Sun - July 11, 2004

CHAD RETURNS. LOOK OUT, FLORIDA.

They're dogs. They're dead. And they're racing for The White House.

Campaign poster and animation courtesy Graphomania

DOG THE VOTE 2004
Just when it looked as though the American political arena had settled on its 2004 presidential combatants, another duo has stepped into the fray.
Two deceased wire fox terriers decide they still have some bones to pick with the way the country is being run.
Chad Thomas (he lived in Washington State) and Olivia Galvani (she lived in Italy) appear before us for an exclusive interview.

Nigel: Hi, Chad and Olivia ... What do you say to those who wonder why dogs have entered the presidential race?
Chad: Hi, Nigel. Oh, I don't have anything to say to those people. They wouldn't have the imagination necessary to conjure me up. What's the point?
Olivia: Yes, Nigel. It is good to meet you. It is enough that we enter the race. We are dogs. We like to run and we run well. We will win.
Nigel: What do you say to those who would argue that you are dead and ineligible?
Chad: The closed-mind types? Oh, I wouldn't bother arguing with them. We're dead. A minor point.
Olivia: If anything, it means that we will not need the health insurance coverage when we are elected. Of course, we would like for all Americans to have decent health care.
Chad: Green beans for everyone. Green beans are the secret to a happy life. There's no denying it.
Nigel: Chad, Bush and Kerry both have military experience. It varies a great deal, but ...technically, they've both served the military. What about you?
Chad: Senator Kerry has the medals . Bush, well, those records are in tatters. Destroyed? Missing? Who knows? I have an assortment of dog tags. I've served. You bet.
Olivia: I have jewelry!
Chad: Nigel, the American people need to know this: Olivia and I are for green beans, free health care. full taxation of large corporations, Paul Newman as Secretary of the Treasury and an end to all puppy mills, commercial breeders and animals sold in pet stores. We have nothing to lose. We're dead, but we're watching over. That is the message we have for the American people.
Nigel: That's very clear.
Olivia: Chad is correct. We are very direct. We have all our needs taken care of and there is nothing selfish about this. We want to help people and animals. That is what life is about, helping others.
Chad: There are many struggles going on in America right now. It's life or death time ... we're dead, but we know something about life. You can count on us.
Time for us to go, Nigel. The Green Beans have spoken.
Nigel: Thank you, Chad and Olivia. Good luck on the campaign trail.
Chad: Thank you, Nigel ... where's my hat?

Posted at 06:36 PM      

Thu - April 22, 2004

We tip our hats to you, good friend

Nobody else quite like him....

Our paws flail at the keyboard, our heads bent, tears in our eyes ...
Yes, we are tough little wire fox terriers, but sorrow has found a way to gnaw at us.
Our of our best left us yesterday.
Chad Thomas surrendered to Autoimmune hemolytic anemia and Pancreatitis. He put up a good fight, as only a wire fox can.
He was always gracious to us, giving interviews and encouraging us in our work.
Not everyone believes that dogs can write and work and create. Some even doubt that a little dog could be the head of a philanthropic organization that makes and donates clothing and toys for pets and rescue dogs.
Those people have no vision and don't believe in the magic that occurs when the right dog bonds with just the right person.
Oh, to read one of Chad's clever notes, his biting asides ... His warmth made the world of computers and the Internet an inviting place, full of terrier tales of played-out stuffed animals and mischief.
We think there was a bit of the Irishman in Chad.

From the beginning, Chad encouraged us in our efforts. Wisdom came readily to him, as did humility and bonhomie.
He first agreed to grace our site last August, and gave a marvelous interview about his origins and his line of goods. He told us the story of ChadsRags.


A friend- and kinship was born.
No one else was like Chad. He wore a hat like no other dog could, and wore his arthritic and injured legs like badges of courage. He never failed to forget a birthday, or send a compliment along ...
He brightened many of our days with his wry comments and unique style.
You see the photo of him wearing one of his hats? Notice its angle, the way it tips slightly but still proudly sits on top, ready to survey the world.
That was our pal Chad.
Stalwart, on top of his game, but always ready to play and tease. What a way he had.

He appeared on the scene in the most dramatic way.
Driving around Washington, from out of state, his people placed him in the back of their pickup truck.
They should have known better.
Chad fell out of the truck and onto the road. He was badly injured. His people took him to a vet to be put to sleep. Taking a look at the determination on Chad's face, the vet decided otherwise. Chad set about mending his broken legs, with much help from the vet and from the local rescue people.
Eventually, fate placed Chad into the arms of Pat, and their chemistry blazed fires through the terrier world.
Chad, and ChadsRags, became one and the same.

After our last interview with Chad, he served his ChadsRags assistant Miss Bunny some carrots for lunch. Very thoughtful, and what a smile on his face!

Chad was 10 and had spent three wonderful years with his mom, when the next challenge arrived. He fought valiantly, and in time knew the battle was well beyond him. With bravery and compassion for those who loved him, he wrote a farewell letter, put on his hat, and left on his final journey.
He left in the arms of Pat.
There is much grief in our terrier world today. For such a great joy, we concede some form of payment in sorrow.
That's not what Chad would wish, but we pay our respects to his spirit and the riotous path of life he blazed upon the earth.
Our pal Chad. What a way he had.
--Gimlet and Nigel

Posted at 08:51 AM      

Sun - April 4, 2004

THE VERY IMAGE OF A MODERN CORPORATE CANINE

We're on a tour with the dog d'jour

A thriving corporate empire, offering quality goods of refined taste for our enjoyment, located in the beautiful and hip Pacific Northwest ...
Are we talking about Starbucks ? No. This corporation is one of pure philanthropy and no financial gain. That lets out Starbucks. We're talking about Chadsrags . We're going behind-the-scenes and taking a tour of the crocheted empire with Chad himself.
--Nigel

Nigel: Here we are at the entrance. I see security.
Gimlet: I see a gnome.
Chad: That's Monty, our head of security.

Photos courtesy ChadsRags.

Nigel: I guess that's a good security idea, because that's scary.
Chad: As you'll see,this is a large undertaking, although we have a homey decor. We make crocheted hats, jumpers and FauxFoofies for many, many dogs. We have a large staff and we can't be too careful.
Let's go inside and meet my assistant, Miss Bunny.


Don't let the light pink exterior fool you. Miss Bunny is one tough cookie.

Chad: Miss Bunny, a tour of journalists coming through. Please hold all my calls, and send out reminders to the rescue groups that we're there for them whenever they need to outfit a new recruit.
Miss Bunny: (Nods.)
Nigel: Miss Bunny is very reserved.
Chad: Oh, she can still squeak. She's the only one of my toys that can. I have an unfortunate habit of shaking them until their squeakers pop out. I can't help myself.
Gimlet: Don't let Dominick Dunne find out about that, Chad. We're wire fox terriers, and we know that shaking toys to near-death is a common practice, but ... your general public isn't in on that secret.
Nigel: May we see what goes into your yarn selection, Chad?


ChadsRags uses only top-of-the-line yarns.

Chad: Of course! Here we are with some of the yarn that I select, with some help from my CEO.
Nigel: CEO?
Chad: We'll get to that later. Now that you've seen how I select yarn, how about grabbing some lunch and meeting some of the staff?
Chad: Here are my toys. I love each and every one of them. I loved them even more when they squeaked.
Nigel: You may have set a record with squeak kills, Chad.
Gimlet: Oh, yes. Impressive!



Chad: Time for that hot dog!
Nigel: How much time goes into one of your creations? They 're very clever, and have lots of detail.


Chad enjoys a hot dog ... or is it a toy? He indulges in both!

Chad: Well, it takes me a while to actually select the yarn, and the color combination. That has to be my touch, my contribution. Then one of my staff goes into crocheting ... my best crocheter likes to watch television while she works. I would say she may be able to crochet a foofie during two Law & Orders, but I would have to check on that.
Nigel: Where is your staff?
Chad: Follow me. Be careful. They can get a little frisky.



Chad addresses some of the staff ...Hope they're union.

Gimlet: What about your creative team? Your designers? How do you treat the talent?
Chad: Oh, they're in the employee lounge. Come on, I'll introduce you to some of them.


Chad and some of his creative team ... ChadsRags is an equal opportunity employer.

Gimlet: You're a rescue like Nigel, aren't you, Chad? You've done very well for yourself, and I applaud you for donating all your time and hard work to outfitting rescues and other pets. It's unbelievable in this day and age, but some people have a bias toward rescues.


Creations from ChadsRags: jumpers, Foofies and
other boutique items.

Nigel: They deserve a good biting.
Chad: Biting is too good for them. They know who they are!
Gimlet: I would like to meet your CEO, Chad. Just who is the Canine Executive Officer? Who is the other wire fox terrier behind ChadsRags?
Chad: Here she is now ...


Pat, CEO of ChadsRags, and Chad model some of their signature line of ChadsChapeaus.

Nigel: Chad, this is quite unusual. We seldom feature two-leggers on Mr. Doodle's Dog. But you two are a creative legend in the wire fox terrier world, and we're sure there will be a lot of interest in your unique partnership.
Gimlet: Love those hats!
Chad: My mom is my CEO and my best friend. No doubt about it. I just wish she wasn't on the computer so much.
Nigel: Thank you for the tour, Chad. Let us know when you offer stock in the company.
Chad: My pleasure. You're very welcome. And you dogs out there, if you're in the market for a hat, a jumper or a foofie, just let the Doodle Dogs know. They'll get word to me.
Nigel: You bet we will.

Posted at 12:18 PM      

Thu - February 26, 2004

Foo We Can Chew

A box of goodies arrives from ChadsRags

Photo by Joe the Cat
Gimlet zeroes in on the Faux-Foofies.

We're having a foofulous time of it!
A box of Faux-Foofies and Flying Dog Discs from Chadsrags arrived in the mail today. They came all the way from Washington State, which happens to be one of our favorite places.
And Chad happens to be one stellar businessdog.
The FFs are cool ... glorious bits of colored yarn, crocheted in an indestructible pattern that baffles even the wiliest terrier...


Joe the Cat gives his curiosity over the Faux-Foofies free reign.

or inquisitive cat...
We're going to have a round of disc throwing tonight.
That Chad ... his line of crocheted items includes his signature collars and hats, and now the Faux-Foofie and the Flying Dog Discs are taking off.
He's a one-dog economy and an inspiration to the rest of us. Because, like Paul Newman, Chad does it all for the greater good. He donates all his time and creations to all us dogs and cats. His philanthropy and altruism are unmatched.
Chad is one cool guy.


Photo courtesy of Chadsrags.
Chad models his Limerick Green hat.

Thanks, Chad, for the box of goodies and all your good works! You're a credit to Wire Fox Terriers everywhere!

Posted at 09:05 AM      

Sun - August 17, 2003

Touché Crochet

Hanging with Chad.

Chad, inspiration and bon vivant of Chadsrags, sporting
a hat and jumper from his signature line of canine apparel.

Mr. Doodle's Dog is a member of YahooGroups Loving the Wire Fox Terrier. That's where we met up with Chad, who consented to a chat:

Nigel: You're a big name on the Internet terrier groups. Everyone seems to know you.
Chad: Really? Maybe it's my work they know ... Chadsrags.
Nigel: Yes, your jumpers, or what some refer to as bandanas, are the rage. I like the one you're wearing.
Chad: Thank you. Chadsrags came about because my human, Pat, will only sit still to crochet. So in order to get her to spend more time with me, I encouraged her to crochet jumpers and collars. We send them to rescue dogs as they head out to their permanent homes. We send them to friends who request them, too.
Nigel: That's good of you. I was a rescue.
Chad: So was I. I'm hazy on the details, but I was told that ny people and I were on a trip, traveling in a pickup. Wouldn't you know I fell out and was taken to a vet to be ... put to sleep! I was just left there. But the vet saw my determination and helped me through a long convalescence. Then I went into rescue where Pat found me. She had recently been widowed and so the timing was right for both of us. I have medical problems, such as some hind leg difficulties and pancreatitis, but it's nothing we can't deal with.
Nigel: Amazing. Don't people know not to put dogs, especially terriers, in the backs of pickups? There ought to be a law ...
Chad: There are laws ... don't get me started.
Nigel: How long have you been with Pat?
Chad: Three years. She's coming along nicely.
Nigel: Her crochet design and work is beautiful.
Chad: Yes, it is. I am her inspiration and driving force. Sometimes her attention wanders to the computer and elsewhere, but I can usually help her focus on the crocheting.
Nigel: You have a reputation as being somewhat of a ladies man. Any truth to that?
Chad: You know how those things go.
Nigel: Understood ... I like the hat you're wearing. Is it new?
Chad: Thank you. Yes, it is.
Nigel: It was great of you to sit down and chat with us. Before you leave, could you show us a few jumpers from Chadsrags?
Chad: It was my pleasure. Here are some of my favorite designs.


Nigel: Where can dogs reach you if they'd like one of your creations -- collar, jumper or perhaps a hat?
Chad: They can e-mail Pat or me at patt@isomedia.com. We crochet for all kinds of dogs, not just terriers.
Nigel: Thanks, Chad.

Posted at 09:52 AM      

Sun - July 27, 2003

Harvey has style

Harvey, a wire fox terrier from Virginia Beach, Virginia, is brimming with panache.

Harvey is a wire with class.
Harvey, who lives with his family in Virginia Beach, Va., is recuperating at home from a recent operation.
Medical care can be expensive. The word went out earlier this month on several Internet fox terrier lists that former rescue Harvey needed a kidney operation. Many people responded and Harvey received the medical care he needed. During the past few days, Harvey's thank you notes have been finding their way to homes all over the country. With each note, Harvey includes a photo of himself wearing a fedora.
Harvey, we've never seen a hat tilted with such verve.
We hope your recovery is speedy.

Posted at 12:36 PM      

Mon - June 23, 2003

Nigel's Topper

Nigel returns from a round of slogging the park trails. He's ahead of the crowd.

Nigel braved fire ants, washed-out trails, incessant photography, mosquitoes and angry squirrels on his trek through the swampy park.
He returns a very tired terrier.
Tired but well-outfitted. Nigel sports a protective topper.

Posted at 02:34 PM      

Sat - June 21, 2003

Fez Up

Mr. Doodle's Dog tosses a hat in the ring.

There have been some heady goings-on at Jeff Houck's Side Salad . Jeff is interested in the effect of sombreros upon journalist's heads, so he's developed what he's termed "The Sombrero Project." He and the sombrero have been working their way through the Tampa Tribune's newsroom.

We at Mr. Doodle's Dog begin an ongoing investigation of the effects of canines sporting head accessories.

Dogs wearing de trop headgear

Watch for future developments.

Posted at 07:26 PM      

Wed - June 18, 2003

May we join your party?

We're out to have a good time and ready to enjoy the party. May we join you?

There's no one more democratic than a dog. We like almost everyone and are not adverse to donning headgear.
And there's no one more personable and inventive than the Tampa Tribune's Jeff Houck. Have you ever been to Jeff's Side Salad? You should take time to visit. He may insist you do something silly.
We have not been able to dig up a photo of Jeff. Until we do, here's a dog sporting a Jeff-inspired sombrero.



Lots of dogs have been named Skippy; but how many business reporters do you know with that name? A two-legged Skippy (aka Dave Simanoff) is the proprietor of The Daily Dave . The Dave is pure anarchy and ribald fun, and is dedicated to the annoyance and hindrance of PHBs everywhere. Here's Dave now (note that the internet adds ten pounds):


Thanks to both Jeff and Dave for all their blogging advice and encouragement.

Posted at 08:24 AM