Everybody Loves Norbert!

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There are so many cute dogs and cats on the internet that it's impossible not to spend an absurd amount of internet time cooing over their pictures. Frankly, I'm not immune. Yes, I'm a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant but I don't know if that makes me more or less vulnerable to the little darlings. I shouldn't admit this but I am a complete sucker for Norbert, a 3-lb. registered Therapy Dog, philanthropist, picture book star and social media influencer. I want to kiss him. I want to blow raspberries on his little tummy. I am utterly besotted.  And my colleagues would probably drum me out of the corp. Look at that face. I mean, just look at it? Could you keep your paws off his paws?

Norbert at The L.A. Mission

Julie Freyermuth is the lucky lady who became Norbert's mom when she saw him on Petfinder. "When I adopted Norbert, right away, I knew he was a special dog but I never imagined all of the wonderful things we would do together - from volunteering as a registered therapy dog team to donating books and plush toys to creating a picture book series and more. I am still in awe of it all."

Freyemuth is the children's book author behind Norbert's series of books with such charming titles as, Norbert: What Can Little Me Do? and Norbert and Lil BUB: What Can Little WE Do? co-starring one of my favorite internet cats, the equally adorable Lil BUB, who was featured here in February 2016.The books were illustrated by Virginia K. Freyermuth, Ph.D. and published by Polly Parker Press, LLC. Norbert has won 9 prestigious book awards including a Nautilus Book Award, and Mom's Choice Award.  

Yes, the little guy is a Philanthropist: "Norberthood for Good" does a lot of charity work in the Norbert's name. In addition to visits to hospitals, schools, nursing homes and special events, Norbert has supported a wide range of charitable causes such as Pet Partners®, Intermountain Therapy Animals, Just for Kids Sake Foundation, Lil BUB's BIG FUND for the ASPCA, the Children's Melanoma Prevention Foundation, and Boot Campaign, a military non-profit.

A portion of their profits are obviously sent to a range of charities. "The charities we support were selected because they are in alignment with Norbert's mission to spread smiles and encourage kindness." Norbert believes that you don't have to be big to make a big difference in the world.

Who can possibly argue with that?! It's impossible to look at little Norbert and not smile! There is such sweetness emanating from that little face, so much life sparkling in his eyes. He is totally captivating. 

Norbert's latest charitable venture is a new plush toy in his likeness to benefit Toys for Tots. Who wouldn't want a little Norbert of their own? The little toy looks amazingly like the real Norbert. What a perfect gift for kids of all ages! 

"By partnering with Toys for Tots, we extend Norbert's 'Buy One, Donate One' campaign to bring happiness to children in need who do not have the opportunity to own their own puppy or who could use a toy to hug and hold," says Freyermuth.

"We are very pleased to welcome Norberthood for Good as a National Corporate Donor of the 2016 Marine Toys for Tots Campaign," said retired Marine Colonel Ted Sylvester, vice president of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. "Their community service goals certainly align with those the Marine Corps has promoted for over 68 years through our Toys for Tots Program. Sylvester concluded, "With their generous support we will be able to fulfill the Christmas holiday dreams of many less fortunate children, who otherwise might be forgotten."

What is truly wonderful about Norberthood for Good is that it encompasses all age groups from children to seniors. No one is forgotten, no one is left out.

Norbert has worked on a variety of awareness and branding projects with major National Brands and other non-profit organizations such as The Walt Disney Company, Condé Nast, Hilton Hotels, iTunes, 

Natural Balance, and PetSmart.

In 2009 Norbert was adopted through Petfinder.com. He was so tiny that he could only go to a special home. Julie Freyermuth was deemed to have that special home. When asked how she trained little Norbert, Freyermuth responded, "I got lucky! Norbert is my first dog and I had no experience or knowledge about dog training. Norbert is very motivated by food and is super smart. Both of these things made him very easy to train.

If you want to purchase the Norbert Plush, please visit: www.Norberthood.com

Norbert is all over social networking. One of my favorite places to see him is on his Facebook page where you'll find all sorts of posts and even videos. I'll be you won't be able to resist Norbert's High Five!  https://www.facebook.com/NorbertDog/

In 2015 Norbert won what The New York Times has called the "Internet's Highest Honor," he was a Webby Award Honoree in the Social-Animal Category.

You can Follow him on Twitter @NorbertDog

He's on Vine, YouTube, magazines, newspapers, websites, television. He's everywhere!

Let's Clean the Air!

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Aimee and I were sitting at home, alternately sneezing for no discernible reason. I was going through my e-mail, a never-ended - or so it seems - activity. I suspect every blogger gets pitches for all sorts of things. Some are suitable for their blog, many are not. It's a veritable crapshoot. Sometimes you open an e-mail and bells go off in your head. Such was the case in early December. I opened an e-mail about a new model air purifier from Guardian Technologies. Hmmm. The angle concerned people who are allergic to pets. Well, okay, but I wrote back and asked if they had ever considered pets who were allergic to their environment.

Although I get offers all the time, I don't often test products. This, however, was something I wanted to try for myself. U.S. readers of a certain age will remember the old saying: I'm from MO, me you gotta show.

I offered to review the new product but not without testing it. I tell my readers the unvarnished truth. If something is really bad, I choose to ignore it. It's really as simple as that.

The publicist asked about the number of my blog readers and came back saying that one would be sent to me and I could test and then keep it. That was generous.

I honestly don't know what I was expecting but imagine my surprise when a large box appeared on my driveway.

I needed a little help from a friend in getting it out of the box. Most people can do it by themselves. The cat will only be interested in the box so don't look for any help there. It's ridiculously easy to set up. If the cat had opposable thumbs she could have plugged it in. The controls are easy to see and easy to use. I was determined to give it a good, long try. It's white, has clean lines to blend with any decor.

Nice clean lines that go with any decor

It runs for 6 hours before shutting itself off. You can also select 2 or 4 hours of running time. You can also easily select the fan speed and whether or not you want the ionizer on. It comes with very clear instructions on how to change the filters, how to install or remove the UV-C bulb. Instructions are not only clear, they provide illustrations that are just as clear. Show and tell.

On it went. Okay. Even at the highest speed it's pretty quiet which is great for a writer who lives in a very quiet house and likes it that way. My kitchen and den are connected in an open floor plan. It sits in the den, quietly doing its job.

Photo Courtesy of Mary Slaney

It didn't take too long before I realized the change in the air. It was even more apparent after 6 hours when it shut itself off and the regular air began to replace the purified air.

The new The GermGuardian® AC9200WCA High Performance True HEPA Ultra-Quiet Air Purifier System with UV-C Allergy and Odor Reduction really lives up to its name. If it were human, I'd marry it!  The True HEPA filter relieves allergies by capturing 99.7% of dust and allergens as small as .3 microns in size. I'm no scientist but that sounds pretty small to me. The larger carbon filter inside catches household odors when you cook, as well as dander from pets, etc. The UV-C light is a chemical-free way of reducing germs on surfaces, in the air or water. Hospitals and water treatment plants use UV-C light, destroying 99% of microbes including fungi and mold as well as such germs as staph, influenza and rhinovirus. The Ionizer Option boosts Allergen Control.

If you have someone with allergies, it's perfect. It was designed for people with pets who are allergic to animals. It also works for pets who are allergic to their environment. Aimee and I are now happily breathing clean, fresh air.  I'm breathing deeply. I highly recommend this top-of-the-line model. What it has done for my home is priceless. 

Photo Courtesy of Nancy Ross

How happy am I with this product? Very. Instead of going to the drug store for a new humidifier, I will go, instead, to Guardian Technologies, LLC website and buy one of theirs. If this is an example of their quality, I want another one of their products. Anything else might be penny wise but, in my opinion, pound foolish.

NOTE: I received a new GermGuardian® AC9200WCA High Performance True HEPA Ultra-Quiet Air Purifier System with UV-C Allergy and Odor Reduction to test. I was not paid for this review. The opinions in this review on my blog are my own after weeks of testing to be sure it was doing what I thought it was doing.

For anyone who is interested in finding our more about this product or one of their other products, please go to their website:  www.guardiantechnologies.com

Homes for Dogs Project

Max, the Adopted Dog

Every pet deserves a warm, loving home. Unfortunately, not everyone has one. They often languish in shelters where they are killed (euthanized) if no one adopts them, or in rescue, waiting for that "forever home."

Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC (www.coldwellbanker.com) is aiming to find homes for 20,000 dogs this year. Yes, you read that correctly. This ambitious campaign will seek to match dogs with loving families. For those of us who believe that a house is not a home without a four-legged family member, this is a great idea. I'm sure the homeless dogs would agree.

Their 30-second ad spot which is premiering during the 87th Academy Awards, shows a real success story. Max was seen on Adopt-a-Pet.com and adopted. Coldwell Banker hopes to 20,000 more dogs will find their forever homes as a result of this campaign.

"Our previous spots have showcased the joy of coming home, so this year it made sense to portray who's on the other side of the door," said Sean Blankenship, chief marketing officer for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC

Coldwell Banker® is simultaneously announcing their first ever "Homes for Dogs Project" by teaming up with Adopt-a-Pet.com, the largest non-profit pet adoption website in North America, the campaign aims to find homes for 20,000 dogs in North America.

I have an advanced "peek" at the commercial for you that opens with an originally produced country song.  Enjoy you early-bird look at the commercial created by Siltanen & Partners. (http://siltanen.com)

Meet the Dogs of the Homes for Dogs Commercial!

I hope you'll enjoy this sneak preview as much as I have! I hope the right people will open their hearts and homes to the right dogs - and cats!  Yes, that's a hint!  I hope they will do a campaign for cats before too long!  Thanks, Coldwell Banker!!

Meanwhile, if you're interested in giving a forever home to a dog, follow this link:

http://bit.ly/HomesForDogs