The other day I got into a mini-argument on Twitter –well, in 140 characters it’s got to be pretty short — with a dog breeder who extolled the virtues of “hobbyists” as opposed to “professionals.” The tweeter proclaimed that hobbyists breed dogs for love whereas professionals do it for money, making the former preferable to…
Tropical & Tempest-Tossed Frankie: The Video
Here it is at last: YouTube video No. 4 for AM I BORING MY DOG. Sure, the still photos were cool, but the music and motion definitely add zing. Speaking of adding, I might have to add Tropical Frankie– and Tempest Tossed Frankie — to a new poll. What do you think? For a refresher…
The adventure continues…
Frankie has been out of touch in recent weeks. I suspect he’s been spending too much time on the beach, not enough time selling Am I Boring My Dog. But as the final countdown to the book publication date begins (only 15 days left!), the dispatches have begun coming in again. Okay, at least I…
Dogs shouldn’t suffer for Leona’s sins
Leona Helmsley is a public relations nightmare. Notoriously high-handed, she was dubbed the “Queen of Mean” by employees at the hotel empire her husband, Harry, built. She famously remarked, “Only the little people pay taxes” — before she went to jail for tax evasion. In her will, she left bupkis to two of her grandchildren.…
About My New Book: Am I Boring My Dog?
I met my friend Michael for dinner the other night, and excitedly hauled out my advance copy of Am I Boring My Dog. After browsing through it for the requisite time to indicate interest, he said: “I thought it was just going to be a bunch of funny anecdotes. This looks very informative.” Perhaps I…
The Dog Food Debate: Opening Up a Can of Worms
I don’t mean the title of this post literally, though fresh worms would be an improvement over the ingredients contained in some dog food. But a discussion on Twitter — if you can call a series of 140-character bursts a discussion — spurred me to venture into the arena. When it comes to dog food,…
Doggie chic, doggie chakras: Scottsdale & Sedona
This was first published in The Bark in 2005. The Hacienda restaurant has closed and re-opened in the interim. I’m not sure whether Deb, the dog psychic, is still doing her Sedona thing. Pamper Your Paws & Check Your Chakras “For real softness, I’d recommend baby shampoo, followed by conditioning with Garnier Fructese,” said the…
TV Dogs: Props, Gods & Shapeshifters
Watching HBO (not TV!) this past Sunday, I was reminded of a blog post I read by Christie Keith on Pet Connection several months ago. She noted the lack of pets in TV comedies or dramas (in the larger context of a similar dearth of gay and lesbian characters), deeming it especially odd given the…
Cleanliness: Next to Dog-liness?
Frankie is lucky. I’m not overly obsessed with housecleaning. Many people think that my home must be spotless, what with it doubling as my office and all, but when I want to avoid writing, clutter and dust never seem to demand my attention (my refrigerator, on the hand, practically grabs me by the throat). However,…