Publicity for a pampered pooch.

M. Welshman

M. Welshman

Oh the lengths one goes to to get publicity. I've now decided to concentrate on a different angle via my terrier Arthur-Rex who appears on the back of my book.  His pic has been in six newspaper features and in the Lady magazine. He's now got his own blog on MySpace and is a Superstar Pet on wwww.superstarpets.co.uk where if you click on 'news' you can see a pic of me looking extremely puce (well it was hot) at Crufts with an Arthur-Rex poster.   I've also managed to get an invite to stay overnight with Arthur-Rex at a 5 star hotel which has just won an AA Award as top dog friendly hotel for 2007.
Now this evening the local press has e-mailed me asking to interview the dog.
I must be barking mad.

Island Girl

Things are really moving ahead for you - well done! I look forward in anticipation to finding out who is going to be the first one featured on Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous? You or Arthur-Rex?  Cheers :)

Kangaroo

Well done MW and Arthur-Rex!

Betsie

Sounds like you both have a shiny wet nose - well done.  I was going to make a 'wagging tails' comment but thought better of it.

Jay Mandal

I've no idea (no pun intended) if this will prove useful, but there's a series on BBC2 on Tuesdays at 8pm entitled 'The Underdog Show'. The presenter is that gay dog who has enjoyed one of my short stories: Julian Clary.

brownfox

Dear Sir Arthur-Rex
I was most interested in your servant, MWelshman's, mention of your blog on MySpace.  I have perused this most excellent website, but can only find your servant's own blog, not your own, which I sure will be more interesting to a foxy-type such as myself.  Could you oblige, my dear Sir, with the actual address?  Thanking you in anticipation,
Yours faithfully
Mistress Brown-Fox

josiehenley

Hi MW, I hope Arthur-Rex is enjoying his new found fame. I think you’ve got an ‘angle’ there. Definitely something to capitalise on. Love the Superstar pets site. I’ve just registered with them because I thought I might put a few of my animals up there too! I’ve added Kit-bag, but still got Hermione and Mika to do. Is Arthur-Rex the one with the favourite pink squeaky pig or is that another dog? There’s no photo of him there!

If you add Arthur-Rex to yourself as a ‘friend’ then we’ll be able to find him. I’d love to read his dog-blog.

Tessa Tangent

I think my Beryl fancies your Kit-Bag, josie!  She's all signed up and raring to type her blog.  We also call her Grey (or white) Bum as the hair beneath her tail and on her backside has become a grey-white as she's grown and she looks as though she's sat in a tin of paint.  Maybe we left some lion around.  Sorry.  Groan.

josiehenley

Kit is very pleased that Beryl fancies him, and he’s now uploaded some more images just to be flirty. Beryl looks cute – is she really a kitten or is that an old photo. Wouldn’t want Kit to be a dirty old man!

Tessa Tangent

That was Beryl about 4 months ago.  She's still only 6 months or thereabouts and still cute but very much a cat, rather than kitten now.  She and I loved the other photo, too. 

Gulp.  Yet more, often welcome, distractions on the internet.  Just signed up to myspace.com too.  Don't know how I'm managing without going into major panic.

I have now seen Arthur Rex on myspace and bless him, he's gorgeous!  What a star, indeed... he's sitting on a bench with Malcolm who's managing to smile despite Arthur Rex taking all the limelight lately.

M. Welshman

LOL Tessa. I've just come off SuperStarpets where I was getting all excited on behalf of Arthur-Rex as he had a request fron a Beryl to be a friend. He took one look at that little bundle of black fluff  and said  'I'd love to get my teeth into you.'  No hesitation about being a purrfect partner.  Crikey where will all this fraternising with our cuddlies end?  I've been asked to take Arthur-Rex's pic along to a literary talk this evening. Note -  his mug shot not mine. The beastly boy. I'm getting upstaged already.  Talk about who's taking the lead.

M. Welshman

And then 10 mins ago a phone call from Camelot Radio - our local hospital service - wondering if I could 'pop in' to have a chat about Arthur -Rex.  Mmm....My hackles are rising.

josiehenley

Have you seen that short film sometimes played on E4 with a man and a dog? The man doesn't want to go to work so he invents this kind of walking suit and pops his dog in it, then sends the dog off to work instead of himself, and sits at home. But the dog gets really successful at work, earns 'employee of the month' and gets promoted. Then the dog kicks the man out of bed and the last scene is the dog throwing a ball for the man to fetch. I laugh all the way through that every time.

Does anyone know how to make a friend on that superstar pets site? I've tried but to no avail. I wanted my own pets to friend each other as well, don't know if I can do this!

Tessa Tangent

Kit-Bag has now been approached by Beryl to be his friend!  You go on Petspace, search the name of the pet you want to befriend (or rather, your pet types across the keyboard, as does mine) and then click on "Make This Pet My Friend".

Beryl is in her element: she's Superstar Pet of the Day!  Laughing my head off here.

Tessa Tangent

Bonk!!  (That was my head!)

M. Welshman

The hotel visit is now official.  My wife and I accompanied by Arthur-Rex have been invited to stay for a night in April at the Down Hall Hotel in Hertfordshire.It's one of the UK's top 5 star hotels set in 110 acres and has just been awarded the AA Pet Friendly Hotel of the Year beating 700 other entries. Arthur-Rex will be presented with a primrose yellow dog bowl full of wrapped treats, a chew and poo-bags wrapped in yellow ribbon with Down Hall written in gold on it. A la carte dinner and breakfast is included. From the website it looks a wonderful place. Mmm. My terrier is not such a bad little chap after all.

josiehenley

TT - I have worked it out, and now we are pet-friends!

MW - Arthur-Rex has a message waiting from Mika. Well done you (and dog) for the hotel stay! Make sure you capitalise on that as much as you can, write it up afterwards etc. I expect to see Arthur-Rex blogging about his a la carte doggie menu on Superstarpets in April.

M. Welshman

TT. Apologies from Arthur-Rex to Beryl. Poor little kit has been isolated on his alternative page on Superstarpets where he's there without the hyphen. He'll make amends when he sinks his teeth into her..sorry..when he gives her a lick. He's miffed she's superstarpet of the day. The little minx.