This issue features an intriguing profile of Haddonfield’s hometown son Scott Patterson, the actor and former baseball player. Although he’ll always be recognized as Luke Danes from “Gilmore Girls,” he embraces that association and is grateful for his storied career. He’s philosophical about fame, money, and leading the life he wants to live. These days, he’s focused on a first love — music — with his band, SmithRadio.
The town where Patterson grew up holds a special place in his heart. “It shaped every standard I have and every idea I have about discipline and work ethic,” he says, noting Haddonfield’s academic rigor and strong athletics.
“A lot of people don’t find out what they’re good at,” he tells writer Suzy Katz. “They don’t grow up in an environment that reveals that to them. So I would suggest really digging in and figuring out what you’re good at — because everyone’s good at something.”
He remembers “competing at everything” while attending Haddonfield Memorial High School. He says he feels lucky to have grown up in a place like Haddonfield, where there was “a ton of pressure” because in that kind of environment, “it was all about fulfilling your potential.”
This issue also introduces readers to another kind of passion project: South Jersey K9, the dog-training company founded by Madisson Fowler and Antonio Masi. Their approach emphasizes real-world training, psychology, behavior, and communication between owners and their dogs. You may have discovered them, like I did, by spotting an unusual sight: a pack of people and their dogs on Kings Highway, working on neutrality, impulse control, and confidence-building exercises, outside of King’s Road Brewing Company and other locations.
Last year, Fowler and Masi, who each have more than 10 years of experience training dogs, decided to take a big leap and start their own company. Recently, after about five years as a corrections officer, Masi left that job to focus on South Jersey K9 full-time.
The couple’s lives revolve around dogs. They have five of their own and start each day around 5:30 a.m. by exercising them. On their day off, they run a protection dog training club. Training their own dogs for Protection Sports Association competitions is a passion — and how they spend much of their spare time.
What struck me most is the psychology behind the methods Fowler and Masi use. Like Patterson, Fowler is thoughtful, drawing lessons about maintaining a neutral and non-reactive mindset from her work.
“Dogs are reactive because they’re unsure and they weren’t taught properly. I try not to be a reactive human,” Fowler says, adding that even dogs that are not aggressive or reactive can benefit from training for neutrality. “An overly friendly dog can be just as much of a problem as a reactive or aggressive dog.” She and Masi aim for dogs to achieve a calm, self-soothing mood, so they can focus on the task at hand and their owner.
What else has working with dogs taught Fowler about human behavior? “Patience,” she says, with a laugh, adding that they’ve also taught her to enjoy the world as it is. “Dogs don’t live in the past. They think a little bit into the future, but mostly just live in the moment.”
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
