In L.A., a dog gets her own blog and entourage

Los Angeles has long been known as a one-industry town – the movies.

Every waiter has a screenplay, every busboy has an agent, and every lawyer is working on a deal. No matter what job you are working at, it is only temporary until that big break happens, when that audition pays off, or when your pilot series is picked up. But what everyone really wants to do is direct.

My friends have teased me about being the only writer in L.A. who has never attempted a screenplay, and I've often thought I just may be the only person here with no aspirations to be involved with a movie.

And so it came as no great surprise when two of my closest friends announced their intention to get their German shepherd, Heidi, into show business.

Since he's a Hollywood attorney, and she's a staff writer for a major metropolitan newspaper, I figured they had a leg up on the competition, at least as far as having industry contacts.

Well before you could say "megadeal," Heidi became the frequent subject of a daily blog in the paper and soon had a devoted readership following her path to stardom.

She was invited to the premiere of the movie "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" and to be on the set during the filming of "Marley and me."

Heidi has appeared on local TV news shows, and I wouldn't be surprised to find her face on a billboard in the near future. In true Hollywood fashion, she has become a minor celebrity.

Since Heidi is often at our home and plays with our yellow Labrador retriever, Layla, my wife and I have joked about knowing her "when."

When we threw a small party this past New Year's, Heidi and her owners were in attendance. I took a few pictures of the two dogs together and was completely surprised to find my photo of Heidi and Layla in the paper Monday morning. Not only was Layla now officially one of Heidi's "people," but my wife and I were identified as Layla's parents.

It was all quite amusing, with our friends calling to speak to our "star" dog, and during a walk, one lady honked and threw a big thumbs-up, although I'm not sure if it was for me or Layla. (I am assuming the latter.)

So now my dog has gained fame as one of Heidi's "people," and I have been reduced to being her father. There is nothing worse for a man's ego than to have young girls approach on the street and say, "Oh, you're Layla's dad!"

So in the months ahead, I expect Layla to have a recurring role in Heidi's blog, since she seems to have settled nicely into her role as leader of the canine entourage, and even I am becoming content with my place in all this.

While Layla does look good in dark glasses, it bothers me a bit that she will now eat only peanut butter dog cookies and is demanding a sequined collar.

So far, at least, our dog has not yet told me that she wants to direct.