eight or ten years ago the bainbridge island and north kitsap county paws group had a fundraising auction entitled "barkitecture" featuring designer dog houses. paws solicited a number of local architects and designers to design luxury houses for the pampered pooch, a number of local builders to build them, and a number of area real estate agents to "sponsor" them. the sometimes quite elaborate final projects were then auctioned at a fund raising dinner for paws at kiana lodge near the suquamish tribal center in poulsbo, washington. i sponsored one of the dog houses designed by local architect jim cutler and built by local builder david spellman. as i recall, "sponsoring" consisted of a donation to paws, some personal promotion of the event, and some "marketing" of the houses. i believe that all the dog houses were given native american (usually suquamish) names. all in all, a very fun event. i have to admit that over the years a few of the real estate listings that i've had have been real dogs, but this one was actually very special. following is a copy of my marketing effort, in the form of a mock ad and a commemorative poem for the ultimate homeowner/resident, that i discovered in the mystery folder.

dogma threatened by karma!

form and function...sense and sensibility. versatile - suitable as a primary residence or accessory dwelling unit. this little puppy has it all...an interior copious enough to host the whole pack, generous wall space for display of that favorite fetching stick, the family heraldry, or those clever doggerels, the regional sensibility of a covered front deck, the cache, aesthetics, and functionality of a chic and sleek corrugated metal roof, exposed hand hewn clear cedar rafters and supports, quintessential portability, cedar shake siding for a flavor of the pacific northwest, all packaged in a timeless design of simplicity and clean lines and handcrafted with appropriate sensitivity to energy conservation and the environment. we think it's a wiener! the perfect abode for your little critter to "put on the dog."

a pet palace poem

ul all all (suquamish for - small house)