DORA SAYS: I HOPE WHEN I WAKE UP, THIS OUTFIT WAS JUST A REALLY BAD DREAM....

Just for a change, I was actually looking forward to hanging out with Dad last weekend.

Mum is heading overseas for a few months, over to Belgium, and I would be seeing her for two weeks straight before she jumps on the plane. We are all going to miss her, but she will be back soon and she can always call, and I'll just slobber on the phone. Perhaps I could talk Dad into videoconferencing, but I doubt he'd have the IT skills to manage it.....

Anyway, I arrived and just laughed as I brushed past the pink kids tent they got me, and licked my chops a few times to guilt out some tasty liver treats to eat.....I was looking forward to a relaxing time with the silly humans running after me, as they always do..

Aunty Rosie headed out the shops and came back with a surprise. She was very excited as she unwrapped it.......

DORA SAYS: ROSIE - OH NO, NO, NO..........................

As you can probably imagine and I am sure can tell from my photo, I didn't exactly share her enthusiasm.......

Now I could say there's no accounting for taste, particularly as she has just brought a house with an acqa blue kitchen, but as Dad always says, it's the thought that counts...

Rosie - next time, hold the thought...please!

More soon.

Dora Do Dog

Getting Dad out of bed on Sunday morning (ah, afternoon) can be a real challenge.

Last night we headed over to Uncle Brent's and Aunty Siew We's place at Pyrmont for a summer BBQ, and I think Dad enjoyed a few too many glasses of red wine (and a few cognacs). He looked a bit green around the gills this morning when I told him it was time to wake up and enjoy life.

It probably didn't help that I licked his face and climbed on his chest when he was in this condition, but he got up pretty promptly.

DORA SAYS: GET UP DAD, IT'S AFTERNOON NOW!

After dragging himself out of bed, he looked a sorry sight and sort of just slumped on the lounge, but after I sat at the front door wagging my tail to make him feel guilty, he jumped in the shower and we were all ready to hit the town.

As we are moving a few kilometers out of the inner city to a pet friendly place next weekend, I thought I should lead him and Aunty Rosie on a tour of historic Sydney while we had the chance.

We headed down to the Rocks for a stroll, and had a late lunch (early dinner?) at the Rocks Cafe. They had four or five tables outside on George Street, and had a nice lunch - Dad had lasagne or something like that, and it tasted pretty good. A lot better than that kibble stuff I had for breakfast.

DORA SAYS: 183 METRES LONG, 120 METRES WIDE, SUPPORTED ON 580 CONCRETE PIERS, USES ENOUGH ELECTRICITY TO SUPPORT A TOWN OF 25,000 PEOPLE AND IS COVERED BY 1.056 MILLION GLOSSY WHITE & MATTE CREAM SWEDISH TILES. WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE OPERA HOUSE DAD?

After that we strolled around Circular Quay and checked out the Opera House, then backtracked over the Cahill Walk and through the Rocks Market to Walsh Bay.

DORA SAYS: SIX MILLION RIVETS, 53,000 TONNES OF STEEL BUT VERY SCARY FIREWORKS ON NEW YEARS EVE....

Under the Sydney Harbour Bridge I managed to get Dad to part with a few bucks to get me an ice cream. 

He obviously wasn't real keen on repeating last weekend's effort by giving me first crack at at, so he ate the first half and left me the dregs.

Must say, I wasn't overly happy at this arrangement, but as I didn't have enough brass on me to buy another, I finished the rest.

MINE AND MINE ALONE TODAY DAD!

Plenty of wedding parties were taking photos under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I was keen to go over and give the bride and groom a big sloppy congratulatory kiss, but Rosie thought that my ice-creamed chin on a pristine wedding dress wouldn't be greatly appreciated, so I just gave them a bark instead.

Met up with a few other doggies along our walk, and we shared the puppy love!

Dad looked pretty worn out by the time we got back - I don't think he really wanted a five kilometer walk with a hangover, but he needs the exercise (to lose the double chin).

Back to Mum tonight - enuff of Dad for a week since I'll be with him and Rosie full-time from the 30th November. 

After recovering from the shock of being confronted last night by the neon pink children's tent (mmm..don't go there) that Aunty Rosie brought me, I dragged Dad and Rosie out to Paddington today for a spot of retail pet therapy.

THANKS FOR THINKING OF ME ROSIE - BUT I AM A DOG, NOT A KID - AND I'M NOT GIRLY ENUFF FOR NEON PINK!

A nice Chinese lady gave me some liver treats while I was waiting for Dad from finishing shopping on Oxford Street - I wondered why she had dog treats in her pocket, despite not having a dog with her - maybe it's a new human pick up line - cute doggy, can I give them a liver treat? Only in Sydney!

We then had a snack at Cafe Brioni on Oxford Street, and then strolled around Paddington Markets.

We met up with Sergio and Eva from Sergio Gustavo, whose funky designer shirts for dogs are available every Saturday at the Paddington Markets. Max, their cute Jack Russell, was there as well - we had a sniff and play. Dad brought me another shirt (that you'll see modelled later in this post), to go with the other great ones we have brought from Sergio Gustavo over the last few years. Sergio and Eva are soon to be going online with their new website in the next couple of weeks - good luck, and we'll be sure to let you know when the site goes live. Their doggy couture is Armani for dogs!

After my need for retail therapy was sated, we headed over to Centennial Park, so I could lead Rosie and Dad around for their daily exercise routine. Dad needed plenty of poppy breaks (rest stops) since he's getting a bit long in the tooth, so we stopped at the Pond and checked out some friendly ducks. 

EVERYONE NOW KNOWS WHO THE BOSS MUTT IS - THANKS TO MY NEW OUTFIT FROM SERGIO GUSTAVO DOGGY DESIGNS!

Dad, having recovered from some exercise, then started munching on an ice cream. He managed a few bites before I got into it. 74 licks later, I offered what was left back to him. He headed back to the shop to get another!

THANKS DAD - I'M FINISHED NOW - YOU CAN HAVE THE REST!

All in all a great dog's day out - catch up with you soon.

Dora  

1. Thou shall always feed me premium meat cuts, rather than kibble!
2. Stick to what you know best - following me around on a leash and running after me when I want something!
3. If you actually want me to clean my teeth with a toothbrush (a rather foreign object for us dogs, bones would be much better), at least put something tasty on it first. Pleazzzzzzzzzz!
4. Confucious say, Man who watches dog for living wind up with wet duvet. Dora say, Dad who treads in dog poo is a moron.
5. Like me circling a tree, what goes around comes around - many times. 
6. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on you again - after all, I am a dog.
7. If you want to dress me up in doggy clothes - thats OK - just as long as you save me from wearing that silly apricot dress Aunty Rosie got me. Oh, and I don't really want to live in the neon pink kids tent either!
8. Give me hugs and pats - you know I deserve them.
9. Talk to me like a baby in front of your friends - it makes me giggle.
10. Know that I will always be your best friend, despite your many flaws!

YEAH DAD, YOU KNOW WHO'S THE BOSS! 

Best

Dora Do Dog :)