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Rescue Dogs: A Trend Unleashed

By on February 6th, 2012
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I’ve been meeting a lot of dogs lately. No surprise there (have you met my new dog Blue?) But what is surprising is the number of people who I meet who tell me their dogs are “rescues.” Not familiar with the term rescue? Wikipedia defines a rescue dog as:

“A dog that has been rescued from possible euthanasia after being found as a stray, a dog that has been saved from an abusive or neglectful home by an animal rescue organization….or a dog that is simply no longer wanted or can no longer be cared for by its owner”

It’s a huge trend. So big in fact last night’s Superbowl had a Bud Light ad featuring a rescue dog named “weego.” As the Bud Light facebook page explains, for every ‘like’ Weego receives $1 will be donated to Tony La Russa’s Dog Rescue Foundation.  Listen, an issue doesn’t get much mainstream or higher profile than that!

Out for a walk with my pooch this morning I met a woman who said her Basset Hound was a rescue. When pressed, she said she got him at the pound, but he was about to be sent to a Basset Hound Rescue. There seems to be some caché in claiming your pup’s a rescue. So, I’m wondering, what’s behind it? Here are my thoughts;

  1. Trend Toward Social Causes:  Dog Life Magazine sees the rescue dog trend as part of a “greater trend toward philanthropy and social causes.” In fact, the Executive Director of one pet adoption website sees it as akin to recycling: “People go out of their way to recycle a can. Why wouldn’t you go to recycle a life out of a shelter?” Not sure I’m feeling the recycling metaphor. But anyhoo…
  2. Pets Seen as Self Indulgent: In this context buying a dog from a breeder is seen as self-indulgent and possibly even unethical.  When Vice President Joe Biden bought a German Sheppard from a breeder he received intense push back. The LA times did a survey and among respondents “42% say that Biden made the right choice in purchasing from a breeder, while 31% say he should have adopted a rescued dog”
  3. Two Words, “Cesar Millan”: Dog training celebrity Cesar Millan has thrust rescue dogs into the spotlight. On his website Cesarsway Cesar regularly promotes rescues and the joy of rehabilitating dogs to give them a full and happy life. He also dramatizes harrowing dog rescues. Please note the music in the background in this video

4. The rise of Dog Psychology: There’s a current fascination about getting inside a dog’s mind (Or really any animal’s mind –think Temple Grandin)  The thinking goes that with the right kind of human understanding any dog can be rehabilitated–even a rescue. Central to this trend are people like Erica Ritter who has written novels from a dog’s perspective,  but also The Monks of Skeete who meticulously train German Sheppards in a Monestary in New Skeete New York. Check out this video below called What is a Dog?  where they say

“you try and understand the dog as it really is and along with that you try to bring an intuitive element to your relationship with the dog that allows you to meet it on a new level, a deeper level”


So, what do you think is behind the whole rescue dog phenomenon? Has it been around and I’m just now noticing because I got a dog (did I tell you, I got a dog?)

Do you have a rescue dog? If so, tell me what it’s all about.

 




HuffPo Features Canadian B Corps

By on February 3rd, 2012
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Huffington Post Canada wrote a great article about Canadian B Corps which features great Canadian companies like Ian Martin Group, Ethical Bean Coffee.

The owner of Vancouver Investment Fund Renewal 2 put it best by saying:

B Corp certifications add a layer of confidence and are a signal of a level of commitment and values by an entrepreneur or company

We’re loving our B Corp status and the cred it brings. If you’re interested in becoming B Corp just ask us and we’ll tell you why we’re so keen on it.

In the meantime, check out the HuffPo Canada article.




Ontario Lakes Project: Lake Bernard

By on February 2nd, 2012
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According to the World Records Academy , Lake Bernard is the world’s largest fresh water lake without any islands in it. Kind of a neat statistic don’t cha think? Especially when you consider how many islands populate the lakes surrounding Lake Bernard throughout the Muscoka region.

What’s even cooler is that many believe that Lake Bernard is so unique because it was created by an ancient meteor strike. That’s right, a large piece of debris from our solar system hit the earth and made this lake where people now sit in Adirondack chairs, wearing flip flops and and sipping bloody Ceasars all summer long.

 

 




Five Career Myths Worth Busting from Doors Wide Open

By on January 30th, 2012
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Last week I was invited to participate in the inaugural Doors Wide Open, an event that was all about getting young up and comers out to interview mentors who have turned their passions into careers.

The organizers called  it: “speed dating meets career fair.”  I call it “career day on speed.”

I sat down with six different folks throughout the night. While each of them had different questions and experiences I walked away with a very clear sense of some of the myths/perceptions about how careers work that might be holding some of them back.

Here are the key take-aways I hope I left them with:

  1. Please (please) do not send your resume by email (and expect anyone to care.) As the person on the other side of the computer I can tell you that all resumes start to look alike. You gotta work it girlfriend. Network your ass off to find people to talk to, take to coffee or lunch to meet who you need to meet to get the job you want. If I meet someone great, I’ll figure out how to help them.
  2. Accept that the beginning is meant to be confusing. People beat themselves up feeling like they should have it all “figured out by now”. The fact is there’s a decade called your 20′s that is custom made for trying some stuff out. Go have some fun and release the pressure valve and you’ll learn what you need to know (I feel like a Jedi Warrior right now). If you trust me your life will be much better. Trust me.
  3. Love Your Networks:  If you want to meet someone in the advertising field, start by going to facebook and typing “does anyone know someone in advertising? If so, can you connect me? I’m looking for a job.” See what happens. If someone asks you to lend them a hand, do the same (it’s called Karma.)
  4. Give it Away Now. If you can find a way to afford it, I suggest working for free. We’ve hired three people who were former interns, and all have been amazing. None had to wait too long before they got some kind of remuneration. If you’re working hard and remuneration’s not forthcoming move on, but it’s worth a shot.
  5. Don’t Wait. Do Something. I met a lovely woman who is interested in revitalizing community spaces. She was looking for a job in the field and having a bit of a struggle. My advice?  Go revitalize some community spaces! There are parks, community gardens, seniors’ centres all around her community that could use her passion, skills and expertise. Then she’d have something to show for her work. A blog is nice, but a garden– better.



Building Relationships Through Content: It’s the Little Things

By on January 26th, 2012
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I just bought pet insurance. Of course like all kinds of insurance there’s a mental leap you have to take while your puppy is full of vim and vigor. But, I’ve spoken to enough people to believe it’s a wise investment.

You know what the best part was? This little note I got when I confirmed purchase of my monthly pet insurance plan:

We know that if your pet could speak they’d thank you for being a responsible pet parent and ensuring that when the unexpected occurs they will be… All taken care of.

It’s a little corny, but it takes the sting out of the monthly draw that will be suddenly coming out of my bank account along with a whole lot of other unexpected purchases that go along with being a dog owner.

What kind of messages could you be sending–for free–when you communicate with your customers? Here are a bunch of free online exchanges that you could make the most of:

  • 404 or error pages: When people take a wrong turn on your website, take the opportunity to feel a little less lost and ease their frustration and impatience so they stick around longer.
  • Email address confirmation: When people sign up for your newsletter, what kind of information are you sending them when you  confirm their email  address. Why not let people assure people they’ve made a good decision and that you’ll treat their email carefully.
  • Friend requests: When you send out an invitation to a friend or contact to join your social network use the message box to make them feel good about joining you. It’s just lazy to click the box without taking a moment to make it personal.

Any other ideas for free opportunities to make customers, clients and friends feel good?





Ontario Lakes Project: Beech Lake

By on January 19th, 2012
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This post about Beech Lake and Sasquatch comes from a blog post on The Centre for Fortean Zoology Canada’s website. In case you’re wondering, Fortean Zoology occupies itself with the mysteries underlying species that have not yet been proven to exist.

I have included excerpts from the post, but you can find the (much longer) post here.

 

My name is Matthew, and I blame Minden, Ontario for my fear of Sasquatch.

by Guest Blogger Matthew J. Didier, PSICAN

I became fascinated with Sasquatch because he smelled bad… and I have always had an odd fear of extremely bad smells… This said, I would not have thought about, considered, or even known about Sasquatch’s odour had it not been for a particularly bad…documentary that was once shown at the old Beaver Theatre.

My parents would often travel to the little island we owned on Beech Lake for entire summers… often leading to extremely bored kids, and a movie “in the big town” was often a cure for what is most properly called “cabin fever” in these cases.

I saw most of my first James Bond films at both The Beaver in Minden and the Molou in Haliburton Village… but…it was Bigfoot’s stink that held me.

I remember bothering my mother and father consistently… about sightings and evidence of Sasquatch in and around the Minden – Carnarvon – Haliburton corridor… although their re-assurance was little help for my insomnia.

My only relief that summer came from the ride back into the Sasquatch-Free land of the big city, with it’s constant noise and lights.

I honestly don’t know why I feel that this entry is “worthy” of posting… perhaps to say that there’s a myriad of ways and times in one’s life that an interest in the paranormal comes to them… and that not all of us “outgrow” it because we “know better.”



Bushy Eyebrows Make Meaningful Marketing

By on January 19th, 2012
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These posters are stapled to poles up and down Queen West–one of the most cluttered places in all of Toronto. Ads for cleaning ladies are literally layered with ads for club nights and promotions for films about the perils of climate change. Hard to get eyeballs.

Or better yet, eyebrows. These ads for a shop specializing in eyebrow design are arresting and funny. The image works by  juxtaposing fashion photography with a scary, bushy unibrow.

The business behind the ads is Eye Love a “brow and beauty bar” owned by Mary Dang. Mary was looking for a cost effective way to stand out, and she found it with the help of Herman and Audrey.

When our brows are unkempt we know we aren’t looking our best. The ad uses hyperbole to remind us what we might be looking like when things get a little Groucho Marx up there.

Reminds me of this Schick ad encouraging women to “mow the lawn” so all that’s left are “tulips on the mound.”

Enjoy, and go tidy up!  Unless you find this stuff offensive, in which case, tell me why.





Ontario Lakes Project: Basshaunt Lake

By on January 12th, 2012
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Canoeing on a secluded lake is the quintessential Ontario lake experience. This sense of serenity is beautifully captured by Peter Bowers’ series of Basshaunt Lake photographs. The photos of Halliburton’s Basshaunt Lake featured the photographer’s friend and have been reposted all over the internet.

The image below even made it to one pinterest sharing page called My Bucket List.  Here are a few of the photographers’ best. If you want to see more of Peter Bowers’ work, check out his flickr photostream.

Basshaunt Canoe II



Learn what Moms and Puppy Owners Already Know

By on January 11th, 2012
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New moms often claim “nobody told me” about the many unappealing parts of motherhood. However,  I’m starting think that the “nobody told me” claim is a slice of pure Oscar Meyer’s bologna. Before you try to strangle me (especially you who, exhausted looking mom foaming at the mouth), hear me out.

Yes, I get that no one told you:

  • Breastfeeding would be so hard
  • Being a parent is fucking exhausting
  • You will likely have moments where you want to  throw the kid out the window or politely return her to the hospital murmuring “I’m sorry I think I’ve made a terrible mistake”

But why would you know this stuff before it was relevant to you? Face it, even if someone told you, you wouldn’t have been the least bit interested when you were busy living the free and easy vida loca. Sure if we grew up in multi-generational families you may have had an inkling of how breastfeeding actually worked, but that’s not the world most of us live in.

Today, we are all living on a need to know basis. And with the internet at hand, it’s not so bad.

Now that I have a new Australian Sheppard puppy named Blue I find myself feeling the “nobody told me” feeling coming on.

  • Nobody told me toilet training takes so long
  • Nobody told me how you have to teach a dog to walk on a leash
  • Nobody told me how mentally exhausting it is watching your dog trying to decide if you need to go outside (yet again) only to have him shit the moment you bring him back inside

But, now I need to know, and so I do (well, starting to anyway).

Puppy ownership has thrust me into an entirely new community of interest. In this new community (where you have to watch where you step)  I can access all kinds of information I never needed to know before.  I can lock eyes with other dog owners and share a moment of shared identification; My google and youtube searches have taken a new turn; will make dog friends, write annoying puppy-centric facebook posts and call my male dog ‘buddy’ (which even I find annoying).

My identity profile has changed. I’ve joined a new specialized group. Hear me bark.

Here’s my latest favorite video on how to walk a dog–walk a dog? Nobody told me. Hey Buddy, how ’bout you just walk?

 

So now I’m a member of a whole new community of interest–Aussie puppy owner. If you see me walking Blue down the street, waiting patiently for him to decide to start walking again  (as I look over my right shoulder without saying a word or making a noise) feel free to say hello, or better yet, offer us a ride.

 

 




Ontario Lakes Project: Bass Lake

By on January 5th, 2012
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While searching out content for this week’s Ontario Lake, I stumbled on this sweet & charming video of a family picking apples at Bass Lake. But that’s just where the story begins….

The video features a woman named Ada Grexton and was posted by Jason Merling. I reached out to Jason on Facebook and Twitter and finally got his number through a mutual Facebook friend. What a world we live in where I can get the phone number of someone I only know through YouTube.

The Lake featured in the video is not actually called Bass Lake, it’s called Lake Aberdine, but folks who live around the lake named it for the amount of Bass you find there.It’s just south of Sault Ste. Marie.

Truth be told, it’s not the Bass Lake we intended to write about, but finding Jason and hearing his story made this the Bass Lake worth writing about.

The property was cleared (and therefore owned) by Jason’s great grandparents and became a family compound. It was a farm with many apple trees like the ones you see in the video. Today, all of the Apple Trees are gone, having succumbed to disease over the years.

But much of the property’s charm has been preserved. To this day there is no power or electricity on the property. Jason’s grandfather was an early “back to the land” thinker, and he would have wanted it that way. Another way the family acknowledges the significance of the property is by having a family reunion on the compound every July 1st. The highlight of the reunion is the “walk”–a 3-4 mile walk between the compound and the town of Leeburn. Some years as many as 100 family members take the walk that was taken by Ada Grexton featured n the video.

Special thanks to Jason Merling for taking the time to talk about Bass Lake.




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