CH-CH-CHANGES EVERYWHERE…HUMP DAY HELP…A HERO'S TALE

It's been awhile since our last post but we've been busy, working to launch the revised and redesigned version of GIMME SHELTER that grew out of our recent Pepperdine University experience. Given all of the clerical tasks and logistics - like uploading content and art, and redesigning websites and blogs - the process has been daunting, especially for Lou who's more of a 'big idea' type that would rather be researching and writing.  Eugenie and I tease him that the book about a man who learns to overcome his anger has become a challenge to his progress!  Despite a few minor hiccups, he's staying calm (a relative term), proving that I did, indeed, help him evolve. Our thanks to Pepperdine prodigies Jesse Segura and Klara Tomkins for the new cover, and to Timothy Mitchell, another Pepperdine ace, for helping rework our website louisspirito.com. For those of you who follow us here on Blogger, you'll notice that Lou has tweaked that, too. Be sure to let us know what you think of all the hard work. 

cover design by Jesse Segura & Klara Tomkins

Despite all the busy-ness, we've still managed to squeeze in a little fun at the dog park, where I met the cutest Shepherd pups who think I'm just adorable. One strange thing though; every time I start jumping on them, mom and dad scold me and tell me 'get down' and stop 'humping'. In his most recent newsletter, Cesar Millan explains why dogs hump, and what to do about it if your pooch is out of control. According to Cesar, our grinding and thrusting can be sexual, social, playful, or a result of over excitement, and isn't limited to just male dogs. If you'd like to know more, read the article by Josh Weiss-Roessler.

doing the 'doggie mambo'

Finally, with Memorial Day having just slipped past, here'r a reminder to check out our pal Dan Cohen's new book, SINGLE HANDED,  about immigrant war hero and Medal of Honor Winner Tibor, 'Teddy' Rubin. It's a riveting yarn, and you wont' be disappointed.

'REX' COMES TO L.A. - A 'SINGLE HANDED' TRIUMPH

Ever since Christmas we've been urging our fans to help find a home for Rex, the sweetest pit bull who'd been marking time in the Santa Maria animal shelter. Well, it hasn't happened yet but we're one step closer. Connie Kruse and the other center volunteers brought Rex and a gang of his shelter pals to last weekend's No Kill LA mega-adoption

sponsored by Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. The Best Friends folks like Rex so much that they took him, and 10 of his pals, to stay at their beautiful West L.A. Shelter ( 1845 Pontius Ave, West LA 90025, (424) 208-8840, open 12:00 - 8:00 every day). What that means is that L.A. dog lovers and potential doggie parents can now go see him in person, fall in love, and whisk him out of there to a forever home. In case you've forgotten just how lovable (or, in his case, love-a-pitbull) Rex is, here's a video of him with Connie, when she drove down to visit him yesterday. 

And speaking of awesome stories...If tales of bravery and heroism are your cup of tea, you absolutely must read our friend Dan Cohen's just released book, SINGLE HANDED, the story of Tibor "Teddy" Rubin, the only Holocaust survivor to have received our nation's highest military distinction, the Medal of Honor.

 'Imagine you're a young Jewish boy from Hungary who's tossed into the Nazi death camps and forced to survive on street smarts and courage. After the Warthat same boy volunteers to fight in Korea for his newly adopted homeland, the U.S., where he displays unparalleled bravery only to be captured, imprisoned and tortured by the Chinese communists, who prove no match for his iron will and resourcefulness.' The advance notices are terrific and Tibor's exploits will leave you shaking your head.

PILOTS HELPING PUPS…'DANGEROUS' DOGS…PEPPERDINE PRODIGIES

The April 24, 2015 issue of The Week  highlights two animal rescue organizations - Pilots N Paws  and Wings Of Rescue - where volunteer fliers are helping shelter dogs and cats avoid the threat of euthanasia by ferrying them from badly crowded urban shelters, where they stand little chance of being rescued, to less burdened areas where they are often quickly adopted. If you have some loose coin burning a hole in your pocket, maybe think about giving them a few shekels to keep up the great work. "More than 4 million pets are euthanized in the U.S. every year, mostly because of overcrowding in shelters. But a growing number of kindhearted pilots have been donating their time, fuel, and aircraft to transporting unwanted rescue dogs to less overburdened shelters, where many of them are quickly adopted. Groups like Wings of Rescue and Pilots N Paws have helped tens of thousands of strays find new homes over the past several years, and the number of volunteer aviators continues to rise. “We get a lot of the glory,” said pilot Angela Garcia. “But in reality, it’s just pure fun.”

Guardian angel with his rescue pups

Since mid-Janaury, Eugenie, Tanner and I have been working with Advertising students at Pepperdine University to design a new campaign for our favorite dog memoir, GIMME SHELTER. The three awesome teams delivered their final pitches last week and we were blown away by the depth and breadth of their creative genius. They covered everything from redesigning the book cover and business cards, to implementing exciting digital, mobil and social media strategies, leaving us with the unenviable task of choosing a 'winner'. We'll keep you posted on when, where and how we'll be rolling out their ideas. A huge thanks to all 19 students, and their amazing professor, Dr. Ginger Rosenkrans, for an unforgettable experience.

Tanner kicking it at a Pepperdine photo shoot

In this week's issue of his Cesar's Way Newsletter, dog guru Cesar Millan focuses on 'dangerous' dogs and BSL - Breed Specific Legislation. Although it's discriminatory, and proven not to work, some elected official and communities still advocate banning breeds like Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Mastiffs and other 'bad' dogs to keep their citizens from being slaughtered. As Cesar points out, you are 650 times more likely to die in a motor vehicle accident than to be killed by a dog attack. If safety concerns are the issue, then maybe BSL supporters should also consider turning in their driver's license, draining their swimming pools and lobbying  stringent gun control laws. From Gimme Shelter, here are some odds on the chance of being killed by a Pit Bull:  

-       According to CDC studies, about 10 persons die each year as a result of dog attacks. Of that number, Pit Bulls are responsible for approximately 28% or 2.8 deaths.

-       In 2008, the Consumer Products Safety Commission reported 7 deaths from fireworks. Based on that number, you are two times more likely to die from a fireworks mishap than from a Pit Bull attack.

-       Approximately 10 people a year die from snakebites, 3 times the number killed by Pit Bulls.

-       From 1990-2003, 756 Americans (an average of 58/year) died from lightning strikes. That means you are more than 20 times more likely to be killed by lightening than by a Pit Bull.

-       CDC statistics show that every day 10 people die from drowning, the second leading cause of non-intentional death for people ages 1-14. A person is 1,300 times more likely to drown than to be killed by a Pit Bull.

-       Every year in the U.S. more than 1,700 children (roughly 5 each day) are killed by their parents or guardians, either through abuse or neglect. A child is more than 600 times more likely to be killed by their caretaker than by a Pit Bull.

-       For every Pit Bull that kills, there are MILLIONS that DON'T!

REMEMBERING 'TONY' AND 'CEBA'…SAVING 'REX'

The sun is shining, and the mockingbirds are warbling but it's a sad day for me and my parents. We awoke to news that our friend, the amazing dog trainer and Malibu fixture, Tony Rollins, had passed away due to complications from diabetes. A popular cable network likes to boast, 'Characters Welcome'. Well, Tony was a character with character, a loving, patient guy who overcame his tough Brooklyn childhood and some early scrapes with the law to build a devoted following working with dogs, and their equally unruly, neurotic humans, at Bluffs Park obedience classes. Fans of GIMME SHELTER might recall how he 'coaxed' me into following the rules and helped bring my relationship with mom and dad to a new level of trust and commitment. In time some new trainer will come along and fill the vacancy left by our friend. But for us, Tony will always be 'the man' and the Bluffs his place. RIP Tony. 

Tony Rollins

In Hamlet, Shakespeare writes "When sorrows come, they come not single spies but in battalions." That was the case today. We no sooner heard about Tony when Lou received an email saying that my longtime pal, and all-round fabulous dog, Ceba, had moved on to the big dog park in the sky. Ceba was a tiny Shih Tzu but he had the heart of a lion, the rollicking good nature of an Irish bartender, and a sweet loving souL that no dog, or human, could resist. I met him when I first came to live with Lou & Eugenie. I love dogs, and I didn't think twice about lunging to greet Ceba. But Lou and Ceba's dad, Doug, saw it a tad differently ; "Watching Tanner drag me across the road, Doug was wary of greeting the new stud. Ceba wasn’t. He held his ground and sniffed Tanner from stem-to-stern. Having made his point, he hoisted his tail and led us down the sidewalk, pimp-rolling like a 4-legged gangsta, posse in tow. Whenever Ceba stopped to mark the bushes, Tanner followed suit. It was their version of social networking, where dogs friend each other by peeing on walls instead of writing on them." (from GIMME SHELTER) For the past few months, Ceba, Doug and Jean have been living in San Jose so I didn't get to say a proper 'goodbye'. I guess I'll take a quiet moment and toast him with a few extra treats - Lou always had a goodie for the little guy - and then go out and mark some bushes in his honor. 

CEBA

Lou says 'never end on a negative' and I'm going to follow his advice and urge all of our friends and followers to help us do just that and find a home for REX, an amazing pit bull who's been marking time in the Santa Maria animal shelter for nearly 16 months! We've posted about him before and two potential adopters stepped up, only to run into snags with landlords that refused to let them shelter a pit bull. I know what it's like to live behind bars and, while it's better than scuffling along on the street, it's no substitute for a loving family. So…let's get back to work, spread the word, and get this boy a home. Now. 

REX

Rex is about 3 1/2 years, weighs between 55-60 lbs. He is potty trained and leash trained, gets along extremely well with other dogs but we're not sure about cats. He loves his toys so he'd be okay as an only dog as long as he gets some love and play time. He was a loved domestic pet who slept in the bed was used to help assess & train other shelter dogs' temperaments. If you know anyone who would love to share their life with this bundle of love, please contact CONNIE KRUSE, 805-878-801,  clkjmw@icloud.com. If not, please pass this to your contacts and/or post on your social media.

MAN SAVES DOGS…DOGS FOR THE DEAF…SADDLE UP, LINDA & JOE

Facing a liver transplant and feeling suicidal, 28-year-old former alcoholic Zach Skow credits his dogs with helping him find sobriety and turn his life around. As payback, Skow founded a charity - Marley's Mutts Dog Rescue - to help save unwanted dogs. (Parade Magazine, February 8, 2015). 

Zack Skow and his dogs

We all know about Seeing Eye Dogs, but Dogs For The Deaf? Founded in 1977 by longtime Hollywood animal trainer Roy G. Kabat, DFD takes dogs from Western shelters and trains them to act as 'ears' for humans with deafness, hearing loss or autism. Since it's inception, DFD has placed 3,000 rescue dogs in homes across the nation. 

Tanner and 'Mom' in San Luis Obispo

I was getting ready to teach my weekly Okinawan karate class last week when a dojo brother congratulated me on a Malibu Times Magazine piece about GIMME SHELTER. It was news to me but, sure enough, MTM had included the book as part of their local writers roundup (page. 23). After almost two years, I'm still amazed, and grateful, for all the kind attention the book has garnered. 

I met Joe Simone and Linda Bianco during my freshman year at Iona College in New Rochelle, NY. Through our love of literature, movies, Italian food and each other, we became fast friends and spent the next four years hanging out in The City, cramming Shakespeare and doing what college kids did in the Woodstock era. (I won't speak for them but I DID NOT inhale…at least not much) After graduation, Joe married the fair Linda and they spent the next 35+years living and working in NYC or nearby Westchester County. But all that's about to change. My diehard New Yawker pals are pulling up stakes and heading to, gasp, San Antonio to be near son Justin and his wife, Nicole. Although I don't get back East often these days, it will be strange when I do and they're not there to share a plate of sushi or a glass of pinot grigio. Guess I'll have to don my boots and a Stetson, trade the Prius for a pickup and mosey on down to Texas pay my pardners a visit in their new digs.

A SLO RECOVERY FOR AN EYE WIDE SHUT and "HOW THEY MET"

You've heard the expression that some stroke of moderate good luck is "Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick"? Well I can vouch that it's true. Almost two weeks ago, I was romping with my friends Porter and Lola in their yard when I ran into the branch of a bush. It hurt a little - we pit bulls don't cry uncle easily - but I figured mom and dad would fix it right up. They couldn't and so we turned to Dr. Lisa and our pals at Malibu Coast Animal Hospital who said that I'd injured my cornea in four places, one of which looked nasty. They sent us home with eye drops, ugh, and orders to stay calm, which meant no dog park, or play dates, and wearing the dreaded "Cone of Shame". I'm on the mend now but still looking like I forgot to slip a Mike Tyson hook. Hopefully Dr. Lisa will give us the 'all clear' on Thursday and then I can get back to my normal jovial mayhem. 

with my pal Charlie D before the 'incident'

Even though they're worried about my eye, mom and dad still took me on a delayed Valentine weekend getaway to San Luis Obispo. As usual, they went shopping and tried the local restaurants, like Firestone's (BBQ) and the Big Sky Cafe.  For me, the highlight was a new toy duck, and getting to share dad's bed, something that happens at home only when the Santa Ana winds come roaring. While I love cuddling with my grumpy doggie daddy, I was thrilled to get home to my own bed and my toys. Speaking of delayed Valentine's business, I thought I'd pull a fast one and post the entry mom sent to the local paper's  "How We Met" contest. She didn't win, but yours truly thinks she should have. Give it a look, and see if you don't agree. Regardless, I'm sure glad they got together or who knows where I'd be living right now. - From the time I was 17, I knew the man I was supposed to marry was somewhere in New York. But first I had to get there.  After college, I left L.A. and headed to the Big Apple. " Do what you love and you’ll meet the man of your dreams.”  For two years I followed my mother’s mantra and kept my eyes peeled at museums, and during lunchtime workouts at Jack LaLanne’s gym on Madison Avenue. Then one afternoon, HE walked into the club. Red sweatpants, black hair, devilish Italian smile - my whole being screamed that ‘Lou’ was the one. We were introduced by my best friend, Debbie. For the next 3 months, I played it cool, interviewing him while we ran on the treadmills. Then one day, he was gone. When two weeks passed and he didn’t show, I became concerned and called. He said his father had passed away and he was helping his family in New Jersey but would return soon. No more playing it cool. I’d tipped my hand; he knew that I was interested in him. When he returned to the City, he took me to a Halloween costume party. Five years later, we eloped and were married at Juliet’s Tomb, in Verona, Italy. We left New York and moved to Malibu, our home now for 24 years. After three decades, our time together keeps getting better.  Maybe it’s because he was born on Valentine's Day? Or maybe my mother was right. 

Mom & Dad on their 2nd date (don't ask)

Finally, here's a shout out to this year's Westminster Dog Show winner, a spry little Beagle named Miss P. As Beagles go, she's pretty hot but I'm still longing for the day when an American Staffordshire Terrier or our English cousin, the Staffie, takes the big blue ribbon.

Miss P, 2015 Best In Show

BIG $ FOR VALENTINE'S DAY...AWARDS SEASON…BACK TO SCHOOL

According to a blurb in The Week magazine (Feb. 6, 2015) the National Retail Federation predicts that Americans will spend $700 million on Valentine's Day gifts…for their pets. Speaking of gifts, if you're having a tough time shopping for that special dog lover in your life, consider a book.

@ Amazon.com

While the Dog Writer's Association of American writing awards are still two weeks off, the Malibu Times ran a nice piece on yours truly, and our dear friend Megan Blake, who are  nominated in the online article and radio show categories. Megan, who hosts the awesome A Super Smiley Adventure on PetLife Radio, interviewed us when Gimme Shelter first debuted. Eugenie, Tanner and I plan to celebrate the DWAA event with her, husband Kim, and her pups, Super Smiley and Angel. 

This past Tuesday, Eugenie and I met with Pepperdine University Professor Ginger Rosenkrans' senior marketing class to field questions from the student teams that will be designing a comprehensive marketing campaign for GIMME SHELTER as their class project. The class was so enthusiastic and insightful! We can't wait to see what they devise for us. The only tough moment came when one student asked what kind of cell phone I have. Red-faced, I mumbled that I still use a pay-as-you-go flip phone. The students looked away in pity for this out of step tech dinosaur. 

Lou with the Pepperdine University marketing students

A few weeks back, an L.A. Times article by Abby Sewell reported that L.A. County Supervisors are considering upgrading the county's 6 outdated animal shelters. Here's hoping they follow through and make life more bearable for the tens of thousands of dogs and cats they house each year. According to the story, 50 % are eventually euthanized, 43 % are adopted, and  only 8% are reunited with their owners. 

former shelter dog Tanner with his best pal, Charlie, and Lou

SAMURAI PIT BULL NOW A 'GAEL'…THE MAGNIFICENT 7

2015 started in fine Pit Bull fashion when Lou & Eugenie went to LACMA to see the fascinating 'Samurai' exhibit which features some amazing sets of Samurai armor, horse gear, bows, swords and other items from the 13th to the 19th century. After spending the day running errands, they arrived about an hour before closing. They wavered about paying $50 for 2 tickets but dad said 'What the heck" and handed over our Capital One card, the one with a photo of the three of us. "Is that a pit bull?", the museum clerk asked. They said "yes" and she promptly gave them a free admission, which was doubled when they added that I was a rescue. They loved the exhibit, but it was impossible to top the loving gesture. 

As many of you know, mom and I are California born and bred but dad hails from the East Coast, specifically the New York-New Jersey metro area where he spent the first 40 years. During that time, he had the good fortune to attend Iona College (New Rochelle, NY) where he received a first rate education in liberal arts. This past week, we learned that the Iona College Magazine featured GIMME SHELTER in the 'Shelf Life' section of the Winter Edition. Thanks to Lizzie Faia and the staff for showing a grateful Gael alum some love. 

In the 'How Great Is This' department, the holidays saw a canine miracle in Susanville, CA, where 7 newborn pups were left to die in a dumpster. According to a story in the L.A. Times , when a good samaritan notified the authorities, the Lassen County animal control office and some bog-hearted rescue volunteers from Pet Network Humane Society in Incline Village, Nevada, stepped up to nurse the throwaway babies. Thanks to their know-how and round-the-clock efforts, they all survived and were promptly adopted.

The Magnificent Seven

A VERY GOOD YEAR...

As the clock winds down on 2014, it might be fun to take a last look back on a terrific year. In January, GIMME SHELTER snagged a coveted Indie B.R.A.G. Medallion for Nonfiction. That same month, Lou met philanthropist, dog advocate and Gimme Shelter fan Erika Brunson who floored us by purchasing books for the boys at nearby Camp Gonzales Juvenile Probation school. In March, Adrienne Berke bought copies for her English classes at Camp Miller. Thanks to our suddenly enhanced profile, Lou and Eugenie were invited to attend the Academic Bowl for incarcerated youth. Month's end found us sunning in the Desert as the guests of honor at the 12th Annual Avondale Country Club Pet Show in Palm Springs, courtesy of Joan and Kathleen Hopp. In April, Lou and I led the Simi Valley Bark for Life Cancer Walk and we did our first TV interview on the City of Calabasas 'Author's Night'. 

@ Simi Valley Bark For Life

Thanks to mom's efforts, this humble pit bull was tabbed 'Pet Of The Week, in the Surfside News. In May, Lou became a member of the Dog Writers Association of America. In July, Gimme Shelter received a great review from U.K. book maven Emma Powell, and Lou did a guest 'Read Aloud' at Camp Gonzales Summer Freedom School. August saw a sweet profile of Lou and the book in the Dog Writers newsletter, a spot on the World Wide Blog Tour, and the honor of emceeing Malibu Methodist Church's 'Dog Day of Summer blessing of the animals, where a certain thirsty pit bull emptied the holy water bowl. We were mystified by a surge in online sales until we learned that L.A. County Probation purchased copies of Gimme Shelter for all of the juvenile camp dormitory libraries. On a sad note, after a game battle against rising rents, our beloved Diesel Books closed its doors. In September, Eugenie and Lou abandoned me celebrate their anniversary in Bella Italia, where they met foreign pit bull lovers who follow me on Facebook! December brought down the curtain with a nice mention in the Fordham University Alumni Magazine, and word that Lou was nominated for a Dog Writers award for Best Online Magazine Story. But it wasn't all accolades and fun. When tests revealed that a lump on my chest was malignant and had to be removed, Eugenie and Lou freaked. The surgery left me sore and more than a little groggy but thanks to Dr. Dean, Dr. Lisa and the gang at Malibu Coast Animal Hospital I'm fully recovered and raring to see what 2015 has in store. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

recovering at home with 'Dad'

In a postscript to our last blog, we wanted to thank all of our friends and followers who forwarded our plea to help find homes for 3 sweet pit bull. Your efforts paid off when a doggy daddy stepped up to share his home with Dottie. Her rescuer and trainer, Mike, was thrilled. Now we just need to work our magic for Rex, Ranger and Lemon.

Dottie - a succes story