Friday, March 05, 2010

Coffee with a canine: Dayna Hilton & Sparkles

This weekend's featured duo at Coffee with a Canine: Dayna Hilton & Sparkles.

Dayna Hilton is a volunteer firefighter, fire safety educator, children’s book author, blogger, CEO of Firehouse Dog Publishing as well as the Executive Director of Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation. Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog is an eleven-year-old Dalmatian.

Hilton, on how they were united:
In April 2003, I began to look online for a Dalmatian to adopt and found "Daisy" on the Dalmatian Assistance League of Tulsa website. The site noted that “Daisy” was calm and loved children. After seeing the look in her eyes, I fell in love with her.

After a lengthy adoption process, my husband and I went to Tulsa to meet her. The children that were in attendance at the adoption event were in love with her and when she rolled over and let them pet her belly, I knew immediately that she was the dog for me. She was so very affectionate to the children as well as to my husband and myself.

Once Sparkles became acclimated to her new surroundings in our home, I took her out to the fire station to meet the firefighters one evening. When I asked them for suggestions for a name, they came up with several wonderful ideas. Then, all at once, it hit me-- "Sparkles!" It was the perfect name for her since she had such a amazing "sparkling" personality. She was so HAPPY to be out at the fire station and was totally in her element.

Sparkles and I have been together ever since, and...[read on]
About their new book, from the author:
Sparkles is the star of her own critically acclaimed award winning children's fire safety book and audio book, Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog. The book is not only fun, but educationally sound and based on the latest fire safety research for children. Proceeds from the sale of her book benefit the Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation and enable us to provide no or low cost materials to fire departments and schools. View the trailer for the book here.

You may read more about Sparkles here and watch a video that we have developed for children.
Follow Sparkles' fire safety message on her website, blog, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

Read--Coffee with a Canine: Dayna Hilton & Sparkles.

--Marshal Zeringue