For some content, here's a really happy picture of Yoshi and his Mom!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Great Picture of Yoshi and his Mom!
'Sorry for the lack of updates. It's been busy at the TikiHut lately!
For some content, here's a really happy picture of Yoshi and his Mom!
For some content, here's a really happy picture of Yoshi and his Mom!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Do you want to adopt a pre-qualified pet?
Times are ruff for specialty-breed rescue groups
By Melissa Bell
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Rosemary and John Yun were looking to adopt.
For months, the Ellicott City couple waited. They filled out applications asking about their neighborhood, their jobs and their daily routines; prepped their home before an agency checked in on
them; asked friends to provide references; and visited with foster families where they were told they were not the only couple in contention. They hoped they wouldn't be disappointed yet again.
Finally, one day last fall, the phone call came: Benji, a mix terrier, could join the Yun family.
The Yuns, who are now adopting a child from Korea, would joke that looking for Benji "was just as hard as finding a human baby," said Rosemary, 38. But the dog was worth the trouble. "He's so smart;
he's super cute; he's just a great dog," said the biotech company manager.
The Yuns needed to find a small dog that had short hair and was nonallergenic and house-trained, but Rosemary worried she would not be able to find one at a local shelter. She didn't want to buy a dog, fearful that the animals are bred in awful conditions before being sold online or to pet stores.
Tails of Hope, a dog rescue group in Mount Airy, Md., provided a solution. Though the search was time-consuming, the Yuns adopted a dog that matched their criteria.
While animal rescue programs have been around since the 1950s, it has only been in the past decade that organizations have cropped up for nearly every breed and those breeds' mixes. The groups foster
dogs to ease crowding at local shelters and offer would-be pet owners more options to adopt.
This month may be the best time to find the right pet. Each spring, after the joy of getting a dog as a Christmas gift shifts to the reality of taking care of it, new owners drop their dogs off at
shelters in droves. Worse, the current economic downturn has forced many families to turn their dogs over to rescue groups. And even the record snowfall led some pet owners to decide they could not
provide for their dogs during the difficult weather, instead surrendering them to shelters, rescue volunteers said.
"The influx of dogs is just tremendous so far this year," said Joanne Hale, the director of MidAtlantic Bulldog Rescue. By the end of February, the group had taken in 27 dogs, and Hale expects that
number to hit 150 by the end of the year. Last year, the rescue group took in 60 dogs.
The rescue groups are usually a loose network of volunteer pet owners who have fallen in love with a certain type of dog. They foster dogs found in the shelter system, rescued from puppy mills or dropped off by owners who can no longer care for them. And they look for the perfect permanent home for the animals.
"We're eHarmony for dogs," said Sarah Ruckelshaus, director of Mid- Atlantic Border Collie Rescue, whose group has a 98 percent success rate at finding a happy "forever" home. "We're really looking to
match up the dog's personality, temperament and energy needs with the family."
The adoption process is strict to ensure the match will stick. Jenny Eisen grew up with the Danes her mother adopted through the Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League, and she volunteered for the
group. But even she had to submit to a two- to three-month adoption process when she decided she was ready for her own dog. Eisen, a nurse who lives in Arlington, said a volunteer brought over a Dane
to see how it would interact with her two roommates and in her townhouse.
Eisen said some people are reticent to adopt a rescue dog because of the stigma that something must be wrong with the dog for its owners to give it up. "Most people are worried that if they get a dog from a rescue league the dog will have all these issues," said Eisen. "But in actuality they have a pretty rigorous screening process for the people and the dog, so you know what you're getting into."
Though puppies do pass through the rescue organizations, it is much more likely to find a dog that's 1 year old or older. Kimberly Pollard, a lobbyist in Richmond, wanted a pug after falling in love with her neighbor's dog, but she worked full time and could not rush home every few hours to potty-train a puppy. She found Levi, a 3-year-old pug, through Mid-Atlantic Pug Rescue. "A puppy is great," Pollard said, "but if you get a dog a year or two older, they're already trained. And older dogs need homes. That's two benefits right there."
The past 10 years have seen a sharp increase in demand for purebred dogs due to popular culture: Pug sales spiked after one played a role in the movie "Men in Black" and its sequel; Chihuahua fever can be credited to the film "Legally Blonde" and Taco Bell commercials. But purebred dogs often require specific care and can have particular health issues, said Joan Schramm, public relations coordinator for Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League in the District and Maryland. Great Danes, for example, can suffer from joint problems and heart ailments. Rescue organizers cite a lack of knowledge as the single biggest contributor to the rise in specialty breeds up for adoption.
"They look so cute on the screen," she said, but when owners cannot provide the necessary care, the dogs are sent packing. Schramm is not looking forward to the release of "Marmaduke," a movie about a Great Dane that is scheduled to open this summer. "Six months later," she said, "we'll be inundated with dogs."
The high demand has driven many disreputable sellers into the business, said Hale, the bulldog breeder. Foreign importers, puppy mill owners or backyard breeders pay "$1,000 for a litter of puppies, and sell them for a $3,500 a pop."
While plenty of the volunteers have more than a few choice words for dog breeders, the organizations do not discourage people who want to buy a puppy or a show dog. The American Kennel Club's Web
site offers a checklist on what to look for in a good breeder: someone who would be willing to take the dog back if the purchase does not work out, someone who does not have plenty of available
dogs and someone from whom the dogs do not seem to shy away.
"Just do your research," Schramm said. "Buying a dog off Craigslist is not such a good idea."
By Melissa Bell
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Rosemary and John Yun were looking to adopt.
For months, the Ellicott City couple waited. They filled out applications asking about their neighborhood, their jobs and their daily routines; prepped their home before an agency checked in on
them; asked friends to provide references; and visited with foster families where they were told they were not the only couple in contention. They hoped they wouldn't be disappointed yet again.
Finally, one day last fall, the phone call came: Benji, a mix terrier, could join the Yun family.
The Yuns, who are now adopting a child from Korea, would joke that looking for Benji "was just as hard as finding a human baby," said Rosemary, 38. But the dog was worth the trouble. "He's so smart;
he's super cute; he's just a great dog," said the biotech company manager.
The Yuns needed to find a small dog that had short hair and was nonallergenic and house-trained, but Rosemary worried she would not be able to find one at a local shelter. She didn't want to buy a dog, fearful that the animals are bred in awful conditions before being sold online or to pet stores.
Tails of Hope, a dog rescue group in Mount Airy, Md., provided a solution. Though the search was time-consuming, the Yuns adopted a dog that matched their criteria.
While animal rescue programs have been around since the 1950s, it has only been in the past decade that organizations have cropped up for nearly every breed and those breeds' mixes. The groups foster
dogs to ease crowding at local shelters and offer would-be pet owners more options to adopt.
This month may be the best time to find the right pet. Each spring, after the joy of getting a dog as a Christmas gift shifts to the reality of taking care of it, new owners drop their dogs off at
shelters in droves. Worse, the current economic downturn has forced many families to turn their dogs over to rescue groups. And even the record snowfall led some pet owners to decide they could not
provide for their dogs during the difficult weather, instead surrendering them to shelters, rescue volunteers said.
"The influx of dogs is just tremendous so far this year," said Joanne Hale, the director of MidAtlantic Bulldog Rescue. By the end of February, the group had taken in 27 dogs, and Hale expects that
number to hit 150 by the end of the year. Last year, the rescue group took in 60 dogs.
The rescue groups are usually a loose network of volunteer pet owners who have fallen in love with a certain type of dog. They foster dogs found in the shelter system, rescued from puppy mills or dropped off by owners who can no longer care for them. And they look for the perfect permanent home for the animals.
"We're eHarmony for dogs," said Sarah Ruckelshaus, director of Mid- Atlantic Border Collie Rescue, whose group has a 98 percent success rate at finding a happy "forever" home. "We're really looking to
match up the dog's personality, temperament and energy needs with the family."
The adoption process is strict to ensure the match will stick. Jenny Eisen grew up with the Danes her mother adopted through the Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League, and she volunteered for the
group. But even she had to submit to a two- to three-month adoption process when she decided she was ready for her own dog. Eisen, a nurse who lives in Arlington, said a volunteer brought over a Dane
to see how it would interact with her two roommates and in her townhouse.
Eisen said some people are reticent to adopt a rescue dog because of the stigma that something must be wrong with the dog for its owners to give it up. "Most people are worried that if they get a dog from a rescue league the dog will have all these issues," said Eisen. "But in actuality they have a pretty rigorous screening process for the people and the dog, so you know what you're getting into."
Though puppies do pass through the rescue organizations, it is much more likely to find a dog that's 1 year old or older. Kimberly Pollard, a lobbyist in Richmond, wanted a pug after falling in love with her neighbor's dog, but she worked full time and could not rush home every few hours to potty-train a puppy. She found Levi, a 3-year-old pug, through Mid-Atlantic Pug Rescue. "A puppy is great," Pollard said, "but if you get a dog a year or two older, they're already trained. And older dogs need homes. That's two benefits right there."
The past 10 years have seen a sharp increase in demand for purebred dogs due to popular culture: Pug sales spiked after one played a role in the movie "Men in Black" and its sequel; Chihuahua fever can be credited to the film "Legally Blonde" and Taco Bell commercials. But purebred dogs often require specific care and can have particular health issues, said Joan Schramm, public relations coordinator for Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League in the District and Maryland. Great Danes, for example, can suffer from joint problems and heart ailments. Rescue organizers cite a lack of knowledge as the single biggest contributor to the rise in specialty breeds up for adoption.
"They look so cute on the screen," she said, but when owners cannot provide the necessary care, the dogs are sent packing. Schramm is not looking forward to the release of "Marmaduke," a movie about a Great Dane that is scheduled to open this summer. "Six months later," she said, "we'll be inundated with dogs."
The high demand has driven many disreputable sellers into the business, said Hale, the bulldog breeder. Foreign importers, puppy mill owners or backyard breeders pay "$1,000 for a litter of puppies, and sell them for a $3,500 a pop."
While plenty of the volunteers have more than a few choice words for dog breeders, the organizations do not discourage people who want to buy a puppy or a show dog. The American Kennel Club's Web
site offers a checklist on what to look for in a good breeder: someone who would be willing to take the dog back if the purchase does not work out, someone who does not have plenty of available
dogs and someone from whom the dogs do not seem to shy away.
"Just do your research," Schramm said. "Buying a dog off Craigslist is not such a good idea."
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Flying Chihuahuas!
by Sue Manning, Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - Chihuahuas have been flying out of California since other states learned about the glut of little dogs in the Golden State. A group of 25 dogs has already arrived at the humane society for Greater Nashua in New Hampshire, thanks to "Grey's Anatomy" actress Katherine Heigl, Kinder4Rescue in Studio City and American Airlines.
A group of 43 will leave for New Hampshire Monday or Tuesday, said Kathy Davis, interim general manager of Los Angeles Animal Services, who took part in a news conference Friday to announce Project Flying Chihuahua. They were supposed to leave Saturday morning, but bad weather in the east caused a delay, she said. The Nashua shelter found homes for the first 25 and had a waiting list of 100 people, Davis said. Heigl's foundation has paid the discounted airfare for all 68 dogs so far, she added, and new donors for more flights were being sought.
Virgin America will be flying a group of Chihuahuas to New York City from San Francisco on Tuesday, said Gail Buchwald, senior vice president overseeing the ASPCA adoption center in New York City. They will be processed and should be available for adoption on Dec. 29, she said. Buchwald said she didn't know how many to expect, but each dog will be escorted by a volunteer and Virgin will provide travel for both dogs and humans. The airline is also expected to offer a week of half price trips to passengers willing to escort an animal to New York, but details have yet to be finalized, Buchwald said. A call to a Virgin America representative was not immediately returned Friday.
Some sent by SUV
Dozens of dogs have been sent by Oakland Animal Services to nearby states like Washington, Oregon and Arizona, but most of them were delivered by SUV, director Megan Webb said, because there wasn't enough money to fly the dogs to more distant states. The Chihuahua crisis in California developed as Hollywood featured the dogs in movies like "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" and "Legally Blonde," they became constant companions to the rich and famous, backyard breeders saw a chance to make hundreds of dollars a dog and the recession forced some dog owners to abandon their pets.
California shelters soon found that Chihuahuas made up 30 percent or more of their dog populations. Meanwhile, Buchwald said, there has long been a severe shortage of small dogs in the east. Officials on both sides of the country are optimistic they can work out the imbalance. Davis said finding homes for 68 barely made a dent in Los Angeles shelters, but it was a start.
'Plenty more' to relocate "
We have plenty more where those came from and we're more than happy to send them home for the holidays. If there's a Santa Claus out there, we're ready and waiting for you." In the last 12 months, animal shelters in the city of Los Angeles have taken in 4,700 Chihuahuas, 1,000 more than the 12 months before that. Los Angeles has over 300 Chihuahuas in its shelters now, Davis said, and they are taking in about 340 a month. "The majority of them are healthy. They do need some socialization. Some we're finding haven't been well treated in the homes they've been in. They need some TLC," Davis said. It would seem plenty of people in the east are ready and willing to deliver just that.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
The TikiHut Kids and I would like to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!
We are all extremely thankful and appreciative to all our family and friends for their support, whether it's helping take us out on our daily walks, sponsoring a foster Akita's expenses, educating others on what Akita Rescue is all about, giving tummy rubs to offering some of us a new home to share with you.
— Matti
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Holiday Safety Tips For Your Akita (and other pets!)
I found this great list on the internet, so rather than re-write it, I'm just going to post it here — its FABULOUS ADVICE for the upcoming holidays to keep your pet safe — read it in its entirety, its well worth the read:
• Many holiday plants can lead to health problems in dogs and cats. Among the plants to keep out of reach are holly, mistletoe, poinsettias and lilies.
• Snow globes often contain antifreeze, which is poisonous to pets.
• Pine needles, when ingested, can puncture holes in a pet's intestine. So keep pet areas clear of pine needles.
• The extra cords and plugs of holiday lights and other fixtures can look like chew toys to pets. Tape down or cover cords to help avoid shocks, burns or other serious injuries. Unplug lights when you are not home.
• Anchor Christmas trees to the ceiling with a string to keep it from falling on pets.
• Do not let pets drink the holiday tree water. Some may contain fertilizers, and stagnant tree water can harbor bacteria. Check labels for tree water preservatives and artificial snow, and buy only those that are nontoxic. Some folks use screens around trees to block access to electrical cords and gifts.Very important: do not put aspirin in the water (some folks do this thinking it will keep the tree or plant more vigorous). If a pet ingests the aspirin-laced water, his health or even life can be at risk.
• Pets, particularly cats, can be tempted to eat tinsel, which can block the intestines. Hang tinsel high and securely to keep it out of reach of pets.
• Keep other ornaments out of reach of pets. Ingestion of any ornament, which might look like toys to pets, can result in life-threatening emergencies. Even ornaments made from dried food can lead to ailments. And remember, shards from broken glass ornaments can injure paws, mouths and other parts of the body.
• Put away toys after children open their gifts. Small plastic pieces and rubber balls are common causes of choking and intestinal blockage in dogs. Ingested plastic or cloth toys must often be removed surgically.
• Avoid toxic decorations. Bubbling lights contain fluid that can be inhaled or ingested, snow sprays and snow flock can cause reactions when inhaled, styrofoam poses a choking hazard, tinsel can cause choking and intestinal obstruction, and water in snow scenes may contain toxic organisms such as Salmonella.
• Keep candles on high shelves. Use fireplace screens to avoid burns.
• Hi-tech shooing: A timely product I'm not sure I'd recommend, but if you have any experience with it, let me know. The StayAway canister from Contech Electronics uses a motion-detection device to sense when a pet approaches some off-limits area (countertop, table-top, candles, fireplace mantel, holiday tree), then activates a burst of compressed air and a one-second warning screech.
Other low-tech methods: place sticky mats, crunchy aluminum foil or bubblewrap on or around the area; tie balloons around the area; put some pennies in empty plastic drink bottles and balance the bottles on the bottom branches of the holiday tree or plant so that they'll noisily tip over if a cat or other pet jumps at or on the tree.
• Holiday guests and other activity can be very stressful and even frightening to pets. It can also trigger illness and intestinal upset. Make sure pets have a safe place to retreat in your house. And make sure they are wearing current I.D. in case they escape out a door when guests come and go.
• Reduce stress by keeping feeding and exercise on a regular schedule.
• Always make time to care for your pets. Some folks get lax about walking their dogs, and a few resort to letting pets out on their own. This puts the animal in danger, while also leading to nuisance complaints and dog bite incidents. Remind pet owners not to take a holiday from responsibly caring for their pets.
• When pets are stressed by holiday activity or during travel, they may require more water. Dogs typically pant more when they feel stressed. Keep fresh water available for them to drink.
• Rescue Remedy, a Bach flower essence available in most health food stores, is a natural stress reliever that many folks keep on hand at home and in travel kits. It can often help both people and animals recover from injury, fright, illness, travel fatigue, chocolate ingestion and irritation. Put a few drops in the dog's water bowl or portable water container. For stressed or injured animals, rub a drop on their ear or put a drop on the towel in their crate or carrier. Flower essences are free of harmful effects and can be used along with conventional medicines.
Another safe, nontoxic Rescue Remedy-like product is Animal Emergency Trauma Solution, available from www.greenhopeessences.com, where you can also get Flee Free to combat fleas nontoxically. Other flower essence sources include anaflora.com and perelandra-ltd.com.
• Do not let guests feed your pets human food. There are many holiday foods, including fatty meats, gravies, poultry skin, bones, chocolate and alcohol, that can cause illnesses from vomiting and diarrhea to highly serious pancreatitis and other toxic reactions. In addition, candy wrappers, aluminum foil pieces and ribbons can choke pets.
• Keep pets away from gift packages as well as your gift wrapping area. Ingested string, plastic, cloth and even wrapping paper can lead to intestinal blockage and require surgical removal. And pets have been severely injured by scissors and other items left on floors and tables.
• Keep pets away from the garbage. Use pet-proof containers.
• If you suspect that your pet has eaten something toxic, call your veterinarian and/or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center's 24-hour emergency hotline at 1-888-4-ANI- HELP.
• If your pet ingests glass, broken plastic, staples orother small, sharp objects, call your veterinarian. In the meantime, you can give your dog supplemental fiber in the form of whole wheat or other high-fiber bread, canned pumpkin or Metamucil, any of which can help bulk up the stools the help the foreigh material pass through the dog's digestive system. Dosages depend on the size of the dog. For Metamusil, try a teaspoon for a small dog, a tablespoon for a big dog. For pumpkin, feed one-quarter to two-thirds of a cup. Some folks recommend feeding the dog cotton balls to help pass the foreign objects, but others in the veterinary field caution against this since cotton balls can compound the problem.
• By the way, now is a good time to double-check smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and other safety devices and replace batteries. Safety, of course, is the key reason, but here's another good reason. When batteries run low, the devices often emit alert or alarm sounds at frequencies that can be painful and frightening to many pets. If you're not home when the alert/alarm sounds, your animals will have to endure that sound until you return, which can be traumatic. So always keep fresh batteries in those devices.
• Holiday sweets with chocolate are not for pets. Depending on the dose ingested, chocolate (bakers, semi sweet, milk and dark) can be poisonous to many animals. In general, the less sweet the chocolate, the more toxic it could be. In fact, unsweetened baking chocolate contains almost seven times more theobromine as milk chocolate. Vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, hyperactivity and increased thirst, urination and heart rate can be seen with the ingestion of as little as 1/4 ounce of baking chocolate by a 10-pound dog.
• Keep your pet on its normal diet. Any change of diet, even for one meal, may give your dog or cat severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals that have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. Boiled or grilled meats and fresh vegetables can be offered as a healthy alternative.
• Don't give pets holiday leftovers and keep pets out of the garbage. Poultry bones can splinter and cause blockages. Greasy, spicy and fatty for spoiled foods can cause stomach upset and moldy foods could cause tremors or seizures.
• Alcohol and pets do NOT mix. Place unattended alcoholic drinks where pets cannot reach them. If ingested, the animal could become very sick and weak and may go into a coma.
• Keep aluminum foil and cellophane candy wrappers away from pets. They can cause vomiting and intestinal blockage.
• Be careful with holiday floral arrangements. Lilies are commonly used and many varieties including Tiger, Asian, Japanese Show, Stargazer and Casa Blanca can cause kidney failure in cats. Safe alternatives can include artificial flowers made from silk or plastic.
• Common Yuletide plants such as mistletoe and holly berries can be toxic to pets. Should a cat or dog eat mistletoe, they could suffer gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems. Holly can cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and lethargy if ingested.
• Poinsettias are over rated in toxicity. They are considered to be very low in toxicity, however, they could cause mild vomiting or nausea if ingested by your pet.
• Christmas tree water may contain dangerous fertilizers, which if ingested, can cause stomach upset. Stagnant tree water can also act as a breeding ground for bacteria and if ingested a pet could end up with nausea and diarrhea.
• Decorate your tree with animal safe ornaments such as dried non-toxic flowers, wood, fabric or pinecones. If ingested, ribbons or tinsel can become lodged in the intestines and cause intestinal obstruction. This is a very common problem with kittens.
HOLIDAY FOODS AND BEVERAGES THAT ARE TOXIC TO PETS• Alcoholic Beverages: Alcoholic beverages can cause alcohol poisoning. If ingested, the animal could become very drunk and weak, may become severely depressed or may go into a coma.
• Yeast Dough: Uncooked yeast dough, if ingested (most cases are with dogs) can rise in the stomach and cause severe pain. Pets who have eaten bread dough may experience abdominal pain, bloat, vomiting, disorientation and depression. Since the breakdown product of rising dough is alcohol, it can cause an alcohol poisoning. Many cases like this require surgical removal of the dough. Even small amounts can be dangerous.
• Chocolate (bakers, semi sweet, milk and dark): If ingested, chocolate can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, hyperactivity and increased thirst, urination and heart rate. This can be seen with the ingestion of as little as 1/4 ounce of baking chocolate by a 10-pound dog. Chocolate poisoning does not seem to be a problem in cats, although it is possible if enough would be ingested.
• Nicotine: Tobacco products can be fatal to dogs and cats if ingested. Signs of nicotine poisonings often develop within 15 to 45 minutes. Symptoms include excitation, salivation, panting, vomiting and diarrhea. Muscle weakness, twitching, depression, coma, increased heart rate and cardiac arrest can follow.
• Coffee (ground, beans, chocolate covered espresso beans): Contain caffeine which is a stimulant and depending on the dose ingested, stimulation, restlessness, increased heart rate, tremors, or seizures could be seen.
• Macadamia Nuts: Macadamia nuts can cause muscular weakness, depression, vomiting, disorientation, tremors, abdominal pain and muscle stiffness in dogs. The effects can last 1-3 days. This has not been reported in any other species.
• Grapes and Raisins: The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is aware of recent reports of dogs alleged to have developed kidney failure following ingestion of large amounts of grapes or raisins. There has also been one case of renal failure occurring in a cat who ate raisins. Veterinary toxicologists at the APCC are currently investigating these cases in an attempt to determine the causative agents or disease processes. At this time the exact role of grapes or raisins in these cases is unclear.
ALWAYS Be Prepared!!!!
Your pet may become poisoned in spite of your best efforts to prevent it. You should keep telephone numbers for your veterinarian, a local emergency veterinary service, and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (1-888-426-4435) in a convenient location. If you suspect that your pet has ingested something poisonous, seek medical attention immediately.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Hachiko - A Dog's Tale With A Twist
Don interviewed Kathy Coffman of Baycrest Akitas to get some really neat, behind-the-scenes insights. Kathy is one of the co-breeders of Forrest, who is one of the handsome Akitas in the new Hachiko movie starring Richard Gere.
_______________________________________________
Don: With the fast coming opening of the movie Hachiko. I wanted to give the visitors to Akita sites a little more dog side view of the making of the film than the trailers and movie reviews. I contacted Kathy and Ed Coffman of Baycrest Akitas, who are Co-breeders along with Cornelius Campbell, Monumental Akitas, of "Forrest" - registered name Baycrest Run Forrest Run, who is owned by Joseph Capaldi.
Were you ever on set during filming?
No we were supposed to be invited but never really got the chance to go.
How did Forest put up with the repetition of retakes?
We cautioned the trainers in advance of sending the dog that "they" (the dogs) were going to learn quickly but the trainers most likely were not going to get the dogs motivated enought to do repetitive actions. The cautions that Deb and I issued to the trainers were almost identical (even though neither of us really knew this until much later).
After the dogs were trained we were told by the trainers that these dogs were indeed very different from the other dogs they had trained and their training methods were altered and akin to the training they used when they trained the wolves for a previous picture.
I think it was very fortunate that each of these three dogs had very different temperaments. It is my understanding that Layla was the outgoing active willing girl who worked for her tennis ball. Clapton/now Chico was just a big goofy boy (you'd probably get more precise information from Deb Anibal on their differing temperaments). Forrest, on the other hand, is a real "ho hum" dog; he is lazy, slow and unaffected by most things. If I were to make an educated guess I would say Forrest was probably the most challenging dog of the three.
ALL of these dogs were trained by hand signals that differ greatly from the more common ones we know from the obedience and performance rings. Just as an example - to get Forrest to rise from a sitting or lying position you need to kick your right leg out crossing over your left leg - and he will instantly stand (IF you can get him to look at you). LOL
We were told we would be provided with a CD of all the hand signals and tricks they had learned - and we were told we might be able to replicate some of the tricks but not all of them - we never got this CD despite many requests for it. :o(
How much travel was involved? How many months did the filming take?
We sent Forrest to California to Boones Animals of Hollywood in June 07 and were told we "should" have him back by Xmas 07 at the latest but hopefully by Thanksgiving 07. That didn't happen - the picture took far longer to make then was orginally anticipated and weather did not co-operate. It snowed when it wasn't supposed to and didn't snow when they thought it would. Requiring them to catch almost all four seasons to make the picture appear to cover the many years of lifespan of Hachiko. We finally got Forrest back in Sept/Oct of 08.
The dogs spent several months in California living with the trainers then went on location to Providence - they returned to California with the trainers and then returned to Providence in the spring/summer to finish filming. Forrest was returned to us from Providence just a couple days after the final scenes were shot.
Here is a link showing just what the trainers and the dogs did when they weren't filming.
These pictures were taken by Mark - photography is something he's very proud of:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10189535@N02/page14/
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