Thursday, December 13, 2007

another night out for a downtown strike dog


I haven't been blogging much because I've been so tired lately. In addition to my twice-daily walks around downtown Los Angeles, in solidarity with the WGA strike, I've been walking the picket line at Universal Studios with the woman who takes care of me. I don't go as often as she does, mostly because she gets up at 4:30AM(!!!!) to walk the 6AM shift. But they gave me a t-shirt to wear. It's a little large, but I'm hoping the woman who takes care of me will make it work.

Although I was slacking on my blogging, I must be doing something right. Maria from Franklin Avenue mentioned my blog on her Thursday Three Downtown Edition, writing that I was probably the most handsome dog she's ever seen and obviously very smart. Or something very much like that. Details.

I did manage to make it out to the December Downtown Dog Walk last night. Had such a great time. We walked from Pershing Square to the Nokia Theater in South Park. I wasn't tired at all! Ruby and Joe came out, so did Isis and Eric, and of course Dodger, Aggie, and Ken. I made some new friends, got to know others better (hi Zilla!), and explored a new neighborhood. I think these dog walks are getting better and better all the time. I can hardly wait for next month's dogwalk!

I'll be out on the town again tonight. We don't picket tomorrow, so I will be enjoying myself at the monthly Yappy Hour at The LoftyDog tonight. It coincides with the monthly Downtown Artwalk, which is very cool. Tonight is extra special since The LoftyDog is also having a Holiday Paw-ty and we're picking up copies of my pictures with Santa Claus. Santa will be there again tonight for those who didn't get to see Santa last week. Since I've already posed for pictures, I'm going to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what I want for Christmas. Ever since I found out they don't like it when I chew up their slippers, I've been really good. Now I only chew on shoelaces.

(BTW, they don't think I know this, but the guy in the Santa suit isn't really Santa. I got up close and smelled him really good and licked him a few times to make sure, but and I knew right away who it really was.)

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

resting up for a downtown dog walk

wonton in a basket

Tomorrow is the monthly Downtown Dog Walk at Pershing Square, hosted by my friends Dodger and his sister Aggie. I had such a blast at last month's dog walk, I met all these great dogs that live downtown. There were approximately a dozen dogs, their owners and other dog lovers, and we all walked from Pershing Square to Maguire Gardens at the Central Library. Once there, we ran up and down steps and around the garden - one of us even jumped in the fountain to cool off! I was really tired after that dog walk, so I'm resting up now.

This month's dog walk, we will be joined by the LAPD's Officer Duarte, the Senior Lead Officer for the LAPD patrol district that covers Pershing Square and the adjacent areas. I've got a few questions for Officer Duarte, specifically, what do I do when I walk down the street and see a pit bull on a leash, snarling and snapping, barely being restrained by his/her owner? Happened to me the other night, scared the bejeezus out of me. So bring your questions for Officer Duarte (and an extra dog treat for me), and I'll see you at the Downtown Dog Walk!

Monday, November 5, 2007

looking forward to yappy hour this thursday

wonton is aroused
I can't believe the woman who takes care of me took this picture of me sporting pink.

I'm so excited! This Thursday is the November Yappy Hour at The Lofty Dog! I've met so many cool downtown dogs in the past week, I've told them all about Yappy Hour and how we get to romp all over the store and eat treats. I hope everyone I met comes ready to play. Will you be there?

his name is "jim"

jim and wonton
Picture courtesy of the woman who takes care of me.

I didn't know the name of the man and woman who take care of me. I just realized that "Baby" isn't the man's name, even though that silly woman keeps calling him that. She has this small, flat, pink thing that she carries around with her. It started making this noise (just when I was nodding off, too), so she opened it and talked into it, saying, "Hey baby, whassup?" The man just sat at his desk, staring at the screen. I barked at her, "Why is he ignoring you? Hey, come back here, I was talking to you!" But she ignored me and walked to the other side of the room, talking to the air.

I followed her, asking, "What are you doing? Who are you talking to? What's that man's name, and why did he ignore you when you called him? I distinctly heard you say 'Baby' and, hey - are you ignoring me?"

She stopped to pet me, so I gave her a little love bite on her thumb. She kinda freaked out, and then she yelled, "JIM! Wonton is getting bite-y again. Could you please deal with him, I'm on the phone."

Aha! His name is "Jim".

Then "Jim" scooped me up and put me in my pen. Of course I had a million questions. "Dude, your name is Jim? Why does she call you 'Baby'? Did she just call someone else 'Baby'? Is that why you ignored her? So how many other people does she call 'Baby' besides you? Do I have to go in my pen? Can't I just sit with you under your chair? That's my spot! Okay, I'll go in the pen. But can I have a treat, maybe a turkey gobbles or those liver things?"

The woman made a face and started gesturing to Jim. So he picked me up and took me outside on the patio and hung out with me. He didn't answer any of my questions, but it was nice being out on the patio, watching all those loud things flying overhead and feeling the wind in my hair.

I wonder what the woman's name is?

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

hair gets in my eyes

looking up
Photo courtesy of my "dad"

I went to the vet yesterday. The woman who takes care of me got a little freaked out by my right eye. Every morning she cleans the schmutz out of my eyes, which I really appreciate, though I can't help but wiggle around when she does it. For the past week my right eye has been a little cloudy and she hasn't been able to get the junk out of my eyes. Yesterday, I guess it looked really bad and she thought I might've hurt the membrane in my eye, so she took me to the vet.

I didn't mind so much since the vet is really cute. I admit, I loved the attention. She examined my eyes, asked a bunch of questions and rubbed my belly a lot. Turns out, I have hair growing in my eyes. In the corner, near the tear ducts, the hair is growing in my eye. So every time the woman who takes care of me would wipe it away, it would just go underneath my eyelid, only to resurface after I blink. So we're going to an opthalmologist tomorrow, to see if they should "cryo" it (whatever that means) so that the hair will stop growing, or if I need eye surgery.

Although I don't know what I'm going to dress up as for Halloween, this could throw a wrench in my plans. If I have to have eye surgery and wear an eye patch, maybe I should dress like a pirate.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

happy birthday "dad"

cody snorgles wonton
This is a photo of me, my brother Cody, and the man who takes care of me. Today's his birthday. I don't know how old he is in people or dog years, which isn't surprising, considering that I don't even really know his name. I guess I could just call him "Dad". He's a real softie, so that should be good for a few extra treats. I hope he gets a lot of presents today so I can chew on the wrapping paper and maybe even some ribbon!

Oh, and sorry about not blogging for a while. I let my brother crash here for the weekend, I even let him blog, but his visit just wore me out. I was trying to put my toys back in their hiding places, where I like to play with them because Cody tried to take over and mess with my toys and stuff. Brothers, you love them but sometimes they're just a pain. Anyway, things are back to normal now so I should be posting regularly again.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

sleepover!

cody and wonton
photo courtesy of my uncle jim. i'm on the left.
Hi, my name is Cody! I am Wonton's brother. We're not sure which of us is older, but as you can see I am taller.

I'm visiting Wonton for the weekend. He showed me how to access the internet when he stayed at our place, and this time he said that I could post to his blog. Maybe Cabrini (the woman who takes care of me) will let me post to The Lofty Dog Blog when I go back home.

Wonton has a pretty sweet set up here. Auntie Celia and Uncle Jim have a big place, and they let him run all over the place. They've been trying to teach me how to share. I think that means I get to take Wonton's stuff and put it in my crate.

I'm having a lot of fun, but I miss my half-sister Layla. This is the first time we've been apart for so long! And I'm getting tired of this collar. I don't have one of my own, so I had to borrow one from my roommate Nikki.

I gotta go. I can never find the bathrooms in this place. They didn't like it when I went over by those suitcases, I think I'll try behind that couch this time.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

does this make me look fat?

The Lofty Dog is throwing another Yappy Hour this Thursday, to coincide with the Downtown Art Walk. Since it's October and Halloween is just around the corner, in addition to Yappy Hour being a great event for downtown dogs and their owners, there will be a Halloween Fashion Show. Cabrini of The Lofty Dog asked me if I would model some outfits in the show, and of course I said yes.

I tried on a few outfits this past Saturday. I won't lie, I looked really good in more than a few of them. This picture of me was taken on a cell phone camera. So you can't really see how good I look because it's so blurry. In any case, I'm still open for suggestions on what to dress as for Halloween. So please come to the Howl-O-Ween Fashion Show on Thursday during Art Walk, and let me know which outfits you like best on me.

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

downtown dog walk

This Wednesday at 6:30pm, the Downtown Neighborhood Council is hosting the inaugural Downtown Dog Walk in Pershing Square. Downtown dogs and their owners are invited to come to the park and take a walk, together. How cool is that? My friend Dodger and his owner Ken put a lot of work into it. They started it up, organized the Yahoo newsgroup, and blogged about it, so I hope other downtown dogs come out and have fun.

Come out Wednesday October 10, 2007 at 6:30 pm for the first Downtown dog walk and community gathering. Come meet your downtown neighbors and their dogs as we tour the streets of downtown.

Help make downtown Los Angeles a dog friendly community and help encourage City Hall to allocate public space for off leash dog parks!

Where:
Pershing Square
532 S Olive St
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(Meet near the southwest entrance adjacent to the fountain)

When:
Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 6:30 pm

What:
Dog walk and community event

If you haven't checked it out yet, my friends at The Lofty Dog have started their very own blog - and they write that they'll be at the dog walk, too! Looks like this is shaping up to be a good doggie event.

Monday, October 8, 2007

back home


Sorry for the lack of blog posts lately, I've been hanging out with my owners, getting reacquainted. I told them that although I had a great time hanging out with my brother Cody and his loftmates, they shouldn't leave me for that long ever again. They rubbed my belly and let me sleep on their bed, so I think that means they're in complete agreement.

In more interesting news, I have balls. They just sort of grew in while my owners were in Germany. I was feeling a little heavier than usual down there, not much but enough. So I looked down and - whoa! Furry little balls! I've been sporting a lot of wood, too, which makes it difficult to walk.

Speaking of wood, I met this great little miniature Pinscher, or min-pin, the other day on 5th and Spring. Her name was Poppy Flower and she was gorgeous. Pretty brown eyes. Anyway, she was with these two Japanese girls who loved, I mean LOVED, my name. They kept giggling and saying, "Oooh Wonton! So cute!" Especially when I jumped on Poppy Flower and tried to hump her. So the woman who takes care of me gave them my URL. I hope Poppy Flower emails me for a playdate and sends me her picture. Gawd, she was hot.

There are a lot of canine activities in downtown this week so I'll be sure to blog about them shortly. So stay tuned, I've got more coming.

Monday, September 24, 2007

small dog, big city

small dog, big city
Photo courtesy of the man who takes care of me

There's something about the Downtown Los Angeles skyline that makes me feel... even smaller. But I still like looking at the bright lights of this city. And much as I hate to admit it, I miss the man and woman who take care of me.

The woman tends to go overboard sometime with her displays of affection for me, but I've gotten used to her singing me to sleep with "Puppy Love" and wiping me down every time I come back inside from doing my business on the patio. I miss how the man who takes care of me lets me sleep on top of the bed with him, watching reruns of The Simpsons while we wait for the woman to finish her bedtime rituals.

Don't get me wrong, I love visiting with my brother Cody and his loftmates, I'm having a blast. But I miss sleeping in my own bed and being the only puppy in the house. Okay, I'm going to say it, I miss my "mom" and "dad".

Saturday, September 15, 2007

packing for a trip


The man and woman who take care of me are going away on a trip to this place called Germany and they're not taking me. I'm going to stay with my brother Cody and his loftmates a few blocks away and I don't know if they have a computer with Internet access, so I might not be blogging for a while.

The woman who takes care of me said that I've been really good, but they had so many things to take care of before leaving tomorrow so they won't be able to take me to the Bow Wow Brunch this Sunday at the Omni Hotel after all. And after I asked all those bitches The Lofty Dog's Yappy Hour to meet me there, too.

Speaking of bitches, yesterday afternoon I was walking home along Main Street when I ran into Joe and Ruby in front of Metropolis Books. She's so sweet. I wonder why I never see her at Yappy Hour? Earlier today I met three cute Pekingese in front of the Old Bank Market, but where else do all the cute dogs hang out downtown?

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

doggy brunch at the omni

I just got in trouble with the woman who takes care of me, so I'm not sure if I'll be allowed to attend this event, but this Sunday, September 16th, is the last Bow Wow Brunch of the season at the Omni Hotel at California Plaza:

"From the people who created an overnight room package for you and Fido, the Omni Los Angeles Hotel is inviting doggies and their owners to dine al fresco for a special brunch at the Grand Café Terrace on Sunday, Sept. 16. For humans, the menu includes items such as walnut raisin country-style French toast and smoked salmon eggs benedict. Doggie delectables will feature Barking for a Burger Bowl, Tail Chasing Veggies and Rice, and Panting Puppy Peanut Butter Patties.

The meal is $14.95 for the Continental buffet or $19.95 for the deluxe buffet. The price per pooch is $6.95 (each item). Go ahead, ask for a doggy bag."

The Grand Café Terrace
Omni Los Angeles Hotel
251 South Olive St.
ph: 213-617-3300
www.omnihotels.com


I'm going to give the woman a good dose of my puppy dog eyes, see if I can't cajole her out of being mad at me because I really want to go. It wasn't really even my fault. If she didn't want me to chew on that orchid plant, she shouldn't have left it just sitting there on the floor, right where I could reach up and grab the leaves, those chewy moss things, and all that yummy dirt. Hmm, she's in the kitchen. Okay, first I'll go in the bedroom and chew on that pink shoe, then I'll go in the kitchen and see if she's over being mad at me.

yappy hour this thursday!

It's that time again, the monthly Downtown Art Walk means I'm going to check out Yappy Hour at The Lofty Dog.

From the Downtown Art Walk website:

Special Event for dogs!
Yappy Hour Every 2nd Thursday of the Month.... after you have visited all the Galleries on Gallery Row you can land your Paws at the Loftydog!!!! 120 W. 2nd St. 213-687-8820 7 to 9 pm. Live music. Local Restaurant Colori will be sponsoring the food. PUPS!! will be on hand for KISSES!!!


Kisses?! Woo hoo! I'm gonna get me some of that! I better chew on some of those fresh breath bones before I go. I hope Luca, Boo, Kloey, Dalai, Cody and other downtown dogs I haven't met yet attend, I've had a touch of cabin fever and really need to let loose and play. If you read my blog and I haven't met you yet, stop by the Lofty Dog and introduce yourself. Oh yeah, and bring treats.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

too hot to romp

Anybody else tired of this heat?




Photo courtesy of the man who takes care of me

Thursday, August 23, 2007

dog tag

Since I don't know of any other dogs who blog, I'm starting a meme and tagging any dogs who read this blog.

1. Your age?
I was born on April 17, 2007. So that makes me four months and six days old.

2. Your age when came to live with your people?
Nine weeks.

3.What color is the collar you’re wearing right now?
Black. It's slimming and it has a little bling in the shape of a bone.

4. Who is your favorite person other than the people you live with?
Hmm, that's a tough one. I like Cabrini and Karen from The Lofty Dog. But I also like Shannon, Angel, Tastypants, my woman's Development Exec, Grandma Angie and Grandpa Del.

5. How much do you weigh?
At my last veterinarian's appointment I weighed in at 8 pounds, but even though I've been eating these low-calorie treats I think I've gained a pound since.

6. Most expensive thing you’ve ever chewed up?
I've never chewed anything up completely, just nibbled on a few shoes and slippers, maybe the corner of the sofa (but I think it's a cheap sofa that she was going to reupholster, anyway).

7. Do you like other Dogs?
Yes, big ones, small ones, it really doesn't matter - I like 'em. Especially if they like to romp and play as much as I do.

8. Who is your best non-human friend?
My brother Cody and his loftmates. But I have a lot of other non-human friends, I just don't see them a lot because of scheduling issues. But from downtown alone there's Ruby, Kloey, Dalai, Sparky, Tank, Buddy, Luca, and Boo. Then, from the westside, my friends Gadget, Bella and Champoy. They came over this past Saturday night to hang out. They like downtown and we had fun running all around my loft and patio.

9. Squeaky Toys or Tennis Balls?
I prefer squeaky toys but I have a few tennis balls, too. However, my tennis balls squeak.

10. Do you like to be brushed?
I have to be in the mood for it, but the woman who takes care of me brushes me everyday regardless of what mood I'm in. She can be so annoying.

11. Peanut Butter or Cheese?
I haven't had either. I really like venison and salmon jerky treats, turkey gobbles, and carrots.

12. Do your people cut your toenails?
Are you kidding me? Have you seen their toenails? No thanks, I get mine done professionally at The Lofty Dog.

13. Any formal education?
No, not yet. I do know how to "come", "sit, lie "down" and jump "in the pen". The woman who takes care of me is teaching me to jump into a basket, then onto the daybed in the main room. I've only done it a few times, but I think I've nailed it.

14. Couch potato or Energizer Bunny?
The man and woman who take care of me say I get "puppy frenzy", but I'm usually happy to just hang out.

15. What are some nicknames your people call you?
The Little Emperor
His Imperial Majesty
Demon Dog (but only during puppy frenzy)

16. What is your best trick?
I don't really have a best trick. Does sneaking into the bedroom, grabbing a shoe and chewing it under the bed count?

17. Do you like kitties?
I don't know. What do they taste like?

18. What did you have for breakfast?
Kibble and a few treats.

19. Can you hunt (aka have you ever killed anything living)?
No, but I chased down a cricket for the woman to kill.

20. When & why was the last time you went to the V.E.T.?
A few weeks ago for my rabies shot.

21. Where do you sleep at night?
In my brand new, spacious and well-appointed crate, in the bedroom with the man and woman who take care of me.

22. Do you like to swim?
I haven't tried it, but I overheard the woman telling the man who takes care of me that she wants to get me a wading pool.

23. Can you make puppies?
I'm a little too young, but I'm gonna get "fixed". I'm not really sure what that means, everyone changes the subject when I ask.

24. Your favorite place to visit?
The Lofty Dog.

25. Do you give kisses?
Yes.

26. Can you potty on command?
No, but I'm getting better.

So that's me, now it's your turn. Answer the questions on your blog, then leave the link in the comments. If you or your owner don't have a blog, then you can answer in the comments.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

other dogs i know

tank and wonton
photo courtesy of the man who takes care of me

A few weeks ago (though it seems like forever ago to me), I went to the Dog Day Afternoon at the Cathedral shindig and met a lot of other downtown dogs. That was the best day ever. That was the first time that the man and woman who take care of me let me out in public and around other dogs. Something about waiting until I get all my shots and build up immunity or some nonsense like that. The man (I think his name is "Baby", that's what the woman keeps calling him) and woman who take care of me kept me on a leash so I couldn't run all over the place, but it was cool because I was able to sniff around and made as many friends as possible.

There were so many friendly dogs and we were all over the plaza. That's Sherman Tank and me in the picture above, moments before he slobbered all over me. I sniffed this golden retriever named Buddy. I don't think he realized I was back there because he wagged his tail and knocked me down! Thankfully I'm really low to the ground and didn't get hurt in the fall, just embarrassed. I was like, "Whoa, did anybody see me eat the pavement?" Ed, Don and Gary were snapping pictures and someone was shooting video, but I don't think anyone saw me.

ruby
photo courtesy of the man who takes care of me

I met Joe and Ruby, who live in the Historic Core. That's Ruby in the picture above. I like Ruby, but I don't think she's that into me. Hard to believe, I know! I even let the woman who takes care of me give Ruby some of my liver treats. She ate three, but still kinda ignored me. I think it's because I'm a little short for her. It could also be my age, but who knows what these bitches like, right?

Boo_and_Luca_08122007
photo by Benjamin Pezzillo
This is Boo and Luca, who I also met at the Cathedral. Boo didn't look like that when I met her. I swear, I didn't do that to her. I'm not pointing my paws at anybody, but if I were looking for the culprit, I'd look at the dog behind Boo. The woman who takes care of me tried to give Luca one of my liver treats, but he didn't want any. The guy on the other end of Luca's leash said that Luca is a redneck like him and will only eat fatty and/or cheesy things. I've never had cheesy things, what do those taste like? Do they taste like liver? And what's a redneck?

If I met you at the Cathedral event or at the Lofty Dog, please email the woman who takes care of me. I'm pretty sure she forwards all my mail. Oops, I gotta go. The woman just sat down and said something about being exhausted. I think that means she wants to play with me. So now I'm going to run out the front door like I need to poop (only I don't) and run around the patio picking up stuff with my mouth until she catches me. I don't know what these things are, but the woman gets all excited and gives me liver treats if I spit them out. Must be great stuff if she's handing out liver treats in exchange. I'll come back after we're done playing and tell you all about the Yappy Hour at The Lofty Dog last week.

Monday, August 13, 2007

wonton in the house!

hi, my name is wonton and i'm a shih tzu living in downtown los angeles. i'm almost four months old and i was born downtown, so i guess i'm a real 213 dog (213 is downtown's area code). right now i can't explore downtown because the man and woman who take care of me say i'm too young and i keep trying to pick up all sorts of things with my mouth. jeez, you pick up one cigarette butt on the patio and that woman goes batshit. whatever, soon i'll be out and about, exploring my 'hood.

i'd love to tell you more about me, but i gotta go. the woman who takes care of me is sitting in front of her laptop crying, something about writer's block. whatever. she's not looking, so this is my chance. i'm going to sneak into the bedroom and chew on those yummy-looking black shoes with the shiny straps. she said something about it being "her favorite", which i think means that it tastes like liver. i like liver.