Category: city dog

Dogs: Love ‘Em and Leave ‘Em at Home: I don’t think so!

Checking my moms cell phone plan: Are treats included?
Checking my mom's cell phone plan: Are treats included?

My mom Cathy just read me this article from the New York Times. Apparently some people think dogs should be left at home and others (like my mom) want to take their dogs everywhere.

Speaking as a dog (the only way I can speak, if you call this speaking), I don’t want to go everywhere. My mom’s tried to sneak me into supermarkets. Sometimes they let us go but I hate those shiny, polished floors. I dig my paws in and Cathy has to drag me along. Naturally we can’t be inconspicuous when that happens. Yaay! We are forced to leave in disgrace.

But coffee shops? Another story. My mom used to go to Uptown Espresso in Seattle all the time. She’d tap away on her laptop or read. I would curl up and sleep. Everybody loved us. Strangers would come up to offer me treats, which my mom always declined on my behalf.

My mom takes me to the Verizon store where she has endless questions about using her new Droid. She is shameless about asking for help and getting the store people to help install all sorts of applications. Geoffrey Hise (the store manager in the photo) introduced her to Bus Bot and now I have to sit patiently at the bus stop while she fiddles around wondering when the next bus is due. Usually it takes her so long the bus comes while she’s poking the screen.

Mom doesn’t mind asking for help. “I know I’m Internet-savvy,” she says. “Besides most people won’t use half their apps because they’re afraid to speak up and admit what they don’t know.”

True. I don’t know too many dogs who are shy about asking for anything. Why not? A resounding “no” goes right past my ears and most of the time a delicious treat goes right into my mouth.

Back in the dog house…again.

Monday was a beautiful day, by human standards. When the weather seems good, my mom drags me off to Regrade Dog Park in Belltown, I’m supposed to play with the other dogs but in reality she likes Belltown with the brownstones and the city-gritty ambience. As a dog, I prefer the more rural dog parks but my mom points out that we don’t have a car and she never wants to drive in Seattle, or maybe anywhere.

So Monday we go to the park and some nice man is there giving out treats to his dog. Delicious treats. Rich treats. Bone marrow treats. My mom will never, ever buy me treats like that. She likes healthy boring treats that are supposed to be good for me.  And she really, really hates having people give me treats.

Well, I snuck a few of those wonderful treats. When it comes to sneaking treats I’m the best. My mom would have taken me home but then I started running around. That always gets her. “Yaay – Gracie is running!”

That evening I demanded to Go Outside at 8:30 PM. At 10:30, when I demanded another Outing, my mom knew Something Was Happening That Was Not Good. She shoved a pill down my throat, guaranteed to restore my tummy back to normal.

At 2:30 AM, she didn’t even try to be polite. “You were the one who wanted to go out,” she muttered as I took my time finding the Perfect Spot. “At this hour we are not walking very far.” Then she whisked me into my crate, which was a good idea.

By the time my Aunt Sara came to pick me up, I was feeling my usual lively self although my mom refused to give me breakfast. “We’re not taking any chances,” she said. She was not in a good mood. My mom needs her sleep.

“I can take a nap,” she said, “while you play in the park.”  Thank goodness. I was happy to escape.

My readers will be relieved to know I finally got some dinner: a little warm rice. Not exactly what I’d call a satisfying meal for a work-hard, play-hard dog. But even I know: sometimes a dog just has to keep quiet and let her snugglng speak for itself.

Dog Park Civilized Greeting

And what have we here? It looks like a very small, very spoiled dog. A pug, to be exact.

Pugs are very popular in Seattle, my mom says. We once met a pug when we were out walking. The owner told my mom, “I knew someone who worked in the shelter. They called when this pug came in. I had to get down there in an hour because so many people wanted a rescue pug.”

Hmm. Not many people were seeking a royal mixed breed like me. My foster home actually gave my mom a sales pitch. “Great dog. I’d keep her myself if I didn’t already have three dogs. She looked so cute playing with the puppies. She sits on the couch and chews on her chew toys.”

Uh-oh. My mom got suspicious. “Chews on her chew toys? And what else?”

“No way,” they lied. “Just her toys.”

By the time my mom found out about my Power Teeth, it was way too late.

This pug seems fairly useless. He just sits on his blankie and waits for people to come worship him. Even Ophelia moves around more than that. But you can tell he’s a sweet dog in his own way. I tried to get him to play, since I love small dogs. No dice.

Here we are exchanging pleasantries about our respective owners. My mom is much stricter than his mom. His mom has left him in the care of Lindsay, the dog park steward, so he will continue to be spoiled rotten.

Dog park steward with dogs

Lindsay is the steward of the Regrade Dog Park. She’s a dog lover and an awesome Steward. Everybody behaves when Lindsay’s in the park, even me.

“Lindsay is a natural executive,” says my mom, who definitely isn’t.

Here’s Lindsay watching over a pug dog, whose name we forgot, and her own dog, Jasper. Jasper is a legally registered service dog so he gets to go everywhere. He’s very laid-back except when he doesn’t like someone who’s walking by the park. Then Lindsay has to tell him to be quiet. After all, she gets out the official Regrade Park Squirt Gun when other dogs bark. The uppity Belltown neighbors get upset.

Dog Park Gets Boring So I Wander Around

Here’s where I am driving my mom completely nuts. When I get bored, I wander around, looking for something to nibble on. Usually it’s something unmentionable.

My mom freaks every time.

“Gracie, stop eating that!” she yells, clear across the park. Sometimes she squirts water in my direction. If I’m chomping on something good, I ignore her. These tidbits are more delicious than any of the stuff that comes in big bags, which (my mom points out) are very expensive.

I’m grazing. This is just what my mom does too. Instead of the ground, she goes to the refrigerator.

“That’s different,” my mom would say, if I dared to point this out. “I eat totally healthy food. Organic. No junk.”

We won’t comment on what I’m eating. My mom would censor the entry and some readers would start to feel a little ill.

Negotiating with dog trainer for treats in Regrade Dog Park

Here I am in Regrade Dog Park, along with a bunch of other dogs. As you can see, we are all negotiating for treats. I’m more enthusiastic than anyone else.

Andy is a dog trainer who’s just opening up his dog training  and dog sitting business in Seattle’s Belltown. I adore Andy. When he comes to the park with his two large chow mixes, I drop everything and rush over to say hello. (I mean that literally. Usually I have something in my mouth. The most mentionable is a tennis ball.)

Andy’s dogs are totally obedient. My mom sees them everywhere, unleashed, always obeying Andy. He can say, “Wait over here,” and they wait. I don’t think I’ll ever reach that level. My mom is negotiating with Andy for some training sessions, though. Just what i’ve always wanted.

Dog Park Scene: Fashionable Dog and Owner

A couple of weeks ago it was freezing cold when we went to the dog park. As usual, I went naked. My mom doesn’t believe in coats for dogs.

“The vet says you don’t need a coat if you’re not shivering,” she told me.

To be fair, she applies the same philosophy to herself. She doesn’t buy clothes unless she absolutely has no choice. Sometimes I don’t want to be seen in public with her.

Here’s one of the park regulars, Sue, with her dog Jack.

“Aren’t they adorable?” my mom said. She didn’t have her camera so she tried to take a picture with her new cell phone. If you’ve been reading this blog, you won’t be surprised to learn that it took her a couple of weeks to figure out how to get the photo from phone to computer. But she did.

They look cold, don’t they? As soon as Mom took this picture, they were gone.

Happy Holidays! Link to this funny video…

Check out this cool video. My mom says to tell you, “Click on this link. No embed options this time.”

OK, I saw the video. A bunch of dogs are decorating a Christmas tree. Would I do that? No way. I’d chew open the presents. The cats would knock over the tree. We would all eat pine needles. Forget it.

That looks like a LOT of work. The best part is at the end where the dogs are all sleeping.

Did they really decorate that tree? Lots of jump cuts in that video.

Dog Park Seattle: Great Place for Making Friends (Video)

Yesterday (Sunday) my mom took me to Regrade Dog Park in Seattle. The park was pretty busy. My mom said, “Well, we had about ten minutes of blue sky, so everybody came out to take advantage.”

I found a human to play with. This nice young man chased me all over the park. Yaay! I tried to scarf some food because he had some cheese, but he refused. Instead, we ran…and ran. My mom didn’t run. She followed me with her camera.

A little jagged, she says. “Now I understand what film makers mean when they talk about hand-held cameras.” See for yourself.

Christmas costume? Santa suit? Not for this city dog.

Sometimes a city dog has to draw the line SOMEwhere. And when it comes to Santa hats, red coats and even little white beards… gimme a break!

My mom just saw some Twitter posts with dogs all decked out for the holidays. Fortunately, she thinks dogs are supposed to be naked and for once we are in agreement. I am not wearing anything but the fur I was born with (lovingly embellished by good quality food and regular baths).

Anyway, why spend money on doggie costumes? Lots of hungry dogs out there need food. I need my walks…and my food, toys and grooming.

My mom has never decorated for anything. She’s afraid the lights will electrocute somebody or set off a fire. She’s aware that poinsettias and pine needles can be deadly to cats.

“Holidays are about doing, not dressing,” she says firmly.

And a strong “Arf” to that, I  would add.