Molly – a celebrity dog in the making

The Christmas calendar, a feature film, a global campaign for Ikea and several commercials. This is what the CV looks like for Molly – the dog who wants to invest in the west and be seen on the big screens. Animal Probiotics has met Molly's mother Emma Thorsell, who talks about the training, what it's like to live in Stockholm's inner city and the road to becoming Sweden's next little celebrity dog.

Molly is four years old and a mix between Maltese and Bichon Havanese. But to begin with, it was far from obvious that she would end up with mother Emma Thorsell and her partner. For several years, Emma had been nagging her partner to get a dog, who was actually more of a cat person and was afraid that they would feel stuck with a dog. After three years of nagging, she finally got to go and see a dog, and then she was hooked. At the breeder, she fell head over heels for a black and white, small, crazy puppy who was fooling around with his siblings. The only problem was that it was tinged by someone else. Emma tuned in to one of the other puppies.

- But then the breeder told me that she had received a rejection and that she was available! Two weeks later I went and picked up Molly, Emma says.

 

The puppy course changed everything

Emma believes that maybe she was a little naive when she got Molly. She had only had a dog when she was little and she mainly wanted a companion dog to cuddle and go for walks with.

- Everything changed at the puppy course. We had a hugely committed instructor who made me realize that it is at least as important to keep a small dog, like Molly, activated with both mental and physical training, as larger dogs. When she then introduced us to agility, obedience training and freestyle, the competitive person in me was awakened.

Emma has previously competed at elite level in horse jumping and currently works as a PT. So training, and competing, is naturally close to her. Now new doors were opened with Molly.

- We train five days a week and compete in agility, rally obedience and freestyle. In addition to that, nosework and game tracks are also included in the training.

 

The acting career takes off

Last year, Emma saw a post in one of the dog groups on Facebook that she is a part of. They were looking for a dog that could be included in the 2020 Christmas calendar. She sent in an application and was allowed to attend the casting. Molly got the part. Then everything went at a rapid pace; in just under two months, they would rehearse scripts and new tricks.

- It is very different to train before a film shoot. There are cameras and sound booms everywhere that Molly shouldn't react to. I also have to instruct and give commands to Molly from a long distance. In some scenes it would also look like Molly is talking, without her barking. It was a challenge to practice! says Emma.

The Christmas calendar is called Mirakel and among Molly's acting colleagues you can find, among others, the comedians Johan Glans and Babben Larsson. After the Christmas calendar, Molly got her own agent and the bookings rolled in. Among other things, she will appear in a feature film and a global campaign for Ikea.

- We are betting that she will become Sweden's next little celebrity dog!, says Emma and laughs. The dream right now is to go to the USA and show her off. The competition there is fierce, both for Molly and for me as a trainer – there are professional dog trainers who work full-time with this. But I think that you have to bet high to get a bit on the road. And if nothing else, we'll have a wonderful holiday together!

 

A fast-paced life in the city

Just over a year ago, the family was expanded with the miniature poodle Bubbel. She still has a little puppy in her and likes to romp and play with big sister Molly. But Molly is more of a lady, says Emma, who prefers to sit on her lap and, a bit like Ferdinand the bull, prefers to "smell the flowers". They live in an apartment in the middle of one of Stockholm's most central districts, but Emma makes sure that Molly and Bubbel get grass under their paws every day.

- We live by Odenplan and are close to several different parks. There, Bubbel can play on our walks with the other dogs. I see several advantages to having a dog in town. They are practiced in different situations and social adaptation every day. It comes naturally with other dogs, cars, children and not pulling on the leash. And there's plenty to sniff, like birds and hares that smell.

Bubbel and Molly can also accompany you to restaurants and cafes. Yes, it's even the case that Emma chooses the restaurant visits according to where dogs are allowed.

- We have our favorite restaurants in the area where Bubbel and Molly are welcome. It's really easy to take your dog everywhere in Stockholm! And when we go to competitions, we always stay in hotels without any worries. We have also traveled with them to Riga, and there it was, if possible, almost even more dog-friendly. The waiter set out bowls of water and food for them. Without us asking about it!

Keywords:

Famous dogs

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My life as an asphalt dog

The asphalt dog, our best friend in town, lives a fast-paced and exciting life. Ride the subway, hang out in a café and hang out with friends in the dog park. But a one-sided diet and an environment far from the dog's natural habitat means that the bacterial flora in the gut is disrupted. This in turn affects the dog's health.

 

The dog has been an obvious part of families and households for thousands of years. It has guarded the farm, hunted rats and been an invaluable companion in our everyday life. No wonder we want to bring our pet to town!

 

At Animal Probiotics we usually talk about "asphalt dogs". These are dogs who live with their families in big cities with all that that entails. Mostly walking on pavements and in parks, taking public transport, being an office dog or going to daycare and hanging out in restaurants. An asphalt dog is simply a beloved friend who gets to accompany its owner on all of their antics in the city.

 

A normal day as an asphalt dog

 

We have talked to dog owners in big cities about what life looks like for their asphalt dogs. Thanks to the proximity to green areas and nature reserves in many  neighborhoods and suburbs, the dogs are often allowed to go out into the woods. If not every day, at least on the weekends.

 

- Our dog takes forest walks at least once a day, says Johanna, who owns the Bichon Havanese Billie. We live in an area close to a lot of forest and nature.

 

Having dogs in daycare or hiring a dog walker to walk the dog while the dog owner is at work is common. But there are also many people who bring their dog to work. Anna says that she has deliberately applied for jobs where she can work from home or bring her Shetland sheepdog Oscar to the office.

 

- His day starts with breakfast and then a walk to the subway, says Anna. Then at lunch we take a walk around a few blocks and in the evening we always go for a longer walk in the forest.

 

What we at Animal Probiotics think distinguishes the asphalt dog from a dog that lives in the countryside, is that it is usually kept on a leash. Although tarmac dogs visit and play with friends in the park or during walks in the woods, their contact areas with other animals are much more limited than those of dogs in the countryside. Sometimes an asphalt dog can also be carried in bags or fit in the stroller next to the family's children, further limiting contacts. In addition, they live in well-kept home environments with little exposure to bacteria - both good and bad. All of these are factors that can have an impact on the dog's health and general well-being.

 

The urban environment affects both dogs and people

Just like for people, it is an adaptation for dogs to live in the city. Living in a big city is actually a very new phenomenon from a historical perspective. Only with industrialization did we move from our farms to seek jobs in factories and offices. The new environment comes with many positive sides, but it also affects our health.

 

New dietary habits and high demands on cleanliness both inside and outside our homes mean that we are not exposed to bacteria in the same way as before. In our intestines live hundreds of different bacteria that we need to feel good. Research shows that disturbances in our intestinal flora are behind many health problems. Modern germ and dirt scares have made our home environments more sterile than ever. This leads to many bacteria that are actually good for us being cleaned away in the same way that we scrub and wash away the bad ones.

 

It is only in the last decade that research into the impact of gut flora on human health has really taken off. But so far, the discussion has barely included our four-legged friends. Although the bacterial flora in their intestines is also assumed to be affected by the changed lifestyle. Good bacteria that the dog previously got when it slept in a barn, rolled in a dung heap or played with the dogs next door do not find the asphalt dog's intestines as easily. In addition, many dogs receive a one-sided diet consisting of one and the same dry food. Therefore, dogs, just like humans, may need probiotics as a supplement to their regular diet to improve the bacterial flora. Because when the gut feels good, then the dog is happy.

Keywords:

Famous dogs

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