Seeing some art

This afternoon Ingrid and I went to some of the galleries in our neighborhood. I especially liked this installation at Marlborough Chelsea. It's a rat's eye view of things, and you all know how I feel about rats. They call it "A New Beginning" but that doesn't make sense to me as I wasn't even allowed to start to think about marking one of the giant flowers.
Art, schmart, give me a fire hydrant any day.

Lions and junkyard dogs!

Ingrid and I went out for a while this afternoon, as soon as it stopped raining. Thought we'd have the park to ourselves but lots of people there. Some guy brought in two schnauzers and that's when Ingrid decided we better get out of there. (I don't get on too well with some Schnauzers.)
So we went for a walkabout and I got my picture snapped with this big golden lion outside a strip club. They should have statues of me outside there instead, even though I'm not sure I would want to join a strip club, as I'm not too fond of being stripped.



Then on the way home, we walked by an auto shop with a real junkyard dog inside! At first we heard him growling and barking inside the gates, then all of a sudden, Ingrid spotted his head sticking out a hole!

We high-tailed it outta there before he managed to squeeze his whole body through that hole. Yikes!

Beethoven bores me.

Again with the What not to do

Every morning, there's this little doggie sitting outside of the local coffee place on our block. He's not wearing a leash and he's not tied up. People like to stop and say, "oh look how cute," but it's not really all that cute. Don't they realize that anyone could come up and walk away with that dog? It's bad enough when people leave dogs tied up outside stores and restaurants, but hey, at least they are tied up! This one's just roaming free! While I might envy his freedom just a bit, I'll take safety any day. Tony Sez: keep your dog on a leash! We might pull and tug but we secretly thank you for it!

Hot Spots!

Ingrid was poking around where she shouldn't have been and found out why I'm frequently licking my belly. There's a couple of hot spots down there, and they itch and burn! So off we went to the vet's. We got right in without an appointment, cause that's the kind of treatment I get where ever I go, plus all the ladies at the front desk there love me.
Some dogs hate going to the doc, but me, I enjoy a good vet visit.

They keep lots of Lamb Lung there, and that's my favorite treat! I'll do just about anything for some lamb lung (even get a thermometer up my butt!)There was one dog that had to have a muzzle before being examined. How's he supposed to get his treats with a muzzle on?
Any way, I got some antibiotic cream for my spots. I also have to wear this stupid cone thing around my neck which I hate, but without it I have to admit, I'd be lick lick licking those spots. At least I was able to convince Ingrid not to post a picture of me with it, though I know I look really cute, cause I've been getting treats like crazy!Why not? I'm Tony!

I'm riding the rails!

Yo, Ingrid and I went for a long walk today. From our house at 24th and 10th Avenue to 60th Street and 1st Avenue. I was wearing my doggie backpack with water bottles inside, even though I wasn't all that thirsty the whole trip. On the way back, we took the subway, the E train to be exact. I kept wanting to get off everytime they opened the doors, but we had to stay on till we got to 23rd Street. Then we got off and walked home. I'm pooped!

I get real

Here I am with a ball at the park on Saturday. Ingrid wants to say I'm "playing," but really, I don't play! I'm serious about that ball. I tried to get two of them in my mouth at once and I would have too, if that Collie mix hadn't come along. Ingrid laughs like crazy whenever I try to pick up two balls (which is frequently). She really needs to work on having a more positive attitude. If you always laugh and don't take it seriously, then how are you ever gonna do it! Like I sez, I'm serious about that ball!

I'm in Aretha Franklin's hat!

My resume

Hey, I know times are tough all over, so I'm working on ways to diversify myself. Been working on a resume. Here goes.

Objective: To find a position where I can utilize all my terrier traits to their full potential.

I'm a fast worker.


I follow directions.


I am full of great ideas, and I'm not afraid to share them!


My worst trait? Sometimes I get a little too focused on details and forget about the big picture.


But as long as you remember that the big picture is really all about me, we're good, dawg!


Now, who's got a job for me?

Arty Outing

Hey, It's been a while! Not my fault, Ingrid was in Africa or something.

Anyway, we walked over to some of the galleries today. We stopped to see this, Une, by an artist named Corday. The information that Ingrid picked up says this big sculpture is meant to "engender direct physical contact." Ok, I peed on it. How's that for physical contact, Corday?!

Ingrid took a picture of me, as she always does on our arty outings.

She said I looked amazing in this light. Who doesn't know that?

See me in Muttropolitan Diary!

Yo! Ingrid and I got snapped for Muttropolitan Diary when we were out and about last month. I didn't much feel like posing, cause it was very hot, but even when I don't feel like posing I look good, right?

I qualified for Earthdog!

Here I am rarin' to get at the rats. I jumped at this rubber rat on the table all day on Saturday, by Sunday they decided to move it but I remembered and looked all around the table all day for it!

Anyhoo, we went to this Earthdog trial in the Poconos last weekend. I was very excited to be in the car again, AND we stayed in a hotel! I slept in the bed, like usual, cause I wanted to be sure that Ingrid and Tyler felt at home. I have to take care of them, you know.
The first day, Saturday, they had me entered in Junior Earthdog, but I didn't qualify cause I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do! The next day I did Introduction to Quarry and I qualified with flying colors! I got a toy as a prize! I also got a ribbon, and Ingrid and Tyler sure made a fuss over that. Whatever.
I tried the Junior Earthdog again on Sunday right after the IQ, but success didn't follow me. I didn't qualify for that, I guess cause I didn't feel like staying in the hole! Once I decided to do it, I started working that rat in 4 seconds flat. They said I'll be one heck of an earthdog with some practice. What's the big deal? It's what I'm supposed to do!

I'm a Canine Good Citizen!

Ingrid and Tyler took me to an event today. Our taxi had A/C but it was still awful hot! There were two pools filled with water there and the first thing I did was jump in and lay right down to cool off. Some guy thought it was cute and took a bunch of pictures for The Daily News.



There were a couple tables with doggie treats on them, and we stopped by ALL of them. Then it was time for the test! I passed with flying colors! I had to walk with Ingrid, sit and lay down (they said it was the best "down" they had seen all day, of course!)and then stand with the lady while Ingrid left the area. Here's the picture just after the award ceremony. Ok there was no award ceremony, but there should have been!


After that, I got a pedicure.


Then we messed around with a some of the agility equipment.




Ingrid and Tyler said I was a natural. Who doesn't know that?

Take Your Dog to Work Day!

Today was National Take Your Dog to Work Day, so Ingrid took me to her job. It's funny, because when I have a job, I have to carry something around or look for something, but Ingrid doesn't have to carry anything around. Here I am helping her to answer some emails.


We didn't stay long, but as luck would have it, the FDNY showed up to do their annual inspection! I had my picture taken with them, cause they made a big fuss over me and seemed to really like me. Anyway they kept saying my name, "Ton-EEEE!" Like that.

All in all I'd say Take Your Dog to Work Day was a big success! I sure had a good time, got lots of treats, lots of attention and affection from lots of people, I like work!

Sparky and Me

TonySez:
Ingrid and I hit some galleries today, as we like to do on Saturday afternoons. We went to the Schroeder Romero/Winkleman Gallery Space; she wanted to see The Sparky Show. A Brooklyn artist named Nelson had lots of people do artwork of his dog, Sparky.

I wasn't too impressed.
When someone does The Tony Show, I'll let you know.

Earthdog Fun Day!

Yesterday Ingrid and Tyler took me to an "Earthdog Fun Day" at a farm out in New Jersey somewhere. It sure was Fun with a capital "F"!

There were lots of other dogs there, mostly Border Terriers like me! The games had funny sounding names like "Fox in a Box," "Chuck and Pull," "Rat in a Can," "Manhattan Ratting Party," Ratting for Ratings" and "Jersey Junkyard-something or other." Surprise, surprise, they all involved hunting RATS! Well, except for Fox in the Box and Chuck and Pull, but hey, what are woodchucks and foxes anyway but overgrown rats? Even though I had never done anything like this (outside of cornering our neighbors cats!)I did great at all the events, which is no surprise to me; I was born and bred to this!

The event I liked best was the "Chuck and Pull." I wasn't sure what to do at first, since like I said, I never did this before and Ingrid and Tyler get upset when I go after squirrels here in the city. I got the hang of it soon enough, as you can see in this picture!


Here's some more pix of me doing what an Earthdog like me does, hey, Terrier means "Earth!"


Check it out, I was in FIRST PLACE at this Junkyard game, till some bitch got a better time than me. I can say that cause I'm a dog. It was fun while it lasted.


Here's me going after a rat in "Ratting for Ratings." I picked up the scent ok, but kept getting fooled by the tubes that smelled like rats but didn't have a rat inside. At one of the stations, I was so determined to get to the rat that I started chewing at a large stick that was in my way. The humans all thought that was cool.



Check out videos of me in action on Flickr. (Scroll down, they're at the bottom with the little video symbol in the corner.)

I hope we get to go to another one of these soon, this was a REAL "fun day."

Gallery going

Ingrid and I went to some galleries today in our neighborhood. She tried to make me sit still while some art was being projected on the wall, but I was too excited to see what was going on in the other room; some guy was smiling at me and I wanted to go say hi. I think my shadow on the wall was prettier than the pictures they were showing. I guess Ingrid did too, cause she took this picture.

Why couldn't this have been me?

Not the one getting pissed on, mind you, the one doing the pissing. I'm not big on those "Hollywood types", I've peed on better shrubs, you know? This looks like my bro Jimmy with Willow in the background behind the "movie star." Us BTs would pee on a red carpet if we were in the mood. Isn't it great that someone was there to take a picture?

I'm Three, Bitches!

As you can see, today is my third birthday. I did get some kind of cake*, and a toy to tear apart. Then Tyler got me a pork bone from the pet store, but I didn't care for it.

Here's how to make the cake, in case your dog wants one for its birthday. It's easy!

*Tony's Birthday Cake Recipe
Start with a small Tupperware container the size you want your cake to be. Gather your doggie's favorite foods. We use Stonyfield Nonfat Plain Yogurt, mashed up apples, chicken breast, white rice, dog food, whatever your dog enjoys that has a mushy texture. Rice really holds the other layers together, so use either white or brown.

Layer the yogurt first, then follow with the other foods in layers, tamping them gently as you go. Not too hard or you'll squish them through the yogurt and then you won't have proper layers! Put the lid on the container and turn upside-down. Leave in the refrigerator at least overnight, a bit longer if you can.

When doggie's big day arrives, take off the lid, and place the container face down on a plate and tap gently to remove the "cake." It should slide right out and maintain its shape.

Optional: Baby carrots make perfect "candles!"

Enjoy!

How could this happen?!

Tony Sez:
Have you read this crazy story? I know if I was in a roomful of other Border Terriers, Ingrid would be able to pick me out. I'm just that unique!

Tomorrow is my birthday, and I can't wait. Ingrid made some kind of "cake" and I'm getting a new toy (I heard them talking). I just hope they don't dress me up in anything ...