Playing “Mindgame(s)”

It’s been a little while since I last made it to the theater, but there’s a new show in town that I’m definitely going to see. The play is a thriller called “Mindgame” and it stars the Oscar-winning Keith Carradine.

Here’s a quick synopsis: A reporter thinks he’s landed the interview of his career with an infamous, insane criminal, but after arriving at the asylum, his plans quickly go awry as he discovers things aren’t what they seem. I love a good mystery, and this play promises to keep the audience in suspense right through the final scene.

The performance on Tuesday, December 23 has a special significance to my friends at the Humane Society of New York. On that night, a portion of each ticket purchased will be donated to fund the care we provide to the animals in our shelter and hospital.

An animal lover himself, Mr. Carradine chose to drive 36 hours rather than fly from California because he wanted to make the journey as comfortable as possible for his two elderly cats. So if Mr. Carradine can handle the drive from California, it shouldn’t be too hard for the rest of us animal/thriller-lovers to get to the Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street, at 8:00 pm on Tuesday, December 23.

To order tickets, visit the "Mindgame" website: http://www.mindgametheplay.com/tickets.html

See you there!

Visiting...

I LOVE the summer when my friends come to help me with my paperwork. :-)

Always FUN when they visit. They are SO helpful!

What you need to know before you go to the groomer

You wouldn’t think it, but a visit to the groomer can be a life or death experience for a dog. Recently, a wonderful yellow lab and good friend of ours at the Humane Society of New York died when he was left unattended in a cage dryer. Pleased watch this clip before you take your dog to be groomed. I’m very concerned about this. You need to protect your dog.

A Poolside Plea

My friend Henry gets to use the pool more than I do. I’m wondering why?

*Just so you know, Henry is playing in the Humane Society of New York's rooftop dog pool. Nice, huh?

Dream Come True

Unfit to be tied

For a dog like me, leashes are a fact of life. But if I’m going to be on one end of that leash, there better be a human on the other end. Nothing is more demeaning than being tied up to a sign post or a street lamp, as if an inanimate object has better discretion than I do. At least I can tell the difference between my owner and a potential abductor. Tethered to a parking meter, I’m a sitting duck for any dognapper walking down the street. When a stranger tries to steal me, is the parking meter going to come to my defense? I don’t think so (when has a parking meter ever helped anybody?).

This is a real problem. You can’t go a month without reading a story in the paper about a dog that was stolen when his or her owner went into a store and left him or her outside. It would be nice to live in a world where we could trust others. Unfortunately, we don’t.

Here’s a little thought experiment: Ask yourself, “What would I be willing to leave out on a street unattended?” Your wallet or your purse? Your bicycle? A bag of groceries? I bet you answered “no” to all those questions. So if you don’t trust people not to take your bicycle, why would you trust them not to take your dog? It’s a lot harder to replace a dog than a bicycle. In fact, you can’t replace us; each dog is one of a kind!

Caution, a head!

When it comes to interior decoration, I’m no expert. As long as I have a comfy bed and a clean water bowl, I’m content. Paint the room any color you like; I’m color blind. But even I have to object when I see an animal’s head mounted on the wall. While relaxing at home, I prefer not to be reminded of decapitation.

Boy was I confused the first time I saw a mounted head. I thought a moose was sticking his head through a big hole in the wall. I said hello to the moose, but got no answer. Intrigued, I went into the next room. Imagine my surprise when instead of finding the rest of the moose, I found a refrigerator! Once I realized there is no such thing as moose/refrigerator hybrid, I got out of that house as fast as I could. I’ve seen those scary movies, I know what goes on, and I did not want to be next. That’s the last time I have dinner at Norman Bates’s house.

I’ve been talking with my cat neighbors about this peculiar human habit, and we can’t understand it. We’re going to have to call an anthropologist or psychiatrist to explain this custom to us. Although, something tells me there is no good explanation. Would you want to hang my head on the wall? How about my friend Fiero’s head?

Y’know, you can buy a picture of the entire animal, not just the head. I guarantee the picture will look a lot better than a creepy moose head with glued-on glass eyes.

Prepare to be inspired!

Let me tell you about my friend, Bear. Despite his name and some ursine features, Bear is a dog, and a very admirable dog, at that. His owner, a member of our board, adopted him last year in January from Gentle Giants Rescue of Norco California. Bear was fortunate to have found such a loving and committed owner because he needed lots of help. He had allergies, a worsening limp and his fur had all but disappeared. Thanks to some very talented veterinarians, Bear’s health problems are behind him, and, as you can see from his pictures, he now enjoys excellent health.

space

Bear hasn’t forgotten his struggles along the road back to good health, so his owner and he have decided to help others who might need their spirits lifted by joining the Love on 4 Paws program. Through the program, Bear and his owner travel to hospitals, schools and nursing homes spreading the kind of good cheer only a big furry dog can provide. (Love on 4 Paws is located in Los Angeles and works exclusively within the greater Los Angeles area.) Bear doesn’t do many tricks, but he doesn’t need to. When you’re as fluffy and loveable as Bear, all you have to do is show up. Everybody loves him, and how could you not?

Bear says the toughest part of the job is slippery floors. His feet are great for traversing the rocky terrain of the Pyrenees Mountains where his ancestors lived; however, linoleum is a different story. He sits for lots of pictures with kids, but because his paws can’t get traction on the slick tiles his front paws slide out from under him and he flops on his belly. He gets embarrassed, but everyone else finds it’s hilarious. Personally, I think that qualifies as a trick.

Bear is a rescued dog who now helps others. I think we can all learn a lot from him. Thanks, Bear. Keep up the good work!

So many trees, so little time...

I got an email today from my girlfriend Tilly. It was so nice to catch up with her. Talking to Tilly reminded me of the lovely event we held jointly last October with Old Westbury Gardens. It seems like such a long time ago. Well, in dog years it's already been over a year ago. We dubbed it "Dogs in the Gardens." The grounds of Old Westbury Gardens are just breathtaking. Tilly and I had a wonderful time running around the estate. As you can see from the photo, Tilly is quite an outdoor girl.

Willis takes a bath!

For a dog, grooming isn't about vanity; it's a health issue (although I do like to look my best). So many dogs have skin problems, and because we're covered in fur people frequently miss the warning signs of skin problems. We can suffer from fleas, tick bites, rashes and on and on. The summer is especially hard on a dog's skin. When it's hot out we can develop hot spots, which are very painful.

Here at the Society, my dear friend gives the other pups around here and me our weekly bath. To be commercial for a second, my favorite shampoo is Les Poochs. It smells so nice, it's good for my skin and my fur looks great after using it.

Dogs need their nails to be kept trim, as well. When our nails grow too long, we are forced to walk flat footed, and walking flat footed causes us to have back problems. But cut our nails too short and you can hit the quick, so please, be careful! If you should ever have any trepidation about doing this, please consult your veterinarian.

Remember, a clean dog is a healthy dog!

Discussing the darker side of the Olympics

After reading this article, I am so over the Beijing Olympics.

China is cleaning up Beijing to host the Olympics, but they have a very strange idea about what “cleaning” means. Apparently, they think it means getting rid of cats because that’s what they’re doing. I'm surrounded by cats twenty-four hours a day, and as far as I can tell, they spend most of there time cleaning themselves. They're the cleanest animals I have ever met.

I told my friend, Fiero (he’s the cat I’m talking to in the picture), that the Chinese government was taking cats away from their owners. He was furious. He started shouting, “Let me at ’em!” Fiero can be a hothead sometimes. I had to explain to him that China is pretty far away.

It wasn't too long ago that the Chinese government was trying to get rid of dogs. Who would want to live in a country with no dogs? But people all around the world made lots of noise and the Chinese government had no choice but to stop taking dogs away from their owners.
Looks like it's time to start making some noise again!

I’m definitely not buying any 2008 Olympics merchandise. I don’t think it’s clean.

Pills Away!

My personal physician gives me my monthly heartworm pill. She’s so funny – she always tells me it’s a “cookie for being such a good boy”. They think I wouldn’t take it if I thought it was medicine. Aren’t they silly? They’re delicious! I overheard them say that if I didn’t take my heartworm pill and an infected mosquito bit me (ouch), I could get very sick. One day they’ll probably figure out a way to give the mosquito a “cookie” and I won’t get to have my chewable treat. But I hope not – they’re even tastier than the stack of post-its that I tried to eat earlier! They always take the fun stuff like that away before I can swallow it. A guy can’t get a break these days…

Willis reflecting..................

Have you seen the March issue of National Geographic? National Geographic is one of my favorite magazines! The current issue’s cover story is titled “Animal Minds.” I found the article fascinating, and I encourage all my friends to check it out.

Before you take that bite, think about the journey the animal took to your table.

I know the feeling. You’ve been hungry all day. It’s dinnertime, and all you can think about is taking that first bite. I’m the same way; nothing focuses my mind like the smell of free-range, organic chicken in the building. But wait! Before I eat, I try to think about how that meat got on my plate. We all know meat, like money, doesn’t grow on trees. Meat comes from animals, animals like you and me. But a lot of people don’t realize how poorly these animals are treated. Would I want to be stuck in a crate so small I couldn’t turn around? Would I want to be fed bland food that was full of strange chemicals? No way! But many of my cow, hog and chicken friends have to live like that every day. If an animal gives its life for our nourishment, I think it deserves our respect and care.

There are some things we can do to help our friends on the farm. I make sure that all the meat I eat is free-range and organic. Organic farmers let their animals behave like animals; they can walk around, chat with each other, the chickens can flap their wings, the hogs can role around in the mud. Also, it’s a good idea to pay attention to the news. New bills are always being proposed to improve living conditions on farms, and it is up to us to make sure that these bills get enough support to become laws. A good example of this is the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act that is going to be voted on this year in California. Being a dog and a New Yorker, I can’t vote in this one, but maybe you can. If this bill passes, a lot of animals are going to be much happier.

OK, now that I’ve said my piece, it’s chicken time! I mean free-range, organic chicken time!

The Society Page

Big news! I'm rubbing elbows with the stars. Chloe and Louis are visiting me today. For those of you who don't follow the theater, Chloe and Louis are currently starring in Broadway's "Legally Blonde." When I met them a few months ago, I was a bit star struck, but they are so easygoing. Now, we're old friends. (FYI! Like me, they were rescued dogs!)
They're playing bulldogs, which isn't too hard for them. They were a little concerned about being typecast. I told them not to worry; there are lots of good roles for jowly comedic actors. Rodney Dangerfield had a great career!

They have to leave soon as they have a show tonight, but let's all wish them the best of luck, or as they say in theater, BREAK A LEG!

GREETINGS!

Hi my name is Willis and I'm an observer of life. In case you couldn't tell by my picture, I'm a dog, a small one. But don't let my size fool you; I have a lot to say. I'm a little eccentric, but who isn't? For instance, some of my best friends are cats. In fact, I care about all animals, from hamsters to blue whales and everything in between (yes, humans included). I'm starting this blog because I want to share some of my thoughts and opinions with you. I'm friends with many veterinarians, so I can give expert advice about pet care, and I'm always checking the news for stories about animal welfare. If you have a pet or care about animals, please stop by my blog and visit; I'm sure you will find plenty to interest you.