Sashaying around town

When Herself and I go for a walk, I like to do it in style, first and foremost, and then in comfort.

I, with a little delicate neck, always found collars to be uncomfortable. However, I do have one collar that is black with rhinestones, that's my dress up outfit. That's a keeper. A girl's best friend is her rhinestones.

But we are thinking of getting one of these collars. I find them colorful and deliciously comfortable. Check it out.

I like the sky blue one, but I hope nobody takes me for a guydog.

That's not me in the picture - she's a model. I'm building up your an-tic-i-pa-tion, before I show you my adorableness.

Going out, it's a beautiful day in Gotham.

~When I come back, I'll wait for you by the door~

T'was the day after Christmas

T'was the day after Christmas and all through the dog house, not a creature was stirring (better not) not even a mouse (are you kidding?).

Well, beautiful Christmas day is over. I love Christmas. I've been asking myself why I love it so much and decided it's because humans (and dogs, have you noticed) are just plain nicer to each other. Almost sweeter. That's got to be better for us all.

I made my list of "I would love to haves" and handed it off to Herself. She was very generous. I still have some she 'forgot' to get me, so I'm leaving the list around for my birthday in about a month. Hey, one of my very best traits is my persistence.

I'm wishing each of you and all those two and four-legged creatures in your lives, fun, treats, great clothes, a warm bed and love ... lots and lots of love.

Merry Christmas, y'all. (I've been watching Paula's cooking show).

Give a puppy for Christmas

I heard a friend of Herself ask "What should I give myself for Christmas"? Herself responded, without hesitation, "A puppy. Go buy one at a good home breeder or adopt one." The woman explained that she was going through a divorce and she needs something special. "Well then, quickly go get yourself a puppy", Herself repeated.

I agree wholeheartedly. Listen if this woman would ask me directly, I would definitely advise her to get a MALTESE puppy. I may be a bit prejudiced, but we are the perfect answer. Of course, there are a few things you should know about Malteses.

First of all, we don't need massive exercise everyday. Just a short walk about the "hood" or, in my case, a run down my hallway where I live. So if Herself's friend is not an outdoors adventurer, like Clara, one of my very best 2-legged friends, or a triathlonist or something extreme like that, then she would love our meditative ways.

We do love lots of company with our special human. Lots of affection taken and given. Lots of praise works wonders (it can get me to do anything). We listen intently, so if she needed to vent about "the ex." we'd listen and empathize. We'd even growl at some of what we were hearing. And if a few tears would fall, we'd be there jumping up and wanting to lick them away. We would crawl up unto her lap and curl around and stay there, letting her know that she is loved and adored. A Maltese puppy would be perfect for what she's going through now.

We're also great date-bait. We are so adorable that men fall at your feet as you walk around town. Honestly, it's happened. She needs that now, too. So, go buy a Maltese puppy for Christmas; it sounds like this woman needs major loving.

Incidentally, I've been very busy composing my letter to Santa Daugs cause I am trying to keep my requests below one hundred. Just kidding. More like 50. There are so many wonderful things out there - fabulous clothes and SHOES (a girl can never have too many shoes) it's hard to narrow it down. Don't you just love this time of year?

See you soon. I'll wait for you by the door.

It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas

Some of us can hit the high notes, some of us can't. I did sing along while I watched this from BadTV.com. Herself was laughing. I have a very strong voice but I hit the wrong notes most of the time, so I'll let my friend here sing, while I woof along to myself.

Woof woof woof,
woof woof woof,
woof woof woof woof woof.

A dog's taxi

I've seen these around town.

First I said, "What? That's the funniest thing I've seen since I saw my 3-month old sister, Harmony, get caught on top of the table and couldn't get down."

But ... I'm beginning to have second thoughts. I guess as one gets older and wiser, one has second thoughts about all kinds of things. Why, it's like having your own convertible to tool around town in.

I happen to Adore, with a capital "A", New York City taxis. I ache to get inside one. I think they are the cat's meow. (Hey, I believe in expanding my vocabulary to include all of God's creatures). But, this buggy will do in a pinch. Instead of a taxi, riding around in one of these would do the trick. Now if I could get one in New York Taxi yellow, it would be perfect. BTW, that's not me in there.

Prettyyoko.com has a remarkable assortment of really interesting and unusual items. I love looking through them. I sit on Herself's lap and check out the online stores and say to myself ... "that one", and "Oh, I really like that one", "no, not that one", "yes, that one, too." I'm not spoiled, really! Herself doesn't buy me tons of things, but I notice when she says something like, "that's adorable",or "you could use that", I usually wind up with it.

~I'll be at the door, waiting for you~

Dogs should be trained to have manners.

Hey fellow Dog New Yorkers, where are your manners???? Maybe I need to write The Mystical of Avalon Book of Manners for Dogs. Oh yes, many dogs are trained and have good manners, but there are slew of Dog New Yorkers who are really terrible. They're fresh, a bit crude and down right boorish some of them. Some of them don't even know the basics, like sit,stay,down for even, fetch. I mean not to run after a ball or your favorite toy and bring it back so you can run after it again ... Duh!!! How dense can a dog be. Get with the program. Shape up!

I seem to be very well-bred. Oh that's not to say that I didn't do things that I would be embarrassed to talk about in mixed company ... I don't think I have to spell it out to you, do I?? But Herself very gently with firmness "talked" me out of my childish ways. I learned to be paper trained, for example in record time. Now I will hold it in for hours till I get back home to my own bathroom and then 'look out' here it comes. I did make a few mis-placements when I was younger, but now, I'm just about perfect.

If you need immediate help, Daniel Stevens has written a terrific book to take your rough ways and make them smoooooth and downright charming. Any objection to being handsome or beautiful WITH manners? Check out Daniel's book and see if it fits beside your favorite bed near the fireplace. One of the best parts is about Dog Whispering. Sometimes, Herself just thinks my name, and I turn around to see what she wants. That's Dog Whispering ... it's an intuitive-thing between you and your human. You know, we are coming up to the New Year 2007 and it's time to learn to be well-trained and mannerly. Learn to sit and stay and fetch, and becoming fetching in the process. Check it out!

Tell you what! Maybe when we meet in Central Park on the hill one day, I'll be so impressed with how well you've shaped up after your training, that I'll be willing to share some of my other secrets with you. You know the saying, dogs of a feather flock together. Hummm. Somethings wrong with that saying. I don't have feathers, I don't even have fur,I have hair, long silky white hair. Well, I'll ask Herself and see what she says about dogs and feathers.

~I'll be waiting by the door for you~

What this Dog is thankful for?

I've been thinking how much I have to be grateful for.

There's Herself. My human Mommy. She loves me, takes care of me, frets over me when my sensitive tummy acts up, plays with me ... my favorite time of the day!! We have a special bond that I can't really put into words. You would have to see how I look at her sometimes. "The look of love, is in my eyes". Isn't that a Bachrach song. She makes me feel safe and content and happy ... there's nothing better than that.

There's my AuntJ, Herself's sister. She feels exactly the same as Herself about me and I have a wonderful, loving time with her, when I stay with her. She's really my second Mommy. I love her to bits and when I go down the street I look for her really hard till I see her and then I go running towards her really, really fast. It's sort of a scene out of the movie "10". Lots more to tell you about her as we talk.

There's terrific Graham. He's seven now, and I remember when I first met him. I knew we would be friends forever. I make him giggle. I love to hear him giggle. He's so smart. I can hear his brain spinning around, figuring things out. I have hyper-hearing so I hear really special things like spinning brains and stifled tears.

Graham has a sweet heart. I know when a human has a good heart. Sometimes humans hide who they really are for all kinds of silly reasons, but they shouldn't. We should always be who we are. Graham expresses himself is all kinds of ways. He throws his head back and laughs without holding back. He looks up at the architecture of buildings and notices the difference in them, he plays chess, really well. I'd love to play chess with him. Maybe if they made the chess pieces out of treats I would pay attention and know what piece goes where...or maybe I would just bite the head off the King and the game would be over. He's also wise. You know, that old wise that comes from many previous lives. His truly beautiful Mommy, Allison, Herself's daughter and Dad, Graham,Sr are the soul of Graham's life.

Then there are my other 2-legged friends. Many live on the same floor as I do. They come out and play with me. (Don't tell anyone ... this is a secret but I run in the long hallway with my toy in my mouth with Herself twice a day in a snooty co-op building - all with the silent agreement of my neighbors) . Although I'm very quiet, sometimes one of my human friends comes out of their apartments and we are happy to see each other and we play for a while. There's Elaine and Bud, I love them both a whole lot. They have a beautiful granddaughter, Samantha. She's about 11, I think. We have play-dates when she comes to town. More about her later. There's Jamie(she gets down on the floor and I plop down on her lap and she gives me the best back rubs). There's Rachel, we grew up together. She did a show and tell at her school once about me, she brought my baby pictures when I could fit in the palm of a hand. (Hey! she made me a star in front of an audience). There's Cindy and Steve, two of the nicest neighbors I could have. I go barging into their apartment whenever they open the door, looking for Rachel or Aaron. There's Erika ... she's terrific, she's definitely one of my favs. There's Freida, we talk about intellectual things mostly, at least they sound that way to me. They all get my tail going, wildly. I loooove them all!!

I'm grateful for living here in New York ... there is so much excitement, and sounds, and lots of feet coming towards me as I walk around town.

I'm thankful for all my favorite places to lie down, and nap. The most important is Herself's lap. Perfect. While she works, I nap. Thank you, thank you, to Father Dog in Heaven who placed me here, on this speck of Mother Earth, with those I live with and those I play with and those yet to meet.

And ... I'm thankful thinking about all of you who will read my 'dlogg' and be my friends. Tell me about your doglife ... I want to hear. Herself will read what you write to me. I've given up on learning to read myself ... so she's agreed to read them to me. Need some advice? I've got plenty. And it's good stuff too. Because Malteses are a very old breed from Malta, lots of knowledge has been handed down from my ancestors, through the centuries ... so try me. Ask me anything.

Happy, happy, happy Thanksgiving to you all. Today I will have a little turkey and a quarter of an crisp apple, some bottled water and a good nap. When I feel this happy, the sides of my mouth curl up and I smile my contented smile. ;-)

I'll wait for you by the door~

A dog does it's thing

A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down.-Robert Benchley

(I turn around three times, plop down, review my day, thank God for my blessings, then a good deep sigh, close my beautiful black eyes and start my dreams!).

About me, part 2.

I am a svelte 4 pounds Maltese female with long legs and a come-hither look. When I look at myself in the mirror, I like what I see. And considering the oohs and aahs I get walking down the street, I must be hot, in an adorable way. My favorite doorman, in the building I live in in Manhattan, says "She is very feminine"and "If she were human, I would marry her". Besotted though he is, that's a bit much, don't you think?

I am five human years, ten months and 22 days old. Coming up on the "Big 6" the end of January. Let's see, that means I'll be 42 in human years. No wonder, wisdom is oozing out of me. One must have some years on her to do the wisdom-thing. BTW, is 42 the new 22 for us dogs as well?

Listen, I know humans think I'm adorable and 'want' me. But I haven't gotten a big head from all the compliments, because, (here comes some wisdom(HCSW)) you can lose perspective on life if you have too big an ego. Actually, my head is the size of a peach ... so how much ego could I fit in there, anyway???

People of all sizes, ages and sex fuss over me. Actually, if the truth be known, some of them make complete idiots of themselves. I have never heard such sounds coming out of the mouths of supposedly intelligent humans. And they say, we dogs don't make much sense with the sounds we make. What I especially like, though, is seeing the smiles on their faces as we walk toward each other. There needs to be more smiles in our lives. More hugs. More licks and yes, much more love. So come on over here. I sense you're in need a lick or two.

I'll be waiting for you by the door.

Who is Mystical, the New York Dog?

Ruff, ruff. Ruff ruff, ruff, rrrrruff!!!!! OK that's that.

I understand a lot of people-talk. So I'll speak your language. I'm no slouch. I'll talk to you in people-talk from now on. If something needs to be translated, my human (who's moving her fingertips over the keyboard as I dictate) will do it for me. OK?

Just call me Mystical. Not Misty or Mis or even, Miss Tickle, just Mystical. I think I prefer it because my name says a lot about me and my special talents.

I was named by Anne who was my first human mother. She bred me. China, my dog mom, who I most look like, was not inclined to feed me or my brother or sister, so Anne did, down on the kitchen floor in the wee hours of the morning, with a eye-dropper. It seemed to have worked, we grew. Thank you so very much Anne. I'll never forget you. I'll always love you. You are my very first encounter with human love and you have a most special place in my itsy heart. Hope to see you and China and Blue, my daddy, one day soon.

I was always an independent type. Going off to find quiet corners to lie down in and get away from the noise and confusion created by my frisky brother and sassy sister and cousins. I think I am more cerebral ... I observe, I think about things ... a dog needs some quiet to do those things. I need to focus. So, I go off to ruminate.

I didn't know it then but my forever human Mommy, (who I call "Herself") was waiting for me to get big enough to come live with her in New York City. Whoa! The difference of coming from quiet small town in Pennsylvania to the big City, fabulous New York, was mind-blowing. But lots more of that later. Believe me, I adjusted. I just love the Big Apple. That reminds me, I looooove apples...mostly Fujis. Maybe that's why. See, I told you I ruminate about things.

By the way, Herself and AuntJ (my new Aunt) came down to Philadelphia to get me from Anne, and on the way back to New York City on the train I peed on Herself's lap. Well .... first of all, I had never been on a train before, secondly, I hardly knew Herself, we just met and thirdly, I HAD TO PEE. But, even though Herself had to walk through Pennsylvania Station in the Big Apple with a big, wet patch on the front of her pants, SHE STILL KEPT ME AND LOVES ME. Don't you love it!

So I will be Dlogging here (that's what I call this) to give you my opinion from where I sit...which is mostly on Herself's lap or somewhere else real close by. I love curling up in her lap. It makes me feel safe.

I won't hold anything back. You know us dogs, we can't be phony, we show and tell you exactly how we feel at all times. No plotting or planning for us. Just living in the moment. Once we love you, that's it. No going back. You can't make us stop loving you once we start. Hey, maybe you should think about living like that yourselves. Live for today and look forward to tomorrow.

Well, that's it for my first post. See you tomorrow. I'll wait for you by the door and we'll talk. Oh, and I'd love it if you'd bring me a quarter of an apple. "Oh the crunch of it, the juice, slurp, slurp ... oh yes, yes, yes."