I interview Tillman "The Skateboarding Bulldog" with Rodney Mullen - Pro Skater and Ron Davis Tillman's human. Tillman and Rodney find that they have similar experiences in the skating world and we discover that both skaters are full of heart.

"I want a red vest that says SHEEP HERDER & PARK PLAYER on it."



ZUMA SAYS, "Sometimes I smell the snow here and all I can think about is playing until my whole body is sore. I wish that once a week we could play in the snow. Did you know you can eat it and it tastes like water?"

*Zuma lives in Southern California. It doesn't snow in her town, but it can snow on the top of mountains that overlook her town.

Dear Laura,
When I first started hunting my dog, Sophia, she would literally creep on her belly. I could not make any sense of it. Would you ask her about it?”
Sincerely, Richard
Dear Richard,
This is what Sophia says about birds and bird hunting, “It is important to watch the birds. If you watch the birds you will know what the next three days of weather is like. I can tell by the birds that come to the bird feeder. There are these little birds that come to the feeder if they are there longer than twenty minutes at a time the next few days are going to be windy and cold. If they come for a little bit and then go away we will have nice weather. The deer are like that too. If they rest a lot then they are not worried. If they are moving around then they are getting prepared. I don’t always like to hold dead birds in my mouth. I don’t like to feel their heartbeat get slower and feel their spirit rise. It is so sad because sometimes their spirit will look back at me and I have to tell them that if they go to the sun they will always be warm.
Creeping is the way to go after the bird. It is best to wait to the bird actually dies. Sometimes if the bird is still alive it will fly away or try to move you want to make sure that it dead. Sometimes I think it is dead before it truly is. There is something about being low to the ground and feeling the earth on my belly that makes sense to me. It is like accepting that part of nature. It is important to let the bird rest a bit before you go and get it. That is the way to do it. Not all the dogs do it and they think that I am a little crazy, but I know that I am not. Creeping is the right way. It is also the way to listen to the earth and to listen to what all of nature has to say. You know what we do is taking another’s life and when you take another’s life you have to do it gently. It is ok to do. I am not saying that we should not do it. It is just to do it respectfully. My dad mentioned to you that it is an ancient trait and I believe that to be true. I think that long ago we were taught to do this by our people. I think long ago people where more connected to their hunting dogs and to the earth. I think that both dog and human knew which types of birds to get in that year. Sometimes when we go out hunting I think that we should not be hunting a certain bird. It feels wrong. It feels this way because it looks like their flock is smaller and that they are less active. I don’t know if they are getting ready to have their babies or that maybe they are under populated. So I worry about the birds. But my dad thinks it is ok and so does everyone else so I do what I am told. Sometimes I think that the following year there will not be any birds, but there are so maybe I am wrong.”

These chickens are in a new home. The one on the left asks, "How many eggs does our new human want a day? I can give two." The chicken on the right says, "I can give one."

"I know I am the smartest dog in Texas." Bella received a high-school diploma in Texas and made the news. Read her story: http://grantsrant.wordpress.com/2008/03/27/bella-is-a-high-school-grad/

My brother is an investigative reporter for NBC. He is a four time Emmy Award winner and sixteen time Emmy Award nominee. GRANTS RANT is his blog. I have always admired my brother for fearlessly going after his passions. He has done stories on animal abuse, rescue and the inhumane capture of elephants in the wild for a well known circus. GRANTS RANT is his new project. I find it humorous as well as educational.

This is Skippy. He is amazing. He reminds me of a Border Collie. His person and I use the clicker to train him to not meow obsessively around food. He remarks, "I like to eat because I am bored. I like the texture and the taste of food."

This is Ben. He is a Bengal Cat. His people tell me that he will wait till the tub fills up with water then he will bat things into the tub and then jump in. I asked him about the water and he replied, "I love the water. I didn't know it is unusual for cats to love water. I am looking for something to slither away so I can catch it." I believe he is instinctually referring to a snake.

AFTER A LOT OF WORK, MAGGIE HAS LEARNED THAT SHE SHOULD NOT CHASE CATS.

maggie says, "i didnt know that such small beings could be my friends. i admire how they flick their tails. I didnt know that they dont like to be chased. I use to like to watch how fast they can run and how high they can jump. Smokey (cat in picture) told me that he doesnt like to be chased because it hurts his heart. I like how he is now willing to be my friend"

TILLMAN IS A 1.5 YEAR-OLD BULLDOG. HERE IS WHAT HE HAS TO SAY,

I want to say that I love to skateboard. I dream of skateboarding all the time.

I am very smart. Way smarter than what anyone thinks. I like it when I eat hamburgers. It makes me skate better.

I like to go fast because it makes me feel like everyone stops and watches me. That is the best feeling and to feel the wind in my face. I want my kid to be able to teach me tricks. I want to be able to jump off the board and then back on really quickly, but I don’t know if I can run as fast as the board. I want a wider and longer ramp with obstacles I can weave through. Can they do that for me?

May you find wisdom and humor in the thoughts and feelings of these animals.

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