Bangkok Street Dogs

What's that you say? 2012 Is Here?

2011-12-31T17:36:00.000-08:00

Did I hear you correctly? I thought I heard you say something about the New Year coming -- is it 2012?

Anyway, my name is Chuckie. I'm a three year old Labrador mix who used to live on the streets near Chatuchak market, but recently got adopted by a noodle vendor.

I'm not sure what the coming year will hold, but I do know that the one that just passed hasn't been all that great, for humans or for Bangkok street dogs. We've gone through a lot, but you know what? We survived it!

Thailand has had plenty of political storm clouds hanging over it this past year. We've also had literal storm clouds hanging over us and dumping epochal amounts of rain in our hinterland, which led to floods in Bangkok that the city's residents are still recovering from. For many, it was a disaster -- some people lost their homes, and other lost so much more. For these people, I pause a moment in remembrance, and to offer my condolences. After all, we dogs are your humans best friends.

We all hope the coming year is going to be better. Of course, we have no idea if that will be the case. But all we can do is keeping putting each foot, each paw in front of the other, marching together into 2012. I hope it's full of very good things for the people of Thailand, and for my street dog brethren.

Introducing Sea Lion

2011-12-01T21:23:00.001-08:00

This is my buddy Sea Lion. I gave him that nickname because out of all my friends, he's by far the one who most closely resembles an actual sea lion. As you can see from his collar, he's not a homeless dog. In fact, he could probably use a good extended diet. He lives in the market area around the Victory Monument and his owner is a noodle vendor.

This proximity is why Sea Lion is so fat -- he gobbles down people's leftover noodles all day long. His owner is usually busy, so it's easy for Sea Lion to shuffle around and do it without being noticed. When he's not doing that, he kind of just sits around and stares into space, thinking about the next food mission. And then he goes home every night, and comes back early the next morning.

OK, so I realize that Sea Lion looks pretty shiftless. Maybe even lazy. But he's a good listener, and while he doesn't talk much, what he does say has valuable insight about what's important to life. He's 4 years old, but wise way beyond his years.

Standing In The Shadows

2011-05-07T16:42:00.000-07:00

What's up? I'm Ivan, a 4 year old dog who lives in northern Bangkok. It's kind of hot today so I'm just chilling in the shadows, trying not to move around too much. If you've never been to Bangkok, it's damn hot this time of year and there's really no escaping it.

But the good news is, it's also mango season, and I can find tasty morsels of the fruit in pretty much any sidewalk trash can I go snuffling through. It's pretty awesome. The only thing that sucks is when there's also a durian shell in the trash can. Those things hurt like hell and I've had times where the spines stuck in my nose and snout. It doesn't tickle, trust me.

Anyway, I guess that's kind of like life, too. Meaning, even when there's good stuff going on, like mango season, there's also stuff you gotta watch out for. Living on the streets of Bangkok isn't easy but one thing I can say is that it's never boring.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find a nice shady spot to take a nap.

I'm Back After A Long Nap -- What'd I Miss?

2010-08-28T20:48:00.000-07:00

This is my good buddy Travis, who is famous for taking more naps per day than any other dog in Bangkok. He has not been diagnosed with canine narcolepsy, but more often than not you'll find him snoozing in the shadows on scorching Bangkok afternoons. It's just what he does.

For me, sleeping is kind of scary -- I guess it's that weird feeling of letting go that bothers me the most. Plus, I'm the kind of person who experiences life in gulps, instead of just sips, which means I don't like not being conscious.

That's why I have a lot of respect for Travis, he'll sleep for days on end, and when he wakes up, he doesn't seem particulaly interested in hearing about what he missed.

Julian the Bangkok Bus Stowaway

2010-02-10T18:00:00.000-08:00

Meeting Julian, a smiley little devil who's shown here waiting for a metro bus to come by so he can quietly sneak onto it, usually through the back door. Julian lives in the Asok district of the city, but he enjoys seeing other parts of the city as well, and he deserves a lot of credit for figuring out a way to make it happen.

Hiding out in the backs of buses is stressful, but the people Julian meets along the way are pretty nice, and he's made a lot of friends. That's why he looks so happy in this photo -- he's looking forward to hopping on the #23 bus and making some new acquaintances.

Mickey the Accidental Paw Print Artist

2010-01-23T13:33:00.000-08:00

Hey, I'm Mickey, a 2 year old Labrador Retriever who's got some other mixed canine heritage too, just not sure what. It doesn't matter much to me though. I just like hanging out, smiling, and thinking about stuff. Not too much though, my momma told me once that too much thinking can get you in trouble.

I do wish I had thought a little bit before walking into that wet cement though. Lucky for me, I only stepped into it with my right paw before I realized what was going on. It's kind of embarrassing, and other dogs have been teasing me about it, but it's supposed to rain this evening and that should wash off most of it.

Wanna know the really cool thing? My paw print will be in that sidewalk forever. Well, maybe not forever. There isn't anything in life that's forever. Let's just say that paw print will be there for quite a while. And I'm OK with that.

Heidi the Therapy Hound

2010-01-17T11:50:00.000-08:00

Meet Heidi, a 3.5 year old dog who loves spending time in Bangkok pharmacies peforming a variety of tasks for which she receives no payment other than peoples' smiles. Heidi is what's known as a therapy dog, an animal that greets customers as they arrive and helps them figure out what purchases to make.

Heidi is an independent analyst with vast knowledge of various pharmaceutical products. Because she's not beholden to any one drug manufacturer, Heidi can provide objective recommendations. That's a rare commodity in a time when drug companies seem to hold all the cards.

Shoppers love the unwaveringly friendly attitude that Heidi exhibits, and her services are in demand in many different parts of the Thai capital.

Come On Now, Let's Have A Kiss

2009-12-31T12:35:00.000-08:00

My, what a romantic evening. The stars, the moon, and the clouds in the sky seem to all be aligned in the most picturesque possible way. Damn, it's stunning!

In light of this confluence of undeniable beauty, I was hoping you might give me a kiss. Yes, right now. You heard me, girlfriend.

What's that you say? You've got a headache? Yea, never heard that one before. Pretty original. Sorry babe, that excuse ain't gonna fly.

Here's how it's going to go down: We're going to smooch romantically under this sparkling canopy of stars, or I'm going to bite you. Playfully, of course, but with enough channeled intensity to hopefully sweep you off your paws. It's going to tickle, too. Your call.

Meet Hank The Softie

2009-09-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like you to meet Hank, a 1.5 year old hound who's just one of the most sentimental fellows you'll ever come across.

Kind. Gentle. Caring. These are all adjectives that apply to Hank, although he's so humble that he always runs away and hides whenever the compliments starting raining down.

Hank likes to think a lot about life. He's a big fan of older movies, and can often be seen wiping away a tear during the really emotional moments. Hank isn't shy about expressing his emotions, which is notable in a city like Bangkok, where dogs can get hardened by the street in a hurry.

Hank is pictured here waiting for a street worker to arrive to work and sweep the dusty sidewalks. These are people from the less glamorous stations in life, but Hank has found them to be kind folks, and so he makes it a point to be there when they start their day.

Mollie The Mama Dog

2008-12-14T23:03:00.000-08:00

This is Mollie, a 3 year old mutt of mixed German Shepherd, Siberian Husky, and a whole lot of other stuff. She's a smiley gal who always enjoys a good belly laugh. Says it's healthy or something, I don't know.

Mollie is a master of impressions, and the face she's pulling here is supposed to be that of Julie, the broom-selling entrepreneur dog I profiled in a post last August. Julie's kind of a serious dog, and Mollie likes to poke fun at her stern demeanour. That kind of makes Julie angry, though, so Mollie only does it when she's not around.

Mollie's impressions have brought us Bangkok street dogs a lot of laughter, and sometimes, she performs them at just the right time, like when we all really need a laugh.

Confronted By Indecision

2008-09-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

Man, with so many beverage choices, what's a thirsty dog to do? I feel like I need a tour guide just to help me decide what to get!

Anyway, I'm Ralph, a 3.5 year old mixed breed who lives near Sukhumvit 101, and could probably stand to lose a few pounds. I'm not self conscious about it at all though. I eat whatever I want, whenever I want, and I don't subscribe to the notion that dogs should ever have to calorie count. Life is so short, and sometimes, full of suffering -- why not have fun?

(OK, so I stole the above line from the Woody Allen movie, 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona', which is one of the better films I've seen in a while).

Anyway, so yeah, I'm trying to figure out what to drink -- should I go for the milk, or satisfy my perpetual sugar craving with a nice, fructose-loaded iced coffee? Oh, and I will probably be needing a snack as well, which adds even more weight to the drink decision.

Meet Socks

2008-07-14T22:27:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone, sorry I've been out of touch for a while, I know, I'm one lazy dog.

But I'm back now. And here's my new friend Socks, a 2 year old black mutt with distinctive white paws. Isn't she cool?

When I was younger, I went through a phase where I dyed my paws white to achieve the whole 'wearing socks' effect. But Socks has it going on in a natural way. I would kill to have such beautiful paws. Actually, I'm pretty non-violent, but you know what I mean.

Anyway, Socks is very laid back and happy, and she loves posing for photos. She's one of those dogs that I look to after I've had a hard day and feeling down about stuff. After hanging with Socks for a while, though, that depression goes away. She's like a natural mood enhancer.

"Yea, I Miss You Guys Too"

2007-12-09T23:13:00.000-08:00

This is Barley, a 4 year old brownish dog who used to drift around the alleys and streets of Bangkok, but now lives in America. Barley was (and still is) one of the most popular individuals in the Bangkok street dog community, and still has a huge group of friends. Barley is not only a friendly dog, he's also an athletic one. And like my friends High Jumping Harry and Stretch, Barley used to apply his athleticism to help obtain food for his friends.

Barley's most legendary exploit was the time when he somehow managed to knock over the cart of a roasted chicken seller in a Chinatown market who wasn't paying attention. I don't know how Barley did it, he kind of just threw himself at the cart, and the thing toppled over, spilling several delectable roast chickens into the street, where they were summarily devoured by me and several other street dogs. Damn, that was a great day.

Barley, like Ricardo, another good friend of mine, was adopted by tourists when he was a pup, an event that whisked him away from the near-certainty of a hardscrabble life in the Thai capital. Now Barley lives with his family in San Francisco, California.

But Barley still misses his buddies back in Bangkok. And he's pictured here during one of his weekly marathon phone calls to his friends there. He just calls a pay phone down in the Silom district of Bangkok and a bunch of us dogs go down and pass the phone around and reminisce about the good old days.

Don't get me wrong -- Barley loves San Francisco -- but there is undeniably a piece of his heart that never really left Bangkok.

Introducing Sally

2007-12-05T22:23:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, I'd like you to meet Sally, a 2 year old female who's pictured here snoozing on a Sunday Bangkok morning at 6:45 a.m. Well, she's actually trying to pretend she's still asleep, when in reality, her mind is spinning like a hamster wheel. At this moment, life is spilling in on the fringes of Sally's consciousness, in the form of people and cars and motorcycles arriving to chase her out of the vacant market area and send her reluctantly into the day.

Sally is sick and tired of breathing in the constant stream of pollution emanating from vehicles in the Thai capital. She's holding out hope, however, that people will heed the words of His Majesty The King, who recently urged Thais to step up their use of biodiesel fuel in order to begin reducing the city's choking air pollution.

Sally isn't overly idealistic though. She's fully aware that changing peoples' habits and effecting environmental change are slow processes that require infinite patience. She plans to help further the cause herself by spreading the word in the Bangkok street dog community. As soon as she finishes this nap.

Ricardo the Art Aficonado

2007-11-04T21:59:00.000-08:00

This is Ricardo, a brown 4 year old brownish hound who really looks nothing like any stray dog you'd encounter on the streets of Bangkok. And that's because Ricardo had the good fortune of being adopted when he was younger by an Italian family and brought back to their homeland. His story is testimony to the efforts of organizations both inside and outside Thailand that help street dogs find happy homes all over the world.

Since coming to live with a family on the outskirts of Florence, Italy, Ricardo has become a big art aficionado. And that's why he's pictured sulking in this photo. He enjoys visiting Florence's Uffizi Gallery, where many of the world's finest pieces of art are displayed. But he wishes that the reportedly large number of works at the Uffizi that remain stored away in back rooms, out of the gaze of the public, will someday be accessible. So that they may be treasured like the rest.

Ricardo hasn't been back to Thailand since being adopted, but his human family has, and they recently brought back several paintings that they purchased from local Bangkok artists at the Chatuchak Weekend Market. After seeing these paintings, Ricardo was very pleased to see that the engine of artistic creativity is alive and well in the city of his birth.

Introducing Monty

2007-10-01T21:39:00.000-07:00

Meet Monty, a 1.5 year old black and white male who possesses a friendly, confident demeanor, despite his position as a Bangkok stray dog. Some might expect a dog that finds himself at the bottom of the social ladder would withdraw into a shell, or become bitter and angry, but Monty's not that type of dog. He's an upbeat fellow with a spirit of social awareness and activism, the type of character whose energy is positively contagious.

Recently, city officials investigated Bangkok's Pata Zoo after reports that the animals were being kept in less than acceptable conditions. Although the zoo passed the inspection, Monty was upset over the possibility that his animal brethren could be suffering.

So, he rounded up a bunch of other Bangkok strays, organized an effort to collect scraps of mango and other fine fruits sold at the Klong Toey market, and brought them to the animals in the zoo after closing one night. That's just the kind of guy he is.

Monty is also a big fan of the London-based World Society for the Protection of Animals, which announced plans in September to set up its Asian headquarters in Bangkok.

Monty isn't the kind of activist who carries the world on his shoulders, however. He believes that meaningful change as it applies to improving the lives of his fellow Bangkok street dogs doesn't necessarily have to happen quickly to be effective. But he does think it should be steady.

Introducing Julie the Entrepreneur

2007-08-11T14:44:00.000-07:00

This is Julie, a black and white mutt that lives in the Chatuchak Weekend Market in northern Bangkok. She's zoning out, looking at the crowds of people walking by, from all over the world, and it's hot, and humid, and blazingly sunny, and you might even say the weather conditions aren't fit for a dog.

But there's great shopping here. Julie knows this, and she's contemplating just how powerful the draw of the market is. And she's trying to figure out how to capitalize on it by opening up her own business. Because that cart full of feather dusters to her right is just not the glamorous, hot item that shoppers are flocking to on this day.

But Julie has no business experience, which means she's jumping around from idea to idea - dog toys, liver flavored milkshakes, and tongue massages are a few of the ideas she's come up with -- but she has yet to come up a guaranteed moneymaker of an idea. Once that happens, Julie plans to open her own shop in the empty space upon which she's standing.

Introducing Sam

2007-07-15T23:02:00.001-07:00

Meet Sam, a shy, 3 year old brown mutt who in this photo is seen lounging outside a shop in the Chinatown district of Bangkok. He's a quiet fellow, but there's a lot of thinking going on inside that canine cranium.

Sam has been sitting in front of the same shop in Chinatown since he was a pup, content to watch life pass by in the busy way it often does in that part of the capital. It's noisy, dusty, hot, and smoky sometimes, but it never seems to bother Sam or interrupt his thoughts.

If Sam looks a little forlorn here, that's because he just broke up with his girlfriend, Rosie, a 2 year old grayish mutt who I never liked much anyway. I wasn't surprised when she broke my buddy's heart, and I tried to warn him, but hey, sometimes the toughest lessons you have to learn all by yourself.

Anyway, I'm meeting up with Sam later and we're going to head out to the Klong Toey market to tip over a few trash cans and hopefully feast on whatever edible scraps we can find. I don't know of a better way to lift a friend's spirits than to snuffle through some fresh garbage together.

Introducing Rowdy Roger and His Pals

2007-03-19T21:08:00.000-07:00

This jolly chap is Roger, an orange, fox-like 2 year old Bangkok street dog who loves running around with his buddies and getting into trouble, although the behavior is usually good natured and friendly. When other dogs get bored, they tend to lounge around and sweat and sleep, but Roger gets out there and explores the Thai capital. He's just real energetic that way.

In this photo, Roger and his pals were running around near the port in Klong Toey, in the southernmost part of Bangkok. They like to hang around and watch the cargo ships come in, and the dock workers sometimes throw them scraps of their lunches. The big prize, however -- and the real reason they like the docks at the port so much -- is that sometimes, large shipments of dog food come in from abroad. And they all dream of going to town on some gigantic shipment of kibbles and bits while there's no one watching!

Recently, Roger and his buddies were hanging out at the docks and saw the Heidleberg Express, a cargo ship out of Bremen, Germany, steam into port. According to the Bangkok Post, the ship was carrying several cargo containers of kibble. As the dogs gazed longingly at the dock workers unloading the containers, Roger and friends began drooling at the almost incomprehensible delights that could possibly lie inside.

But a strong moral compass, and cognizance of right and wrong, keeps Roger and his pals out of trouble. Although they probably could have hatched a scheme to steal some of the dog food, perhaps by distracting one of the dock workers with a staged dogfight, Roger and the boys instead reluctantly left the port and decided to go check out the scene in Lumpini Park.

Caught In The Act

2007-02-21T21:28:00.000-08:00

I caught this sneaky little devil -- a good friend of mine -- catching a drink from a roadside noodle stand very close to the Queen Sirikit Center in Bangkok. She think's no one's watching, but she's wrong. But Bessie, a two year old white hound of mixed terrier/ridgeback heritage, can drink to her heart's content at this particular noodle shop, because the proprietors always leave a full bowl of fresh water out for her.

Bessie is thirsty because she's been chasing cats in the 95 degree F March heat. In Thailand this time of year, it gets so hot you can feel it in your soul, but that doesn't keep Bessie from engaging in her favorite pastime: Scaring the holy hell out of cats by chasing every one she sees on the streets of Bangkok.

It's pure sport to Bessie -- she's harmless -- but the cats don't usually stick around to verify that for themselves.

In fact, in this photo, Bessie had just sensed a cat passing by across the street, behind her. She's actually got very strong rearview radar, and about 10 seconds after I snapped this shot, was hot on the trail of a grayish brown stray cat. I could hear the sound of her howling and barking as she receded from view into the crowded Klong Toey market.

Later, as we sat and chatted together on a sidewalk in the humid night, Bessie recounted the story with a kind of childlike enthusiasm that made me smile.

Introducing Marco the Intellectual

2007-01-20T14:19:00.000-08:00

Marco is a 5 year old white dog who doesn't bathe often, but still manages to maintain a large circle of close friendships with other street dogs in Bangkok. The secret to his popularity is the fact that he's a tough guy, a real bruiser, but also a bit of an intellectual as well.

This unique combination of brains and brawn means that Marco can hold his own in a variety of settings. He's just as comfortable taking part in a snarling junkyard dogfight as he is dropping by the local library for a Kafka reading. Marco's views on postmodernism have landed him in many a debate with local canine thought leaders, but somehow he always emerges from these discussions as the clear winner, leaving other pseudo-intellectual dogs to lick their wounds, so to speak.

Whenever I talk to Marco, I'm amazed by how he's able to get right to the truth that underlies all things. That's a tough thing to do when you're a street dog in Bangkok, and life's realities are mostly harsh. Most dogs prefer not to think too much, and we mostly live in the moment. Which isn't a bad way to get through the day, I guess.

But Marco's an old soul -- he sees that his predicament as a stray dog in a large city isn't as bad as it seems. Marco's friendships, and the knowledge he's built up over the years, prevent him from ever getting lonely out there on the dusty streets of the Thai capital.

Introducing Lenny

2006-12-14T22:26:00.000-08:00

No, he's not an laughing hyena. But doesn't he kind of look like one?

Meet Lenny, a 5 year brown street dog of Chow Chow ancestry. He's pictured here sunning himself on the sidewalk of a busy city street, chuckling as he watches the madcap procession of people, motorcycles, cars, and trucks pass by. That crazy smile on his face causes people to give him a wide berth, but Lenny's one of the docile creatures on this earth.

The urban cacophony of Bangkok is deafening, but Lenny doesn't mind sitting and watching life go by. He loves just being out there on the streets, soaking it all in, laughing at the improbability of life. He also loves thinking about the interconnectedness of all things, and how, when its all said and done, and the sun has sunk below the Chao Praya river horizon for the last time, his molecules will mix with those of the cosmos.

Pondering such things is more than just a way for Lenny to get through the rough realities of being a street dog. Its a badge of belonging that he wears, one that that makes up for the collar he doesn't have around his neck - i.e. the one he would have if he had a home.

But you'll almost always see Lenny smiling if you happen to catch a glimpse of him someday. (Except when he's eating, because it's kind of hard to smile when you're eating without looking like a disgusting slob).

And that smile is Lenny's way of saying, "There are too many things to be happy about in this world."

Introducing Ronnie the Racer

2006-12-03T18:14:00.000-08:00

This is my buddy Ronnie, she's a two year old light brownish mutt who loves to run, and spends most of her time training with sprints up and down the streets of Bangkok. She's developed a healthy enthusiam over the years for racing cars and buses, and more often than not she wins these races easily.

Ronnie is pictured here catching her breath after spending an afternoon doing wind sprints up and down Ratchadapisek Road on a humid, 95 degree day. She also loves going to the motorcycle races that take place all over the capital on Saturday nights, which are fueled by large numbers of bored young people looking for excitement. (Much as they are in the rest of the world, from what I hear).

Ronnie has yet to win one of her races with the motorcycles -- which is hardly surprising when one considers that the motorcycles often exceed speeds of 110 miles per hour -- but she regularly beats tuktuks and taxi meters whenever they challenge her.

In a city where every human and dog seems to be constantly running from one place to another, Ronnie has carved out a niche as Bangkok's premier canine sprinter. The 2008 Olympics are just around the corner and I wouldn't be surprised to see Ronnie bring home a few medals from Beijing.

Meet Vanity the Clothes Hound

2006-08-25T02:44:00.000-07:00

Hey, I'd like you to meet my friend Vanity, who is in this photo engaging in one of her favorite pastimes: browsing a local market and shopping for clothes. Vanity is a three year old brown and white mutt who loves to shop and has a real nose for bargains, although some Bangkok store owners aren't exactly overjoyed when they see her rummaging through the clothing racks.

Just after I took the above photo, Vanity ended up buying the lime green blouse on the left, which I frankly think is a ghastly color. But, then again, I'm a guy with very little fashion sense, so what do I know?

In fact, Vanity once offered to help me with a wardrobe makeover, but I declined her offer because, well, I don't need anyone giving me advice on how to get ahead and score points in the game of romance, know what I mean?

She might not look like the cleanest dog in the world in these photos, but Vanity knows how to look her best when she attends local dog shows and other canine high society events in the Thai capital. She's always impeccably dressed and well coiffed, and there's usually a good looking male dog by her side.

As for me, Vanity and I tried dating once, but it didn't work out. We've still stayed pretty close though, and she loves telling me all the gory details from her nights out on the town. Which she has made me promise not to relate in this blog, for fear of cannibalizing sales of her upcoming book on the subject.

Introducing Hanging Chad

2006-07-16T21:12:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like you to meet my buddy Chad, a 2 year old white mutt who in this photo appears somewhat brownish in color (he really needs a bath). We call him Hanging Chad because he's a slow paced guy who enjoys just hanging out, sitting and relaxing and watching life go by from spots all over Bangkok. He loves just hanging out, relaxing and not worrying about stuff.

In this photo, Chad is chilling out in a shady spot in a vacant lot off Sukhumvit Soi 22, and ruminating on philosphical subjects, one of his favorite pastimes. Chad also likes to sit along busy, traffic-choked streets in Bangkok and think, and sometimes even sits in the road itself, believing that the noise and chaos actually help clarify his thoughts. Chad once tried to climb a tree in Lumpini Park in order to meditate among its leafy upper reaches, but slipped and fell, landing on his head. However, Chad said the mishap -- and the ensuing concussion -- enabled his to reach parts of his inner psyche that he'd previously been able to reach only while asleep.

Chad has a very accepting outlook toward life, and he once told me that despite the hardship that many Bangkok street dogs experience in their lives, he feels it's much better to be a dog than to be some sort of horrid creature like a beetle, rat, or a cockroach. And that's how Chad manages to keep a smile on his face during the rough times. He's one of the most stable and truly happy hounds I've come across.

My friends have always thought he was a nutcase, but Chad is just a free spirit who does things his own way -- and makes no apologies for being different from the pack.

Introducing Flash

2006-05-15T20:06:00.000-07:00

Meet Flash, a three year old white poodle-mix who hates having her picture taken and was in the process of beating a hasty retreat when I snapped this photo the other day near a bus stop in the Victory Monument neighborhood. She's an extremely fast dog, and I've never been able to take a photo of her, but we're actually pretty good friends.

Flash hates having her photo taken because she believes that each snapshot takes away part of her soul -- a belief she shares with the Aborginal cultures of Australia and the South Pacific. Although she's pretty relaxed when no one is pointing a camera at her, Flash's skittishness keeps her from hanging out in touristy areas like the Grand Palace and Khao San Road.

Being one of the fastest dogs in Bangkok has its advantages though. For example, Flash has a habit of teasing bully dogs that cause problems for her friends, and being able to outrun these angry hounds after insulting them keeps her from being devoured. One time I myself was cornered by a couple of mangy bullies in a dark alley, and Flash bailed me out using this very tactic.

"Hey morons, a thousand baht says you can't catch me!" Flash shouted to the bullies, who immediately gave chase. Flash led them through a maze of back alleys and around a corner onto a main street -- and into the open doors of a Bangkok municipal dog catcher's van. She's a good friend.

Butch the Political Activist

2006-04-06T18:48:00.000-07:00

One of the most widely overlooked side stories of the recent Thai election was the crusade of Butch, a 4 year old grayish street dog who staged a peaceful 6-day protest in the bus lane opposite Bangkok's Klong Toey market. Butch's sit-in was aimed at securing better representation for street dog interests, and although it ultimately didn't succeed from a political standpoint, his campaign did gain exposure for some important issues.

The main issues of Butch's campaign were the creation of tax breaks for Bangkok citizens who leave food scraps for street dogs outside their doorsteps, and municipal bonuses for street vendors to provide fresh drinking water for passing strays. In a moving display of commitment to his cause, Butch laid in the street and endured the heat, exhaust fumes, and blaring horns from angry drivers. Although no new laws were added to the books to protect street dogs, Butch told me he's confident that in the next election, things might turn out differently.

Butch won't tell me what he's got in store for his next protest, but whatever it is, the dedication of this up and coming figure in the Bangkok political scene is sure to amaze.

Introducing High-Jumping Harry

2006-03-08T20:27:00.000-08:00

There are some Bangkok street dogs who gaze wistfully at food opportunities on the other side of a metal fence, and others, like my buddy Harry, who actually do something about it.

Harry, a two year old brown mutt of mixed Greyhound, Alsatian, and Bull Mastiff ancestry, is pictured here contemplating how to scale a fence outside a seafood restaurant in the city's Asoke district. This muscular hound has the ability to leap even higher than my friend Stretch, which means he can get over many of the barriers humans put up to keep us street dogs out of places where food is stored and tasty garbage is collected.

About 30 seconds after this photo was taken, Harry had jumped over the fence, grabbed a plastic bag full of crab and prawn remnants, and jumped back over, before anyone except a few amazed pedestrians had even realized what was going on. The best part about Harry is, he loves to share the spoils of his raids -- as long as you listen to his war stories about previous "missions", as he calls them.

Hey, I don't mind listening to a few self-aggrandizing tales if it means getting to dive into a smelly bag of seafood scraps!

Introducing Lai Fu

2006-03-01T21:50:00.000-08:00

This is my friend Lai Fu in her usual posture: Laying around moping and worrying about the future and the fate of the world.

In this photo, Lai Fu, a six year old black poodle who lives in the Sukhumvit Soi 101 area, is wondering -- and worrying -- about who will prevail in Thailand's upcoming election to be held April 2. For the next few hours after this photo was taken, Lai Fu nervously pondered the effects the outcome that the snap election called last week by the Thai Prime Minister might have on the future of press freedom in her country.

But Lai Fu doesn't just worry about complicated matters: She worries about the small stuff as well. For example, the other day Lai Fu spent 45 minutes worrying if her paws were dirty after walking through the grimy local market in search of food scraps. Later, after finding a fresh pile of garbage and feasting on it, Lai Fu worried about developing high cholesterol from eating too many fatty foods.

Lai Fu's friends have tried to get her to relax and enjoy life more, but when we tell her not to worry so much, Lai Fu asks "Oh my, perhaps I have been worrying too much and will soon have a heart attack!"

Introducing Rocky the Bus Cleaner

2006-02-22T22:03:00.000-08:00

Bangkok's municipal buses ferry hundreds of passengers every day, and by the time they pull up at the bus depot at the end of the day after lurching back and forth through the crowded city streets, these vehicles are usually awash in crumbs and sticky drink spills. Although there are city employees whose job it is to clean these buses, they're unable to reach all the nooks and crannies in a bus, which over time leads to a quick buildup of gnarly grime.

Rocky, an enterprising two year old black mutt who lives around the Victory Monument area (along with dozens of other street dogs), used to always sneak into the open doors of buses when they pulled up at the local depot, in order to lick the sugary spills and crumbs from off the bus floor. He’d wait until the drivers opened the doors to air the buses out, and then bolt with cheetah-like speed into the empty vehicles for a feast. He's pictured here with a bone from the spoils of one of his daring daylight raids.

One day about six months ago, an entourage of city officials was touring the area, followed Rocky as he snuck onto a bus, and watched him scour the floors with his toungue until the bus was spotless. Instead of scolding Rocky (as many bus drivers had done when they'd caught him in the act), the officials immediately offered Rocky a job as a city bus cleaner. Since then, Rocky has won the municipality's Employee of the Month three times, and his comprehensive cleaning style has become the model for other, human bus cleaners to emulate.

Introducing Chester: Raconteur Extraordinaire

2006-02-16T22:34:00.000-08:00

My good friend Chester, who lives on Silom Road near the Chao Phraya river, is a bit camera shy, and always starts whining whenever someone points at camera at him. "Get that damn camera out of my face, will ya?" is his usual plea.

But once you get past that shyness, Chester's a fun dog to hang out with. He's an exceptionally gifted storyteller who likes to embellish his tales with sensational details.

One of Chester's favorite stories is about the time he caused a miscreant mongrel that had been bullying the local street community to lose face. This bully, who went by the nickname of Jaws, would always drop by with several of his mangy mates to steal food and terrorize any dog that was unfortunate to get in their way.

But one day, when the bullies showed up and demanded food, Chester was ready for them. The previous night, he'd found some scraps in the trash and managed to cobble together a chicken pie. Then, he found some prik kee noo -- the ferociously hot chili peppers used in a variety of Thai dishes -- and ground them up and incorporated them invisibly into the pie.

Anyway, when Chester presented the pie, Jaws immediately dove into it, finishing the whole thing in about 6 seconds. But then, the chilis started kicking in, and before long, Jaws was reduced to a howling, squealing shell of his usual bully self. As he lay on the ground writhing in pain, me and the rest of Chester's buddies erupted in laughter, and Jaws' mates ran off with their disgraced leader in tow.

The moral of this story is: Don't mess with guys like Chester -- it's the nice guys like him that you have to watch out for if you ever get on their bad side.

The Story of Doleful Danielle

2006-02-15T06:37:00.000-08:00

Bangkok has a lot of traffic jams. A lot less than there used to be, but people still spend lots of time in their cars, waiting for traffic lights to change. That spells opportunity for enterprising street dogs like Doleful Danielle, who earned her nickname by pulling sad faces and soliciting change and food scraps from sympathetic motorists. She's pictured here working the intersection of Asok and Sukhumvit during the evening rush hour.
Danielle is quite good at her craft, and regularly pulls in more cash than any other street dog. But she's smart about her success: Instead of blowing her earnings on frivolous expenditures and fancy meals, Danielle decided to join a gym, to keep in shape and enable her to maintain the level of athleticism needed to dart in and out of traffic while collecting coins. One look at those rippling muscles and perfect physique tells you all you need to know about Danielle's commitment to fitness.

Her plan is to work a few more years, make some investments, and then start channeling the fruits of her successes back into the Bangkok street community. She's going to give lessons on how to really work the sympathy angle with motorists, thereby sharing her natural talents and helping other dogs to leverage their own innate skills.

Inertia Creeps

2006-02-14T21:50:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I know: I've been very lame by not posting for the last several months. I offer no excuses, although I did spend a couple of weeks during the past five months in Bangkok, where I took dozens of new photos for this blog. So despite me being a total slacker of late, the good news is there will be lots and lots of new photos posted soon.

I met a lot of new dogs while I was in Bangkok - even got chased once. I was taking a sleeping older dog's photo as he slept underneath a highway overpass on Ratchadapisek Road near the Klong Toey market, and the camera flash apparently woke him up. He woke with a start and then rose to his feet, growling in a low, guttural tone that convinced me to quickly hightail it out of there.

Anyway, apologies for the lack of posts in recent months. Inactivity has a way of creeping into the mind and settling in the bones. I'm back now though -- bear with me while I shake off the rust, please.

Introducing Gentle Joe

2005-08-22T22:01:00.000-07:00

This is Gentle Joe, a 4 year old scraggly sheepdog-type of dog who hangs out mostly near Siam Square. He is normally found lounging on the cool stone walkways outside the area's many shopping malls, where the occasional breeze from within the shopping emporiums will blow out some welcome frosty air.

As a matter of fact, this may be why Gentle Joe is such a calm, cool character. Unlike other Bangkok street dogs, who will fight over the slightest trangression (perceived or real), Joe doesn't get involved in the snarling sidewalk brawls that greatly tarnish the reputation of street dogs due to their noise and general viciousness. Instead, Joe takes in the world at a very leisurely pace, and is usually content to sit gaze as the world passes by.

"My view is, why should I get involved in these silly dog street fights?" Joe once told me. "It's already way too hot out here during the day and also at night. Energy is in limited supply, and I prefer to use mine in more, shall we say, productive ways."

Introducing Bruno the Heckler

2005-08-15T21:39:00.000-07:00

Bruno, a two year old brown and black mutt who hangs out near the lake at the Tobacco Monopoly of Thailand on Ratchadapisek Road, is the Official Heckler of the Bangkok street dog community. His favorite activity -- and one that takes up most of his energies -- is sitting alongside busy roads and sidewalks and making cutting remarks about other dogs that pass by.

Part of the reason why Bruno is such a verbal bully is that he's very self-conscious about his looks -- I mean, let's face it, he's not going to win any contests for handsomeness. In fact, Bruno's mom was actually not a dog, but a hyena! She escaped from the Bangkok zoo in July 2003 and led animal control experts on a wild chase around the city, apparently finding enough time to become pregnant before she was captured. Bruno endured a lot of teasing growing up, which is probably why he became such an insufferable nuisance!

Bruno aims his invective at both street dogs and dogs with owners. He particularly loathes small, fancily-coiffed dogs such as poodles and terriers, and he becomes extremely agitated whenever he sees one. Just after I took this photo, Bruno noticed a well-groomed Chihuahua yapping noisily at him out of the closed window of a passing Mercedes, and erupted with a staccato burst of unrepeatable insults. "Hey tough guy, why don't you come over here and bark in my face?" laughed Bruno, his voice dripping with derision. "I've eaten breakfasts bigger than you, you little fluff-ball!"

Introducing Jim the Canine Saint

2005-07-28T23:32:00.000-07:00

(Many thanks to William McLay for use of this photo)

Life for a street dog in Bangkok is no picnic. Nor is it a walk in the park. In fact, you can pretty much plug in any cliche for something enjoyable, and a Bangkok street dog's life will not resemble it.

Although there are some kind human souls in the city who regularly give stray dogs water and leftover scraps of food, and allow stray dogs to hang out in front of their homes, the canine competition for limited resources is quite fierce. As a result, Bangkok street dogs have to look out for themselves, because for the most part, they face the world alone.

However, there are some selfless (and clever) canines who have taken it upon themselves to do whatever they can to help their street dog brethren. Jim, an extremely intelligent, crafty 5 year old street dog of Alsatian ancestry, is one of these special souls. He is seen here using his talents to collect spare change from pedestrians on an elevated walkway near Bangkok's Victory Monument.

Jim was once one of Thailand’s most sought after canine actors, and appeared in dozens of television commercials, for products such as dog food, pet shampoo, and allergy medicine. However, around the time of his third birthday, Jim began to take a long, hard look at his life and decided he was not doing enough to help others. So, Jim decided to leave his family home and set out to raise money to help the cause of his fellow Bangkok canines.

Jim’s most effective fund-raising method is to dress up in ragged clothing and gaze up with mournful puppy dog eyes at pedestrians on elevated walkways and sidewalks all over Bangkok. Few passersby can resist dropping a few coins in his collection bowl. At the end of each day, Jim donates the money he has collected to organizations that help street dogs in Thailand, such as Soi Dog Rescue, Dogchance, Hua Hin Dog Rescue Center, Soi Dog Foundation, and others.

Jim is an inspirational example of a dog who changed the path of his very comfortable life specifically so that he could use his abilities as an actor to help others. “Although the financial rewards from my acting career were great, the rewards I have gained from helping other dogs are far greater,” says Jim.

The world could use more souls like him.

Francine the Stress Relaxation Expert

2005-07-20T22:20:00.000-07:00

The street level sounds of Bangkok have to be heard to be believed. The traffic (when it’s actually moving) generates quite a din, with vehicles of all shapes and sizes -- motorcycles, tuk-tuks, pickup trucks, 18-wheelers -- all competing for space in a vicious motorized ballet staged daily on the narrow city streets. Making matters worse is the constant noise of construction taking place all over the Thai capital -- jackhammers, welders, cranes, cement mixers, etc. -- that combines with the traffic sounds in a continuous assault on the eardrums of man and beast.

If you're a Bangkok street dog who spends his or her days awash in this cacophonous chaos, oftentimes all you want to do is curl up in a ball, shut your eyes, and try to just keep the noise from intruding on the inner areas of your psyche. In this photo, Francine -- a four year old brown mutt who lives in the Saphan Kwai section of the city -- appears to be doing just that by having a nap. But actually, Francine is not sleeping at all – she’s meditating.

You see, Francine is a experienced practitioner of Zen meditation, which she uses to achieve a deep state of relaxation that enables her to block out the noises of her street environment. In this photo, Francine is in a deep meditative state despite being curled up in the middle of a busy sidewalk brimming with pedestrians, fruit sellers, and other dogs. Her breathing, pulse, circulation, and metabolism have all slowed dramatically, and her mind is completely at rest. She may appear to be asleep, but in fact she could not be more awake.

Meditation has enabled Francine to maintain a calm and positive outlook on life as a Bangkok street dog, and she has recently been talking about opening a meditation school to share her knowledge and technique with other homeless hounds. I’m thinking about trying it, as my nerves have been kind of frazzled lately by the tuk-tuk army that goes whizzing by my area every night. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

The Story of How Joe Found a Home

2005-07-01T23:12:00.000-07:00

Joe, a three year brown mutt with distant German Shepherd ancestry, isn't really a street dog per se. Although he used to roam the area around Sukhumvit Soi 81, Joe was actually 'adopted' by a family about six months ago, and now spends much of his time living within the walls of their comfortable, happy home. He's pictured here getting a vigorous (and much-needed) scrubdown from his owner, Pi Dang.

Joe's story is one of a down-and-out street dog who had the very good fortune to be in the right place at the right time. Joe used to be a real nuisance in the Soi 81 neighborhood, and used to hang out with some pretty rough dogs who would often engage in vicious street brawls late at night. The resulting noise -- a horrific cacophony of snarling and shrieking -- would often wake up residents of the otherwise quiet neighborhood.

One night, after Pi Dang's wife and three daughters were woken up at 4:30 a.m. by a particularly nasty dogfight just outside their doorstep, an enraged Pi Dang came down with a cannister of pepper spray to dispense some vigilante justice to the still-battling hounds. But just as he was about to mace the dogs, Pi Dang's daughter, watching from an upstairs window, cried out "Wait, Dad, that dog right there (pointing at Joe) -- he's cute! Can we keep him?"

Pi Dang looked at Joe, looked back at his daughter, sighed, and took his finger off the trigger. The street dogs all ran away, except for Joe, who came trotting slowly over to Pi Dang, with a friendly, sheepish posture, as if to say "Sorry for all the noise, man."

The rest, as they say, is history. Joe is now a much loved member of Pi Dang's family, and although he has to endure the occasional bath, he tells me that its well worth it to be off the streets and in a real home. Although Joe's story is unusual, it does give the rest of us Bangkok street dogs hope that somewhere out there, in the endless eternal city, there's a family for us.

Introducing Samantha

2005-06-22T21:24:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, behold the face of youthful canine disappointment. This is my friend Samantha, a hyperactive 8 month old pup who lives with her mother near the Landmark Hotel on Sukhumvit Road. Samantha is sad because her mom (seen in the background) won't let her go out and play with her Bangkok street dog pals. That's why in this photo, Sam's mournful expression and furrowed brow make it seem, to the viewer at least, like her world is about to end.

Now, before you go getting all teary-eyed at this poor pup's plight, you should know that Sam's mom has many good reasons to punish her! Youth sometimes has an intoxicating effect (on both humans and animals) and the rebellious Samantha has been going through a stretch of behavior that has been, well, less than exemplary. For example, Sam has recently developed a penchant for digging, barking loudly at passing cars, and stealing ice cream cones from small children.

After her last transgression, in which Sam absconded with a 2 year old girl's cone of chocolate chip ice cream, Sam's mom decided enough was enough, and grounded her. And that means Sam was unable to join us for a roam down to the Chao Praya River when I took this photo. Her whining could be heard all the way down Sukhumvit Road!

Actually, I have to agree with Sam's mom on this punishment -- I mean, I'm all for being opportunistic, but you can't just take a kid's ice cream cone away from him/her. That kind of behavior has a way of coming back to bite you.

Re-introducing Casanova (the author of this blog)

2005-06-21T23:09:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already seen my welcome message from a few months ago, you're probably wondering about the dog behind this blog, and why I started it. Well, my name is Casanova, and I'm a 3 year old male dog of extremely mixed heritage who lives near the Klong Toey market in Bangkok, Thailand. Over the past couple of months, I've used this blog to highlight the life and times of some of my closest pals in the Bangkok street dog community. Now it's time for you to learn some more about me!

Despite my extreme good looks -- as evidenced in the photo collage above, which I have put together to convey every nuance of my rugged, yet handsome visage -- I am still a pretty down-to-earth dog. My personality is simple and loyal, as my legions of street dog friends can attest. I would do anything for a friend in a time of need, and am confident that my friends would return the favor. And that's what it's all about when you're a dog roaming the lonely, dusty streets of Bangkok.

How many of us street dogs roam the capital's streets? No one really knows, but the newspapers estimate anywhere from 100-300,000. As I mentioned before, Thailand's Buddhist influence means they don't round us street dogs up and put us to sleep on a regular basis. However, some pretty hideous things do happen to me and my brothers and sisters, and many of us do carry dangerous diseases such as rabies. I started this blog not to gloss over or ignore these harsh realities, but to give us dogs a voice, and hopefully, portray us in a positive light.

I'm not asking you humans to pretend like the problems we cause don't exist, I just want you to realize that most of us dogs are pretty kind-hearted creatures. Also keep in mind that no other animal is as closely aligned with humans as dogs are - it's a fact. Unless you count dolphins or killer whales, but it's not like they can guard your house if a burglar breaks in, know what I mean? And they're not exactly cuddly either.

Anyway... I'm Casanova and I hope you enjoy my blog.

Introducing Donny Daredevil

2005-06-08T22:58:00.000-07:00

For most street dogs, surviving in Bangkok is a day-to-day struggle in which dangers -- in the form of speeding cars and motorcycles, predatory fellow street dogs, disease, and poisoning by heartless humans, to name a few -- lurk around every corner. You might assume, then, that the chaotic life of a city stray would be anything but boring. And that's true for most dogs -- except for a crazy 4 year old white-haired mutt known on the street as Donny Daredevil.

The thrill-seeking Donny, who lives near Bangkok's Grand Palace, loves to play street games in which he risks life and limb -- and the gnashing teeth of Bangkok's mind-boggling array of vehicles are all too happy to oblige. He's seen here playing his favorite game -- called "Pancake" -- which consists of Donny positioning his tail in the roadway and then moving it out of the way just as a car is about to run over it, while of course managing to avoid getting run over himself.

Donny always gets this maniacal, glassy-eyed grin on his face after he has played this game for a few hours, after which his friends will team up to drag him to the safety of the sidewalk. He actually used to play Pancake using his front legs, but on one unfortunate occasion he was too slow to remove his left front paw, and it was severed by a passing cement truck. Luckily, a fellow street dog knew someone who knew someone in the emergency room at Bangkok General Hospital, and this doctor was able to re-attach Donny's left front paw -- although it's not completely straight, as you can tell from the photo.

Introducing Chops

2005-05-23T23:20:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know what you're thinking: This is one terrifying and ugly hound, who actually looks a lot like a canine version of Hannibal Lecter. But, as they say, appearances can be deceiving. That's not a muzzle around the snout of Chops, a 2 1/2 year old terrier/mastiff mix who lives near a small market in Bangkok's Din Daeng district -- it's actually an orthodontic harness that works in conjunction with dental braces to straighten his teeth.

Yes, you heard that right: Chops wears braces. Because for most of his life, Chops has sported a smile that could best be compared to that of a smashed Halloween jack-o-lantern, with gnarled, twisted teeth going every which way, giving him a rather frightening and vicious appearance.

As a result of his scary grill, Chops hasn't exactly been popular with the female dogs. In fact, he can't even get a phone number when he goes out to clubs. And that's a shame, because Chops is actually quite a kind, gentle dog who just wants to be appreciated by the opposite sex.

So badly does the romance-minded Chops desire a beautiful smile with straight, pearly white teeth that he's willing to not only endure the physical discomfort of the braces and the harness, but also the ridicule that is rained down on him by many other (heartless) members of the Bangkok street dog community. These mangy hounds may think it's funny that Chops is trying to improve his looks, but they probably won't be laughing when the braces come off and he is transformed into the most handsome dog in Bangkok (except for me, of course).

Introducing Sandy the personal trainer

2005-05-04T22:49:00.000-07:00

Sandy, a 4 year old tan and white spotted mix of several different breeds, is an inspirational example of a former Bangkok stray dog who managed to find a way off the streets and into a better life. On the strength of her impressive swimming ability and overall athleticism, Sandy was recently hired as a personal trainer at a special new pool for stray dogs with arthritic conditions that will open in Bangkok this week.

The Suvarnachad Canine Pool is a project initiated by His Majesty the King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who, as I mentioned in an earlier post, is a big supporter of Bangkok street dogs. Located at Bangkok’s Kasetsart University, the pool is named after His Majesty's pet dog Thongdaeng, who is himself a former street dog.

The pool will have two sections: one for healthy dogs to exercise, the other for suffering dogs to undergo physical therapy. And that's where Sandy comes in. She'll be working as a personal trainer providing therapy to the sickly street dogs, coaching and helping to push along their swimming exercises to help them gain maximum healing effect.

It's a high profile job, and a far cry from Sandy's humble beginnings as a pup wandering the crowded, dusty Chatuchak Weekend Market in northern Bangkok. "I was lucky to find a way off the streets and into a higher position in society," explains Sandy. "Now, I just want to give something back to my street dog brothers and sisters."

Introducing Gramps: Street Dog Patriarch

2005-04-26T23:13:00.000-07:00

Nowhere is the intense grind of a life spent scrounging out a living on the streets of Bangkok more apparent than on a stray dog's face, many of which bear scrapes and scars from past brawls and wrinkles from the tropical heat and sunlight. Street dogs aren't known for their longevity either -- in fact, you may have noticed that none of the dogs I've profiled previously are older that four or five years of age. Even if they don't fall victim to the fast-moving traffic on Bangkok's notoriously crowded roadways, stray dogs oftentimes succumb to disease, other predatory dogs, or worse, to malevolent humans.

That's what makes Gramps, a ten year old skinny brown mutt who hangs out near Wat Po, such an unusual study. Gramps has seen Bangkok change dramatically during his decade on the streets, and although he's not getting around so well these days, and his eyesight is failing, he's always eager to tell a story or two about the old days.

One of Gramps' favorite horror stories is about the chaos that gripped the street dog community in early 1997, when the city began construction on the BTS Skytrain system. "One minute, I was snoozing peacefully on the sidewalk, and the next, my reverie was smashed apart by the appearance of the gigantic, noisy construction machines," he laments. "My afternoon naps were never the same after that."

But not all his memories are bad ones. Gramps told me his favorite memory is of the year 1995, when he was just a puppy. He's a huge rock music fan, and that year an unprecedented number of high profile bands came to Bangkok to perform. Gramps used to be quite the athlete in his youth, and he was able to use his quickness and elusiveness to slip past security and gain access to several concerts all over the city that year. "I got to see the Beastie Boys, Pearl Jam, Sonic Youth, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Phil Collins, and even Michael Jackson," explains Gramps, with obvious excitement.

But then, his smile fades and he becomes melancholy. "It's a shame what's happened to Michael... I can't imagine he would do such awful things," says Gramps.

Introducing Bruiser the Bully

2005-04-15T22:35:00.000-07:00

So far in this blog, most of the dogs I've profiled have been either friends of mine, or friends-of-friends. Well, I'm going to break with tradition here and introduce you to Bruiser, a nasty bully of a dog who has a well-earned reputation for causing trouble wherever he goes. This 3 year old mutt from the wrong side of the tracks just oozes aggressive canine machismo, and he backs up his trash talk with a tenacious fighting ability acquired during the almost daily brawls he instigates with dogs all over the city.

All a dog needs to do to provoke Bruiser is to make eye contact. While I was taking the above photo the other day, Bruiser was already growling and making threatening overtures, even though I had my buddy Spike (a.k.a. "The Enforcer", whom I profiled in an earlier blog entry) with me as a bodyguard. Spike's not one to back down from a challenge, and the two dogs quickly became engaged in a classic canine staredown, with hackles raised and teeth bared. The air was electric, and a crowd of street dog onlookers quickly converged on the scene.

Then Spike said "Hey Bruiser, aren't you afraid of getting your little booties dirty?" -- a reference to Bruiser's white paws, which look oddly cute and out of place on such a mean-looking dog. Bruiser immediately lunged forward with a ferocious snarling attack, and the fight was on. Now, Spike is a much larger dog than Bruiser, but in a dogfight, anything goes, and the two battled on for several minutes without the emergence of a clear victor. Eventually though, Spike managed to wear down Bruiser with his superior endurance, and forced the bully to flee. Bruiser ran a few hundred meters, and then looked back at Spike with an expression that said "I'll get you back, just you wait."

It seems kind of strange and stupid to me for a dog like Bruiser to be so aggressive and want to fight everyone all the time. I chalk it up to excessive macho energy and an inflated self-image -- a potent combination that has led to the downfall of many a man and beast.

Introducing Max the Temple Dog

2005-04-01T23:33:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Thailand is a fervently Buddhist country, and for us street dogs, that means the government doesn't have an official policy of rounding us up and putting us to sleep. Also, many Buddhist temples provide food and shelter for street dog populations of various sizes. Max, a 2 year old brown dog with pointy ears and a friendly personality, has lived in a Bangkok temple compound since he was a pup, cared for by the local monks, and surviving on food donations.

In exchange for the privilege of living at the temple, Max makes himself useful by serving as a kind of 'tour guide' for first time human visitors. Although he obviously can't speak, and his knowledge of the temple's history is a bit spotty, Max has become quite popular with visitors, who appreciate the kind and cheerful attitude with which he greets them. Sometimes, people even queue up at the temple entrance for the chance to experience his unique tour guide style.

If things continue to go well for Max's budding tour guide career, opportunities outside of the temple could very well arise. Several local museums and parks have expressed interest in his tour guide services. However, Max told me that he's not ready to consider these options, as he has grown very attached to the temple's monks as well as the other street dogs that reside there. There's not always enough food, and life at the temple isn't luxurious, but fame and fortune mean little to this well-grounded young dog. He's happy where he is, and I wouldn't be surprised if he lives out the rest of his life in the temple.

As Max is fond of saying, "Want nothing and you shall have everything."

Not as dirty as you think

2005-03-25T22:46:00.000-08:00

I actually don't know this older female, but I think her name is Maggie. She appears to be around 5 years old and to have recently had a litter of pups. Anyone who has endured a sweltering Bangkok afternoon can attest to the importance of taking advantage of thirst-quenching opportunities, so when a dog comes across a couple of unsupervised bags of ice on a city sidewalk, she'd be foolish not to dive right in - and Maggie is doing just that! (However, it should be noted that more than a few unlucky hounds have been caught in the act, which usually results in a swift kick to the dog's posterior from an angry vendor).

Of course, for humans, this photo raises some disturbing hygiene-related questions -- particularly if you enjoy a nice Thai iced tea or coffee purchased from one of the thousands of streetside beverage vendors around the city. There have been rumors over the years that some vendors are so lackadaisical about storing their ice that they end up selling drinks with high levels of canine saliva. But the fearmongers who spread rumors and perpetuate sterotypes about dogs being dirty are ignoring scientific evidence that shows dog saliva actually kills E. coli and other harmful bacteria!

I'm not saying that people should go out and share their drinks and ice cream cones with the nearest Bangkok street dog they see, just that appearances can be deceiving sometimes.

Introducing Stella

2005-03-18T22:52:00.000-08:00

Be still my beating heart… ladies and gentlemen, I’d like you to meet Stella, a 3 year old brown female who lives near the Siam Square area of Bangkok. I’ve had a serious crush on Stella for a long time. Looking at her, I’m sure you can see why. Just look at the way she gazes at the camera with those gorgeous chestnut eyes and that pouting, sultry expression on her face; the way her left ear is sticking up in a very suggestive, “come hither” sort of way; and the way the sunlight reflects magnificently from her radiant (and, for a Bangkok street dog, surprisingly clean) fur. A more captivating picture of feminine canine beauty may exist somewhere in the cosmos, but to me, Stella is my own personal vision of perfection.

Unfortunately, things between Stella and I have never quite worked out. Not that we haven’t tried – we’ve gone on dozens of dates, and spent lots of time together, talking about our likes, dislikes, our fears, and our hopes for the future. We’ve even taken several romantic weekend trips to the Bangkok city dump in the southeastern part of the city, which offers a multitude of canine recreational activities – although most of them have to do with rummaging through freshly dumped garbage searching for edible scraps. By the way, there truly is no better tonic for a relationship than spending an evening snuffling through a pile of pungent city refuse together (note: this only works for dogs, not humans).

Yes, we’ve had a lot of great times together, Stella and I, but irreconcilable differences with regard to the way we look at life and the future have always kept from getting married. Here’s the problem: I want to settle down and have a family, but Stella… she has always had this crazy dream about being a television stunt dog. So she’s always resisted my marriage proposals. When I try to explain to her how hard it is to get a stunt dog gig (particularly if one is a street dog without any acting experience), she always begins to growl and whine. A full fledged snarling attack usually isn’t far behind. Some dreams die hard, I guess.

Introducing Lil' Sparky

2005-03-04T23:47:00.000-08:00

I'd like you to meet Lil' Sparky, a white male pup with brown and black spots who, at six months old, is one of the younger members of the Bangkok street dog community. This adorable little bundle of love is quite a shy fella, and he usually adopts the submissive posture you see in this picture whenever someone tries to photograph him. It's as if he's saying "Oh my, what a great big scary world out there, and I'm so small and everyone and everything else is so big, and there's all these scary sounds and interesting smells, and... hey, is that a camera, oh no I'm scared!"

Like many Bangkok street dogs, Lil' Sparky entered this world in a baptism of fire brought on by staggering misfortune. Born under a highway overpass, Lil’ Sparky was the smallest and weakest pup in his litter (I don’t like the word ‘runt’). Not long after he was born, Sparky and the rest of his litter were forced to fend for themselves after their mother was captured by dog catchers during a citywide stray dog crackdown prior to an important international conference, and sent away to a far-off province. Then, to make matters worse, Sparky’s brothers and sisters abandoned him about 2 months later, claiming that he was too slow and weak.

Sparky wandered the streets of Bangkok for weeks afterwards, foraging for food and looking for friends. Although life had, to that point in time, dealt him nothing but a series of soul-crushing disappointments, Lil’ Sparky never gave up hope, certain that around the next corner would be the friends and sense of belonging to a group that he’d always craved. Sure enough, when he came trotting through a small market where me and some friends were hanging out one evening, we immediately sensed his positive energy and kind spirit, and welcomed him into our community.

That's not to say that Lil' Sparky isn't picking up some bad habits along the way. As he matures, Sparky is increasingly expressing a desire to use rude language, chase female dogs, and howl for no apparent reason late at night. He calls it "running with the big dogs." We call it 'annoying', and are in the process of teaching the cheeky little fella some much needed canine manners!

Introducing Krazy Kal

2005-02-24T22:54:00.000-08:00

Every community has its freaks and weirdoes, and the Bangkok street dog community is no exception. This paranoid looking fellow is Krazy Kal, a 6 year old brown and white mutt who has long been known as the resident conspiracy theorist of our group. Even though we've known each other for a couple of years, Krazy Kal didn't feel comfortable with me taking his photo, and was convinced that I was some sort of Bangkok municipal government operative plotting to make his life miserable!

Krazy Kal believes that every new city project or initiative is somehow rooted in conspiracy and the government's desire to control the minds of people and cause them to lose their love for dogs. He's convinced that the government is working behind the scenes to install secret equipment to bring about this change in popular opinion towards canines. For years, Krazy Kal's response to any challenge to his conspiracy theories has been: "Hey, the government thinks that if people are mean to us street dogs, then we'll just leave town. And that's what they want us to do!"

Take for example, his response to the opening of the Bangkok Mass Transit System Skytrain in 2000. Although he was just a young pup, Krazy Kal used to rant and rave for hours to anyone who'd listen that the Skytrain was set up with invisible laser beams designed to remove passengers' innate caring and kindness towards animals and replace it with a hostile attitude -- particularly towards members of the Bangkok street dog community. As proof, Kal cited an incident in which someone stepped on his tail as he was sleeping on the sidewalk near a Skytrain station.

The 2004 opening of the Bangkok Subway provided Krazy Kal with more opportunities to concoct similar government-sponsored conspiracy theories. A serious subway accident in early 2005 and several subsequent computer glitches were evidence, at least in Kal's warped point of view, that the government mind control equipment hadn't been properly tested before installation. "Once they fix the glitches, people will be coming out of those subway stations ready to wreak havoc upon any Bangkok street dogs they see," he told me recently.

"Hey wait, you're not taping this conversation, are you?"

Introducing Dusty

2005-02-17T22:25:00.000-08:00

You might say that Dusty, a 4 year old white female who seems to be perpetually in need of a bath, is the Poet Laureate of the Bangkok street dog community. Unlike most dogs -- whose primary aims are limited to eating and procreation -- Dusty spends the majority of her time thinking, about life and her place in the cosmos.

As a result of her navel-gazing, Dusty has achieved significant personal growth and is one of the more well-adjusted dogs you'll ever meet. Dusty’s just as happy lounging around on the dirt floor of a marketplace as she is on the sidewalk – in fact, she prefers a life of austerity, as she feels this lifestyle enables her to produce her best work.

You may be asking yourself: How does a canine Poet Laureate express herself? It's not like she can fire up the laptop and start typing out literary masterpieces, or sit down with a notebook and scribble furiously for hours. Well, as it turns out, Dusty is quite a resourceful dog, and she has mastered the technique of finding areas of freshly laid cement all over the capital, and then using it as a canvas for her works of canine literature.

Dusty ‘writes’ her poetry by leaving patterns of footprints in the wet cement that only other dogs can read and understand. Her works -- most of them brimming with humor and optimism -- explore simple themes of Bangkok street dog life such as hope, hunger, unrequited love, and the desire to chase cats.

In the following excerpt from her most famous work, "Ruminations on a Chicken Breast", Dusty examines the pathology of desire and offers a roadmap for how to avoid its destructive effects:

"In the shop window, a roasted bird
if I could take you, without being heard.
Happiness would be mine!
But alas, I am just a wretched hound
But it could be worse - I could be in the pound."

Writing poetry in wet cement is risky work – Dusty told me she has had a few close calls with road workers who have seen her at work and not been able to appreciate the subtle nuances of her craft. But Dusty is determined to continue to express herself on Bangkok’s sidewalks, as there are few other artistic outlets for canine artists in the capital.

Introducing Spike

2005-02-09T22:37:00.000-08:00

Spike, a well-built, tough black and white male who calls Bangkok's Thonburi district home, is what is known on the street as an "Enforcer". To his friends in the Bangkok street dog community, Spike is like a guardian angel, providing much-needed protection from bullies for the smaller members of the canine population. Many have said that there is nothing quite as thrilling as the sight of Spike charging into the scene of a battle like a one-man canine cavalry to save the day.

Spike's the kind of dog who doesn't hang out with any one particular group of dogs, preferring instead to befriend a small and diverse group of hounds. Spike also has a low tolerance for fake friends or dogs that seek to use his strength to fight their battles for them. Believe me, there are plenty of wimpy dogs that would love to have Spike as their secret weapon, but Spike has no problem telling these types of losers to take a hike. And if they don't, usually all it takes is for Spike to give a growl and they're history!

Spike's ongoing battle against injustice in the Bangkok street dog community takes him all over the city. This means he has to get creative sometimes in order to cover large distances in a short period of time. Luckily, Spike knows a #43 bus driver who allows him to ride on his bus. Turns out Spike saved the guy once from a pack of overly territorial street dogs that had cornered him in an alley.

Introducing Einstein

2005-02-03T23:23:00.000-08:00

I'll be honest... Einstein, a 4 year old black and brown male, is not the smartest dog in Bangkok. In fact, most of us Bangkok street dogs think he's pretty naive and boneheaded. Not that we don't like him - in fact, he's quite a funny and personable dog. Einstein lives near Bangkok's World Trade Center, at the intersection of Ploen Chit and Ratchadamri roads.

We gave this hapless hound the name Einstein as a sarcastic way of teasing him, but he actually has grown to embrace the nickname. Over the years, Einstein has done some pretty dim-witted things, such as licking wet paint (right next to a 'Wet Paint' sign), stepping in fresh cement, and attempting to initiate amorous relations with a fire hydrant. He also used to chase fire trucks, until that one day when the firemen on board turned the high-pressure water hose on him, sending the poor fella careening into a nearby street sign. Like I said, Einstein is no genius!

Einstein also has a soft spot for female dogs, and he'll often try to impress them. He's a sweet dog, and his heart is in the right place, but unfortunately, more often than not, he just ends up making himself look kind of foolish. Case in point: One time, Einstein saw a cute young poodle walking with her owner on the sidewalk near the Sogo Department store. He wanted to do something to impress this pretty poodle, so he came charging over (in his customarily clumsy fashion) and began to sing a romantic song for her. Only problem was, Einstein can't sing: His voice is like claws on a chalkboard.

Horrified by the infernal racket, the dog owner and poodle quickly ran off, but Einstein -- by this time really getting into it -- simply kept singing, until his love ballad was unceremoniously brought to an end by a streetside food seller dumping a bucket of dirty dishwater all over him.

Introducing Jack

2005-01-27T22:14:00.000-08:00

This is my buddy Jack, a 2 year old part terrier, part who-knows-what, who lives near the railroad tracks in the Din Daeng section of Bangkok. Despite his diminutive stature, Jack is one of the scrappiest, toughest little dogs you'll ever meet.

Like most terriers, Jack has a pretty hot temper, and once he gets riled up there's no stopping him. Fortunately, Jack's a pretty reasonable dog, who only fights in situations where obvious injustice is taking place.

For his friends, Jack is one hurricane of a bodyguard! One time, when I was walking down Sukhumvit Road, on my way to see some friends (to go out trash can-tipping), I was set upon by a pack of drooling, bloodthirsty hell hounds from Bangkok's eastern suburbs. These mangy miscreants have a well-earned reputation for cruising around town and causing trouble, and they soon had me cornered in a dark alley.

Just as they were about to tear me to pieces, I heard a vicious, high-pitched snarling sound, like the din of a dozen rabid pit bulls. It was Jack, coming to save me! He came rushing into the crowd of dogs, snapping and biting and going off like a canine buzzsaw, and within seconds the gang of bullies went running away yelping, with their tails between their legs.

It's good to have a friend like Jack. He'd do anything for me.

Introducing Stretch

2005-01-20T22:19:00.000-08:00

This friendly fellow's name is Stretch. He lives in the Sutthisarn neighborhood of northern Bangkok, near a cluster of small streetside noodle shops, a roast chicken seller, a butcher shop, and a 7-Eleven. Stretch is known as a lanky, skinny, tall dog whose emaciated appearance belies his impressive athleticism. His hind legs are the source of his amazing leaping ability, which he utilizes on a daily basis in his never-ending search for food.

Stretch's mother was an purebred Greyhound, which accounts for much of his quickness and agility. As a pup, Stretch used to hang out at the Saturday night motorcycle races that take place in many locations all over Bangkok. Chasing these speeding teenagers on motorbikes was not only fun, it also helped Stretch to develop his native talents and become an extremely fast runner.

Stretch is also a prolific jumper; so prolific, in fact, that the chicken seller on his street was forced to hire a security guard to watch his shop, after having dozens of his chicken breasts 'disappear' from the countertops. "Every time I would turn my back, or go into the kitchen, all the chicken breasts would be gone, not even a single bone was left," explained the chicken seller. Other restaurant owners and food sellers in the area have reported similar thefts, although no one has yet been able to catch Stretch in the act.

Stretch has become something of a local folk hero in the Bangkok street dog community, because he always shares the food that he steals from local restaurants and markets. In this way, he espouses the Thai concept of kindness and generosity known as nam jai.

Introducing Happy

2005-01-12T22:33:00.000-08:00

Meet Happy, a brown and white female who lives near the Asoke/Sukhumvit Road intersection. Happy spends most of her days sprawled on the sidewalks of local malls and markets, napping through the afternoon heat. She might look lazy and shiftless during these times, but in the evenings, Happy turns on the charm and sets off in search of food.

Her most effective tactic is to walk around with a friendly smile and wagging tail, gazing dreamy-eyed through the windows of local restaurants at the people eating inside. More often than not, someone will come out and throw her a few scraps of their meal, which she devours in milliseconds.

Happy is one of the most easygoing, optimistic characters in the Bangkok street dog community, which is surprising in light of the difficulties she faced growing up. As the smallest of a litter of 14 puppies, Happy had lots of trouble getting enough of her mother's nourishment. In fact, the larger puppies would often muscle the poor little gal to the sidelines, where the nipples did not bear as much milk.

However, instead of growing bitter and disenfranchised, Happy learned how to use her infectious smile to solve conflicts and open doors. Thusly, she was able to eventually gain a spot at the front of the line at suppertime. She continues to use her disarming smile to solve problems and mediate conflicts wherever and whenever they arise.

Introducing Itchy

2005-01-07T22:00:00.000-08:00

For reasons that are fairly obvious, this fellow's name is Itchy. He is known in the Bangkok street dog community as a dog who is always scratching, nibbling, rubbing, and clawing to soothe his filth-ridden hide of various bugs and skin conditions. I personally try to avoid this guy, because last time we hung out, the next day I woke up with what felt like the Flea Olympics taking place all over my back and tail!

The weird thing is, Itchy has this warped belief that his bad skin and dirty appearance make him seem tough and strong. He's not an unpleasant dog, however, and I do feel sorry for him. He kind of reminds me of the character Pigpen from the Peanuts comic strip.

Itchy and I talk occasionally (from a distance). He told me about how one day during the rainy season in Bangkok, he got caught in a sudden, drenching thunderstorm (which is easy to do at that time of the year), which washed all the dirt and grime from his fur, leaving it pristine and fragrant. But Itchy felt this cleanliness made him seem weak, so in order to to preserve his rough and tumble Bangkok street dog image, he promptly knocked over a garbage can filled with rotting mangoes, and proceeded to roll around in the pungent mess until reaching a satisfactory level of restorative filthiness.

A welcome from Casanova

2005-01-02T14:59:00.000-08:00

Hello, and welcome to Bangkok Street Dogs, my first foray into the blogging world (I abhor the term 'blogosphere'). My name is Casanova, and I'm a 3 year old male mongrel who lives near the Klong Toey market in Bangkok, Thailand. The purpose of this blog is to document the lives of several prominent characters of the Bangkok Street Dog community.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Thailand and its capital, Bangkok, let me provide you with some background. Thailand, as a Buddhist country, does not believe that stray animals should be rounded up and put to sleep. It does happen, but not with the same sad frequency as in other countries. And that means that the streets of Bangkok, and other Thai cities, are teeming with large communities of homeless hounds.

Although we're happy just to be alive, life in Bangkok is tough for us street dogs. We oftentimes live in unkempt, filthy conditions - you might even say that most places we sleep aren't fit for a dog! But amidst the squalor, I can tell you that great things do emerge from our community. Great characters are constantly developing and standing up for themselves against all odds. Survival instincts take over and carry us through the sometimes difficult conditions.

In short... us Bangkok street dogs may be poor, wretched, and desperate, but we do have each other, and telling our stories is therapeutic for our lonely souls. We also have the love and support of Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who is a dog lover and has adopted a former street dog named Thongdaeng.

With me as your guide, this blog will serve as a place to meet members of Bangkok's street dog community, and hear their anecdotes. In reading my posts, you'll get a keen sense of the challenges Bangkok street dogs face, and perhaps better appreciate their ability to stay positive during all the hot, dusty days and hungry nights spent scraping out a living in the Thai capital.

Sincerely
Casanova