Smarty Pants... LOL

Jasmine is hilarious. And she helps train me. First thing in the morning, she wants to practice tricks. So I spread out her toys, and her wicker basket. And instead of saying "clean up your toys.", I told her to "go get your toy", then "put it in the basket". (Meaning the wicker toy basket.) This is what Jasmine did. LOL. Smarty Pants.

I'm currently trying to figure out what trick to train next.   Any suggestions?  

This is what we know so far...

WINNERS Announced!

I have 2 winners to announce!!  We recently had a drawing for 2 different give-aways.


First- I had a Gift Certificate to Best Friends Pet Care that I wanted to find a good home for!  So I had a drawing, and the winner is.... Lilo Kalua Bear!  :)    Congratulations!

Photo courtesy of Hau Ngo Photography

Second- we had a give-away to celebrate a big milestone on Jasmine's Facebook page.  We were lucky enough to have Let's Be Pets online store sponsor our give-away!  So I'm pleased to announce the winner of the $75 Gift Certificate!  It's Carma Poodale Allen!!  Congratulations!!  A rep from Let's Be Pets will be emailing you with the details.

Carma Poodale Allen

Thanks to everyone who entered!!  And thanks to all our friends for supporting us!!!  :)  :)

Jaz's New Dog Tricks

Jaz has a new trick video up!  (Well, kind of!)   I made a remix of some of Jasmine's old and new tricks.  (Including the "Blanket Thief" at the end.)   I think I'm going to re-upload it with music.  But until I get time to do that, here's a sneak peak:  :)

Jaz modeling for a photoshoot

 You don't need a big photo shoot set when you're taking pics of a little dog!

Last week, I took Jasmine to a photoshoot.  (Not for any company or brand, just for me.)    :)

The photographer told me she was easier to work with than human clients!  LOL

Yes, these backgrounds look like they are from the 70's... but I still like the pics of Jaz.

I tried to get a "slam dunk" action shot, (with the ball falling through the hoop), but we could never get the timing right.  This is as close as we got.

I wanted to get a shot of Jaz with a "Thank You" sign- to thank all of our friends who have supported us along this journey!  (And of course, a pic with the shopping cart, since Jaz is most well-known for her "Dog Goes Shopping" video.

I bought actual prints of this one.  I thought it turned out cute.

Hello Toto!

Jasmine doesn't mind bath time if there's not actual water involved!!  ;)

So... those are my pics from the photoshoot.  The portrait studio was originally having a "pet portrait" special, but that was only for one pose.  How do you pick just one??  ;)

Anyone want a free stay at BestFriends Pet Care?

Hey- does anyone live near any of these locations? 
http://www.bestfriendspetcare.com/locations/

Jasmine was a finalist in a contest with Best Friends Pet Care.  She won a free 2-night stay, but the closest location to me is San Diego. (I'm in AZ) So I don't think I'll be using it before it expires.


Here's what is says on the gift certificate:  "This FREE package includes two nights' boarding in a two-room suite with premium food, orthopedic bedding and daily groom service.  Whether your dog loves social group play or is the more independent type, his days will be filled with customized care just right for him."

So if you would like it, let me know.  If more than 1 person wants it, I'll just draw names out of a hat.  :)  

Let's Be Pets Contest/ Raffle

http://www.letsbepets.com/

As you know, Jasmine recently passed a milestone of 1,000 friends on Facebook!

I had no idea when I got this sweet little pup where this would all lead!  But now, we feel so lucky to have good friends all over the world.

To celebrate this milestone, we are going to have a sponsored give-away!

The website Let's Be Pets has offered to give away a $75 Gift Certificate to the winner!   And as you can tell, they are also featuring Jasmine and a few of her friends on their website homepage!  (I had posted an email address on Jasmine's Facebook Page so people could email pics to "Let's Be Pets"... and these were the first ones to respond.)  They even did a write-up about all her friends!  http://www.letsbepets.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=20   So this is Jasmine's shopping posse! 

We're going to make it really easy to enter the raffle/contest!   Since the prize is about shopping, we decided to enter, you just have to share the "Dog Goes Shopping" video!  

You can share the video via email, twitter, facebook, or pinterest. (Be sure to tag Jasmine (My Favorite Pup) on Facebook or @myfavpupjasmine on Twitter, or repin My Favorite Pup Jasmine on Pinterest.)  

Then leave a comment here, including your name, email address, and where you shared her video.  Each share is worth 1 entry in the raffle.  (So you could potentially have up to 4 entries per person.)  At the end of the week, we'll have a drawing, and the winner will receive a $75 Gift Certificate to Let's Be Pets website!  :)

You have one week to enter.  The contest will end on Monday, July 23rd at midnight.  (AZ time)  :)   Good luck!  Thanks for being our friend!  (And THANK YOU to Let's Be Pets for sponsoring this give-away!!)  :)

THANK YOU!!! :)

Jasmine just reached a milestone of 1,000 friends on Facebook, so to celebrate we're going to be having a raffle/contest.  (I even found a sponsor to donate some great prizes!)   More details to come- I'll post about it on our page- https://www.facebook.com/MyFavoritePupJasmine

But in the meantime, just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone!


We have met some wonderful friends all around the world over the past few years.  Through-out all the ups and downs, the exciting times, and the disappointing times...  I appreicate your love and encouragement.  I am glad you are a part of my life.   So to all our friends, old and new, THANK YOU for your love, support, and friendship.

Calendar Dog!! :) The Chosen One! ;)

I just got an email from the publisher's of the Page-A-Day calendars.   Jasmine's picture is going to be featured in the 2014 calendar!!  :)  :)   That's a long time to wait!!   But it will be a fun surprise for me... because chances are good I'll have forgotten about it by 2014.  Then one day I'll receive a fun package in the mail with a calendar in it!! 


How do I know this will happen??   Because that's what happened this year!!!   Jasmine is also featured in this year's Page-A-Day "365 Dogs" calendar!!  (A picture of her sitting pretty is on Nov. 17, 2012.)  
I entered a full year before, and I forgot all about it until I got the calendar in the mail with a letter telling me congratulations!!  LOL.

By the way, if you want to submit a picture for consideration, here's the link:  http://www.pageaday.com/pub-bin/dogcontestsreg.pl


They will email you if your picture gets picked.  Don't worry if you don't hear back from them right away.  I can't even remember when I submitted this picture to them, but I know it was months ago!  So... be patient!  They like unusal photos, holiday photos, or photos in really scenic places.

Have fun!  :)

World News with Diane Sawyer

Last night (Saturday, July 7th)  Jasmine had a brief cameo on "World News with Diane Sawyer"!   They were doing a segment on how pets keep cool in the summer...  and they found this video on YouTube.  (which I had just barely posted)





One of the producers contacted me through YouTube, and wrote this:


ABC NEWS REQUEST FOR VIDEO PERMISSION
To:MyFavoritePupJasmine

Hi, I am a producer with ABC News. Tonight we are doing a story about the ways in which animals are keeping cool in this hot weather. I saw the video you posted of your puppy Jasmine doing the doggie paddle. I love it! and would like to use a few seconds of it. May I?
Thanks,
Susan

Producer
ABC News
World News


So I wrote back and said sure!  
The down side is.... I wasn't home last night so I didn't get to see it.  They wrote to me Saturday afternoon, and aired it on Saturday night, so I didn't even have time to ask someone to record it for me!  One of my friends told me she saw Jaz on it (towards the 2nd half of the segment), so I know her video was featured.


I've been searching to see if it's available online somewhere... but so far no luck.  Oh well.  
If any of you come across it, will you please let me know??  I'd still like to see it, even if it is just for a few seconds...

Best Video Award Winner! :D

It's going to feel like Christmas in July when I post this... but there's a reason!

At the BlogPaws pet social media convention, Jasmine was nominated for a "Nose-to-Nose" award... for "Best Video on a Blog".

This is the video that was nominated:

And she won!!  (Which caught me off-guard, considering the popularity of the other entries!)  The videos were judged not only on technical merits, but also on creativity and originality. (Which is where I was told we received a high score.)  :)  Once all the scores were averaged together, Jasmine's video had won!  :D    http://www.blogpaws.com/2012/07/blogpaws-2012-pet-blogging-and-social-media-award-winners-announced.html

It was so exciting!   We got to pick a shelter or rescue group to donate 5,000 meals to!!  (That's the best part!)   So we picked the Arizona Animal Welfare League.  It's one of Arizona's oldest and largest shelters.

Photo Credit: Becka Jeffs

Here's the beautiful trophy that Jasmine won.

Photo credit: Rebecka Jeffs

This is a new trick she just learned.  (How to put her paw on something and hold still for a picture.)

Here's my sweet pup.  Because of her funny little trick videos... we were able to help out a shelter by giving them 5,000 meals from Halo and FreeKibble.  How cool is that??  I am sometimes amazed at all the paths this sweet little pup has taken me down.  Who knew?  

"Totally Floored by my Pet"

Bissell wanted to know about a time I was "totally floored" by my pet.  It actually happened quite recently!!


As you know Jasmine is a smart pup.  She knows over 100 different tricks/ behaviors.  She loves to learn.  And she loves a challenge.


This is good and bad.  


The good news is... she loves doing her tricks. (because it means she gets treats!)  And she's VERY motivated by treats. 


Look at all the fun tricks she can do!  (all taught through positive reinforcement.)





The bad news is...  Jaz can be a little too smart sometimes!!  She teaches herself new tricks!!  (Like how to open the cabinets, and get in the garbage can!)  I don't have children yet, but I still had to install baby locks on my cabinets because of a certain smart puppy!!


After the BlogPaws pet convention in SLC, we flew home on Sunday night.  I had to go to work early Monday morning, so I didn't have time to unpack.  I KNEW my suitcase had treats in it, so I zipped it up.  And just to be on the safe side, I shut my bedroom door.  


When I came home from work, this is what I found!!   Here's a picture of the suspect at the scene of the crime!    I was totally floored.  I knew I had shut my door, but it must not have clicked all the way.  Because somehow Houdini the Wonder Dog managed to open it, open my suitcase, dig out the treats, and devour the whole bag!!    

When I posted this picture on Facebook, my friend Sara said "That's the perils of owning a talented dog!"   LOL. 

Video of #Tillman skateboarding! (and Norman too!)

When I was at BlogPaws last month, I got to see Tillman the Skateboarding Bulldog perform live!!  It was soooo cool!!   Tillman absolutely LOVES his Natural Balance skateboard.  His owner Ron actually has to take it away from him or he would just ride it forever!!   

I also was lucky enough to get the opportunity to interview Ron about how he taught Tillman how to skateboard!  But that video won't be ready until later!

For now, here's the video I took at BlogPaws in June:

Tillman the Skateboarding Bulldog and Norman the Scooter Dog show off their talents!!

The expert in anything was once a beginner.

I posted this picture on my facebook page.  And wrote "it's true.  We need to be patient with ourselves."

Whether we are learning a new skill, developing our talents, or training our dogs.  These things take time.  And there's no use comparing yourself to someone who's farther down the road.  There will always be someone more advanced than you.  The secret is to just do better today than you did yesterday.  And realize that growth takes time.  

This is Baby Jaz.  I had no idea when I got this sweet little pup that eventually her dog tricks would be seen around the world.  We just don't know the potential we have hidden inside us.  Be patient.  And allow yourself time to discover your path in this life.  Who knows where you'll end up.  :)

You might go from this:

To this:  :)

Sneaky Blanket Thief!

Jasmine is cute, but she's sneaky too!  So you'd better watch out during nap time!  ;)