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.

Chiens de la Rues a Paris ( Street Dogs of Paris )

True French Companionship

Some dear friends of mine of the West Village took a recent trip to Paris, France. They took in the sights, ate and drank all that Paris had to offer. Among their daily excursions through the streets of Paris, they came across the darker side of this "City of Lights". From pictures I received, it was not any different then the streets of New York City we see each and every day.

Friends, Michael & Elizabeth Corday too, had loving dogs, that they cherished, took great care of, and pampered to the ends of the earth. Knowing that I am caring for my now nine month old Boxer Maisy, they took pictures of urban dwellers and their canine family members. The Parisians shared their lives with their dogs, probably because it was the only family members they had left. All over Paris, it was a heartache to see these loveable dogs in such squaller, asking for Euros, so they can get a bite to eat.

An Excerpt from Elizabeth Corday: " Interestingly, the dogs were blissed out. They got to live out their dreams of being held by their owners for a good part of the day. They were all fed. So who knows ? They also offered their owners companionship in what could be a dismal experience ".

From a store in Paris.

No different then what you see in NYC.

Not sure if these puppies were for sale, but as you can see, they are not pure-breds. So Sad.

A woman holding her dog along the banks of the Seine river in Paris. She too looking for a hand out.

It just goes to show, that all around the world, dogs and people alike need companionship. However, this is also how dogs become strays and the pet population explodes with new unidentifianble breeds.

Au Revoir!

Dogs of The Week ~ The Twin Ibizan Hounds ~ Deimos & Phobos

Dogs of The Week - Meet Deimos & Phobos

Several weeks ago, while my puppy Maisy and I visited the Main St. Dog Run, we came across these gorgeous dogs who are twin brothers.  I have never seen this breed before in my entire existence on this earth. You will be astounded by their good looks and boyish charm. You could say that Deimos & Phobos are identical twins, though their personalities differ somewhat, as you will learn later on at the bottom of their pictures. Danny, the twins owner was kind enough to share the twins photos and their upbringing in all their splendid glory.

So, without further a do, may I present Deimos & Phobos

The twins at 8 weeks old, just hanging out, getting used to their new home. These guys can't stand be apart from each other.

Deimos had fallen asleep before he was about to go for a walk. Puppies lives are tough!

Phobos at 4 month asleep in the "cockroach" position.

These guys had their ears down as puppies, but slowly, the cartlidge firms up and their ears

stand up on their own.

Stretching before we go for a run? I have no idea why they are posing so well in this photo.

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I can't walk from D.U.M.B.O. to Hillside Park without beng asked 10 times about Phobos & Deimos, my two Ibizan Hounds. These two brothers named for the moons of Mars, joined our family in early 2010, eight weeks after they were born in Delaware. Their breed is historically from the island of Ibiza in Spain, and not very common in the United States. They are SightHounds, so they are related to the Greyhounds, Whippits, Pharoah Hounds, Borzois, etc... They can run pretty fast, but they are bred to jump extremely high. They can often be seen racing around and jumping over picnic tables at The Hillside Park, situated between Brooklyn Heights and D.U.M.B.O., Brooklyn.

Having the two of them as puppies was a complete nightmare. Although we were warned by everyone, we just thought they were exaggerating. Our Lives became puppy-only for many months, and our social lives were dead during that time period. Training two dogs at the same time was much harder then we expected as well, but in the end, with a ton of work, it all came together nicely.

They are smart, sweet, playful and extremely loving dogs. They require a lot of excercise ( 2-3 hours/day ) and tons of attention. They are complete goofballs, and love to impress people. Although Deimos is far more athletic, he is also neutered. His brother Phobos however is going to get bred later this year, due to his non-needy and easy going temperament., perfect for bringing this breed from Ibiza to American Homes.

So, if you see them around D.U.M.B.O., they will surely want to play with your dogs and they love showing off their good manners in trade for a petting.

"Signs" Of The Times

What Is Really Posted On The Streets Of D.U.M.B.O. Brooklyn

We are all used to seeing the signs in and around Brooklyn, but do we really stop and read them? There are hundreds of "No Parking" and "No Standing" signs, mainly due to the "Watch Tower" Group, since they occupy most of our neighborhood buildings. On a recent walk with Maisy in D.U.M.B.O., we happened to come across Street Signs we are not accustomed too. These signs originated from one individual in Manhattan, the group calls themselves the "Metropolitan Etiquette Authority",which demonstrates the common courtesy of how NY'ers should act in their daily lives.  It was televised on a local news broadcast, where one sign illustrates the courtesy of pulling your pants up for those from Urban backgrounds.  Some say it's a fashion trend, but who really wants to see the backside of your underwear?

Here are the signs from our recent walk:

With the new smoking ban in NYC Parks, more and more cigarette butts are littering the curbs just outside park entrances. In the olden days, the reason why men's pants were cuffed on the bottom, was to old on to all of your cigarette butts from littering on the sidewalks. I learned that from "Slim" Curtis, a former Co-Director of a summer camp I attended in Vermont.  He had noticed the counselors were ashing out their butts on the grounds of the camp and asked that they be placed in the receptacles around the campus. The picture was taken at the end on Main St., adjacent corner of Bubby's restaurant.

I assume, this is intended for those thumbing away on their "Crackberries".  Walking and typing away can be hazardous to your well-being, by not paying attention to your surroundings, you may get hit by another "crackberry" owner or livery cab, because they're not paying attention either. This picture was taken on Water St. between Adams and Washington Sts.

Ok, how many times have you seen a horse being ridden in DUMBO? Unless of course it is from New York's Finest, Mounted Police.

No need for any explanation on this one.  Please carry a baggy or two with you when walking your beloved pet, none of us like to walk into landmines.