For the last 10 years, a peculiar sight can be seen before each Pasadena Rose Parade.
Amid the bright reds, pinks, blues and yellows of roses, daffodils, daisies, petunias, violets, and tulips, two dogs can be seen strolling down Orange Grove Boulevard at 7 a.m., both sporting elaborate red and white collars made out of roses.
Parade goers and participants have come to recognize the pair and their owners, Manhattan Beach residents JoAnn Boyer and Carl Tosslemire.
This year, the foursome rang in the New Year with 15 minutes of fame – or more like two – when television network KTLA featured them on a segment of its annual Rose Parade Program. The dogs, Boyer and Tosslemire were interviewed by KTLA co-anchor Frank Buckley for the show’s pre-parade program, during which float designers, special guests and the grand marshal are featured.
“They’re mini-celebrities and they don’t even know it,” Boyer said of the dogs.
After attending the Rose Parade for seven years, Boyer and Tosslemire 10 years ago started bringing along their dogs – now 16-year-old Border Collie Shelby and 10-year-old parade Belgian Shepherd, Ruby.
Inspired by the floral creations, Boyer, a veterinarian, started ordering custom-made rose dog collars from Boulevard Florist in Lawndale.
The tradition has since developed for the family to head to Pasadena each Jan. 1 and let the dogs check out the floats and show off their accessories prior to the parade.
“It’s truly amazing to go early,” Boyer said. “It’s before all the parade excitement.”
When a cameraman noticed the dogs several years ago, he asked if he could film them for fade-in and fade-out segments that cut to and from commercials. The dogs have been filmed for such segments ever since.
Show producers this year felt the dogs had become such staples of the event, they were important enough to be interviewed – or at least, to sit and look pretty while their owners answered questions.
Shelby retired from the parade this year, making room for Boyer’s other dog, 9-month-old Belgian Shepherd June.
Boyer just hoped and prayed the dogs wouldn’t jump on Buckley.
Both behaved like pros.
“It was June’s first parade and she did quite well,” Boyer said.
When the parade was over, Tosslemire, Boyer, Ruby and June all went home to watch themselves on their recorded version of the show.
It is not known at this time whether the dogs will receive personal trailers at next year’s parade. ER
