Sassafras Patterdale's Blog

Good Housekeeping reached out to me for advice about dogs and halloween costumes!!! Tricks for Treats? At newstands/grocery stores now!

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!! Releasing Summer 2020 from Mango Publishing (the amazing publisher I worked with for Tricks In The City):

CHEW THIS JOURNAL: AN ACTIVITY BOOK FOR YOUR DOG!

Is your dog bored? He doesn’t have to be! From bucket lists and outings to arts and crafts CHEW THIS JOURNAL will inspire you to spend more intentional time with your dog. In these pages you will be led through the activities and be given opportunity to creatively record your adventures onto the pages of this book which doubles as your dog’s memory keeper and activity tracker. CHEW THIS JOURNAL is a one-of-a-kind keepsake for you and your dog to complete together!

This book has been so fun to work on so far and I’m really excited to be able to share it with all of you next summer! In the meantime, don’t forget to get your copy of Tricks In The City! 

IN THE NEW YORK TIMES – “Sassafras Lowrey, a certified trick dog instructor, said, “Working with a trainer isn’t a sign that something went wrong or that someone is failing at properly managing their dog. Rather, it’s a sign that you deeply love and value your dog and want to have a better relationship.”

You can read the full article here

Kicked Out is one of the most important books I’ve ever had the privilege of creating. Contributing writer Booh Edouardo sent me these illustrations that an artist m ana tiana did based on his story that appears in Kicked Out. Booh sent me the pictures to share!


 


Artist bio:


m ana tiana is an introvert whom continues to struggle with expressing their queer gender nonconformity, and biracial and multi-ethnic identities. Raised in Southern California by constrictive, authoritarian parents they planned to run away to cope with unresolved gender and racial identity although they never did. Working mostly in clinical environments, employers assumed m ana would comply with demonstrating strength under the stable male standard, demanding order over other people. However, m ana subverted the “male role model” as often as possible by challenging their clients to reconsider male identity in more feminizing terms while supporting the rights of their co-workers. m ana prefers performing in, and making art for, community organizations and other spaces outside of the gallery system. m ana tiana has found most acceptance from the deaf community and those with mental illness.

It’s always an extra special day when a book releases, but baby me would have been just completely over the moon to look into the future and see my first trick dog book officially in print!!! Also Throwback Thursday pic is me at about 8 or 9 years old with my first dog Peepers!

 

Have you ordered a copy yet? Click HERE!

I had the wonderful opportunity to write a piece for Narratively about being a weirdo and a queer person amidst and within the world of dogs. Narratively did a beautiful job putting the story together – i was really blown away yesterday I had no idea they had commissioned art for it — go check it out I think you’ll be as equally blown away as I was! and the artist Jules Zuckerberg they brought on??? is queer! it was a really fantastic collaboration  anyway I hope you read and enjoy! It’s not common that I get to write about dogs for somewhere so mainstream and this was a great example of the collaboration going well!

Read My Narratively Story Here

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tricks In The City is almost here! The book releases August 15th! It has been the #1 New Release in a couple of categories on Amazon – I can’t wait for this book to be in your hands so that you and your dogs can begin having fun together! Order your copy here! 

It’s been an exciting week with the #1 new release AND I was honored to become an All Star Trainer Of The Year with Do More With Your Dog- the trick dog title organization!

June was a busy month for me! For better or worse it’s a time that publications tend to prioritize LGBTQ content. While of course I would like to see articles about us/our communities being centered year round – I understand why it happens in June. I was lucky enough to get to write some special stories this month in addition to my regular work specifically looking at different subpopulations /unique issues impacting LGBTQ people in different communities from homeless LGBTQ youth writing their stories, to the experiences of queer people in the dog world!

1. Life in the Dog World as a Member of the LGBTQ Community: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/life-in-the-dog-world-lgbtq-community/

2. LGBTQ 101 for Dog People: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/lgbtq-101-dog-people/

Writers Notebook: Facilitating Writing Workshops with Homeless LGBTQ Youth

https://www.awpwriter.org/magazine_media/writers_notebook_view/348/queer_words_reflections_on_facilitating_writing_workshops_with_homeless_lgbtq_youth 

xoxo

Sassafras

Healing/Heeling got a beautiful review in Gertrude Press literary journal! Check out the full review here

Thrilled that I’m going to be moderating the book release for the OP Original Plumbing book by Amos Mac and Rocco Kaylatos this Sunday at Powell’s City of Books here in Portland!