Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 1, 2009 22:57:37 GMT -4
>> Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Skateboarding bulldogs at Pasadena Rose Parade
By ANNIE BURRIS
The Orange County Register
HUNTINGTON BEACH – Two bulldogs will make Pasadena their Dogtown next week.
Huntington Beach canine legend Tyson with fellow English bulldog Tillman will be skateboarding on a float as part of Pasadena's Tournament of Roses Parade Jan 1.
The float will have a custom 53-foot by 20-foot oval skateboarding track that the pair of pooches will use to show off their moves during the parade. A 16-foot tall floral bulldog on a giant skateboard is in the middle of the float which will be blaring – none other than – Baha Men's "Who let the dogs out?"
"It is the sickest thing ever," said Tillman's owner Ron Davis, 39, about the float. "I think the world needs a good laugh with the way things are going, and hopefully this will uplift sprits around the world."
The float is sponsored by Pacoima based Natural Balance pet food supplier and was the brainchild of company President Joey Herrick.
"I was driving on the freeway when it just hit me – a Rose Parade float with skateboarding bull dogs," said Herrick who attended the parade for the first time last year and was looking for advertisement opportunities for the company.
Tyson, 7, and Tillman, 3, were recruited for the company's pet project and have been rehearsing since September with an average of six hours a week.
To skate, the dogs place one front paw on the skateboard and use the other three legs to propel the board. Once the board picks up enough speed, they jump on. The bulldogs will then pump one of their sausage legs on the ground to get them going faster.
These dogs can even turn and do tricks on their skateboards – talents the dogs picked up on their own, the owners said.
Tyson and his owner Jim Blauvelt lived in Huntington Beach for five years and recently moved to Big Bear. Tyson was known as a downtown wonder in Surf City and was often seen skateboarding down Main Street or along the city's annual Fourth of July parade.
Tyson has appeared on television shows in Korea, Australia and England. He landed a Nikon camera commercial in Japan in late 2004 and appeared in "Undiscovered" – a movie with pop singer Ashlee Simpson.
Tillman and Davis, who live in Oxnard, met Tyson and Blauvelt about two years ago at a bulldog beauty contest in Long Beach and had maintained intermitted contact since. Tillman, who also has a talent agent, has also appeared in television shows including CBS's Great American Dog and 2007 iphone commercials, Davis said.
For next week's New Year Day event, the bulldogs had a trainer help to teach them how to skateboard on the float's track.
"All I had to do was condition them to the float," said Sue Chipperton who has been an animal trainer for more than two decades. "They got really frustrated with the track because it is so small and they are so used to going really fast in big open places."
When the dog became frustrated, they would chew on their skateboards, which is consistent with their "prey instinct," she said. The dogs' urge to skateboard comes from their instinct to chase and catch, which is a stronger drive than eating or playing, she said. Police dogs operate on a prey drive, she said.
The dogs also learned to skate through the float's floral smells and sounds. The track was even hooked up to a truck that was driven around a parking lot while the dog skated to help Tyson and Tillman get used to the movement.
During the four-hour parade ride, the dogs will take turns skating at six-minute intervals.
No matter the distractions, the dogs have an iron-locked concentration on skateboarding, the owners said.
"They both operate on the same MO (modus operandi)," said Jim Blauvelt. "All they want to do is skate and go fast."
Blauvelt said he sees the float as paying homage to Tyson's legacy as the original skateboarding dog.
"They are the best," Blauvelt said of Tyson and Tillman. "Nothing compares to (them) at this point. They are skater supremes." <<
LINK
Of course, they were there! And very popular.
In the parade:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWjWZZxKkiU
Photos when I can find them.
Skateboarding bulldogs at Pasadena Rose Parade
By ANNIE BURRIS
The Orange County Register
HUNTINGTON BEACH – Two bulldogs will make Pasadena their Dogtown next week.
Huntington Beach canine legend Tyson with fellow English bulldog Tillman will be skateboarding on a float as part of Pasadena's Tournament of Roses Parade Jan 1.
The float will have a custom 53-foot by 20-foot oval skateboarding track that the pair of pooches will use to show off their moves during the parade. A 16-foot tall floral bulldog on a giant skateboard is in the middle of the float which will be blaring – none other than – Baha Men's "Who let the dogs out?"
"It is the sickest thing ever," said Tillman's owner Ron Davis, 39, about the float. "I think the world needs a good laugh with the way things are going, and hopefully this will uplift sprits around the world."
The float is sponsored by Pacoima based Natural Balance pet food supplier and was the brainchild of company President Joey Herrick.
"I was driving on the freeway when it just hit me – a Rose Parade float with skateboarding bull dogs," said Herrick who attended the parade for the first time last year and was looking for advertisement opportunities for the company.
Tyson, 7, and Tillman, 3, were recruited for the company's pet project and have been rehearsing since September with an average of six hours a week.
To skate, the dogs place one front paw on the skateboard and use the other three legs to propel the board. Once the board picks up enough speed, they jump on. The bulldogs will then pump one of their sausage legs on the ground to get them going faster.
These dogs can even turn and do tricks on their skateboards – talents the dogs picked up on their own, the owners said.
Tyson and his owner Jim Blauvelt lived in Huntington Beach for five years and recently moved to Big Bear. Tyson was known as a downtown wonder in Surf City and was often seen skateboarding down Main Street or along the city's annual Fourth of July parade.
Tyson has appeared on television shows in Korea, Australia and England. He landed a Nikon camera commercial in Japan in late 2004 and appeared in "Undiscovered" – a movie with pop singer Ashlee Simpson.
Tillman and Davis, who live in Oxnard, met Tyson and Blauvelt about two years ago at a bulldog beauty contest in Long Beach and had maintained intermitted contact since. Tillman, who also has a talent agent, has also appeared in television shows including CBS's Great American Dog and 2007 iphone commercials, Davis said.
For next week's New Year Day event, the bulldogs had a trainer help to teach them how to skateboard on the float's track.
"All I had to do was condition them to the float," said Sue Chipperton who has been an animal trainer for more than two decades. "They got really frustrated with the track because it is so small and they are so used to going really fast in big open places."
When the dog became frustrated, they would chew on their skateboards, which is consistent with their "prey instinct," she said. The dogs' urge to skateboard comes from their instinct to chase and catch, which is a stronger drive than eating or playing, she said. Police dogs operate on a prey drive, she said.
The dogs also learned to skate through the float's floral smells and sounds. The track was even hooked up to a truck that was driven around a parking lot while the dog skated to help Tyson and Tillman get used to the movement.
During the four-hour parade ride, the dogs will take turns skating at six-minute intervals.
No matter the distractions, the dogs have an iron-locked concentration on skateboarding, the owners said.
"They both operate on the same MO (modus operandi)," said Jim Blauvelt. "All they want to do is skate and go fast."
Blauvelt said he sees the float as paying homage to Tyson's legacy as the original skateboarding dog.
"They are the best," Blauvelt said of Tyson and Tillman. "Nothing compares to (them) at this point. They are skater supremes." <<
LINK
Of course, they were there! And very popular.
In the parade:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWjWZZxKkiU
Photos when I can find them.
