Sunday Writing Group

Today, I went with Mama to her writing group. It was at Snack's mommy's apartment in Midtown. Snack is a 12 pound Pekingese. (That's him on the left.) Snack's mommy, Leigh, is an editor at McGraw-Hill. 

I thought nobody was looking, but Mama caught me sneaking a bell pepper from the coffee table. Hee hee.  

This is a picture of me and Snack. He likes treats too. He's my bud. 

I've Discovered Falafel

We passed through Greenwich Village on our walk home today from Animal Haven. We were walking down Macdougal Street when I smelled something so delicious my nose started to twitch. I realized the smell was coming from some brown and green bits strewn on the ground. I stopped to investigate and before Mama knew what was happening, I popped one of the bits in my mouth. It was yummy. The brown part was crunchy, but the green part was moist and savory. I wanted to eat more, but Mama pulled me away. 

But I did make a mental note of the restaurant: Mamoun's Falafel. I'm going to go back there one day and eat all I want. Even though I'm a dog, I have a very developed palate. Good thing I live in New York City. 

Saturdays at Animal Haven

This is my friend, Ruby. I saw her today at the play group at Animal Haven. I think she's a beagle mix. She was rescued like me. I like to play with her. She smells good and is lots of fun to run around with.  

This is a sign that let's you know where to go for the doggy play group. Animal Haven is on Centre Street and Broome in Soho. It costs only $7 for the play group and it helps to support the pet shop.

That blurry black and white thing in the front of the picture is me. I ran around and played with everyone. It was fun. 

Oh, Happy Saturday

It's a bright and clear Saturday here in New York City. It's 30 degrees.  I know Mama's going to make me wear a jacket when I go outside. I hate putting on my jacket! But Mama says since I don't have a double layer of fur to keep me warm, I need to bundle up. (Let's hope she doesn't make me wear that one piece fleece bodysuit she bought for me; that thing is embarrassing.) 

Today is an extra happy day because I'm going to doggy playgroup in Soho. I get to run around and play with all kinds of dogs.  I wonder who will be there....

Should I Take the Doggie DNA Test?

Sometimes, I wonder where I came from and what I am. All I remember is wandering around the woods in Ohio by myself and being picked up by a human who took me to the local animal shelter. 

Most everybody agrees that I am probably Yorkshire terrier mixed with something else. My vet thinks I'm part Shih Tzu.  Other people think I'm part Miniature Schnauzer. My groomer, Joanne, thinks I've got some Chinese Crested in me because of the spots on my skin and my long legs. Somebody else was sure I was part broken-haired Jack Russell Terrier or Maltese. 

I could drive myself crazy wondering what I really am. Maybe I should take one of the doggie DNA tests.   

There's one test where I swab my cheek and send it into a lab. For about $60, they can tell me whether my DNA matches up with any of the fifty breeds that they can identify. 

Or I could take something called the Mars Wisdom Panel test at my vet's office. It costs $189 and covers 130 different breeds and says which of them are in my DNA. The only thing (besides how expensive it would be for Mama) is that it requires a blood sample and I hate needles (yick!). 

What do you think? Should I do it? Does it really matter what I am? 

Favorite Meatpacking Walk

Every morning, I go on a big walk with Mama. Sometimes, we leave the building and turn left to walk towards Union Square and around Gramercy Park. Other times, we turn right and walk a few blocks to the Hudson River, down to the Leroy Street dog run, back through West Village and home to Chelsea.

My favorite walk is through the Meatpacking District. It's grungy with murals, but has fancy stores too. There are good restaurants there, which means loads of yummy things to sniff and eat. 

Mama gets so upset when I pick food off the street! She'll make me spit it out. I've had to pass up perfectly good pieces of pizza crusts and delicious smelling bits of lamb shawarma.

I'm sneaky, though. One time, when Mama wasn't looking, I snitched a nice piece of prosciutto on the corner of Gansevoort and Washington Street. Another time, I gobbled down a scrumptious bit of brioche that still had a smudge of jam on it. 

I had a long pee on a fire hydrant in front of Pastis, and I thought to myself, "Jasper, we ain't in Ohio anymore."

I've Got a Girlfriend!

I met a really pretty Papillon the other night named Alice. (See, there's a picture of her, below.) Her long hair! That lovely tail! Wouldn't we make a cute couple? She was in my play group the other night. 

On Monday nights, Mama takes me to Biscuits & Bath in Greenwich Village to play with other dogs that are small like me. We run around and wrestle and have fun.

Usually, someone ends up taking a poo in the middle of the floor, and I like to sneak in a pee here and there.  

I've been going to Monday night play group for a couple of months, but never noticed Alice before. I heard her mommy say they live in Williamsburg. Alice's mommy is a painter. I wonder what my mommy does? Must remember to ask her...

Alice and I played around a little bit, but mostly I just stared at her. She pretended to ignore me, but I could tell she liked me. (I'm irresistible, according to Mama.) 

I hope I can play some more with Alice next Monday night!