Sniffers!

My mom has a great friend in New York, he's an artist named David Remfry. He's one of her very favorite people in the whole world - whenever she talks with him on the phone, they laugh like hyaenas. She used to be one of his models too, I've seen the pictures that he drew of her and the paintings and they look just like her so he must be good.... The funny thing too is that when mom was telling David that she had just gotten me, he told her that he had a dog named Bogey when he was little! So now they both have Bogeys.... (the other Bogart was a Scottish Terrier).

I like him even more now - he sent me a present! It's a Sniffers bar - just like the ones that mom eats, except that mine is bigger and furrier (and of course, no chocolate for me). It's got a great squeaker and I insisted on bringing it to work with mom and me today.

He also sent a present for the kitties - a Kitty Spliff! You should have seen Kafka the orange tabby with that fattie hanging out of his mouth, all hopped up on catnip... we'll try to get a picture of him with it, it's hilarious!!!

We love you David!!!! Thanks for the great presents!!!! Mom says HI!!!!!!

Love,
Bogart

Fur Kills

http://www.furkills.org

My mom just made a donation to this organization (endorsed by the HSUS) - people who do good work in trying to halt the massive fur trade, especially coming out of China, that causes so much anguish to so many animals. Every little piece of real fur adorning your clothing is a little piece too much.

Please do whatever you can - there is an action area where you can write letters, attend rallys, donate money, or just get stickers and materials to show the world you care.

"The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
Mohandas Gandhi

Love,

Bogart

Bogie Back in the Drivers Seat

OK, I think I have mom properly "educated" now.

She'd gotten waaaaaay too lazy lately about updating my blog. And she actually has some pictures that she didn't post! No more excuses mom, I know you finally figured out how to work that silly new camera.

Bogie back in the drivers seat where I belong!

Love,
Bogart

Kicking Butt & Taking Names...

I'm gonna have to kick mom's butt...

She got a new camera and has been fussing with it for a few days now. It seems like she never has the right cable with her, or the right picture card, or whatever the excuse is today to post any new pictures...

I apologize for her impudence. She will be punished severely.

Love,
Bogart

Bogie vs. the Pacific Ocean

Today I got my first taste (literally and figuratively) of the Pacific Ocean. Mom isn't really a beach kind of girl, so she doesn't like it that much, but dad loves to swim. Dad kept insisting that I was going to love it, being a "fowl dog" and all. That water was in my blood. That I come from a long line of water-lovin' dogs, and that I would take to it quite naturally.

Mom and dad were ridiculously excited this morning about something... I should have known that they were planning something that involved a lot of walking...

Well, let me tell ya.

Walking down the steps was a little weird - they're not like any steps I've seen before, but, ok dad here I come - and then we had to walk over all of these really big stones. It wasn't that easy for me, even with 4 legs, and I occasionally did a little dip onto my belly but it was a challenge, that was fine.

I kept looking out at the "ocean" wondering what the hell that was. It was making a lot of noise, smelled funny, and people were running into it.

Just as dad was about to show me I used the moment of opportunity to let nature take it's course. Yes, I took my first dump on the beach. Rather undignified, I know, but I was in the back of the car for over an hour...

Then it was time to try out my water-dog instincts. Dad went running toward the water with me on my leash, I ran as fast as I could beside him, wanting to be the best dog I could be, my ears flapping in the cool ocean breeze, just getting to the very waters edge as a wave slowly spent its energy on the shore...

And I ran like a scared baby.

That water wasn't coming anywhere near this fine Airedale fur. No siree Bob. Just the paws and the underbelly got a little soaking. I quickly convinced mom (took a little longer with dad) that there were so many other fun things to explore in this new environment, so they didn't push it. Whew.

I met these two adorable Bulldogs, I'm so sorry I didn't get their names! They came running like little furry bullets toward me, but they were really friendly and just wanted to play.


They kind of smile, don't they?

I had a lot of fun with them, I wish we could have played more, except that dad was kind of determined about my getting a good dunk in the Pacific. So we did the running thing again, except this time I let him run further than me, I stopped just before the water touched my toes, and dad got all wet. Ha ha!

I did get to meet another really furry dog on the way out of the beach, so many doggies today!

I did discover that rolling in sand is quite fun, especially as now so much of it stuck to my damp fur. Now destroying the back of moms car will be a snap!

It was really pretty tho, and I'm glad they took me. I'm also glad that mom drives so I don't have to, and could sleep in the back seat.



Love,
Bogart

Dante's Peak

Wait, am I in Berlin? Oh no that's right, Berlin is one of the Los Angeles "sister cities". Walking all the way up the hill made me just "think" I'd walked all the way to Europe...
Wow am I exhausted! Dad dragged my dale butt all the way up to Dante's Peak just above the Griffith Observatory today. We've done this hike before, but today it was HOT here in Los Angeles, and even tho I'm a lot bigger than last time it's still a loooooooooong walk.

Good thing that there is a doggie water station. I got dad to fill up a water bottle and squirt it into my mouth.

I've discovered another thing about myself... do you know when humans make a "kissing sound", an extended pursing of the lips and sort of squeaking? That drives me insane. A Japanese tourist on the hill today did that and I went berserk and tried to get away from Dad. There is just something about that sound - I can't put my paw on it - that makes me insane. It's gotta be something deep in the DNA because everytime anyone makes that sound it's like I become another dog - a completely untrained and insane beast - but I do stop quickly once the sound stops. Go figure.

Love,
Bogart

2006, The Year of the Dog

I got really excited when I heard this... A whole year devoted to MEEEEEEE!!!!

It's Chinese Astrology, the new year starts later this month.

Love,
Bogart

A Puppy's Work is Never Done

OK, so today I'm at mom's office. She had to leave the office for a little while to go into a meeting. What's a young, feisty Airedale to do but to help with her office cleaning?

I heard her say that this big box was going to have to be thrown away - but she never did it. It just sat there for months and months. So I just thought I'd "help" her with it...

She wasn't quite as pleased as I'd hoped. But it exhausted me, which made us both happy.

Love,
Bogart

Knitting for Dummies

Hey, time to get knitting again!

Before Christmas and all the holiday stuff, mom was knitting like a fiend. Apparently she makes socks for all of her friends every year. All I know is that I find the yarn intoxicating. I've now figured out where she keeps it and occasionally pull out a skein or two just for fun - you know, tossing it in the air, whipping it side to side in my teeth, or just diving in for destruction.

I'd forgotten how much I enjoy this pasttime because she hasn't knitted in a week or two. But no reason for me to wait any longer...

(thanks to the kitties for reminding me how much fun this is)

Love,
Bogart

Happy New Year 2006!

Mom and dad went to a party last night and I got to go too!!!

I know that they keep saying it's good for me to go places, heck I don't care, I just wanna go wherever they go... so it was off to a party at one of their friend's houses in Hollywood. I was quite the center of attention, I always love that.

Unfortunately nature was calling, and I suddenly felt the urge to poop. Well you should have seen mom, she's like a superhero - she got off the couch so fast (I didn't even know that she could see me in the other room, she must have some special sense for that, I'll have to make a mental note of that for the future) and grabbed my leash then came flying at me. She scooped me up in her arms and we ran down the stairs and outside. After a brief sniff of the neighborhood, I was able to relieve myself. Whew! Thanks for that one mom.

Then it was back to quesadillas and nachos! They have a very short table so it was easy for me to steal a few chips and pieces here and there. Dad was busy cooking while mom was talking with lots of people. I kept trying to lick all of the glasses that were everywhere, it was a new taste that I wasn't sure of but thought what the heck, I'll just keep on trying... but people kept pulling them away from me whenever I'd get in a good lick. Mom said it's something about "alcohol" and that I can't have any until I'm 18... well, I'm 18 weeks, does that count???

Then they tried to get me to wear a silly hat. I wanted to eat the silly hat. They managed to snap a quick picture of one hat before I began to eat it. So they tried another silly hat. That one wasn't much tastier than the first, but hey a dogs gotta do what a dogs gotta do!

Happy New Year everyone (from Behemoth the cat too)!

Love,
Bogart