Friday, November 26, 2010

When I die I want to come back as a dog in Manhattan.

Now I was aware of the love that Manhattan has for dogs. In fact it was apparent when we decided to re home our beagles in Australia. I remember discussing it with a few friends I have online that are New Yorkers and them saying to me that I should just bring them along. I remember thinking what an absurd thing to say! Two beagles and a toddler am I a total sucker for punishment? But here in Manhattan it’s not absurd in fact it’s very normal. I read this book by a woman call Caroline Irvington called “Only in New York” and she also commented on how dogs are a major part of life here in Manhattan. In fact I found this book to me mesmerising. I think I read it in two days which is amazing for me. She also made the big move here with her two eighteen month old twins and a husband who gave up his career to be a stay at home Dad. I really recommend this book as she is actually a journalist and a very good writer.
Anyway back to the topic of dogs. From the moment I walked out of the Milburn hotel after my arrival I noticed that all the dogs here in The Upper West Side are immaculate. I mean they are perfect and I mean really perfect. Their coats are shiny, most have co-ordinating accessories and all are very well behaved. Then as I continued to observe them and their owners I realised how many pet shops there are here too. Not just your regular Pet-barn or anything like that I mean designer type shops with outfits and anything a pampered pooch could ever want. Also the other most amazing fact is they are allowed to enter everywhere!! They come into food markets (supermarkets), boutiques, cafés (including Starbucks) and I suppose anywhere that a human goes into. I laughed the other day as I had to go to get a chopping board at Bed Bath and beyond and I had Annika in the shopping trolley when all of a sudden Isabel points to this woman. I had a look at her then I looked at her trolley and yes there was her dog sitting in the same child section that Annika was sitting in.
The streets here in The Upper West Side are just beautiful. There are lots of trees and they have these boxes around them with beautiful flowers planted around the bottom of the tree. There are signs everywhere that say “Please curb your dog”. I still have not figured out what that means? Either has Hugo but I think it means to get your dog to do its business away from these flowers? Also EVERONE picks up their doggy poo ( which as a dog lover think is fantastic) You don’t see any doggy poo anywhere. It’s very funny but as I have seen women absolutely dressed to the nines in Chanel and Yves Saint Lauren bending over with dainty little bags collecting their dogs crap......it’s just too funny to me not that they are collecting it but that they are so dressed up walking them in the first place. I know when I walked my dogs I would be breaking a huge sweat so it was trackies and a t-shirt, but not here in Manhattan.
Also I know we have them in Sydney but there are lots of doggy daycares here and plenty of dog walkers in Central Park and don’t think it’s just Chihuahuas or those fluffy little Maltese either. I have seen every single breed including great danes and I just saw a husky as I was walking home from buying Annika Diapers (Nappies). It’s very normal to have them living in apartments even if they are small. I suppose the wealthier you are the bigger your apartment will be but these dogs seem very happy to me. The girls and I will continue to enjoy admiring them as they are truly just as the beautiful as the people of Manhattan are.

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