The Nativo Family Zoo
The Nativo family dogs are my reason WHY.
It all started with Preston Casanova~my first dog, my heart dog, my soul dog, my son*shine and my forever lion King. His love changed me for the better, and his fierce courage gave me the strength to pursue my crazy, wonderful career as a tv host, WFH dog mom and founder of Nativo Pet Company.
My girls Delilah Jane Sassafras (7) Penelope Supafly (11) are doing their best to follow in Preston’s beautiful, perfect paw prints. They love their work as professional actors, models, and demo dogs. Look for Penelope & Delilah starring in the talking animal movie, A Dog & Pony Show (trailer below!), and Preston's romantic comedy, The Puppy Swap. They are eager for their next movie gig, if anyone has a script in development ;)
The Nativo Family Zoo is the inspiration for my dedication to helping pet parents better communicate with their four-legged best friends.
They fuel her enthusiasm to help empower people to develop a deeper relationship with their dogs through positive reinforcement training.
Our favorite shared activities include hiking, paddle boarding, and watching sunsets as they frolic on the beach. Together, we have traveled cross country twice in our custom-built glamping van, Gidget the Sprinter. We are passionate about supporting both ethical rescues + responsible breeders, and encouraging people to invest more time into fun, adventure and including their dogs in their everyday… Delilah & Penelope love to give back as therapy dogs, volunteering for the Dream Street Foundation and other children’s charities.
Inspired by our angel, Preston, I am grateful to have Penelope & Delilah by my side as we endeavor to make the world a happier place for dogs.
Delilah Jane Sassafras
Baby Dee
Actress. Model. Princess. Therapy Dog.
Nativo Pet Family Chief Fun Officer.
Delilah Jane is a Darwinian-street-rat ;) also known as a classic mutt. This All-American girl was rescued by Laura in 2013, as a bottle feeder foster pup. She quickly melted Laura’s heart, thanks to her intense focus, silly personality, and remarkable aptitude for clicker training. Delilah’s beautiful markings and soulful puppy dog eyes also helped convince Laura to adopt her, along with her natural talent for performance work. If we had to guess, Delilah is likely a mix of Aussie, Border Collie, German Shepherd, Boxer, Akita and who knows what else!
Delilah grew up on the set of Hallmark Channel’s “Home & Family” where she followed in Preston & Penelope’s footsteps, as mom’s demo dog.
Delilah loves to perform~ whether on a film set, tv studio or live stage… her favorite tricks include striking a pose, pretending to be a “mean dog”, fetching wigs off actor’s heads and whatever else needs to be retrieved, along with holding delicious food in her mouth for abnormal amounts of time. You can see her supporting roles in “A Dog & Pony Show” and “The Puppy Swap”… she is always thrilled for the opportunity to act, and works for grass-fed filet mignon.
She is a remarkably solid and trustworthy demo dog who is happy to help teach kids about dog training and body language. She is also a phenomenal neutral dog for helping reactive dogs with Laura’s more challenging behavior cases.
When she’s not working, DeeJay adores chasing ducks, silent meditation with squirrels, and eating whatever “people food” leftovers anyone will share. Delilah’s mission in life is to inspire other dog parents to develop a deeper relationship with their dog, through positive reinforcement training.
Thanks to Delilah and our mommy-daughter connection, she was able to detect a pre-cancerous breast tumor, and potentially, saved my life. Baby Dee, my forever puppy, has become my rock, my best friend, my adventure girl, and my partner-in-good, as she follows in her little big brother Preston’s paw steps. She shares my passion for animal advice, and is an exemplary role model for all rescue dogs.
I love my baby princess, and could not imagine life without her!
Penelope Supafly
Miss Pea
Actress. Model. Super Star. Therapy Dog.
Nativo Pet Family Chief Kissing Officer.
Penelope is a Pomeranian Chihuahua mix, rescued from the streets of Compton by Noah’s Bark. When life changed after their sudden success on CBS’ Greatest American Dog, Laura decided it was time for Preston to have a sibling to share the responsibility of being mamma’s demo dog. Penelope joined the Nativo Pet family in 2009, easily learning new tricks, and working alongside Preston as a naturally-gifted performance dog.
Penelope stars in the Lionsgate feature film, “A Dog & Pony Show” and has a supporting role in Preston’s movie, “The Puppy Swap”… dozens of tv shows, and modeled for brands including Petco, Skout’s Honor, Honest Kitchen, California Costume, and of course, her own, Nativo Naturals.
Penelope is equally happy working, or cuddling with mom on the couch. She loves giving kisses, barking at squirrels, and showing off her “super fly” jumping skills for people to see why she earned the nickname, Supafly. She also enjoys stealing food, breaking into Num Nums bags, and blaming such naughty shenanigans on her big, younger sister Delilah.
Penelope’s purpose in life is to encourage people to consider pet adoption, and promote positive reinforcement training.
Penelope is 11, though nowhere near ready for retirement. Look for her in mom’s upcoming tv series, Dog Masters!