Obviously I’m the perfect pet and need no training but as you may have read, Stella’s had some issues in the past. For those of you who need some help correcting your puppy’s bad habits, you’ll want to buy this product immediately!
Over the past 5 years, Stella’s mom has been searching for a way to stop Stella from screaming with excitement when people come over to their house.
The Pet Corrector is the only product that has been able to cure Stella of this nasty habit! Dogs have an instinctive sensitivity to hissing sounds like the ones snakes, insects and birds use to drive off predators. The Pet Corrector emits a hiss which mimics this sound to interrupt undesirable behaviors such as jumping, unwanted barking and Stella squealing. It’s small and lightweight so you can take it with you to keep your pup in line wherever you go. After using it just a few times Stella’s Mom now only has to point at her and make a soft sound to prevent Stella from squealing. She doesn’t even need the actual corrector any more…it worked that fast! We’ve been telling all of our friends about the corrector and everyone loves it just us much as we do. Well their owners love it any way! Your pup may not be a fan of the sound it makes but their behavior will improve which will make you happy and when you’re happy…they’re happy! You can buy one at your local pet store or online at our favorite website, Amazon.com
The short answer to this question is no, no it is not. That would make for a very short blog so I’ll elaborate.
The other day while on a hike, a fan asked Stella and I who our favorite dog walkers are at LEASH Pet Care. I really didn’t know how to respond. I didn’t want to insult her intelligence but it seems pretty obvious to me that LEASH isn’t a real company but the fictional company that our show is about. Maybe she was confused since there is so much reality television out there. To make things clear, UnLEASHED is far from a reality television show. Our show is mainly scripted with some improvisation thrown in there as well. Sometimes what the actors come up with on the spot is way too funny not to be included. Sure, our characters are fairly similar to our real lives because we’re dogs. We eat, sleep, poop and write blogs. There’s not too much to work to with. But the actors are definitely not playing themselves or directly mimicking real people.
I think the more important issue here is whether the show is based on the creator’s real lives. To answer this question I had to talk to my Dad, Doug Bass. He is one of the creators and the writer of UnLEASHED.
Waffles: Hi Dad, thanks for letting me interview you. First off, you’ve worked for dog walking companies in the past and currently have your own Pet Care business with Stella’s mom. Is UnLEASHED based on your experiences at any of these jobs?
Doug: Of course the show is partly based on my real life experiences working in the dog- walking world. I like to think that most character driven television shows are loosely based on something real. Whether it’s inspired by someone’s job or a relationship, life experiences are what make a fictional story come to life and what makes it interesting to watch or read. That being said, not everything that happens in the show actually happened. You have to make it entertaining.
Waffles: What about the characters? Are they based on people that you know?
Doug: A writer may sometimes base a fictional character on someone in his or her real life. That being said, the character is not actually that person. The original characters in UnLeashed, have elements of real people that I know and have worked with. There may be a specific personality trait that is part of these characters, but they become their own person. As a writer, I use a lot of stuff from my personal life, sometimes it’s entertaining other times it’s just strange, but these are the things that intrigue me and make for creating an interesting fictional world. My advice to the people that may think writers are trying to be hurtful by basing a character off of them is this; it’s fiction, it’s funny and it’s not you. Don’t waste your energy on being upset with the writer or even with yourself. If you have a writer in your life, be prepared to accept that somewhere down the road there may be a character similar to you in one of their pieces of work.
Doug’s response to these questions reminded me of the HBO show “Entourage”. In Hollywood, it’s a well-known fact that Jeremy Piven’s character was inspired by real life talent agent, Ari Emaneul. I was so curious to find out what the real Ari’s opinion is on Jeremy Piven’s portrayal of him; I decided to do a little research. By research I mean I spent 5 minutes on Google. I couldn’t find an interview with Emaneul but I did discover that he once represented Jeremy Piven! He even demanded that Piven play the role. The real Ari also represents Mark Walhberg, the executive producer of Entourage. In fact, Entourage is loosely based on Wahlberg’s experiences in Hollywood. I have a feeling the real Ari’s has found a way to accept and possibly even enjoy Piven’s portrayal of him. Although I’m sure the 10% he’s making off of Mark Wahlberg helps.
When you think about it, all art must be inspired by real life. One might even say, “Art imitates life”. I can’t claim that quote as my own but I will claim this one… “UnLEASHED is the new Entourage!” A dog can dream.
"UnLEASHED is the new Entourage!" -Waffles the dog
Our parent’s have been working so hard on unLEASHED that they have decided that they deserve a vacation. Umm…I’m pretty sure we’ve been working hard too! Where’s our vacay?
I have always wanted to go to England to learn about my fellow countrymen on my beagle side. If you don’t know, the modern beagle breed was developed in Great Britain in the 1830’s. I could explore China to get in touch with my Pug roots but I’m not a big fan of the food. I mean what’s with that Lo Mien nonsense? It’s basically salty brown pasta. Not to mention the fact that chopsticks are not meant for those without thumbs.
Considering we really have no idea what brand of dog Waffles is it would be difficult for him to travel somewhere to learn about his heritage. I personally think he is a descendent of the Muppet tribe. In that case his options are limited to Manhattan or Space. Although the “Great Muppet Caper” was set in England so he could come along on my trip. I’m getting off topic.
As I said Amy and Doug feel the need to go on vacation and leave us behind. Where do we go? They’re usually the ones who take care of everyone’s pups while their clients go out of town, so what happens when they’re unavailable? Our friends Sadie and Palmer’s moms will be running the business while they’re away. They’re the best so I’m sure everything will run smoothly with those two in charge. They haven’t told us where we are going but it better be one of those fancy Pet Hotels. I mean c’mon, we are Hollywood dogs and we deserve nothing but the best.
-by Waffles
Stella’s mom and my dad have small dog walking company in Los Angeles. Although the show’s not based on their company, some of the stories in unLEASHED are inspired by real life events. One of the services they offer is dog sitting. People always ask us what it’s like having so many dogs coming in and out of our homes. Well to be perfectly honest, it kind of blows. They steal my toys, sleep on my couches and demand way too much attention. Having one extra pup around isn’t such an inconvenience but when a holiday rolls around it can be a full house. I’m talking 6-10 dogs in my home…my personal space! This past 4th of July was nuts! Luckily everyone got along because it really could have been a mess.
- Stella & all the other dogs on 4th of July
Occasionally, we’ll house sit. I love house sitting! I get to steal other dog’s toys, sleep on their couches and live it up in some pretty beautiful homes. The last place we stayed at had a huge backyard and a pool! It also had two hairy, slobbery and needy dogs but what are you gonna do? I got to lay out in the sun all day long. It wasn’t all fun and games though. When I first arrived at the house it was dark out and I didn’t know they had a pool so I walked right in thinking it was still the ground. OOPS! Then the next day, one of the GIANT golden retrievers that lives there pushed Stella in the pool when mom and dad weren’t looking. She wasn’t doing anything wrong, he just shoved her in and she cannot swim. In fact she almost sunk. It was so sad, but thankfully her Mom rescued her. I caught another dog chewing on the rug in their living room. I overheard my Dad telling the owners and it did not go well. They accused ME of chewing on the carpet! What? Carpets don’t taste good, why would I do that?
So now you know, it isn’t always a walk in the park when your parents have a doggie business. It may seem like every dogs dream to have playmates around all of the time but we pups are just like people. We need our space, some alone time and a little bit of peace and quiet.
-By Stella
One of my co-stars of UnLEASHED, Jennifer Hall, just introduced us to the best toy ever! While selling her jewelry at trade show in LA, she met three guys whose college class project led them to develop the best toy ever, The Dura Doggie.
Twenty percent of their profit goes to the charity. The best part is that you get to choose which charity! The toys come in four colors, each representing a different and very important cause. Pink is for fighting breast cancer, blue is for saving animals, green is for saving and conserving the planet, and orange is for fighting diabetes.
My favorite toy is called the “Beba”. It’s a treat dispenser and a squeaky toy! WHAT? Food and squeaking…two of my favorite things!
Me & my Beba
The Dura Doggie is also recyclable and made in the USA. It smells so good too, well until I get my paws on it. Waffles and I love to play with them when the director says “Take 5” on the set. We usually take 30, but that’s another story. They’re a great stress release from our very busy days as dog actors.
Waffles & his Dura Doggie
Obviously every dog needs a toy or two so you might as well buy one that will make a difference. “Chews” a good toy and “Chews your Cause.”
Check them out at…
http://duradoggie.com/
http://www.facebook.com/ChewsYourCause?sk=wall
-By Waffles
Waffles on Hollywood Blvd.
Many of our readers have asked us how we got our start in this crazy business of show. To be honest, neither Stella nor I had planned on being actors, we pretty much just fell in to it. I realize that this may annoy those of you out there who have been training and studying your craft for years. Sorry, but it’s just the way it happened.
About this time last year my Dad and Stella’s Mom thought it would be funny to make a little video about dogs going to see the movie Maramaduke. At the time they were dog-sitting a few adorable pups so the timing seemed just right. They convinced all of us to star in their mini movie. We were hesitant at first but they bribed us with treats and toys so we pretty much had to say yes.
It only took about 3 hours to film but boy was it a challenge. As you’ll see in the video we shot most of it on Hollywood Blvd. The walk of fame is constantly flooded with tourists. I can’t tell you how many shots were ruined by onlookers jumping in the frame to pet us and fawn over our cuteness. I mean, who can blame them, right? It was also an extremely hot day that was particularly hard on our bulldog Chevelle. Because she is a bit “husky” and has a smushed in face, we had to be careful that she didn’t overheat.
My favorite part of the day was meeting the ticket taker at the theater that we used. She was adorable! She was so shy but somehow we convinced her to play the role and she did a great job!
After we saw the finished product Stella and I had caught the bug. There was no going back for us…we had started our careers as canine actors!
You can catch us this summer on the new comedic web series about LA dog walkers, unLeashed.
http://www.watchunleashed.com
- Stella & Waffles
STELLA: Waffles and I have been looking for some advice and tips on being professional canine actors. While researching on the Internet we stumbled upon a blog about a pup named Jasmine. As soon as we started reading we realized that she may be the perfect pup to answer some of our questions. She is about to star in a production of “Annie”, her videos have been seen all across the world and they even did a segment with her on a local news program. She may be the perfect mentor as we prepare for our roles in “UnLEASHED!” We gave her a call and she graciously granted us the interview seen below.
STELLA: Jasmine, I noticed on your blog that one of your tricks is jumping in a suitcase? Is this how you like to travel? My mom shoves me in a small bag and puts me under the seat for long plane rides and I am not a fan!
- Jasmine
JASMINE: I admit I have tried to stow-away a few times. This is actually how I learned the suitcase trick. My mom was trying to pack her suitcase, and I jumped in and started taking stuff out. (That way she couldn’t leave!)
- Waffles with actresses Amy Halloran & Jennifer Hall
WAFF: How do you keep your hair looking so neat and clean? I look like a Muppet and Stella has been shedding all over our set.
JASMINE: My breed is actually kind of unique because we don’t shed! Havanese are hypo-allergenic for this reason. (Until I go roll in the grass!) However my hair will grow really long if I don’t get regular hair cuts! So I get groomed every other month. That way I don’t turn into a muppet! (Although I really like the Muppets!) Kermit the Frog is my favorite!
STELLA: Who is your favorite canine actor? Please don’t say Hooch from “Turner and Hooch”…too slobbery!
JASMINE: This a hard one! There are too many good choices! I love the movie Eight Below. But I don’t know any of the dogs. Can I say Scooby Doo? I like Scooby Doo because he can talk. I’m practicing saying “reh-ro” (hello) like Scooby Doo! And I like that Scooby always helps his friends even when he’s scared.
WAFF: I read that you will be playing the role of “homeless dog” in a local production of “Annie!” How are you preparing for the role? Do you have an acting coach? Are you in a class? Are you worried that Sandy will upstage you? Blonde’s will do that you know.
JASMINE: I am so excited about this role. “Homeless Dog” is ideal for me. If I grow my hair out for a month, I totally look like a homeless dog! And if I get dirty, I can just say I’m getting in character! (We’ll see how long I can get away with not getting a bath!) I don’t have an acting coach. I’m just supposed to act like a dog…. so I’m pretty good at that! The only thing I’m practicing is stopping on a mark. (I get treats when I do it!) I’m not even worried about Sandy! This is my first time doing live theater, so I’m glad I have a small part. This will give me such a fantastic opportunity to practice being around lights, sounds, and strangers. If you can do your role with all those distractions, you can do anything!! ANNIE PRODUCTION: http://www.vyt.com/on-stage/2010-2011-season/annie.aspx
STELLA: You have won multiple cute dog contests! Have you won every contest your Mom has entered you in? Is it your idea or your Mom’s to enter?
JASMINE: That’s a funny question. I usually never win the photo contests my mom enters me in. And then one month I won three in a row. Go figure. I guess I suddenly got cuter. 😉
WAFF: The video of you at the pet store is amazing. How do you stand on your hind legs like that? I can only do it if someone is dangling a treat above me. I had no idea it was possible without a treat!
JASMINE: That’s exactly how my mom taught me to walk on my hind legs. She’s just hiding behind the camera with a treat. It just takes a lot of practice to build up strong leg muscles. After that pushing the shopping cart is easy! (I’m always walking towards the treat.) My mom uses clicker training to train tricks- which is all positive reinforcement. I bet you could learn to do it.
- Stella dreams of a gourmet dinner
STELLA: Speaking of food, I noticed that you were buying a lot of Natural Balance products. My mom buys me the cheap stuff from the grocery store. Do you taste a difference and feel better from eating the gourmet brands? Or are they paying you to endorse them? If so, how do I get paid for eating a certain kind of food because I’ll eat anything.
JASMINE: I *WISH* they were paying me to endorse them. That would be nice! I sometimes win contests, and my mom just posts the stuff I win on my blog. (That’s our way of saying thank you to the companies, then we usually donate it to a shelter.) It’s kind of random what we get.
My dog food brand has evolved over the last year. I have developed allergies, and my mom is still trying to find the right kind of food for me. So I’ll finally quit itching all the time! After going to the vet, we’re doing food trials with different brands. But in general I’ve learned the higher quality food brands have more nutritional content than the cheap stuff just based on how they are made and what is used in the dog food. So it’s better for me. It’s kind of like how humans could choose to eat healthy food or junk food, but there’s more nutritional value in the healthy food. So it’s still a learning process for both of us.
Thanks for interviewing me! These were some great questions!
WAFFLES: Wow – thank YOU Jasmine! You’re a modest dog, but we wanted to tell the people that you also volunteer at a children’s hospital, doing tricks for sick kids. There’s nothing you can’t do! What an amazing role model you are!!! Stella and I could not have found a better pup to help us get started on our canine careers. I’ll definitely tell my dad that he needs to get me groomed more than once a year. I have a feeling that Stella will be requesting a more nutritious kibble as soon as possible! We’ll be standing on our hind legs, winning cutest pet awards and auditioning for musicals in no time. I suppose we should start by doing what the director and producers of “UnLEASHED” ask us to do, even if we’d rather just eat all the treats and nap in our trailer.
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JOIN JASMINE on FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE and her BLOG.
-by Stella 
Last week the producers of my new show “UnLEASHED” posted a video of me without my approval! I have to clarify a few things about said video…I have posted it below, for your viewing pleasure.
First off, this video was made almost 3 years ago! You’ve probably noticed that I have lost a significant amount of weight since that video was made, seven pounds to be exact. Which in human weight is 49 pounds so please appreciate my hard work and dedication to my health.
Secondly, I no longer eat dog poop. I realize that this is a questionable habit but it’s one that I’ve kicked. Although when you think about it, it’s really just recycled food and as far as I know recycling is in. Green is the new black!
Thirdly, I do come when called…when I want to go where they are asking me to go. I’m an independent bitch and I make my own choices. Isn’t this what men look for in a Puggle? I think I heard Oprah say that once.
Lastly, in the video my mom refers to my speaking voice as an “awful squeak!”
WHAT? If I were her I would be flattered by my excitement when she enters the room. How often to you get a response like that when you arrive somewhere? I love humans and sometimes I just can’t contain my affection and my emotions overflow into the universe! I’m a sensitive and loving puggle who happens to be amazingly vocal…so sue me!
I mean no disrespect to the creators of “UnLEASHED.” I’m sure that they only meant to provide our viewers with some details on my background and home life as to further interest them in my role on the show. I simply wanted to let everyone know that I am aware of my previous character flaws but I am a changed woman! Well obviously, otherwise I would never have been cast in “UnLEASHED!”
Waffles & me on the set
-by Waffles
Stella won the coin toss so she had the pleasure of writing the first blog. The story of how I ended up a Hollywood dog is definitely more interesting. Sorry Stella. I still love you! But boy oh boy, where to begin?!?!
My first human was a 20 year old girl named Tiara. About two years ago she sublet a room from an actor named Gino. Gino’s roommate Doug didn’t even know that she had a dog. He didn’t even know that I existed until a foul smell started leaking from Tiara’s bedroom. Doug hadn’t seen Tiara in a while and something seemed strange. When he ventured into her room and opened the bathroom door, there I was! Poor little me locked in a bathroom with a bag of dog food that I couldn’t even get in to. I was living in my own feces and I had scratched up the door in many failed attempts at an escape.
Tiara wouldn’t answer Doug’s calls but thanks to Facebook he discovered that she was in Vegas! Party time for Tiara and jail time for me, Waffles. (At the time my name was Milo – but I always hated that name!) Doug tried to communicate with Tiara many times. She was never available to speak on the phone but would occasionally reply with nonsensical text messages. Tiara never came back to get me. She kept telling Doug that she was going to find a ride or take the bus to come pick me up. But that never happened and eventually Doug had enough. He drove Tiara’s belongings to an address she gave him. When he arrived she wouldn’t answer his call, so he left everything in front of the building. She eventually thanked him for delivering her belongings and said she would come back to get me as soon as she could. Doug broke the news that she would not be getting me back. She seemed very upset. Well, as upset as you can seem over a text message. She insisted that she loved me and had traveled all over the country with me. I was her dog and Doug would not get away with stealing me! While nursing me back to health post bathroom lock-up, Doug had grown attached to me and had no intention of returning me to my dead-beat owner.
Over the next several months Doug would hear from Tiara every few weeks. She even had a girlfriend call to let him know that “If Tiara doesn’t get her dog back, bad things will happen.” Two months later a bad thing did happen. A “pet detective” arrived on our doorstep. He claimed he was there to investigate the theft of Waffles/Milo and was determined to leave with me. Doug and his friend Matt were firm but calm while explaining to him that he wouldn’t be leaving with me and that it would be best if he left the property. Suddenly, the “pet detective” pulled out a can of mace and got Matt right in the eyes. He managed to get some in Doug’s face too, but it was poor Matt that ended up with a set of red swollen eyeballs. The cops were called and we quickly learned that this “detective” was hired by non other than my horrible, horrible former “mother.” That’s when Doug decided that he should try to get a restraining order against this crazy woman. The judge ruled that there wasn’t enough evidence to grant Doug some protection. I guess hiring a fake detective to mace someone and steal their dog isn’t that big of a deal in Los Angeles. Thankfully, having to make a court appearance did seem to scare Tiara away as we haven’t heard from her since! Even though it was a rough few days in that little bathroom, I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. If I hadn’t been locked up, my Dad Doug couldn’t have saved me! He’s the best Dad ever. We go to the park, on hikes, to the beach and on all sorts of adventures. He has the coolest girlfriend who loves me just as much as he does. She also happens to be Stella’s Mom! To top it all off he named me Waffles, which is clearly the best dog name ever! Thanks Dad…. because of you, I’m a happy Hollywood dog.
Waffles, the happy Hollywood dog
Well we flipped a coin to decide who would write the first post and I won!!! So here comes Stella’s first entry!
First off….I’m a Puggle. That’s half Pug and half Gle. Get it??
But really I’m half Pug and half Beagle. Many have told me that I exhibit more beagle traits then Pug. I howl, never do as I’m told, I’m strong willed and I live for food. My mother Amy ordered me online 5 years ago. I only cost $900… a bargain, if you ask me. I’ve heard her tell people that she feels a bit guilty that she didn’t adopt. Whatever…I was really cute, she just couldn’t resist. She came and picked me up from a little pet shop in Queens with her friend Natalie. They drove me to Boston to spend the holidays with the family and then we boarded a plane to Los Angeles… and that’s when I started my life as a Hollywood Dog!
Stella & Waffles 