Tony Schwartz & Chesney

Who is in the photo at right?

My name is Tony Schwartz and I do really cool things for really cool people. I'm a professional DJ, the owner of an A/V rental company, Puget Sound Pro Audio Rental, and a photo booth company, The Puget Sound Photo Booth Co. We do amazing things in the events and entertainment industry - I'm blessed to call having fun a career.

My dog is Chesney, who is an English bulldog (mainly. He is mixed with another breed, but we aren't sure what). He is a five year old male. He is pretty much awesome, too.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

We stopped for coffee on our daily walk around town. It's a warm day, so Chesney wanted some water and a nap in the shade. I just wanted an iced beverage and unfortunately, this isn't called Cold Beer with a Canine.

What's brewing?

I am drinking an iced mocha, no whip.

Any treats for you or Chesney on this occasion?

No treats. Chesney is a picky eater. He's weird like that.

How were you and Chesney united?

I adopted Chesney from Cascade Bulldog Rescue when he was 10 months old. The first day, he arrived at my house in a diaper and sat in the corner, shaking (poor boy!). By the third day, he had destroyed most of my things (in some areas, the baseboard still hasn't been replaced). Despite replacing the carpet and going through numerous toys, blankets, pillows, as well as a couch, among other things, he has come a long ways and he's doing much better. He's a good dog with simple needs.

How did your dog get his name? Any aliases?

His original name was Spike. He's not really a Spike despite the fact they put one of those spike collars on him. So, I named him Chesney after my favorite country artist, Kenny Chesney.

You're a professional DJ. Does Chesney ever accompany you on gigs?

No, he usually has to stay behind. It's not a bad life though - he gets to watch sports: he likes football and baseball despite it having complex rules, but NASCAR makes sense to him: go fast, turn left.

Of course, my dad will often come over to visit him while I'm gone, and sometimes take him back to his place. Chesney gets to run around a big field, and play with my mom.

I do want to train Chesney as a professional ring bearer. I think it would be a great add-on to my Wedding DJ services. Until then, Chesney often comes to the office each day and greets everyone as they enter by sniffing their feet.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

Chesney is not a fan of Barack Obama nor Hillary Clinton.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

Chesney is spoiled with toys: bones, balls, etc. But his favorite is a red Kong Wubba that I will have to toss and he will fetch. He'll grab it, play tug of war with it, swing it around wildly, etc. He can easily do that game for 30 minutes. It's also why there are holes and dents in my walls.

Who is Chesney's best pet-pal?

We used to go to the dog park, but Chesney would try to tackle all the dogs like Kam Chancellor. It was pretty funny, but other dog owners didn't like the fact there dog wasn't an athletic stud like mine. So now, the only dog Chesney hangs out with is my mom's chilula, Maui. And by hang out, I mean co-exist and tolerate each other. They are really good at co-conspiring for treats together, though.

Where is Chesney's favorite outdoor destination?

Anywhere outside with people. He loves it. I really want to take him to a "Bark in the Park" night at a professional baseball game. I think we would enjoy it immensely.

What is Chesney's best quality?

He is patient. In the summer, I'm gone a large percentage of the weekend, and he patiently waits for me to return. This commercial pretty much sums it up (sans the drinking and driving part, which no one should ever do).

Oh, and then when I do come home and he sees me in the window, his worst quality emerges - he goes 0 to 100 real quick and won't stop barking and running and jumping. And then he goes to his food bowl and throws his food around via his mouth like its confetti. My house is never clean for longer than ten minutes, tops.

If Chesney could change one thing about Seattleites, what would it be?

Well, we live in Puyallup, and Chesney has only been to Seattle once (he didn't like it - too much traffic). So, rephrasing the question a bit, if Chesney could change one thing about Puyallup, he would have more restaurants with outdoor seating available so more dogs and their bipeds could have lunch outside together.

If Chesney could answer only one question in English, what would you ask him?

"When you sleep, what do you dream about?"

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which Chesney could speak, who should voice him?

Whoever was the voice of Eeyore from Winnie-the-Pooh. That would be absolutely perfect. Matthew McConaughey would be a close second.

What advice would Chesney give if asked?

"If you are a single woman, you should date my daddy."

Visit Tony Schwartz's website, Facebook page, and Twitter perch.

--Marshal Zeringue