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The Air Major® Story Page 2 and the story continues......
Soon afterwards, Air Major crossed international borders by performing on the wacky comedy/variety Super Dave Osborn Show which was filming in Toronto. Our next national appearance was on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. I can't even begin to tell you what an honor it was for Air Major and I to perform on his show and to sit in that chair and chat with the King of Late Night Television. The one memory that stands out the most is that Air Major caught every disc thrown on Johnny's stage that evening. On the Joan Rivers Show, Joan got down on her hands and knees with a disc in her mouth ready to go on the road with us. Unfortunately, I had to decline though because I didn't have a good dental plan for her.
By the early nineties Madison Avenue got the dog buzz and a casting call went out for a disc dog team to represent Miller Lite® Beer for their All-Star commercial campaign. Out of thousands of people who tried out nationwide, Air Major and I passed the audition. Disc catching dogs, thanks to Miller Lite, were exposed to millions of people throughout the country over night. And the rest, as they say, is TV advertising history. Miller Brewing Company offered us an All-Star celebrity spokesman contract which led to us traveling all over the country, performing and meeting lots of people at various events and national conventions. During this time, we also made a few more Lite beer commercials with the other All-Stars. In one, Major even shared a scene with Bob Uecker and John
Nowadays, it seems like a lot of other companies followed suit by using dogs in their advertising. Just take a look at some of the TV commercials currently airing; RCA®, Nissan®, Wrangler® and Kraft® Foods just to name a few. Advertising in the nineties truly belongs to the dogs. Air Major gives them all two paws up. In the print media, we have had numerous feature articles and pictures about our lives and the sport we love
During the spring and summer of 1991, we traveled as a spokesman and dog for Merck® Pharmaceutical, promoting Hartgard® 30, a heartworm preventative medicine. Our tour, predominately in the Southeast region, consisted of TV, radio and newspaper articles. Though on a swing through New York City, we were interviewed by Al Roker. We convinced Al to lay down in the hallway and allow Major to
In 1993, after four years of performing around the country as "The Air Major® Show", Air Major, on behalf of his less fortunate canine friends, started the "Catch of Hope™" Animal Charity Fund. This program helps raise funds or food for local no-kill animal shelters where ever we perform. The first "Catch of Hope" was started with the help of the Seattle Seahawks and has reached out through other major league sports teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs, the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs. At home in Phoenix, Arizona "The Air Major® Flying Dog Show" continues on with a new crew of exciting disc catching canines who are making a difference locally by performing for animal related events and fundraisers, though it doesn't stop there. We've even done shows for The Boys and Girls Club of America.
Another aspect of “The Air Major® Flying Dog Show” is an educational assembly for elementary schools. This show is a combination of educational lecture and entertainment that is dedicated to teaching children the importance of goal setting and staying in school. We've performed at hundreds of elementary schools and libraries. We also have a media project in the works creating a television series to bring our message across the United States. Since 1994, we've enjoyed a sponsorship/spokesman relationship with IAMS® Pet Foods, Inc. A good diet is an important part of having a healthy and energetic pet. That's why we proudly feed IAMS® to all our dogs here at the doghouse. In 1995 "Flying Disc Dog Open™" was a dream turned reality. This national contest was established to provide a uniquely different disc dog challenge for the sport and offer more exposure for handlers. We’ve expanded form one location in Phoenix, to three nationwide. Surf our competition page for more information. In 1997 Air Major launched a line of innovative products for dogs on the go. The Air Major®Travel Duffel is a soft-sided suitcase developed specifically to organize all your dog's gear. This product was inspired and designed after years of traveling together. Also part of the duffel line is The Air Major® Food Duffel, a convenient and easy way to transport up a to forty pound bag of dry dog food. Continuing our charitable concern is important to all of us here at Th
Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever believed that a humble street act on the boardwalk at Venice Beach could develop into "The Air Major® Show" and bring us to where we are today. From our first show for the San Diego Chargers to our most recent performance for the True Value Hardware Convention, people are still amazed and captivated by the little dog running all out to catch the disc. To this day, we're still approached by people who remember a performance from years before and inquire about us. Air Major has past beyond this earthly realm and I do miss him dearly. He will live on in my heart as the little dog who forever changed my life. My travels with Major will always be remembered as a magical and special time in my life. It's uncanny that dog is god spelled backwards. |
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