National Dog Day

There is no doubt that pets add so much to our lives.  Therefore, we could not let National Dog Day pass us by without giving a nod to our wonderful Iris.

Iris is our pitbull that we rescued from The Rescue Train in Los Angeles over 4 years ago.  (or maybe she rescued us!)  She has been a faithful companion and a wonderful addition to our family.  Throughout the years we have shared with you bits and pieces of Iris' life including her play dates here at the office with her Corgi friend, Hoyt--

relaxing at the office---

the many hikes she has shared with us---

relaxing again, this time in the backyard---

Her playful side---

And her sleepy side---

Please share pictures and stories of your beloved dog with us.

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Our four legged friends

If you follow this blog then you know it is no secret how we feel about our own four-legged friend, Iris, as well as those of our friends and clients.  She is more than a friend, she is a beloved and valued member of our family.

We found our Iris through the amazing rescue organization located here in Los Angeles, The Rescue Train.  She joined our family in 2011 and life has never been the same.  She enjoys coming to work with us everyday, walking the neighborhood and meeting her "friends" along the way.

We already know that pets are great companions that offer unconditional love, but they can also provide even more health benefits:

• Studies have shown that Alzheimer's patients experience fewer anxious moments when there is a pet in the home.
• Caring for a pet can provide exercise and fresh air for those responsible for the animal. A daily walk is certainly good for both pet and owner!
• Therapy dog programs are present in many hospitals, rehabilitation centers and nursing homes.  This is particularly valuable in Children's Hospitals where the kids are missing their own family pets and look forward to the weekly visits, offering them a sense of normalcy during a difficult time.

These photographs of Iris at play with her best friend, Hoyt, are proof that few things will make you smile as quickly as watching a couple of dogs battle it out over a squeak toy.  And when it is all over there are no hard feelings....a lesson we could all learn from our pets.

Not sure who the "winner" was but Iris was exhausted after this playdate!

We would love to see photos of your four-legged friends and hear about the lessons you have learned from them.

To view our entire collection of architectural hardware, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Iris enjoys a trip to the local mountains

It has been quite some time since we shared any of our adventures with our beloved rescue dog, Iris.  But she did join us on our winter "escape" to the local mountains during the holidays and really seemed to enjoy the cooler weather and higher altitude of Idyllwild, California.

Iris is a canine of few barks.  In fact, she rarely barks; although on this occasion she would use the wrap around deck to issue the odd bark at a passing hiker.  How dare anyone pass on her trail!

She shows off her hiking skills in this photo of her easily and bravely crossing a log:

and in this photo where she has clearly picked up the scent of some local critter or, more likely, a delicious morsel of food.

Many of you may recall that we adopted Iris from a local rescue organization, The Rescue Train.  They have many dogs like Iris looking for new homes so if you are in or near the Los Angeles area and are looking to add a new member to your family, be sure to check them out.

You can also view our entire collection of custom architectural hardware at www.martinpierce.com.

Martin Pierce Hardware: How's Iris?

We have had several inquiries as to how our beloved pitbull Iris is doing and, in particular, how she fared while we vacationed in England.  She spends pretty much every day and night with us so we were concerned about how she would cope with such a long absence.  We are very happy to say that Iris came through the separation unscathed,  due mostly to our dear friends Cynthia and Ken who, along with their dog Ike, stayed in our home and made Iris feel safe and secure.  It's as if she knew on some level that we would be returning.  This may stem, in part, to her remaining at home in her own territory and not in a kennel and having dog-loving friends and her best buddy Ike around certainly helped; at least that is my take on what happened but who really knows what goes on in a dog's mind?

As many of you know, Iris has been a member of our family for over a year.  She came to us through the wonderful efforts of The Rescue Train and it has been amazing and inspiring to see her progress and watch the many facets of her personality develop.  Over the past 14 months she has come to trust people and is much more affectionate with others.  For example, friends from Paso Robles recently visited and the first greeting they received was Iris' stubby tail and rear end wiggling with clear delight!  On a side note, if you are thinking of adding a new member to your family, please visit The Rescue Train's website.  You won't be sorry!

Iris also has a very playful side.  Like many dogs she has a love of squeaky toys and has eviscerated at least 7 crowing cockerels and 2 gurgling lobsters.  In true dog style she also likes to play tug of war with them but is not aware of her own body strength so this game is really a losing battle for me since she is  much too strong  for me ever to win.

She is also keen on being chased and this can be hilarious as she often has difficulty getting enough traction on our hardwood floors all of which will at some point now need to refinished.  But that is a small price to pay for the love her sweet personality brings to our home.

Do you have any favorite dog stories...Iris would love to hear them so please share!

To view  our complete line of custom hardware and get the latest news on what is happening at Martin Pierce, please visit us at www.martinpierce.com