The Metlox dog fountain in Manhattan Beach is set to become the Metlox dog planter. 

Starting in July, the city's Public Works department is planning to convert the water feature portion of the iconic dog sculpture to a planter with drought-tolerant landscaping. (The fountain is currently drained.)

According to a statement by the city, the conversion will assist with the upkeep of the Metlox property and allow funds to be redirected to other maintenance issues.

The fountain has been an ongoing challenge to maintain due to ongoing vandalism. A city spokesperson told MB News that the fountain frequently needed to be drained and cleaned due to people putting soap into the water.

The dog sculpture resides in Manhattan Beach's Metlox center, which was built on what had been the site of the Metlox pottery company from 1927 until 1988.

Upon the opening of the Metlox center in 2005, the artists from Tolkin and Associates created a fountain shaped as a one-of-a-kind replica of the cubistic dog miniature that was produced by Metlox Pottery on the site in the 1940s.

The Metlox dog sculpture "guards" the entrance to the Metlox center, facing Manhattan Beach Blvd. between Valley and Morningside Drives.

The dog sculpture was originally painted red. But over time that paint degraded, due to regular wear and tear, and also due in part to the dog being improperly used as a skateboard ramp. 

In 2015, the city repainted the Metlox dog in blue to make a closer match to the one of the original Metlox dog colors with what was thought to be a more durable epoxy paint.

However, the city later switched the paint back to a new red paint that was more cost-effective to maintain.