We don’t deserve dogs.
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I guess this is a good forum to get dog's owners...pick up after them!
3
"That’s kind of a dog interview..."!
Perhaps we might have more dog interviews and fewer people interviews, at least with double-talking, duplicitous right-wing politicians!
And dogs (and cats) are a lot more HONEST than the aforementioned pols and fellow-travelers!
16
I had a Lhasa Apso (mixed with an unknown) until he died last year of old age. The picture of Ms. Dunham with her dogs is one of the best photos I have ever seen. I will save it and look at it whenever I want to smile.
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My little 10-pound rescue poofy mix is a popular girl with all the other dogs in our urburban neighborhood, which is a short drive from the White House, but feels like the leafy suburb where I grew up.
When we traveled to New York to visit her nephew—my daughter's Yorkie—she zigzagged going after every new smell in my daughter's Chelsea neighborhood.
As she does on our quiet street at home, she barked at every bus and truck and at many cars.
I guess she is not cut out for life in the big city—or maybe I'm the one who isn't.
8
Oh no you’ve got it all wrong! Yorkies love the city because of all the wonderful smells! My Yorkie zig zags too from smell to smell but only the blocks in our neighborhood. I think it’s a Yorkie thing.
6
This is a wonderful article about dogs and their lives. I volunteer at our local animal shelter and though I had always liked dogs, I did not really appreciate them until volunteering.
I see how loving and friendly dogs can be, that they respond to kindness and affection in kind. Though some dogs are initially confused and apprehensive when first brought to the shelter they will respond to kind words and attention though some may take a bit more time than others.
Dogs are wonderful creatures and we should take care to treat them well and with love.
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If you love dogs, get the short little book called "How to Love Your Dog." It's a fun read with great advice from a dog's point of view. It's only on Amazon. Great gift for any family getting a dog, especially good reading for the kids.
4
To my mind, one of the most telling signs of Donald Trump’s soullessness is that he has never had or wanted a dog or a cat. And his children seem only to want to kill animals, not bond with them.
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Ken also edited Dog Culture: Writers on the Character of Canines, which is a wonderful collection of stories about people and their loving relationships with their dogs.
6
Dogs in Manhattan lead gilded lives. They get to walk, off leash, in most of Central Park, from 9pm to 9am. And in other parks too. They also have lots of busy sidewalk peemail to parse. They meet a cross-section of humans and other dogs. Rather than being stuck, on their own, in a fenced back yard, Manhattan dogs are able to experience a range of smells and experiences, and the company of other dogs. Let's not forget that they also see ducks, geese, squirrels, and raccoons, at the very least. They lead busy lives.
39
can't wait to read Mr. Foster's new book. I had a wonderful pug when I loved in NYC in the 70s and it was fine as I walked him every single day a few times a day and went to parks to have play time with other city dogs. I guess as he was a small dog he was OK in the apt. but walking him a few times a day was essential!!
10
A while ago, as I was dog sitting, my friend offer me Oscar, a Cotton de Tulear or giant Maltese. I gladly took the dog, the only problem was my landlord clearly said no dogs allowed. I had no problem as I used to take Oscar to work with me. but I moved across the street to a dog-friendly building. After two years I got him a little brother "Leo". I walked the little one daily, but I was always cleaning their paws after every walk, and complaining about letting the dogs run wild. When Oscar turned 7, I bought a farm upstate NY, now they spend their time in the city and at Mr. Oscar's farm.
15
My favorite, and most telling, experiences I had with a dog in Manhattan was when I was asked to babysit for a friend's suburban dog for a week on a couple of occasions. This middle-aged terrier mix came alive like I've never seen before (I knew him well prior). He indeed was ecstatic to be in the city! It was like turning a light switch on whenever I walked him. He truly loved to be on the sidewalks of New York. Yes, the parks as well, but he was happier on the streets. All the endless smells, the other dogs he would encounter, and who knows, maybe the general hubbub(?) just juiced him. He certainly did not behave like this in his usual home, on walks or otherwise. They say dogs and humans are more alike than we are to our fellow primates, and this experience speaks to that in my opinion.
63
What a great story! It's nice to hear most NYC dogs have a good life, despite living in the city. I haven't had my own precisely because I work, travel, and don't have a yard - I'd feel guilty every second I leave a dog (even one I was dogsitting) alone in the apt
16
Fantastic. This guy has a wonderful perspective - thank you for interviewing him. I would love to see a documentary about dogs in the city, filmed with dog cams.
41
Have always preferred cats, because I am a bibliophile and love seeing a cat at my favorite bookstore. Then a friend asked me to dog sit her dog, and I reluctantly agreed.
I was hooked. Hooked to the point I am now referred to as Manny's Aunt. Aunt to a small dog. Who knew...
48
The Drama Bookshop in NYC has a magnificent dog in there who naps on the counter. He's been written up in the press.
13
I love dogs, but decided no more when I had Rusty put to sleep (cancer) about twenty years ago. And I am not sure that I miss having pets - no mess, no vet's bills, no food or special treats bills, no worrying about dog-sitters during vacation, no having to hurry home to walk the dog and take care of his needs. etc. . . pets are over-rated.
1
@PS clearly not an animal person. Better that you know and best for the animal that you look at them from a negative/inconvenience/cost point of view therefore missing the joy of animal interaction and companionship.
17
@PS That's so sad that you feel that way. I couldn't disagree more.
14
The way you feel about pets is exactly the way my wife and I feel about children—and so we never had any. But we both have a very soft spot for dogs, cats and wildlife. Sometimes we joke that we have stayed together (for over 40 years) because neither of us could stand to be away from our pets. Probably more true than we would like to admit.
While the inclination to make human connections is on a steep decline as I pass 60 years of age and hurtle to the next decade milepost, my ability to fall for a dog or cat is as strong as ever.
Someone once gave me a card that said that life was obviously too short because it didn’t allow enough time to own all the dogs one would like to. I still have that card.
42
Oh I loved this story. I so miss my dog who passed away a few months ago. I met so many people through walking my dog. We all loved our dogs and each others' dogs. No one ever asked me probing personal questions; we all just talked about our dogs. I felt so light and free. There was no need to avoid a nosy neighbor, as long as they had a dog.
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@dga sorry for your loss.
12
What a great & cheery article! Thanks!
65
Not only NY dogs, but the great majority of them should not be owned by their current owners. No man should own a dog unless he/she has a backyard with at least 100 sq. yards and even that is much less than sufficient for a dog to be happy.
8
My adorable sweet dog came to me from a shelter. She was picked up running on the side of a freeway. No one came for her.
No yard. Instead, lots of walks and playing indoors. Would you rather have dogs live in cages at the pound, and face death when it becomes too crowded, or have a loving home sans yard?
167
@capoprimo
Living in a vibrant city like New York with Central Park where dogs can run run free after dark is an excellent perk. .
The owner is key to wherever they may live. If they truly love their dog and take proper care of said animal, the dog considers himself or herself to be blessed.
A back yard while nice is not a necessity.
97
I think thousands of dogs would die in shelters if this was the prevailing wisdom. Dogs are not horses.
My dog walks a couple of miles a day and returns home to sleep. Dogs spend most of their time sleeping, not running around.
There are plenty of outside dogs who have 300 square feet and are basically abandoned outdoors to live in makeshift shelters and face recurrent flea and tick infestations due to their time outside. As I walk around, I see the same dogs pacing the fence perimeters and barking at all hours until they are hoarse. 300 square feet does not guarantee a better life for a dog.
Many of these outdoor dogs are emotionally neglected by their families, who rarely play with them or walk them because they think 300 square feet is all a dog needs to happy. They need clean water and food, to start. When was the last time you saw a clean water bowl outside?
As pack animals, dogs are psychologically healthier living close to their humans and other animals. Not to mention that dogs frequently escape from backyards. Smaller breeds are targets for predators like coyotes.
A life of love, lived close to their humans and other canines, is what dogs truly want and deserve. My dog and I lived in a single apartment and she slept on my bed. We played catch, walked to the dog park and had play dates with other dogs. She still sleeps on my bed and the scent of me keeps her happy when I am gone.
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