Kibble
Cast & Crew
Selena Lohan, Creator & Host
Selena is a "mom-preneur" who started her business Mimic Baby Sign Language in 2004. mimicbaby.com. Selena first learnt ASL (American Sign Language) 11 years ago when she met her husband Max Fomitchev, who is deaf. The couple have two children together, who have been signing since infancy.
Selena first developed the only all-Canadian DVD on Baby Sign Language called "Mimic Me", now she is sharing the benefits of signing with the family Dog. Selena has been nominated for Business Excellence award, an Entrepreneur of the Year award, and a Digital Video award. She has been featured in magazines and newspapers: Metro News, North Shore News, West Coast Families, 2006 Baby Guide, Urban Babies & Toddlers, Shared Vision, Ming Pao Newspaper, and Glamour Magazine. She has also made TV appearances on: Global News, The New VI, and Shaw TV.
Max Fomitchev, Instructor
Known around the world as Max-i-mime, Max is a professionally European trained Mime and Actor who grew up in Moscow Russia. Being deaf has not held Max back from tackling his dreams as a performer and Mime Instructor.
Max has performed at cultural events around the world such as: Toronto Abilities Festival, San Francisco DRC Celebration, Australia Deaf Olympics, Vancouver Chutzpah! 03 & 04, BC Festival of the Arts, Victoria Fringe Festival, and many more.
Max has made a splash in commercials, film & TV: Saving Silverman - feature film starring Jack Black, "Cold Squad" CTV, "The Next Breath Down" Independent Film, "Life or Death" Independent Film.
More info at: maximime.ca
Ralph Shaw, King of the Ukulele
Mimic Mutt's "Doggy Language" original theme song was written and performed by Ralph Shaw. Ralph was born in Quebec, Canada, but grew up in Yorkshire, England - then returned to Canada in 1988 with an honours degree in Applied Physics (Liverpool University) and a banjo. He has been based in Vancouver BC ever since.
Ralph Shaw divides his time between recording music CDs, making DVDs (on how to play the ukulele), songwriting and live performance and is well known as Vancouver's King of the Ukulele!
More info at: ralphshaw.ca
Sherpa, Signing Dog
Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever
Sherpa is a highly energetic two-year-old dog who loves nothing better than having a job to do, especially if it involves using his brain in exchange for anything edible. He's enthusiastic and always on the lookout for the next challenge, which he found in learning sign language. Best of all, it helps keep him out of trouble! Most importantly, Sherpa is a great companion to his owners, Sophie and Zakary, on hikes, snowshoe outings, camping trips and everyday adventures.
Domino, Deaf Dog
Dalmatian
Domino and his owners (they call themselves his parents) Greg and Linda Desrosier are all deaf. Dalmatians are quite often prone to deafness, and this family share a special bond with sign language. Linda is currently a teacher of special needs deaf students as well as Greg is presently a teacher of Social Studies at the secondary level with the deaf students at British Columbia School for the Deaf, Burnaby. Domino has been living with them for over nine years.
Domino has understood over fifty signs in ASL. His eye gaze connects with his masters very well as he follows wherever they are going. He has a Deaf sister named Sable that lives with her Deaf parents in Surrey. Sometimes, they are getting together to play with each other. Domino loves to eat treats, particularly lamb or turkey jerky or bagels. He is fond of mingling with children who have dreamt of seeing a true Dalmatian after they saw a Disney film, "101 Dalmatians."
Bowen, Hearing Dog
Belgian Schipperke
Labelled 'the dog whisperer' before Caesar Milan gained TV fame recently, Pam Zimmerman has been working with dogs since she was a child; where her best friends in the neighborhood were of the 4-footed variety!
Currently completing her apprenticeship to become a certified Assistance Dog Instructor, Pam trains service, hearing and facility/therapy dogs for a western Canadian Charity called PADS - Pacific Assistance Dogs. PADS mission to "Change Lives, One Dog at a Time" keeps her very busy fulfilling her destiny with this dream job.
In addition to instructing PADS Assistance Dogs and their clients, Pam regularly travels with her demo Hearing Dog, Bowen, to educate and demonstrate the work of PADS to special interest groups, charitable corporate and private foundations as well as service clubs.
Bowen is a 9 year old Belgian Schipperke - a 15lb black bundle of joy and enthusiasm!!! Bowen was retired as a PADS Hearing Dog when his client moved out of the country and Bowen chose not to be interested in doing his job - alerting a deaf person to important household sounds like the telephone, door bell/knock, alarm clock, timer, smoke detector. Bowen was retired to the life of a pampered pet with Pam and her husband, Sam.
When Pam became an PADS Instructor in 2004, Bowen's career was re-juvenated, when it was discovered that not only did Bowen remember everything he ever learned, but he also LOVED to perform for an audience. Bowen performs with intense focus and with remarkable zeal, working enthusiastically for Pam in any venue, including the front steps of the BC Legislature earlier this year, when 2006 was declared "The Year of the Working Dog".
Chase Goodman, Faithful Companion
Golden Retriever - purebred
Named after his birthplace, Chase was born in Chase, British Columbia Canada on beautiful farmlands. Chase is a friendly and energetic companion who lives with his owner Melanie Goodman and their family in North Vancouver jdgimports.com. Together they walk in Lynn Canyon, enjoy the outdoors, and swimming at the lake at their summer home. Chase name suits him as he loves chasing other dogs as well as balls. He is a lively playmate for Melanie's toddler son, and a darn good vacuum cleaner for all the food that falls under the highchair.
Tobee, Dog in the City
Jack Russell Terrier
Tobee and his owners enjoy walks at the beach near their West End Vancouver apartment. Tobee is adored by the neighborhood children, and has just begun to learn a few signs. Tobee is a city dog and loves to socialize, signing is another way of showing off and making friends.