The Week That Was & Will Be.....

A Tumultuous Yet Exciting Week For Maisy

Last week, Maisy enjoyed another weekend at Cheeky Dog, so that her parents, David & Shannon could spend quality time with their own parents for the inaugural "Meet The Parents", prior to the Big Day in October, 2012. Maisy sometimes comes home with a cold, upset stomach, or a case of the Homesick Blues. In this case, it was all three! 

Maisy made yet another trip the VHVG, I thought she may have gotten Kennel Cough again, but Dr. P. ( Dr. Pizzilo ) informed me that was not the diagnosis. I did feel relieved to hear that.  But she did have a small cold.  Within recent  months, I switched Maisy's diet, a different "Iams" type of food. This made her a bit uneasy, so the vet again flourished me and Maisy with Flagyl, a Pepto-Bismol  type of medication for dogs. Since the Dr. knows all to well that Maisy's stomach is very sensitive we received extra pills for her, which was nice of them to do. Of course I did have to pay for extra, no worries there. It was a very busy Tuesday morning, especially after a long weekend, we were in and out without hassle.

This morning, Maisy woke up to her first snowfall of her life. She did get a glimpse of the white stuff last October during the freak storm, where many people in the 'burbs lost power for weeks on end.  Maisy basically just shrugged it off. Can a dogs sense of smell travel through snow? Usually, Maisy will sniff her way to her usual spots to relieve herself, but the 2" blanket of snow made it somewhat difficult to navigate. Eventually, she scoped out some new digs, if you would wanna call it that, and marked her new territory, not forgetting of course to track down the vagrant cats that co-habitate near by. 

Like all dogs they love the white stuff, even eating it, but just keep in mind Frank Zappa's line from one of his songs, "please don't eat that yellow snow". We took her to the Bkln Br. Dog Run, of course no one was in there, they were smart not to be outside. She did have fun chasing her squeaky ball on the newly filled mulch which was put in yesterday. On the way home I got worried about the salt affecting her paws, at some point today I will be getting her Paw Wax, for her paws. I heard it's a lot better than the balloons or the hi-fashion booties that you would buy at LL BEAN or the overpriced store of Paragon Sports, NY.


Maisy is resting comfortably, before she goes out again to Cheeky Dog, and spends another weekend with her furry pals. 


Tune in, next week, while celebrates her 1st Birthday, picture to follow. 

D.U.M.B.O. Xmas Tree Graveyard

"Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree........."

 With the holidays being over for almost two weeks, we often wonder why does it take so long for the Xmas trees to be picked up. All along the streets of DUMBO & Vinegar Hill, Xmas trees are left in heaps along the sidewalks waiting to be picked up. Is it because the "Twelve Days of Christmas" weren't quite over? Or is it because Mayor Michael Bloomberg didn't act fast enough to remind the NYC Dept. of Sanitation of picking them up?

With the over-priced trees from Peas & Pickles and those personally cut down by Fathers & Husbands from Xmas Tree Farms,the trees were becoming an eye sore,as if the Sanitation Dept. was on strike. With the recent arson fires in California and here in the Boroughs,I am amazed that someone didn't torch the ones lying on the sidewalks. 

Here are examples left outside of the Delivery Entrance to 70 Washington St., DUMBO. My sister in fact lives in the building as well. This is looking down Front Street, towards Old Fulton Street.

This picture shows the other side of the massive heap of Xmas trees, the height of the trees surpasses the bottom of the upcoming STOP sign ahead. So you can imagine this must be at least 10 ft. high.

Thankfully, on my block in Vinegar Hill, the trees were removed sometime this morning. Leaving in its wake, tree needles, tinsel, broken ornaments and an occasional gift left by dogs, to which the owner did not pick after his/her precious pooch. My dog Maisy, did tend to grab a few small branches off our tree in the apt. when we had gone out for the evening. She learned that Xmas trees do not taste good, and provide no pleasure as if it were a play toy.

For all the dog owners that frequent the Main St. Dog Run, we all hope that they turn the Xmas trees into mulch and spread evenly for better sustainability for the dogs running amok during their playtime.

2012!.............2012!.............2012!............2012!..........2012!

What Will 2012 Bring................

This year will be very busy for Maisy, myself & of course my Fiance' ( not Finance - inside joke ).  First off, Maisy will be turning "1" year old on the 26th of January. She still has her usual antics, by sleeping on the couch when we're not home. During the holidays, she suffered from separation anxiety, which is weird, because she was fine in the past. Though, since we had a Xmas tree, she may have gotten scared and decided to get into the Xmas spirit a wee bit early. She may have thought the ornaments were for her, because they were shiny and at a height where she can pull them off the tree branches.

It was Maisy's first Xmas, so the gifts were in abundance, not just from us, but her Grandparents and other relatives. She had her goals set, attack toys at all costs until she gets the prize, well really the squeaker inside. I cannot count how many times I had to pick up the stuffing off the floor. Thankfully all of those toys have been destroyed!

Maisy will be spending some quality time at Cheeky Dog, her year round summer day camp. She will still drag me there even though there's no intention of her being there. "Richelle", the owner at Cheeky told me that during the new years, she friended a small Yorkie, where no one else would play with her. I thought that was so adorable for a boxer, as rambunctious as she is, has a soft side to for being a caring individual. Come the end of February, she will be spending a week as we go away to the BVI. Some much needed time away from the cold air of NYC.  Then again in October as my Fiance' and I Tie The Knot!!!!!!!!!!

I hope to find employment with a Hospitality Company in NYC.  For those who read this post is hiring in NYC in a restaurant or hotel, please don't hesitate to leave a comment and try and track me down for a job.

Also, this year prior to the wedding will be a lot of planning and organizing for the big day.  We have the location set, our guests' list prepared and a strong idea of what we're looking to entertain the guests with during the festivities. However, the menu is a whole different story. I know what kinda food, I want, but my Fiance' can't decide. So we are waiting for menu samples from other weddings from the same location.

This summer we are also looking to rent a house in Montauk, NY. We may have something lined up, but we are waiting for more information. It will only be in August and spend two straight weeks out there, through Labor Day Weekend. So you can imagine how excited we are, especially how much Shannon, my Fiance' likes to spend time on the beach!!!!  Literally, she can spend an entire day soaking in the rays, as for me, two - three hours is enough.

With the upcoming trip, the wedding plans and weekends at the ocean, it will be a very interesting year. And we couldn't really enjoy it without Maisy by our side throughout our new adventures of 2012!

Holiday Etiquette for your Pet Dog

  HOLDAY ETIQUETTE FOR DOGS        

by Thomas Bennett ( Dad )

Be especially patient with your humans during this time. They may come home

with large bags of things they call gifts. Do not assume that all the gifts are yours.

Be tolerant if your humans put decorations on you. They seem to get some special

kind of pleasure out of seeing how you look with fake antlers.

They may bring a large tree into the house and set it up in a prominent place and

cover it with lights and decorations. Bizarre as this may seem to you, it is an important

ritual for your humans, so there are some things you need to know:

      ---don't pee on the tree

      ---don't drink the water in the container that holds the tree

      ---mind your tail when you are near the tree

      ---if there are packages under the tree, even ones that smell interesting or that

          have your name on them, don't rip them open

      ---don't chew on the cord that runs from a funny-looking hole in the wall to the tree

Your humans may occasionally invite lots of strangers to come and visit during this season. 

These parties can be lots of fun, but they also call for some kind of discretion on your part:

      ---not all strangers appreciate kisses

      ---don't eat off the buffet table

      ---beg for goodies subtly

      ---be pleasant, even if unknowing strangers sit on your sofa

      ---don't drink our of glasses that are left within your reach

A big man with a white beard and a very loud laugh may emerge from your fireplace in the

middle of the night.

                                DON'T BITE HIM!!

Celebrity Dog Owner in DUMBO

Celebrity Dog Owner Spotted in DUMBO

So, Thursday morning, I made my usual trek to the Brooklyn Bridge Park Dog Run under the Manhattan Bridge. I came across a former tenant from my apartment with his two dogs in the run and another dog owner whom I have never seen before in the neighborhood. She had a Chocolate Lab, whose name I am unaware of, but I may have heard "Penguin".

Anyway, as I got closer to the woman, wearing an overcoat, long scarf and hiding behind a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses. Low and behold it was Anne Hathaway of the Silver Screen. I posted the pic on Facebook, obviously, soon after, I was getting comments of being a "Stalker".  I mean c'mon already, I pretended to take a video of Maisy, so I got a photo of the starlet watching her lab run amok in the dog run.

Anne had recently been engaged to another actor not sure of his name or his previous works in the entertainment field, but a pic was taken of the two of them in Fort Greene park.  So without further ado, here is Anne Hathaway with her Chocolate Lab:



Salty Dog Part 2 - Thanksgiving 2011

My Fiance', Shannon and I drove down the Garden State Parkway to Cape May, NJ.  It was the first time for all of us to end up at exit "0".  So, when people say about those residents of NJ, "what exit do you live off of?" We actually ended up at the very end of the road.  We had made reservations to take the Cape May Ferry to Lewes, Delaware for a leisurely ferry ride, so that we could skip the monotonous drive through upper Delaware.

We arrived with ample time to spare, so that Maisy could stretch her legs and take care of business. Once on board, we got to sit atop the top check and enjoy the seasonably warm weather of the Atlantic Ocean. Maisy was not the only dog on board, there was a Daschund and a playful pit bull that tried very hard to play with Maisy, but were not having any of that.

Off in the distance is the north-eastern shoreline of Lewes Delaware to which we would disembark to Shannon's parents house in Bishopsville, MD. It was actually the best idea I had in a while, Maisy loves the open waters, though she is scared of waves washing ashore along the beaches of Assateague State Park, Md. During the ferry ride, we decided to stop by a local pet store that caters to the pampered pooches.  Maisy needed a new winter coat, since the one I originally bought her was too big, I had hoped she would grow into it, but I was wrong. So Maisys' cousin "Clarence" a Labradoodle is now the proud owner of the Fleece Coat size 16.  Joking "Clarence's" owners considered it a hand-me-down, even though Maisy only wore it like four times. We also purchased a stuffed duck, unknowingly until the woman said that you can stick an empty plastic bottle in it, for hours of fun and enjoyment.

Maisy loves the the salty air, the wind blowing through her ears and the sun beating down on for extra warmth. Once we got closer to the docks, Maisy began to simmer down and feel like royalty aboard such a huge vessel. As you can see from the picture behind me, there were tourists on board, they were not accustomed to ferries, they wanted to move the lounge chairs around, but the parents had to tell their kids that the furniture was bolted to the ground. We looked forward to having another Turkey Dinner for Thanksgiving Saturday night, plus celebrate Shannon's nieces' 1st Birthday.

Here Maisy rests before the big day, Saturday. She would always look for scraps that would fall fro Tess' high-chair. Maisy also learned from her mistake, by eating human food touched by an infant.  She had vomited several times on Sunday, and called the vet. She ate a lot of grass to tickle her throat, and it worked to get the issue removed from her.  It wasn't a pretty sight, but Maisy felt a lot better.  Being it was her first real Holiday, she will learn her lesson, then again maybe not. So may I say, bring on Christmas, but she will be boarded for the weekend, but Santa Paws will have Maisy on her GOOD list with lotsa toys to play with.  Happy Holidays Everyone!

Maisy Turned 9 months!

On October 26th, 2011, "Maisy" Bennett turned 9 months old. She has come along way adjusting to Brooklyn and NYC life. She has grown into a mature woman, she doesn't get separation anxiety anymore, nor does she terrorize the home, i.e. ripping furniture, destroying pairs of shoes, thank God!

Maisy was spayed about two months ago, and it didn't even phase her one bit. She also recently received her NYC dog license, which she proudly displays when she walks around DUMBO. Last week, Maisy did show signs of having parasites in her stool, so back to the Vet we went. She was given medication, thankfully her illness was resolved.

One thing I have noticed over the past several weeks, on certain Fridays, the Hassidic Community takes the East River Ferry from Williamsburrg to DUMBO, from there, they take ALL their kids to the playground. These kids are all wearing the same clothes, how odd. So as Maisy and I walk to Jane's Carousel, the parents and kids alike run for their life when they see her, and every dog for that matter.  I would tell the kids and family, "don't worry, she doesn't bite".  I didn't know why this happens, but found out that, during WWII, the Germans would have the German Shepard's attack the Jews during the holocaust.  From now on, I will stay as far away from them, respecting their space.

Maisy celebrated her first Halloween in Brooklyn, she saw other dogs in costumes, she was probably thinking to herself, "I wouldn't be caught dead in that get-up".  The dogs were dressed in everything you can imagine, though I cannot remember the costumes, maybe next year she will have her own costume.

With Thanksgiving coming around the corner, Maisy will have to spend it at Cheeky Dog. My brother-in-laws parents are coming to celebrate with the family, so Maisy is not invited.  But she will get to celebrate it with my girlfriends parents and close relatives that weekend in Md. Christmas will be a whole new experience for her, big trees, lights, and plenty of dog toys, so much so, she will get dizzy of what to play with next.

Stay tuned for new Dogs of the Week, but please send in pictures.