I've got a new dog! (2 Viewers)

[Mike Frezon]

Thanks, Cees!

Actually....the dog on the cover is neither Pete nor Ernie.

It's Jojo...who lives in the Chicago suburbs. Her job (among several!) is to climb onto the dentist chair alongside children patients and put them at ease while the dentist does his/her thing.

Peg's book is a compendium of such tales...showing kids how animals work with children in any number of ways to make their lives better. So it's really a book meant for kids (in Kindergarten thru 5th Grade). Very colorful...lots of pictures (some by me!)...and incorporating snippets of scripture.

I got to take pix of dogs, pigs and rats for the book!

Just launched January 24th.

 

[Cees Alons]

"About the Author

Peggy Frezon is contributing editor of All Creatures magazine, and the author of Faithfully Yours. Her inspirational and animal stories appear regularly in Guideposts and Angels on Earth, Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and All Creatures daily devotional (Guideposts Books). She lives in upstate New York where she enjoys sharing her love of animals with her two granddaughters. She and her husband rescue senior golden retrievers and are involved in therapy dog work. They share their home with two faithful golden retrievers, Ernest and Petey."

... "and her husband", well, well.


Cees

 

[Mike Frezon]

That's all I get nowadays...

So sad.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Sorry I don't have a direct link to the video....

https://twitter.com/i/status/1102549352495632384

 

[ChristopherG]

Sorry I don't have a direct link to the video....

https://twitter.com/i/status/1102549352495632384

That's hysterical

 

[Mike Frezon]

Peg and I watched this documentary last night:

Life in the Doghouse is an interesting film. Peg and I both remarked that while there was not a clear story arc over the course of the feature...there WAS nevertheless a very compelling story told through the day-to-day living of the two protagonists: Danny Robertshaw and Ron Danta.

These two fellas are singularly responsible for the adoption of 11,000+ dogs. They live in South Carolina and have pretty much turned their home into a makeshift dog shelter. They met each other through a mutual love of horses and realized they both shared an affinity towards savings the lives of stray dogs. As you can see from this image, they take in dogs of all sorts to save them from euthanasia and assist their local shelters in finding homes for these animals.

What I liked most about this film is that Robertshaw and Danta say all the right things:

--about the good work of animal shelters (both humane and "kill" shelters).
--about the need to pass legislation requiring the spay/neuter of all pets (except for licensed breeders)
--about the horrors of the commercial pet breeding industry.
--about the bonds between humans and animals and how deep and significant it is.
--about how all-consuming (and never-ending) the work of dog rescue is.

But not only do they say and do all the right things...they do it with a dignity and skill that many animal advocates would do well to emulate. They do not preach or shame or hit their audience over the head screaming their message. And, most importantly, they recognize that they actually have little time to talk because of how busy they are doing their work (training horses and rescuing dogs). This film is their opportunity for people to see what two caring people can do and accomplish when driven by their passion. In other words, they just don't "talk the talk. They "walk the walk."

We see their daily routines of feeding, medicating and cleaning up after hundreds of dogs who live in their home. We see how they have given up most of their home and social lives to their passion of animal advocacy. We even see one of them arrange to take out a personal loan to keep the operation afloat--an operation that hires staff that works nearly around the clock to place the dogs with families, keep the place amazingly clean, stock the various supplies that are constantly flowing into and out of the home and provide an impossibly caring environment for so many dogs under a single roof.

It might sound like a documentary about an over-the-top organization of animal zealots...but that it distinctly not the case. These are two caring, soft-spoken guys who just go about their business day-in and day-out transitioning dogs from bad situations into their home until they are finally placed (with care and scrutiny) in an appropriate home. Along the way, we learn about the men, their backstories and some personal crises which complement and help explain why they are so dedicated to their mission.

There are a few rough moments of video story-telling (appropriate given the dedication of these men and the depth of the problem they are fighting. But I wouldn't want that to keep people from seeing this movie. It's an important story and this film does a fine job of touching nearly every aspect of dog rescue and educating its viewers in a mature and non-sensational way.

If you love dogs (or cats or other animals), see this film.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Peg and I watched this documentary last night:

Life in the Doghouse is an interesting film. Peg and I both remarked that while there was not a clear story arc over the course of the feature...there WAS nevertheless a very compelling story told through the day-to-day living of the two protagonists: Danny Robertshaw and Ron Danta.

These two fellas are singularly responsible for the adoption of 11,000+ dogs. They live in South Carolina and have pretty much turned their home into a makeshift dog shelter. They met each other through a mutual love of horses and realized they both shared an affinity towards savings the lives of stray dogs. As you can see from this image, they take in dogs of all sorts to save them from euthanasia and assist their local shelters in finding homes for these animals.

What I liked most about this film is that Robertshaw and Danta say all the right things:

--about the good work of animal shelters (both humane and "kill" shelters).
--about the need to pass legislation requiring the spay/neuter of all pets (except for licensed breeders)
--about the horrors of the commercial pet breeding industry.
--about the bonds between humans and animals and how deep and significant it is.
--about how all-consuming (and never-ending) the work of dog rescue is.

But not only do they say and do all the right things...they do it with a dignity and skill that many animal advocates would do well to emulate. They do not preach or shame or hit their audience over the head screaming their message. And, most importantly, they recognize that they actually have little time to talk because of how busy they are doing their work (training horses and rescuing dogs). This film is their opportunity for people to see what two caring people can do and accomplish when driven by their passion. In other words, they just don't "talk the talk. They "walk the walk."

We see their daily routines of feeding, medicating and cleaning up after hundreds of dogs who live in their home. We see how they have given up most of their home and social lives to their passion of animal advocacy. We even see one of them arrange to take out a personal loan to keep the operation afloat--an operation that hires staff that works nearly around the clock to place the dogs with families, keep the place amazingly clean, stock the various supplies that are constantly flowing into and out of the home and provide an impossibly caring environment for so many dogs under a single roof.

It might sound like a documentary about an over-the-top organization of animal zealots...but that it distinctly not the case. These are two caring, soft-spoken guys who just go about their business day-in and day-out transitioning dogs from bad situations into their home until they are finally placed (with care and scrutiny) in an appropriate home. Along the way, we learn about the men, their backstories and some personal crises which complement and help explain whey they are so dedicated to their mission.

There are a few rough moments of video story-telling (appropriate given the dedication of these men and the depth of the problem they are fighting. But I wouldn't want that to keep people from seeing this movie. It's an important story and this film does a fine job of touching nearly every aspect of dog rescue and educating its viewers in a mature and non-sensational way.

If you love dogs (or cats or other animals), see this film.

Thanks for your detailed review and for bringing this movie to my attention, Mike! It looks like a touching story about some very dedicated people.

May I ask how you viewed it? It appears to not be available for rental, only purchase via iTunes or Amazon, etc., or at selected theaters. I know my mother and sister would like to see this as well, so am looking into various options.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Jeff:

I purchased a Blu-ray from Amazon. Currently @ $16.81.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Thanks, Mike!

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

 

[Mike Frezon]

 

[Malcolm R]

With his fur covering the knot, it almost looks like Petey is wearing a green sequin brassiere.

 

[PMF]

[...]It's Jojo [...]Her job (among several!) is to climb onto the dentist chair alongside children patients and put them at ease while the dentist does his/her thing.

The alternate title could've easily been "The Tooth about Canines".
Remarkable story.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I thought you guys would enjoy this story.

https://wpdh.com/lower-hudson-valle...kuk8Kn90x6eDvKE3a3G09WKaaDAuA5MCSE-wSJ9hY3Giw

 

[Johnny Angell]

I thought you guys would enjoy this story.

https://wpdh.com/lower-hudson-valle...kuk8Kn90x6eDvKE3a3G09WKaaDAuA5MCSE-wSJ9hY3Giw

He was the right man at the right place. Hurrah for him.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Happy Easter, everyone!

A little late...but I get a mulligan on that--for two reasons. One, my mother's maiden name is Mulligan. And, I was actually in the hospital on Easter Sunday. All is well. I've just got some catching up to do.

 

[TonyD]

Yikes I just saw the post.
Glad you are okay.

 

[RMajidi]

Hi Mike,

Glad you are well, and Happy Easter to you and yours too.

May I present to you, Layla, the latest addition to our family...

Nine weeks old and settling in beautifully, though she’s had a few run-ins with our adopted cat, Giddy (named after Gideon of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers).

Layla, you’ve got me on my knees...

 

[Johnny Angell]

Happy Easter, everyone!

A little late...but I get a mulligan on that--for two reasons. One, my mother's maiden name is Mulligan. And, I was actually in the hospital on Easter Sunday. All is well. I've just got some catching up to do.

I hope you are feeling much better now.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Ramin:

, Layla!

She looks like what we'd call a Border Collie in the US. Or, is she an Australian Cattle Dog?

Congratulations on the new addition to the family! I bet she and Gideon will be fast friends before you know it. I've got ZERO experience in mixing dogs/cats in the same household. I DO know that sometimes introducing a new dog into a household with a pre-existing dog(s) can be difficult business.