TV Personality Randy Jackson Teams Up with Lucy Pet -- “The Dawg” is Doing Something Good for the Dogs

  I'm thrilled to share this news about our new partners at Lucy Pet. American Idol's Randy Jackson and trainer Brandon McMillan, from CBS TV's 'Lucky Dog'.

 

TV Personality Randy Jackson Teams Up with Lucy Pet -- “The Dawg” is Doing Something Good for the Dogs

Randy partners with 3-time EMMY® winning TV host and dog trainer Brandon McMillan who joins Lucy Pet’s goal to help pets live a healthier life

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Randy Jackson and Brandon McMillan have joined forces to bring breakthrough nutrition to dogs and cats with Lucy Pet Products Formulas for Life™ pet foods. Randy and Brandon are headlining a campaign to launch sales on Amazon and Chewy.com and in select stores across the country.

“I love dogs… they are an important part of my family and give unconditional love,” said Randy Jackson. “Keeping pets healthy with the best food possible is everything, and I’ve recently learned that prebiotics are very important in helping dogs and cats live a healthier life. These formulas were developed by the leading expert in gut health, Dr. George C. Fahey, and I truly believe that Lucy Pet Formulas for Life™ are the best you can do for your pet.”

Randy Jackson and Surfin' Jack

Brandon McMillan added, “I have a training ranch where over a hundred dogs pass through every year. I've been feeding Lucy Pet Formulas for Life™ food to every one of them for over a year, and the dogs have thrived. They love it and I love it because I know they are getting great nutrition. Good nutrition is a vital and very underrated element to a dog's behavior and brain function while being trained. What’s also important to me is that the sales of these foods help support the Lucy Pet Foundation, which has performed over 21,000 free spay and neuters in low income areas. Lucy Pet helps reduce pet overpopulation and the needless euthanasia of over 60,000 dogs and cats a week in the United States.”

Together Jackson and McMillan said, “We are proud to be associated with this cause and Lucy Pet because it’s the real deal… real ingredients…and Products with a Cause that truly saves animals lives.”

Randy Jackson is a business entrepreneur who spans beyond music and entertainment. His successful career

as an A&R executive also includes producer and music manager. He became a household name as a talent judge on television for 13 seasons. Jackson became a partner at Lucy Pet because he was inspired by the Lucy Pet Foundation. He wanted to create a movement for truth, transparency and higher quality pet food for better health of animals.

Brandon McMillan with Surfin' Jack & Service Dog trainee Dahlia

As the son of an animal trainer, Brandon McMillan was born and raised in the animal industry. When he was 18 he moved to Los Angeles to train animals for film and television. During this period, he worked on hundreds of Hollywood productions, training everything from tigers, bears, primates, wolves and of course plenty of dogs. In 2012 he co-founded The Argus Service Dog Foundation, a non-profit that rescues shelter dogs and trains them to become highly trained service dogs for disabled veterans. This can often be seen on his 3-time EMMY AWARD® winning television series ‘Lucky Dog’ on CBS. Brandon is also a trainer to some of Hollywood's top A-listers. Some of Brandon’s extensive list of private training clients include: Ellen DeGeneres, Andy Cohen, James Caan and Kate Hudson.

“We are very excited to have Randy and Brandon join Lucy Pet to bring our Formulas for Life™ to pet lovers,” said Joey Herrick, President and Founder of Lucy Pet. “These foods have breakthrough nutritional advancements and will actually help pets build a stronger immune system to stay active and have overall better health. Their bodies will have long-term health benefits from a healthy gut, especially as they age.”

About Lucy Pet

Lucy Pet Products of Westlake Village, California creates Products with a Cause to help animals by funding the Lucy Pet Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit whose mission is to reduce pet overpopulation and the euthanasia of over 60,000 dogs and cats per week in the United States. www.lucypetfood.com

Contacts

Jo Hunt, 310.413.1157
jo@delyon-hunt.com

 

'The Road to Happiness* Is Always Under Construction' by Linda Gray

Linda Gray's new book "The Road to Happiness"

A few weeks ago I received my copy of a new book by the lovely and iconic Actress/Producer Linda Gray.  "The Road to Happiness*  Is Always Under Construction" is appropriately titled, as Ms Gray shares anecdotes, stories and advice from her life and storied career. I was delighted to have my own autographed copy, although I can speak first hand as to what a lovely and genuine individual Linda is, truly a gem of a person. Linda is talented, down-to-earth and naturally beautiful as well. 

Linda is very transparent with her story and journey of life; its ups and downs, trials and tribulations, joys and sorrows. The book is packed with advice and lessons to appreciate life.  One of the things I've always appreciated about Linda is that she has always been very genuine and warm, which shines through the pages as you read her book. For sure, Linda Gray is well known for her iconic role as Sue Ellen Ewing on TV's "Dallas", and numerous other TV, film and stage appearances, and appearances on London's West End stage. Linda is also an accomplished Director, former United Nations Ambassador, and is actively involved in many charitable fundraising programs. 

with the lovely Linda Gray 

I've had the pleasure of knowing Linda with some fundraising events with the SAG Foundation for Children, the Steve Chase Awards events, and through one of her films 'Expecting Mary' (which was also released under the title "A Very Mary Christmas"). Linda also was guest on my radio show a few years back. She is a lovely person and so talented too. If you are looking for a great holiday gift, check out Linda's new book, it is available everywhere right now.

Guide Dog Heroes Brunch Honoring Betty White

Today I attended the 6th annual Heroes Brunch, an event benefiting the Guide Dogs of the Desert. The Guide Dogs of the Desert are one of my favorite non-profit organizations in Palm Springs. I am proud to have had the opportunity to work with them for over five years already. This year's honoree was Betty White. No doubt you already know that this amazing lady has won seven Emmy Awards during her 60+ year career in Hollywood. You probably are already aware she is known as an animal advocate, having helped numerous shelters and animal related causes throughout her life. In addition to all this, she has also been a huge supporter of non-profit guide dog programs for many years. I've also been involved with Guide Dog fundraisers for several years and had the opportunity to see Betty White's passion for these incredible dogs. Betty White's current dog 'Pontiac' is a retired guide dog. She told me that "old dogs have a special place in my heart' which is why she adopted Pontiac.

Dick Van Patten, Betty White and his wife Pat Van Patten

Actor and animal lover Dick Van Patten attended the Heroes Brunch to day, in support of his friend Betty White. His pet food company, Natural Balance Pet Foods (for whom I work) has long been a supporter of guide dog schools nationwide. It was great to see Betty White and Dick Van Patten together, sharing a few laughs, and helping raise awareness about the important work guide dogs do to help visually impaired people.

Dick Van Patten, Betty White & Tom Sullivan

Dick told me he and his wife were so happy to be with their friend Betty as she was honored for her work to help the Guide Dogs of the Desert of Palm Springs. Seated next to Betty in this photo is Tom Sullivan. She and Tom are long time friends and also co-authors of The Leading Lady, a true story about Mr Sullivan's first guide dog Dinah, and the impact she had on both of their lives (Betty ended up adopting Dinah when she retired from her work as a guide dog). It was a great event, I'm so proud of what Natural Balance does to help this wonderful organization here in our beautiful desert.

Tomorrow's Season Finale of Who Let the Dogs Out on Animal Planet

Tomorrow is the season finale of Who Let the Dogs Out TV show on Animal Planet. I can assure you it is an explosive one--just look at this scene from the episode! The show includes a nice look back at some of the memorable parts of the entire season, which is great for people just becoming familiar with the hit TV series.

Tillman walks the Red Carpet at the Golden Collar Awards in Hollywood, and gets interviewed by John Fulton, host of TV's 'Must Love Cats' show. Tillman may be a dog of few words, but there is plenty of fun Red Carpet action, with celeb dogs and humans as they honor dog achievements in cinema.

The amazing Norman the Scooter Dog entertains a huge audience at Universal Studios CityWalk in Hollywood, as he unveils his brand new bicycle, which he rides perfectly to the delight of onlookers and other dogs too!

The heavily anticipated final competition in the search for The Most Talented Dog in America takes place in this episode. The finalists (dog and human) perform in the competition and give the judges a difficult decision. Who will be selected as the most talented dog in America? Tune in Saturday morning on Animal Planet to find out. Here is the preview clip:
 

This Week on Who Let the Dogs Out TV Show

This Saturday on Who Let the Dogs Out TV show, Tillman and friends head to San Diego to visit the Pets Rule show at Sea World. All the pets in that show are rescue animals, so it is really neat. While at Sea World, Tillman skates for the whales and dolphins.

The crew really enjoyed the Pets Rule show...they had dogs who could jump rope, set a table, and jump over a person who was standing up. Also in the episode Tillman meets actors Omar Miller and Eva LaRue of CSI: Miami, where we get a tour of the set in Hollywood. I must admit, this entire season of Who Let the Dogs Out has been a lot of fun to work on. Next Saturday, April 21st is the season one finale, so be sure to watch tomorrow and next week too. Here is a preview clip of tomorrow's episode.
 

NASCAR AutoClub 400 with Greg Biffle

Sunday I went to the Auto Club 400 race in Fontana, California to see driver Greg Biffle. NASCAR events are really incredible and a lot of fun. I was lucky enough to be hanging out in the Garage and Pits with a 'Hot Pass", thanks to Greg's hospitality.

It was the first time I had been to a NASCAR race, so it was all new to me. Everyone I met was really cool and explained things to me along the way. I learned a lot about the sport and experienced the passion for racing that millions of NASCAR fans share. I'm a fan of the Greg Biffle Foundation, which "aims to create awareness and serve as an advocate for the well-being of animals by engaging the power and passion of the motor-sports industry." I got to know Greg through his involvement with the Natural Balance Pet Foods Rose Parade float, and his appearances in our Who Let the Dogs Out TV show on Animal Planet. 

Sunday was an incredible experience; I have a new found appreciation for NASCAR. Here are just a few cool photos from the garages and pit areas I saw while hanging out:

FedEx race car in the garage

this is what they use to measure the car

car being inspected before race

Greg Biffle's 3M awesome car in the garage

Greg Biffle's car under carriage

Cockpit of Greg Biffle's race car WOW

The Pit Crew at work!

it was awesome to be right in the pit with the crew

Here is a video I took with my iPad of Greg's Pit Crew. It was really awesome to see it up close!

This Saturday on Who Let the Dogs Out

This Saturday's episode of Who Let the Dogs Out truly has something for everyone. Lexi takes Wally to a psychic, as only can happen in LA. Wally seems to enjoy the psychic vibes, not to mention the attention and extra pats on the head.

Then Tillman heads to Roush Fenway in Charlotte, NC to see his good pal, NASCAR driver Greg Biffle. With Greg's help Tillman's skateboard gets some "special adjustments to help him skate even faster. There, Tillman breaks his own speed record. Sure is great to have friends in high places.

Then the gang meet an amazing dog named Bardot, who likes to dive to the bottom of her swimming pool to fetch toys. This dog really is incredible. You have to watch the show to appreciate what she can do.

Even Tillman's personal assistant Eric Presnall can't quite believe it. He decides to challenge Bardot to a diving competition race. So he strips down and jumps in the pool. His two legs versus Bardot's four legs. You have to tune in to see who wins. Want to watch a few preview clips? Look no further:

You can watch Who Let the Dogs Out TV show on Animal Planet, Saturday morning, 10 am Eastern, 9 am Central. For west coast be sure to check you local listings.

Raising Money for Animals in Need...with Betty White

Saturday evening I attended the Petco Foundation Hope Gala in San Diego, California along with members of the cast of the Who Let the Dogs Out TV show. Tillman and his dad Ron Davis,  Norman the Scooter Dog and his mom Karen Cobb, and Tillman's Personal Assistant, Eric Presnall. The cast met up with Betty White who was the honoree of the Gala. 

The event was a benefit for Actors and Others for Animals, a Los Angeles based animal charity that does so much to help animals in need in Southern California (and beyond). Betty White is a long time animal advocate, and has been associated with and active with Actors and Others for Animals. Tillman attended the event to make a $5,000 donation to the benefit, and spent time with Betty White.

It had been a few years since I last saw Betty--she looks great, especially considering she is 90 years old! I am amazed by her energy and sense of humor, and more important her continued passion for helping animals. Betty was drawn to Norman and Tillman, and couldn't take her eyes off of them I don't blame her, as the dogs are always more interesting than a bunch of people in tuxedos. It was a fun evening that raised a bunch of money for a great animal charity. 

Having celebrities attend charitable events helps sell tickets and encourage people to attend, and spend money on the auction items. It was great to hear a national treasure like Betty White speak so casually sharing stories from the heart. I consider it a real treat. I was proud to attend on behalf of Natural Balance and 'Who Let the Dogs Out'. We filmed some terrific scenes with Betty with Tillman, Norman and the cast of the show. Stay tuned through this season, you'll probably see the segment with Betty White in one of the episodes. 

This Saturday on Who Let the Dogs Out

This Saturday, March 10th another new episode of 'Who Let the Dogs Out' airs on Animal Planet. This week's episode feature The Natural Balance gang meets Ricochet, a dog who helps a quadriplegic young man realize his dream to surf. Also in this episode Tillman teaches Norman the Scooter Dog learn how to surf and the entire gang surfs the massive Natural Balance float in the Tournament of Roses parade. Even NASCAR driver Greg Biffle joins in the fun with Tillman and Friends and rides on the float in the Rose Parade.

Set your DVR to record Who Let the Dogs Out TV show on Animal Planet Saturday March 10th. 10 am Eastern, 9 am Central. For West coast, check local listings.

Putting Away the Day with LPGA Pro Golfer Irene Cho

Jimmy, Irene Cho and me

Last week I was in Orlando, Florida attending the Global Pet Trade Show with my company. It was a great week with lots of cool things happening in the pet industry. The show was especially fun because I was able to spend some time with my new pal Irene Cho, the amazing up-and-coming golf pro with the LPGA. Irene is one of the nicest people I've met in a long time. She has a great personality, super friendly and loves the game of golf! She was on hand signing autographs, Titleist golf balls and giving putting tips too. Being a trade show we had many of our retail and distributor customers stopping by to conduct business. But it was a real treat for many of them to meet Irene and talk golf for awhile. Living in Palm Springs I am surrounded by the most incredible golf courses. I must admit that after spending a few days with Irene I am a new fan of the LPGA and will be watching Irene play on tour.

my awesome golf balls autographed by Irene Cho

I'm especially proud of the new Titleist golf balls that Irene autographed. She inspired me to get back to the course a little more often and work on my drive (it needs a lot of help). Maybe you'll be seeing more of my golf game down the road...so stay tuned!

Cool Stuff this week on Who Let the Dogs Out

This week's episode of 'Who Let the Dogs Out' on Animal Planet has all kinds of awesome stuff. There is pretty much something for everyone! In particular if you live in New York, Philly, or Baltimore, you're going to be proud of your home towns being featured. Tillman meets Baltimore Orioles pitcher Chris Tillman, and finds he has lots of fans in Baltimore.

The gang enjoys an awesome dinner with Chris Tillman at the famous Bo Brooks restaurant in Baltimore for Blue Crabs, which look so delicious! Too bad Tillman himself couldn't go in to enjoy some too.

Tillman, Wally and Rose take a City Sights bus tour in New York City, thanks to the generosity of Gray Line Bus tours who set it up for the gang. It was a terrific way to see Manhattan and all of New York City, especially from a dog's point of view.

Then Ron Davis and Tillman swing by the famous and legendary Pat's King of Steaks restaurant in Philadelphia. Pat's originated the Philly Cheese Steak in 1930 and still has a great reputation! Ron took Tillman on a tour of Philly, and even re-traced the steps of Rocky Balboa character in the Rocky movies. They went on a tour of the Historic District in Philly too, stopping to see Ben Franklin's burial site and lots more.  I hope you can tune into 'Who Let the Dogs Out' it is really a fun show.

You can watch Who Let the Dogs out on Animal Planet 10 am eastern/9 central For the West coast, check local listings.

NASCAR's Greg Biffle & Tillman

One of the things I especially enjoy in life is meeting people. Between my personal life and professional career, I tend to meet some very cool people and pets too. For instance, NASCAR driver Greg Biffle rode on the Natural Balance Pet Foods Rose Parade float this past year. He was awesome with Tillman, and earlier in the year he welcomed Tillman and Ron Davis to the speedway to check out his NASCAR. Turns out, not only is Greg a really cool guy, but he cares about animals too! The Greg Biffle Foundation was founded in 2005 to "create awareness and serve as an advocate to improve the well-being of animals by engaging the power and passion of the motor sports industry".  Its easy to make a donation to the Greg Biffle Foundation, just click here. Pretty cool huh? No wonder why Tillman likes him so well.

This weekend in the Daytona 500 race...and Greg Biffle will be in it, of course. Check it out Sunday February 26th.

I wish I had spent more time chatting with Greg when he was in Pasadena, California in January. He is going to be featured in an upcoming appearance on Tillman's new TV show 'Who Let the Dogs Out' on Animal Planet. If you like Greg Biffle, keep an eye on Tillman's TV show. NASCAR fans will be psyched to see Greg Biffle on Who Let the Dogs Out very soon!

Behind the Scenes with Jimmy Van Patten

This post is part of a series of 'Behind the Scenes" articles on the various cast members from a TV series on Animal Planet called 'Who Let the Dogs Out'. Today I'm highlighting my good friend Mr Jimmy Van Patten. Jimmy is an accomplished actor, writer, producer and director-- and son of Hollywood TV legend Dick Van Patten. In his role as "The Boss" in Animal Planet's 'Who Let the Dogs Out', he dispatches the Natural Balance Pet Foods canine sports team on a mission to travel the country in search of the most talented dog in America. His talented group of dogs, led by Tillman, the World's Fastest Skateboarding Bulldog lead the way hosting casting calls and meeting all kinds of cool dogs at Petco stores and in US cities nationwide. Animal Planet viewers are in for a treat as they get to know a different side of Jimmy Van Patten, who in recent years has become known for his roles in the wildly popular 'Saw' horror film series. 
I invited Jimmy on my radio show to chat with him about his career, and in particular 'Who Let the Dogs Out'. As usual, Jimmy was a great guest, funny, engaging and full of great stories. The interview provides insights to the man who has demonstrated his broad range of talent across many different formats in entrainment. Independent film buffs may be familiar with his recent appearance in the acclaimed Indy thriller film "A Thousand Cuts". Broadway fans will be delighted to hear him discuss his upcoming Broadway show "The Flunky, the Musical". Either way, Jimmy is a fascinating person who has a passion for animals and pets of all sizes. 

For pet lovers, it was great to hear Jimmy talk about the cool dogs he has been meeting as they travel the country in search of the most talented dog in America. Jimmy speaks with genuine admiration for the natural talent in dogs; clearly he enjoys his role as The Boss and being a judge on Who Let the Dogs Out. For example, 'Kangaroo dog" who was featured in episode 1 was a 3-year-old Australian Kelpie named 'Rox' Jimmy smiles when he speaks about Rox. He combines his admiration and affection for the hundreds of dogs he has witnessed in casting calls nationwide. Tillman, he says continues to impress him every time he takes to his skateboard. "He does it because he loves to ride" Jimmy explained. "He will keep on going until he is exhausted, he isn't doing it for a treat reward or just to please his trainer/dad. It is a true love of the sport for Tillman". Jimmy has spent enough time with Tillman and Friends to know what he is talking about! 


I asked Jimmy what it is like working with his dad, TV legend Dick Van Patten on Who Let the Dogs Out. They both seem to truly enjoy being on this project. 'We worked together on the Sunshine Boys, a few years ago, traveling the country" Jimmy said. "We saw our fair share of theatres but loved working together...and still do". In Who Let the Dogs Out, Dick Van Patten seems to be the voice of reason to Jimmy's whims and directions to Ron, Lexi, Karen and Steve. He comes up with the craziest ideas on where to send the crew, without regard for travel distances or much else. His dad weighs in from time to time and gives Jimmy a good ribbing. They enjoy each others' company and have good chemistry and timing, so it makes perfect sense that both Van Pattens serve as "The Boss" on this amusing and entertaining new reality show. Who Let the Dogs Out can be seen Saturday mornings on Animal Planet. Check your local listings for times.

 

If you have some free time, tune into The Palm Springs Savant & Co show on BlogTalkRadio to hear my interview with Jimmy, you'll enjoy getting to know him.

Having the Best Job in the World

I returned home to Palm Springs after spending a week in New York City on business for Westminster Dog Show. I’ve been attending Westminster nine years now, and yet every year I learn something new about the sport of show dogs. The trek back to the desert was nearly a full day's journey, and by the time my plane touched down at Palm Springs International Airport the San Jacinto Mountains were a sight for my tired eyes.

Lots going on at the moment—all good, just lots happening all at once. One project I’m especially pleased with is our new reality TV series called ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’. Set to premiere this Saturday morning February 18^th on Animal Planet, Who Let the Dogs Out follows the antics of Tillman, the world-famous bulldog and star of the Rose Parade. Tillman has been a bit of a phenomenon for sometime now and now has a whole canine sports team of pals. You see, Tillman and Friends have set out on a talent search to find the most talented dog in America.

Me with Tillman

The show follows Tillman and Friends, along with his cast of human trainers traveling the country holding casting calls and making appearances from places like Times Square in New York City, to the White House and the beaches of California. Tillman even has his own personal assistant, named Eric Presnall, an up and coming actor/singer who loves spending time with Tillman.

www.WhoLetTheDogsOut.tv website

I’m involved with Who Let the Dogs Out as a production consultant, but I also head up the social media effort to get the word out about this great new show. Social media marketing and outreach is something I’ve done on a personal level for over six years, and thoroughly enjoy learning new things from fellow bloggers and social media gurus.

At the moment, we’re full steam ahead getting the word out about Who Let the Dogs Out. I’m amazed at how easy it is network a message socially when the content is strong. The preview clip of Who Let the Dogs Out is engaging and fun, which is part of why people enjoy following Tillman.

One of the very cool things I've been working on is the Watch and Win Sweepstakes we have planned around the show. Each week, during the run of the season we will have a trivia question to answer about that week’s episode. Correct responses enter you into a random drawing for a weekly prize package. Then we have one Grand Prize, a trip for two to Hollywood, California to meet Tillman, plus a one-year supply of Natural Balance Pet Food.  If you want to check out the Watch and Win Sweepstakes for Who Let the Dogs Out, click here.

So as you can imagine, developing a show website, launching an official sweepstakes and executing a comprehensive social media marketing campaign for a television series has kept me busy. Keep in mind that Natural Balance is a small, family owned and operated company, so we all pitch in. It certainly helps having the Van Patten family insights to Hollywood television production but that’s part of what makes it fun. If I had to file this post in one of those manilla folders, I’d name it “Best Job in the World” with a sub-folder of "Gratitude".

Who Let the Dogs Out can be seen Saturday mornings on AnimalPlanet starting February 18^th. 10 am E, 9 Central, For west coast viewers check your local listings.

Behind the Scenes with Karen Cobb

Norman does lots of TV gigs

This post is part of a series of 'Behind the Scenes" articles on the various cast members from a TV series on Animal Planet called 'Who Let the Dogs Out'. 

One of the newer members of Tillman's K9 Athletic Team includes a very cool dog named Norman, better known as "Scooter Dog”. You only have to see Norman once to immediately recognize that he is one awesome dog. His mom, Karen Cobb is one heck of a dog trainer, and she is now a member of the cast of TV’s ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ reality show on Animal Planet. It wasn’t long ago when Tillman and friends met Karen. They were so impressed they invited her to join the team.

Karen is a native New Yorker, she was born and raised on Long Island, New York. Later she moved to Florida and Graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Video/Film production and graphic design. She worked briefly at an ABC affiliate doing graphics for live news. 

Mom and "son"

After rescuing her first dog Smokey, a  Shiba Inu, she discovered that her real love was training dogs. This impressed me, because my previous dog was a Shiba Inu named Koshimi who was a great dog but very independent. If Karen could train a Shiba, she must be good, I figured. She and her husband Chris started a Shiba Inu Rescue in Georgia and opened her own dog training  company called Courteous Canine.  She began doing in home private  lessons handling issues from housebreaking & Basic Obedience to aggression problems. Her Shiba Inus, which are known to be difficult to train, (I can personally attest to this fact!) became the top Shiba Inus in Agility and Obedience  competitions.

Knowing how difficult it can be to train a Shiba Inu, I asked Karen about her secret to successful dog training. She told me "I use  positive motivational training methods. The key is to make it fun for the dog. If they are having fun they will want to learn and will try their very best.  Another important part of training is to break every behavior down to the smallest parts possible and teach each little part separately before you try to put it all together."   Awesome advice and a great approach to training, I thought. No wonder why I like Karen so much, she is a genius, and practical too.

Me and Norman New Years Eve

 
So how did Karen switch from working with Shiba Inus? 

After training a client's dog named ‘Norman’ in 1997, Karen fell in love with the breed. Carefully researching breed traits for many years, she finally got her own "Norman". When Karen found Norman, she decided it would fun to teach some unique tricks, that she had not seen done before.  Norman learned to wipe his feet when entering the house, wipe his beard after a drink and of course, he learned to ride his scooter.
The Cobb family which also includes animal lover Kaylee, 9 and hot rod loving Bryson 6, just finished an 8 month tour around the USA and Canada, where Norman performed his scootering skills to the delight of millions of fans.

Me with Karen & Norman!

As the newest member of ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’, Karen is a great fit to the show. She has a warm personality instantly puts you at ease when you meet. I first became acquainted with Karen in 2011 through work, and then had the opportunity to spend some time with her while preparing for the 2012 Rose Parade, where Norman performed on the Natural Balance Pet Foods float, surfing his way along the parade route. But it was two nights before the Rose Parade when I spent time with Norman and Karen on New Year's Eve. Norman sure is one crazy party animal!

I met up with Karen and Norman in San Diego, California recently for an appearance on the local Fox News morning show. Everyone in the newsroom, from the crew to the anchors watched in total amazement as Norman hopped on his scooter and did his thing. Karen beamed proudly as she watched her ‘son’ perform for the TV cameras. She has plenty to be proud of—not only is Norman a super cool dog, he is a member of her family too. Be sure to tune into Who Let the Dogs Out every Saturday morning on Animal Planet to see Karen and Norman. They sure are a lot of fun.