toll roads and back highways to take in the beautiful California desert scenery to our destination.  We passed Riverside, Norco, Pinon Hills, Lancaster, Palmdale, Mohave desert and finally reached Tehachapi in a few hours or so.

When we arrived outside the monastery gates the wind was blowing briskly through all the tall oaks and trees surrounding this idyllic location.  The leaves were gorgeous shades of gold, amber, red and brown glistening in the early sunshine.  It was so quiet and peaceful.  I popped out of my jeep to take a few photos and then I saw one of the Pyrenean Mountain dogs (or Great Pyrenees as we call them in North America) running down to greet us.

This was one of the dogs that my mom had been telling me about for sometime.  Milo was out overseeing the volunteers who came to the monastery to assist the sisters with the larger property work such as rebuilding some fences and larger tractor work.  Milo came straight to me and greeted me with a kiss on the hand.  He was so sweet and gentle.  I tried to snap a few photos of him in front of the priory sign but he was more interested in getting in a good scratch then sitting quietly to get his picture taken.

We proceeded to drive up the hill and as we arrived in the little parking lot in front of the gift shop another very large white dog popped his head over the fence and proceeded to greet us with a big smile and wagging tail.  This was Herman, the other Pyrenean Mountain dog.

I had heard so much through my mom about the Norbertine Sisters and their working dogs.  Herman is a pedigree Pyrenean Mountain dog and Milo is Pyrenean Mountain dog crossed with a Hungarian Kuvasz.  I also had the opportunity to meet two other dogs which graced the monastery property.   Toby was one of the other dogs who is a black lab and chow cross.  They are not only proper working dogs doing their function - protecting the Sisters’ livestock and animals from predators such as coyotes - they are also rescue dogs.

The Norbertine sisters have been living in Tehachapi for about 10 years and they strive to live their lives 100% sustainable.  They do hope to eventually raise enough money to build a church along with a retreat house in future.  I had the opportunity to speak to Mother Mary Augustine and Sister Mary Oda who introduced me to their dogs.  They shared with me how much they value their dogs in helping protect their livestock which is key to their livelihoods.  These nuns dedicate their entire lives to prayer and helping other people in the world.  They pray eight hours a day and work in between their prayer and meditation to keep their lives self-sustaining.  No wonder the dogs come in handy.

How do they sustain their humble existence?  Along with the Catholic items for sale in their shop ranging from prayer books to rosaries is a wonderful selection of organic food items which help keep the Sisters going.  They sell homemade organic jellies and jams, delicious almond biscotti, honey, cheeses and eggs along with homemade soaps, lotions and lip balm in their little shop. 

Handcrafted cards of the Pyrenean Mountain dogs, Herman and Milo, are also available to buy alongside other beautiful cards from the monastery.

  

All these items are for sale in their little shop which is open between the hours 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily, or by appointment.  They have a very strict schedule so best to call or email before you make the long trek to buy any cheese or visit with the dogs.

You can find out more about the Norbertine Sisters online if you google, Norbertine Sisters.  Here is their website:   http://norbertinesisters.org/ website.  The Sisters take prayer requests by phone, email or write to them.

God Bless - and Dog Bless!

Heidi

Hooray for dogs in Missouri! Yes on Prop B wins!

Is there a puppy breeding problem in the US?  Yes, I think so.

Sadly not every litter of puppies for sale in the US hail from a loving family home environment from knowledgeable breeders.  After campaigning against puppy farms in the UK the last few years, I came back to California to only find great numbers of designer puppies and unknown bred dogs being sold online and in pet shops located in high end malls.   It's been a surreal experience for me added with a bit of (dog) culture shock at times.  The HSUS estimates 30% of dogs in US shelters are pedigrees with a growing number of designer dogs on the rise.  It is estimated that 3-4 million dogs and cats are euthanized in the US every year alone.  Yes, millions.  I'm sadly aware of the staggering number of unwanted pets which are euthanized every year in LA county alone: 70-80,000 dogs and cats.   Yeah, I think there is a puppy breeding problem in the US.

Why are so many dogs being euthanized every year in the US?

Simply not enough homes for  the amount of dogs being born every year.

Why Prop B in Missouri was important to all dogs in the US

I am a news junkie and therefore a voracious reader about world news and politics so needless to say that the past month I have been engrossed with all the politics taking place across America.  It was a very big voting day today in the US - a lot of passionate people out there raising their voice in opposition, support or simply frustration with their vote.  

Today was a chance for people in Missouri to raise their voice and speak out against inhumane treatment of dogs in puppy mills and thankfully their voice was heard http://yesonpropb.com  We still have a long way to go in America in banning puppy mills altogether but this was a huge win for dogs.  I hope we are not only starting a new page for dogs in America by winning this landmark measure with Prop B in Missouri, but writing a new chapter for the rights of our four legged companions in the land of abundance (aka USA).  Dogs have become so important in our lives even considering them to be family member therefore I would like to get the ball rolling for their next chapter in our shared future together.

Here are my suggestions for the ballot in 2012:

• Eliminate all factory farming dog breeding across the US - no more puppy mills
• National ban on pet stores selling puppies *only allowing pet stores to promote dog rescue, spay & neuter programs and informational days on good breeding practices by responsible breeders
• Hold any US organisation or person(s)  who knowingly make revenue from puppy mill pedigree registration accountable
• Hold any person(s) who knowingly create false pedigree papers from puppy mill dogs accountable
• Microchip all dogs

I don't understand why anyone would trust buying a puppy online or from a place where you couldn't see where and how your puppy was raised. I mean if you were going to spend $500-1500 on a new mobile phone or digital camera wouldn't you want to make sure it was coming from a reliable seller? Quality product? Legit? Working? Legal? Comes with a 30-day return policy?  I sometimes have doubt that Amazon will get my book order right.  So why would someone want to buy a real living and breathing puppy with the click of a button online and have a puppy shipped to their door from Missouri or Texas from unseen conditions of breeding and travel?  The world is a strange place but no stranger than the politics that make our country tick.

Whether you voted Democrat or Republican, Independent or checked off that None at All box, remember dogs are the glue that's holding our great country together.  It's what's holding US together.

Let's share some mutual respect with our dogs by standing up to cruel and inhumane treatment throughout the US.  Get your new senator or congress person to support a national ban on ALL puppy mills.  It doesn't matter what party you support or which kind of dog you favour.  American pedigrees and mutts all deserve our guardianship don't you think?

Our dogs could offer a lot of practical advice to some of our incoming politicians such as working together in a pack, keeping the eye on the prize and working for that biscuit.

Have a great week everyone.

In dog we trust
Heidi