National Guide Dog Month Fundraiser Starts Today!

Today is the official kick off of National Guide Dog Month. Many of you know I work for Natural Balance Pet Foods, who sponsors this fundraiser. This year our goal is to raise $1 million dollars during the month of September. Guide Dogs improve the lives of the blind by creating opportunities for life-changing independence. They provide safe mobility, loving companionship and truly the miracle of independence to the visually impaired through the use of a guide dog.

• Did you know that every 7 minutes, someone in America becomes blind or visually impaired?
• Did you know that 13% of our active military return from war with eye injuries?

For many, blindness means being shut off from society, stuck at home, or moving about with a walking stick, tapping ahead to find a clear path in the darkness.  

Guide Dogs can literally change the life of a blind person, restoring confidence, providing freedom to return to work, and resume a normal routine that those of us who are sighted take for granted every day.  

During the month of September you can make a donation at any Petco store, or local independent pet retailer where Natural Balance Pet Foods are available. Simply make a donation at the register when you check out. You can also purchase specially marked bags of Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice in 28lb bags, where $1 per bag will be donated to this cause. 
If you prefer, you can also donate online from the convenience of your own home. Go to www.petco.com/naturalbalance and make a donation in any amount TODAY, Thank you!

Jimmy and Dick Van Patten with Nicollette Sheridan, and "Ally" guide dog puppy in training. Visit www.petco.com for a special video message from Ms Sheridan about National Guide Dog Month.

-Rick Rockhill

Dog Days of Summer with the Padres & Steve Garvey

Yesterday was a fun day at work. Some of you may be aware that my company has been hosting a series of "Bark in the Park" events at various major league baseball parks across the country. It's a day when you can take your dog to the ball park to watch the game. Baseball legend Steve Garvey is a spokesperson for Natural Balance Pet Foods and heads up our sports marketing. (Steve sure had an amazing career). We've had an incredible summer of baseball games with literally thousands of dogs and their pet parents in tow. Last weekend was the wildly successful Bark in the Park with the Dodgers in Los Angeles (great video here). This weekend has two more such events; Friday was the "Dog Days of Summer" with the Padres at Petco Park in San Diego, and Sunday is the Bark in the Park with the Giants at AT&T park in San Francisco. So yesterday Steve Garvey and I made the rounds to a series of appearances on local TV stations to pitch the Padres "Dog Days of Summer" event.

above: If you've never seen the set of a TV station, this is a very typical news desk set. The anchors had not sat down yet...

above: Steve Garvey was waiting on the set with a few rescue dogs from the San Diego Labrador Rescue. They had on site adoptions during the event at Petco Park.

above: on the set just before the interview. Steve was ready to go as the dogs were given a delicious treat to keep them busy! Watch the KFMB TV segment online here.
Earlier in the day, Steve appeared on CW Channel 6. Watch this segment here
Dog Days of Summer at Petco Park:

above: Steve Garvey signed autographs at the Natural Balance booth for well over an hour to a long line of fans. Some of the fans were four-legged, but that was what made the day so cool!

above: Steve had another interview with KUSI TV, at Petco Park.

above: Look closely. This tiny little Boston Terrier was perched on his motorcycle, wearing a Harley Davidson jacket and goggles. Such a cute dog with a great personality. It was great being with Steve again all day. Wherever we went, people recognized Steve and said hello, asked for autographs, photos, etc.

above: the parade of pups, waiting in line for judging.

above: who would be biggest, smallest or "best look-alike to owner"? Everyone waited patiently...

above: the pressure of the competition didn't bug this Pug. He was thrilled to have his Padres jersey on and be at the ball park!

above: the grassy knoll, center field was a hub of activity.

above: meanwhile, back at the Natural Balance tent, Steve Garvey continued to sign autographs to a long line of fans.

above: this Westie did all sorts of tricks for our Tillman Treats!

It was a fun evening, despite the Padres loss to the Phillies later. It's clear to me that baseball and dogs are both great family events. My day started in TV studios pitching to the media and ended with the dogs, but that's exactly the way I like it.
-Rick Rockhill

Preview to National Guide Dog Month

What does actress Nicollette Sheridan have in common with Dick and Jimmy Van Patten? Well, they all love animals and have joined forces in a campaign to raise $1 million in support of guide dogs for the visually impaired. September is National Guide Dog Month, but STARTING TODAY, you can donate ONLINE by going to www.petco.com/naturalbalance. If we get one million people to just donate $1 each, we'll hit our goal. I'll be blogging quite a bit about guide dogs over the next few weeks, and I hope to inspire you to make a donation, in any amount. Its fast. Its easy. Help a blind person get a guide dog and have their independence back. Check out this message from Nicollette Sheridan, with Dick Van Patten:

Please consider making a donation online RIGHT NOW: go to www.petco.com/naturalbalance

Meeting Some Cool Dogs at Barkworld

Last weekend while at the Barkworld Expo in Atlanta I met lots of fellow pet enthusiast social media people. Barkworld Expo featured seminars, sessions and stuff- all about using Twitter, Facebook, blogging and a myriad of other social media online trends involving pets. Yes, I was a speaker on Saturday; I co-presented with Natalie Malaszenko who is Director of Social Media & Commerce for petco.com, a company I know a thing or two about. I was there representing my company Natural Balance Pet Foods. Aside from participating in a variety of events, seminars and the public expo on pet stuff, I had the opportunity to meet and greet with a lot of cool pets...and people. Like Cosmo and Diane, as an example (see photo above left). Cosmo is a very cool Havanese and is quite athletic, especially with agility. Check out Cosmo doing tricks here for a Tillman's training treat. You can follow Cosmo on Twitter @CosmoHavanese or on his blog, To Dog With Love


above: here is Cosmo with his Mom, Diane who sure is swell. She does a great job with the blog and Tweeting on behalf of Cosmo.

above: I was lucky to get this nice photo with Natalie, Diane and Cosmo, of course!
above: And then, there is "James Bond the Dog" who I thought was way cool too. "JB" also has his own Twitter page, @JamesBondtheDog and I must admit I am a tad bit jealous of his nearly 3,600 followers! Whew, that is one popular dog. He also has his very own video channel which is worth checking out. So instead of fretting about serious stuff like the economy or the kids, lighten up and checkout these two amazing "Anipals", you'll be glad you did. I'm glad I've met some new online pet lover friends. Barkworld was so much more than just an Expo for learning and idea exchange, it was a great opportunity to meet some cool dogs...and their people pals too.
-Rick Rockhill

Special New York Screening of Expecting Mary film

I was so fortunate to be in New York for business at the same time as a special screening of the upcoming film Expecting Mary. Since the screening was at night I was able to work during the day and hit the movie screening in the evening. This was a benefit for the Actor's Fund, a non-profit organization founded in 1882 to assist performing art individuals in film, theater, television, opera, and dance. As you can imagine, the vast majority of people in these professions do NOT "hit it big" to enjoy easy financial success. Ticket sales of this screening were to benefit the Actor's Fund and introduce the film to peers within the community, which is a great way for an Independent film to gain exposure just before its official release on September 10th. The photo above is of actress Linda Gray, being photographed by the paparazzi. There were reporters from major newspapers and magazines. In Expecting Mary, Linda plays "Darnella" an aging Vegas showgirl who lives in a trailer park and still performs in a small town Indian casino.

above: the posters lined up at the entrance.

above: the flash of all the paparazzi cameras over-powered my little camera. But you get the gist. Here is Linda and young actress Olesya Rulin. Co-star Della Reese was also on hand but I didn't get a photo of her!

above: Producer Kim Waltrip, Linda Gray, Executive Producer Jim Casey and Olesya Rulin, being mobbed by the press. The film was well received by the attendees and met with excellent verbal reviews. It is exciting to see the buzz building for an Independent film. I can't wait for the next screening...stay tuned more more.
-Rick Rockhill

'Expecting Mary' Stars On Fox Good Day Show

'Expecting Mary' Stars Linda Gray and Della Reese appeared on NY's Good Day TV show on Fox this morning. They were speaking about the soon to be released film "Expecting Mary" that I've written about several times here. It is a marvelous film great for the whole family and boasts a great cast of stars you know and love, including Linda Gray, Della Reese, Elliott Gould, Lainie Kazan, Cloris Leachman, Olesya Rulin, Cybil Shepherd, Dred Willard and Gene Simmons (of KISS). Expecting Mary is an Independent film, so it will be released September 10th in limited cities in the US. I'll post about it again in a few weeks but in the meantime check out this clip from the Fox Good Day New York TV show.

Atlanta Crime...Its Bad

I am sad to report that I was mugged last night in Atlanta. My brand new iPad was stolen last night in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, in the hip and trendy, bustling Atlantic Station shopping area. Crime in Atlanta has gotten progressively much worse, in fact much worse than I ever remember. Last night I was walking out of a very nice restaurant, called Dolce, (which is located at 261 19th Street in Atlanta). I was right outside the front door of the restaurant, when a young guy, probably between 24-26 years old, ran up to me, bumped me and snatched my iPad out of my right hand. I tried to hold onto it, but he had the element of surprise and speed. My hand was cut from the movement of it being yanked out so fast. Instinct kicked in, and I immediately turned and chased him. I was screaming at the very top of my lungs: "STOP THAT MOTHER F***ER, HE STOKE MY IPAD!!! STOP THAT MAN, HE ROBBED ME...STOP HIM, STOP HIM!!" All the while I was chasing him on foot, running at the top speed of a forty something year old guy. I chased him for four blocks, screaming the whole time. My three dinner mates followed in pursuit, hoping to help. Amazingly, not a single local even attempted to stop the thief as he ran past. Onlookers may have just been stunned, but the thief was clearly running away having stolen something. He was gripping my poor iPad in his filthy hands as he escaped. I was running on pure adrenaline, but it was not fast enough. The thief was twenty years younger than I and simply got away.

Now, some might ask, why I was carrying my iPad around to dinner, and if I hadn't done so it wouldn't have been stolen. I suppose that is true, but later it was interesting to hear the number of other stories from locals who had their own possessions stolen in the same week! It is probably also worth mentioning here that I am not a country bumpkin. I lived and worked in New York City, Boston, Chicago, London and San Diego, so I consider myself to be street smart, a real city guy, certainly not naive to the ways of city life. Atlanta crime is bad. It is out of control for such a crime to take place in a very built up area with movie theaters, restaurants and shopping. Beware, Atlantic Station may look safe, but it is not!

above: this is the Atlantic Station area of Atlanta. In speaking with several businesses, locals and police, the city has been over-run with crime recently. A young woman told me her purse had been snatched the day before. A bartender told me his car had been broken into two days prior. Yep, Atlantic Station is not safe for visitors or locals either, for that matter. I'd certainly recommend staying away from the area if you don't have to come here. Do not dine here or be out after dark.

above: this is the fine dining restaurant where the theft occurred, right outside the front door. It is in the Atlantic Station shopping district.

above: this is the Millennium Arch, where my high speed pursuit on foot ended, to no avail. Finally the Atlanta police arrived but the thief was long gone. I was exhausted from running, hot and sweaty from chasing the bad man. Fortunately there wasn't much on my brand new iPad that wasn't backed up. So in the grand scheme of things, it was a low impact theft. I'm just out $918.59 which is what I paid for my iPad. Do I blame Atlantic Station for not having adequate security? Yes I do. Do I blame Atlanta police for not patrolling the area, while they were in one area? Yes I do. Do I blame the city of Atlanta for allowing such a high rate of crime in a shopping district that is intended to attract business visitors and tourist? Yes I do. Will I return to Atlanta anytime soon? Nope. Am I being rational? Probably not, but I have a right to be, as a new victim of this city.

So if you are planning a trip to Atlanta, BEWARE! Watch your wallet, hold onto your purse, lock up your valuables. Don't take anything out with you that you don't want stolen. Atlanta is not safe.

BarkWorld Expo in Atlanta, GA

Today I'm in Atlanta, Georgia attending the Bark World Expo. It is billed as "The World's Largest Pet Social Media and Conference & Exposition" Who am I to argue, it sure seems impressive to me! I'm psyched to be here attending and participating. I'm also honored to be presenting at a session on Saturday at the conference. I enjoy speaking at conferences; it comes easy to me and I enjoy the opportunity to meet other folks within the industry. My session today is co-presented by Natalie Malaszenko, Director of Social Media and Commerce at www.petco.com. Our topic is "Making Money in Social Media" one which we hope will be of interest to the attendees in session. Natalie and I worked together for a few years when I was still at petco. Together we executed several really awesome social media projects, including the launch of the Generation Natural Pet social site, and the huge PR effort round last year's Natural Balance Rose Parade Float with Tillman, the skateboarding bulldog. It was at that event when we learned how to really promote and sell pet products, such as Tillman's Training Treats. Natalie and I work well together, and although I now work for Natural Balance Pet Foods, she and I have plenty of opportunities to partner on more industry leading social media programs.

During our session Saturday at BarkWorld Expo, we'll dispel some of the common myths, understand how to break through the clutter of competition, understand trends driving pet social media, and share examples of how to make money with event marketing and social media. Perhaps after the conference is over I'll share a few tidbits here, but for now, it is all being reserved for those who are attending the conference. I'll have more from the Barkworld Expo tomorrow, or for now you can follow me on Twitter.
-Rick Rockhill

It was a satisfying week...

This week just flew by so quickly, just as I knew it would. I was busy with work, and exceptionally productive if I do say so myself. It's a great feeling to end the week satisfied and feeling as though I've accomplished things at work and at home as well. The really hot weather returned to Southern California, which meant the coasts are hot again, and the desert is wicked hot. That meant only one thing. After work, I'd slip into my Bermuda shorts and relax poolside with a cool refreshing cocktail. When its this hot, even the poodles take it a bit easier than usual. Yesterday I had lunch with one of my famous Hollywood friends. It was nice to catch up on the goings on of the past few months. Family, friends, and just regular life stuff. The entire lunch, I kept thinking about the red velvet cake I saw in the front bakery case when I first walked in. When we had finished lunch, the waiter came by and asked if we wanted dessert. I was about to say "well, if you insist..." but before I could, my friend replied and said "no way, thanks we're full". For a split second I was miffed, thinking about how much I wanted that luscious red velvet cake. But I quickly came to my senses and realized it was best if I avoided anything else to eat. I really didn't need it, and I am trying to lose another 8 pounds.
::sigh::

Later, when I returned home I went for a nice walk to enjoy the sunset and listen to the "song" of the mountains. I often say that no two days are alike here in Palm Springs, depending on the position of the sun, atmosphere, cloud-cover, etc. This evening was especially beautiful. I paused to admire this vista above, isn't it lovely?

While some of the vegetation here in Palm Springs isn't native, it is still beautiful. Well that's all for today. A bit of a rambly-post I should think. Today I'm off to Atlanta, GA to attend a social media conference. More to come...
-Rick Rockhill

More Refreshing Moments at Home

Sunday was one of those lazy summer days, when we did absolutely nothing at all. I was up early, ground some fresh coffee beans and was on the patio by 6:00 reading the news on my iPad and sipping a robust cup of organic coffee. I love watching the early morning sun, it is definitely a high-point of each day for me. By noon time the sun was in in full force, driving me into the pool. I had my camera because I was bird watching and had hopes of getting a few good photos, but alas, no luck. As I was sitting in the pool, I looked down and noticed the shadow of a palm tree on the bottom of my pool. I thought it made for a nice refreshing photo, worthy of the lead photo in today's post. I was in no hurry to leave the water, so I sat on the steps, submerged, floating and staring up into the bright blue summer sky.

above: Sheldon and Duncan hate to miss anything, so they sat outside with me, near the back pool. We have shade structures, so they were not sitting directly in the sun. They were happy to be with me, keeping a watchful eye on everything I was doing. That cactus- type plant in the green pot are cuttings of a "Thorns of Christ" plant that I've been trying to root. It's struggling but doing better finally. If you look carefully in the photo above. you can see my reflection in the French doors. I took another photo, but zoomed in closer on Duncan:

above: Mr Duncan-Diggory was about as happy as he could be. Later he noticed my reflection in the door also and tilted his head trying to figure it out.

above: the west patio is one of my more favorite areas on the property, it is so peaceful and calm to me. That "organ pipe cactus" is really taking off, I'm so pleased he is doing well this year. Well that's all for now. Hope you have a great week, and thanks for stopping by today.
-Rick Rockhill

Refreshing Moments at Home

The weather here in Palm Springs has been exceptionally good this summer. Days are filled with abundant sunshine, reasonable dry heat, and in the evening, it has been dropping down to 70-75 degrees, which is unusual for the desert in the summer months. I've been virtually living outside, enjoying it all and savoring the idyllic weather. I thought it might be interesting to show another side of life in Palm Springs with a refreshing photo of a water feature we have in our back pool. This feature has flat rocks stacked up, with water flowing down over them. This photo alone didn't seem to tell the whole story, so while I was in the pool, I took the following short video below...in the end you can "jump in the water with me"...turn your sound way up, its very calming...

Hope you have a wonderful, tranquil and peaceful day.
-Rick Rockhill

PR, Planning, Pitching and Promotions

Today was one of those interesting days at work when I was doing something fun. Without a doubt, my job isn't boring or predictable. My days vary from dealing with product development, marketing, a hungry poodle taste-tester, meetings with retail buyers, international distributors, skateboarding bulldogs, veterinarians, nutritionists, forecasting, budgeting, strategic planning, chatting with Major League Baseball Sports Legends, photo shoots with actors, or doing general film and TV work. Hard to get bored with all that variety huh? Anyway today was about PR, Planning Pitching and Promotions. It was a bit of film work, in preparation for a fund raising campaign for a group of non-profit organizations across the country. I'm not mentioning it yet, because in a few weeks I'll be blogging about it quite a bit, so I don't want to burn you out on the cause too soon. I met two colleagues this morning in Palm Springs- one had a camera, one had a microphone. We spent half of the day conducting interviews and getting some great shots that included our breathtaking Palm Springs topography and mountain vistas. My role varied from being an interviewee, a lighting guy, a mini-director, and a helpful assistant. After a productive stretch of filming, we broke for lunch at the hip and trendy Riviera Resort hotel, one of my favorite spots. Its the sort of place that always makes a great impression on out of town guests, so I knew that would be the spot for our lunch break. In a few weeks, you may see some of the fruit of our collective labor today. I'll unabashedly post and share it here and across several other places, so stay tuned. In the meantime, now that I am back home I think I'll ask my faithful treat-tester, Sheldon to give me some feedback on our new dog treats. He cant seem to decide between the Sweet Potato, Salmon and Apple, or the Oatmeal, Chicken and Pumpkin....he is in for a fun night of tasting I am sure!
-Rick Rockhill

Happiness is a State of Mind...

Sometimes life is like a fancy chocolate dessert: a rich experience, delicious and creamy and makes you smile broadly. (ok that sounded way too corny). You see, I'm counting my blessings here on the old blog. I'm at a great time in my life and I've never been so happy. Let me see...work is wonderful, I love where I live, my pets are just so much fun and bring me lots of joy. I'm also lucky to have a terrific relationship too. On top of all that, I'm especially thankful for my health, being able-bodied and of sound mind. I've entered into a period with extraordinarily good luck; and since we never know what life has in store for us, I'll just live in the moment. So today I count my blessings and continue to think positively. For some reason I have a feeling that someone will stop by who needs to read the following message: "We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world" Happiness is a state of mind. So whoever needed those words, I hope it helps. Take a moment to be thankful for something. Oh, and have a nice slice of something chocolate too, that always helps.
-Rick Rockhill

A Perfect Summer Lunch, Poolside

Well it turned out to be a perfect Palm Springs Weekend. It was pleasantly hot- between 100 and 105 most of the weekend, with a gentle breeze that provided enough air movement to make it tolerable to be outside, in the shade. Saturday night we dined outside at the Riviera Resort's "Circa 69" restaurant. When we returned home we enjoyed a glass of wine in the moon light under the star filled sky. I fell asleep on the settee by the pool, with the poodles at my feet. Sunday wasn't much more productive. It was a lazy day, with little more than some light reading and some laundry to pass the day away. John prepared a nice summer lunch for us, which we enjoyed poolside. He marinated some fresh Ahi tuna then grilled it lightly. A delicious salad, freshly tossed with cilantro dressing, along with a few slices of watermelon made it just right. We had a nice glass of Pinot Gris which was perfect on a hot summer day. To me, nothing says summer more than a nice lunch poolside. Sheldon and Duncan sat with us and kept busy watching the birds in the nearby trees. Owen sat inside watching us through the French doors, his favorite vantage for all things by the pool. It was a Perfect Summer Lunch.
-Rick Rockhill

Simple Pleasures of Being Home

This morning I woke up with someone's paw sticking in my back. Sheldon had stretched out like a person during the night and made himself completely comfortable. His arms were out straight across, reaching toward my spine. Duncan, in the meantime had also extended his legs the length of the bed and had his head on the pillow. His face was turned toward me, ears spread out lavishly, with his eyes closed. Then there was Owen, curled up at my feet, snoozing away. A collection of their favorite plush toys were strewn haphazardly on the bed; they must have brought them to bed when I had fallen asleep earlier- so cute, I thought to myself. I was sort of stuck into a position in my own bed, but when I glanced at the three of the kids all happily resting together, I realized once again how good it was to be home. I gazed out the window watching the palm trees sway in the gentle morning breeze. The first light of sunrise was breaking on the beautiful San Jacinto mountains, spreading hues of pink and orange. I smiled broadly and counted my blessings for the wonderful life I have, grateful that I recognize the simple pleasures of home.
-Rick Rockhill

My Own Palm Springs Weekend

This is the first weekend in a month that I am back home in Palm Springs to truly relax. Not that I am complaining at all- my Asian World Tour was a huge success and quite enjoyable. Aside from completing business transactions, I had time to see a part of the world that was entirely new to me. I am grateful for the experiences. There is, however no place like home. Regardless of how far I travel, and no matter how fabulous the experiences may be, Palm Springs always holds a special place in my heart. This past week I waited with great anticipation to get back to my desert home. I realized it had been quite some time since I delved into the treasures of Palm Springs. I decided this would be a "Palm Springs Weekend", where I would relax, savor every moment and go out to enjoy the city. Last night was a quiet dinner downtown at L'Olivo, a locally owned Italian restaurant on Palm Canyon Drive. Later, back at home we enjoyed a nice bottle of wine and let the week's events fade into a distant memory. Ah, my Palm Springs Weekend had begun! Like Betty and Veronica in this comic book cover above, I was planning a "Palm Springs Weekend" at the Riviera.

Over the year's I've written countless posts about the virtues of visiting and living in Palm Springs. The California desert has much to offer; from the solitude of Joshua Tree National Park, hiking in Indian Canyons, the thrilling Palm Springs Tram, endless views of majestic mountains, pristine golf courses and rejuvenating spas.

My plans today include the Riviera Resort and Spa hotel. Regular readers may recall prior posts on this from a few years ago. It still holds my fascination because it has its own vibe and energy.

above: a few stock photos here, like this one of the lobby lounge, where hipsters hang for cocktails.

above: the resort pool has a stunning backdrop of our San Jacinto mountains. It makes for ideal dining al fresco...

...followed by a a quiet glass of wine by the fire pits under the pitch black, clear desert sky. It is an idyllic Palm Springs Weekend. Indeed I am so happy to be back home enjoying what is right in my own backyard.
-Rick Rockhill

Adventures of Sheldon & Duncan: Going for a Ride

After a long Asian World Tour business trip overseas, it was so good to be back home again in Palm Springs. The poodles were so excited to see me; even the kitty was extra affectionate and had quite a bit to say actually. I listened intently as Owen filled me in on the past few weeks, his big orange eyes glistened, staring knowingly into my own eyes. Early yesterday morning we decided to go out for breakfast. The poodles looked at me as if to say, "And where do you think you're going?". Immediately that changed things. We decided to go to Ruby's Diner, on Palm Canyon Drive downtown. They have patio seating outside, which means the poodles can come along. Thus, a new chapter of The Adventures of Sheldon and Duncan came to life. Both poodles are keen on going for rides in the car, in fact they go to work daily so they know the drill. Yesterday was different, and they knew it. From the moment I said "Do you want to go to Ruby's?" they perked up and ran to the front door, waiting impatiently. I collected their leads, prompting them to sit up straight, lifting their heads high. With noses pointed upward, I had easy access to clip each lead to their collars. With the sound of the "CLICK" they were released from their self-imposed stance, smiling and excited about the impending trip out of the house together. As the front door opened they made mad dash through the front courtyard and stood side by side at the gate, looking back at me, apparently moving much to slow for their preference. As I opened the car door they jumped in the back seat together, ready to go for a ride.

Both Sheldon and Duncan enjoy going for a ride, but they like being in the convertible even more. They sit up straight and look around, enjoying the view; noses sniffing wildly as they encounter all sorts of things whizzing by.

Driving down Palm Canyon Drive, their heads were looking in opposite directions, pedestrians, stores, palm trees, it was all so exciting. As other cars would crawl past, they would see the poodles in the convertible, point and smile, sometimes saying hello to the poodles. Sheldon and Duncan knew they were being watched. In fact they love the attention. It isn't easy being Rock Star Poodles on Parade.

I glanced back, in the side view mirror and saw Sheldon's reflection. His ears and hair were flowing in the gentle breeze as the car was gliding forward. Sheldon was smiling, happy as can be. To them, The Adventures of Sheldon and Duncan: Going for a Ride were about as good as life gets. I couldn't agree more.
-Rick Rockhill