Social Media Hound Elmo at the Yappy Christmas Raffle

Posted by Belinda - Social Media Manager

Everyone who meets Elmo loves him.  He's super cute, super friendly and very photogenic.  He is our Social Media Hound cos every time I post his photo, we always get lots of likes!

Pup Reporter Alexia, with Social Media Hound Elmo, at the Yappy Christmas Raffle

I've had Elmo for a year and a half, and it seems like the longer I have him, the more quirks he develops.  Not sure if that's from living with me, or whether he's always had these funny habits, but I reckon a lot of them came from his life before I adopted him.  The RSPCA didn't have any history on him, but I strongly believe he came from a puppy farm.

Someone told me once that some dogs like to jump onto other dogs as a form of dominance.  Well, it seems like Elmo like to jump on female dogs, and when I say jump on them, I mean mount them from behind.  Yep, I suspect he's had quite a few fluffy white offspring from his time at the puppy farm.  But over a year after his desexing surgery I didn't think he'd still be in the habit of trying to hump the lady dogs!

Elmo is grumpy because he didn't want to wear the Santa hat!

Look at him, he's so cute!  Yes he is and I love him to bits, but his past life keeps intruding into the present.  I can't walk him past wheelie bins without him freezing and pulling away with fear.  And he has the same reaction to running water and outdoor taps. 

And did I mention he is a peeing machine?  No bush, no post, no tree trunk, is immune to Elmo's piddle.  At our recent Christmas raffle he spotted him cocking his leg against the Executive Producer's handbag, a water bowl, a few table legs, some random Christmas decorations left lying on the ground, and every tree trunk in close proximity.  I've been told that for Elmo, marking is a natural behaviour for him and to try and change this would just confuse and stress him. 

So I am resigned to having to watch him like a hawk every time he's around other dogs, in case I have to run in to stop him from humping a lady dog or weeing against someone's property.

Elmo is popular with the ladies, both two and four-legged, as seen here with Intan Lay

No you can't tell just by looking at him that Elmo has these quirks.  But I would never give him up just because he tried to have his way with three female Cavaliers in one afternoon.  Just because Elmo can't have puppies anymore, that doesn't stop him from trying!  Honestly, I think he doesn't know his boy bits are gone for good.

Who's Your Doggy?

Posted by Belinda - Social Media Manager

Making a TV show when you don't have a lot of money does present some challenges. But we've been lucky to have a very motivated team of volunteers who are really good sports when it comes to dealing with the public when filming.

Our usual guy Vas couldn't make it to filming this time, so I called up an acquaintance, Peter, to fill in as Yappy while we patrolled St Kilda for dog owners to interview.

On that day I found myself acting as costume assistant, roadie, social media person, production assistant, driver, dog wrangler and promoter.  All in the space of two hours.  A limited budget calls for maximum flexibility of duties, but still it's a lot of fun and you just have to muck in if you wanna get some great TV content in the can.

Yappy playing with some children in St Kilda

Standing outside Luna Park, that was a trip!  All the kids and families kept coming up to Yappy, wanting photos and hugs.  A couple of young men even came up to hug Yappy!  Liza was handing out business cards to anyone who'd take them while I kept shouting out "Yappy Hour TV!  Channel 31!  7th November!  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter!"  Hopefully I didn't ruin the audio....

Maybe filming on a Thursday afternoon wasn't the best idea.  We just couldn't find any dogs around to film!  Tony had lined up a young woman to interview about her dog, someone he'd met in a bar the night before.  He didn't manage to get her phone number though.

On St Kilda beach we found a young couple who were happy to be filmed talking about their female Jack Russell.  Mid-way through the interview Elmo started circling her, sniffed her hindquarters, then jumped on her.  I blurted "Elmo, don't hump the little dog!" and pulled him off.  

Maybe we should be making a reality TV show instead.

Yappy and Elmo, with Tony Bolton and Roger Qureitem in background