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Ebbey the Canine Actor
(Pronounced like Debbie without the D)
From starving stray to canine star, Ebbey portrays a wilderness search dog in the new film SEARCH DOG'S RAVEN: the Eerie Story of a Wilderness Search Dog Team. The upcoming action thriller is already receiving attention from the Hollywood Reporter and Variety magazine. Both the film and the animated spinoff are based on the real life adventures of a young woman and her wilderness search dog. Ebbey's character is the key to unlocking this film's unique twist.
Not only does Ebbey have her own official web site, Ebbey.com, but she is the only Ebbey listed in the Internet Movie Database (IMDB.com).
More about Rhodesians and their Ridgeback Quirks. Read this before getting one.
Post your favorite Ridgeback & Ebbey Look–Alike photos.
http://www.Ebbey.com......The Official Website for Ebbey the Canine Actor
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RELATED WEB SITES: Ebbey the Canine Actor Many Things Ebbey Search Dog's Raven: Animated Adventures Search Dog Team The Dog's Raven Search Team DogRaven.com Allex Michael Allex Michael Personal Candle Films KwadActor: Marcus Ross The Search Team Search Dog's Raven: The Film Ebbey.com Ebbey.org LostRaven.com LostRaven.net AllexMichael.com AllexMichael.net CandleFilms.com Kwadactor.com SearchDogsRaven.net SearchDogsRaven.com SearchDogsRaven.org Search Dog's Raven The Animated Series DogsRaven.com The Dog's Raven Search Team DogsRaven.net
Biography of Ebbey the Canine Actor
Ebbey's Rags to Riches Story
Search Dog's Raven Silver and blue stylized Dog Logo Ebbey plays a search dog in the new film SEARCH DOG'S RAVEN: the Eerie Story of a Wilderness Search Dog Team.
A black muzzled Rhodesian Ridgeback cross, Ebbey the canine actor, runs quickly along a path. Blurred Medium Close Up action photo. This clever mongrel's antics would wreak havoc for the average pet owner. However, Ebbey's naughty personality is perfect for the working dog lifestyle of a canine actor.
Found starving in a garbage dump, Ebbey was adopted as an adult. She's one of several dogs rescued from an Aboriginal Reservation landfill, where feral dogs are regularly shot. 'Feral' refers to domesticated animals that have turned wild, and 'Rez' dog populations are often out of control since few if any are spayed or neutered. Most are undernourished and in various states of starvation.
Relying on all their senses for survival, garbage dump dogs are great sniffers. The new film Search Dog's Raven needed to cast a friendly dog, who loves to sniff which made Ebbey a perfect choice.
Unlike most garbage dump dogs, it was later discovered Ebbey had been spayed. Extensive efforts to find a previous owner hit several dead ends, so it's likely Ebbey was dumped. How long she was starving in a garbage dump or how many owners she's had in her short but turbulent life remains unknown. Director Allex Michael, who has now adopted Ebbey as her companion, says turbulent because Ebbey had bad nightmares for the first year. She also arrived with numerous scars. One scar could have been caused by barbed wire, and one fingertip sized scar looked an awful lot like a bullet hole. Several scabbed over wounds suggested attacks from larger dogs or coyotes. Ebbey also has a morbid fear of trains, stopping dead in her tracks and carefully listening when a train passes at night.
Ebbey Arrives With Behavioral Problems
Search Dog's Raven Silver and blue stylized Dog Logo Ebbey plays a search dog in the new film SEARCH DOG'S RAVEN: the Eerie Story of a Wilderness Search Dog Team. A black muzzled Rhodesian Ridgeback cross, Ebbey the canine actor, playfully stalks the photographer. Ebbey play stalks the photographer. >
Owner Allex Michael: "I thought I was a pretty good dog trainer until meeting Ebbey. There may not be a more stubborn creature in existence. I almost gave up on her several times during the first six months." (Rhodesian Ridgebacks are known as 'independent thinkers' and not recommended for first time dog owners. Their self determination is likely why you don't see too many ridgebacks in films. Make sure you also have the physical strength to control these clever and focussed dogs when they track a scent.) Ebbey is not a purebred ridgeback, but her behaviors are very similar.
After being adopted, Ebbey lived up to her sweet disposition but arrived with a distinct set of 'behavioral baggage'. Behaviors suggesting this was not Ebbey's first adopted home. She has an intense dislike of barriers, crates or kennels. Despite walking reasonably well on a leash, Ebbey would suddenly whip around, yank her head out of a snug collar and take off. Escape instincts would also kick in when presented with any open door or gate. Her ultrahigh energy constantly got her into trouble (opening fridges and cupboards to steal food, chewing, digging indoors, clearing tables with her tail, destroying yard foliage, jumping six foot fences). Plus with an ultrahigh prey drive, chasing anything from wind blown leaves to deer, Ebbey likely got herself lost from several owners.
Ebbey's Behavior and Mysterious Symptoms
Search Dog's Raven Silver and blue stylized Dog Logo Ebbey plays a search dog in the new film SEARCH DOG'S RAVEN: the Eerie Story of a Wilderness Search Dog Team. Ebbey in her t-shirt to prevent skin damage from scratching.
After being adopted, Ebbey arrived with a distinct set of 'behavioral baggage'. Behaviors suggesting this was not Ebbey's first adopted home. 1. Despises barriers and kennels. 2. Walks well on a leash until she wants to go a different direction. Then Ebbey suddenly whips around, yanks her head out of a snug collar and takes off. 3. Open doors and gates trigger an escape. 4. Ultrahigh energy led to opening the fridge and cupboards to steal food, chewing, digging indoors, destroying yard foliage and jumping six foot fences.
Like the stereotypical difficult child, Ebbey is used to getting in trouble. So the more you tell Ebbey not to do something, the more she does it. If you don't discipline her, she continues the behavior. But if she figures the discipline is too harsh, she'll run away or dig a hole right in front of you. Her ultra high prey drive, chasing anything from wind blown leaves to deer, also significantly increases her risks of becoming lost.
Ebbey had eye discharge from the first day she arrived. She also vomited frequently. Within a few weeks, the poor critter would vomit up to seven times a day. Then wax began building up in her ears. About the third week, she began scratching and chewing herself. Ebbey's Owner Allex Michael: "I quickly altered several large t-shirts to prevent severe skin damage. Blaming it on a depressed immune system, none of the vets could identify the cause. Her bad behavior also worsened and she wouldn't sleep through the night. Which meant I didn't sleep."
Allergies Are Worsening Behavioral Problems A black muzzled Rhodesian Ridgeback cross, Ebbey the canine actor overlooks a field. OVerhead photo.
Search Dog's Raven Silver and blue stylized Dog Logo Ebbey plays a search dog in the new film SEARCH DOG'S RAVEN: the Eerie Story of a Wilderness Search Dog Team.
Ebbey's Owner Allex Michael: "I have some severe allergies. With similar symptoms, I began to wonder if Ebbey also had allergies. Allergies can make you miserable. In canines, allergic reactions can manifest themselves as self mutilation and increased behavioral problems. After some research on the internet, Ebbey's symptoms fit.
Cleaning her ears several times a day, I drenched her itchy skin with cold tea, aloe vera, lavender oil (anti-bacteria) and calendula oil (healing) every hour. I also put her on a homemade elimination diet for food allergies, but it took over two months before there was any noticeable improvement. There also may have been lingering effects from starvation, as she had to be fed every four hours to prevent her from vomiting bile. This went on for over four months, with little improvement in her bad behavior. I was starting to become concerned because we had to begin filming soon."
Filming Ebbey The Canine Actor: Best Thing that Happened
Search Dog's Raven Silver and blue stylized Dog Logo Ebbey plays a search dog in the new film SEARCH DOG'S RAVEN: the Eerie Story of a Wilderness Search Dog Team. A black muzzled Rhodesian Ridgeback cross, Ebbey the canine actor looks over snowy mountain scenery. < Ebbey burns off some hyperactivity >
Shooting a film can be very expensive and every wasted hour can cost thousands of dollars. Using inexperienced actors, including an untrained canine, can increase those costs. Ironically, Ebbey turned out to be one great tracking dog and filming her was the best thing that could have happened.
A lot of attention was on Ebbey the Search Dog and working out in the snow everyday tired her out. Which in turn, broke her itch and chew cycle
Ebbey's naughty behavior continued, but once she started sleeping through the night, it became more tolerable. Mostly because then her owner Allex Michael was also able to sleep.
She still tries to eat any newly discovered object - live, dead or manmade. She's not above rummaging through garbage and can dig a six inch deep hole in under ten seconds. Any moment, she could pull you off your feet and drag you through snow, mud or cow poop while chasing prey. Even if you're carrying expensive camera equipment. When bored, she whines and paces and often talks back or growls when frustrated. Yet, despite all this, our relationship turned a corner by the sixth month.
Ebbey as an Actor
Search Dog's Raven Silver and blue stylized Dog Logo Ebbey plays a search dog in the new film SEARCH DOG'S RAVEN: the Eerie Story of a Wilderness Search Dog Team. Ebbey the canine actor resting on the carpet.
Except for a few basic commands, Ebbey does no tricks. Filmmaker Allex Michael just exploited her natural behaviors for the film 'Search Dog's Raven'. As you can see by this photo, Ebbey still has a naughty streak.
Finding a zealous sniffer, who looks good on camera, was the main casting requirement for the canine lead of Search Dog's Raven'. After seeing the film, you'll agree that Ebbey is the perfect choice. She even has a saggy throat and gray on her muzzle to portray an older canine.
Filming a sniffer like Ebbey for search scenes was like filming reality television. Find a good location and follow her around. Sometimes you can set up the camera in front of a trail so she sniffs towards the audience. Sometimes you try tracking along her side. Film her long enough and eventually you will get some great shots. Aside from deep snow and focusing on a fast moving dog, this part was easy. The tough part was planned reaction shots. When it comes to doing anything like work, Ebbey has the attention span of an aphid. Praise only goes so far and after a while, she just doesn't want another piece of steak. Because of this, solo dog scenes were filmed off and on from February 2004 to March 2006. Luckily Allex Michael had long term access to the indoor set, which allowed her to do a several solo Ebbey shots per day. This reiterates the old adage...'Never work with animals or children.' And if you do, hire a trained canine professional.
Ebbey has a lead role in the new film 'Search Dog's Raven'. One common complaint about films with dogs is that you don't see enough of the dog. Not only is Ebbey's screen time almost equal to the lead human actor, you'll want to watch her character closely to reveal the film's unique twist. Because the key to unlocking the story's eerie crime turns out to be the 'Search Dog's' Raven. Ebbey's Heritage
Ebbey's Heritage
Search Dog's Raven Silver and blue stylized Dog Logo Ebbey plays a search dog in the new film SEARCH DOG'S RAVEN: the Eerie Story of a Wilderness Search Dog Team. Ebbey portrays a search dog at the Banff Gondola Summit
Ebbey poses at the top of Alberta's Banff Gondola during production of the film 'Search Dog's Raven'.
The August 2001 cover of Dogworld shows a purebred black muzzled Rhodesian Ridgeback. Though Ebbey's true ancestry remains unknown, her appearance and personality are very characteristic of this breed.
What is she crossed with? Your guess is as good as ours. With her friendly disposition and allergies, she could be crossed with a yellow Labrador retriever.
Knowing nothing about ridgebacks, owner Allex Michael did some quick research. Bred to hunt lions, ridgebacks are scent and sight hounds. The breed was developed from a semi-wild African dog (Ebbey's wild), bred with imported mastiffs (Ebbey's black muzzle), bloodhounds (Ebbey's intense tracking and loose throat), pointers (Ebbey points) and greyhounds (Ebbey's fast). Great danes and bulldogs may also have been in the mix.
More about Rhodesian Ridgebacks
Search Dog's Raven Silver and blue stylized Dog Logo Ebbey plays a search dog in the new film SEARCH DOG'S RAVEN: the Eerie Story of a Wilderness Search Dog Team. Ebbey tracks a scent in a summer forest clearing.
Awaiting her next scene, Ebbey the Canine Actor chews on a red Kong toy. >
Even as pups, ridgebacks have the biting power of a German shepherd. They also have unusually sharp front teeth, even into adulthood, and Ebbey can skin a tennis ball in just a few minutes. This was of particular concern with the yellow furred 'Kong' dog toys in the film, but Ebbey hasn't skinned one yet.
Ridgebacks are one of the few hunting breeds that will protect their master and property. Their renowned bravery shifts into autopilot during a crisis. As Ebbey gains more confidence in her permanent home, some of that Rhodesian ridgeback 'fearlessness' is showing itself. She now has a hate on for coyotes. Ebbey was found starving in a garbage dump and, based on her scars, likely suffered attacks by her wild canine cousins before being rescued from the wild.
Fearlessness and protectiveness also won over Ebbey's new owner Writer Director Allex Michael - but you'll have to wait for the feature film Search Dog's Raven to be released on DVD to hear this amazing story. Ebbey's Epilog
Ebbey's Epilog and Comments from Director Allex Michael
Ebbey's Epilog
Search Dog's Raven Silver and blue stylized Dog Logo Ebbey plays a search dog in the new film SEARCH DOG'S RAVEN: the Eerie Story of a Wilderness Search Dog Team. Ebbey the canine actor looks into the camera while standing in a grassy meadow with tiny blue flowers Allex Michael: "Almost two years have now passed and, most of the time, I think of Ebbey as a really great dog. Considering where she started, and what's been done to her, this garbage dump dog has become exceptional. She's amazing on camera and I'll do my best to ensure she lives a long and healthy life".
Rescued dogs don't come with a warranty, but after reading this, we all know Ebbey's future could have turned out vastly different. Luckily, she ended up with the right owner.
Ebbey will resume the role of 'Ebbey' the Search Dog in the upcoming spinoff 'Search Dog's Raven', the real life animated adventures of a wilderness search dog team. 'Ebbey' again steals the show. Unlike most animations, 'Search Dog's Raven' is filmed like a live action series, then each frame is individually painted, modified and shaded.
Ebbey Photos with Trivia