DOGGIE

You can’t leave Rover behind! I face this battle every weekend when I wheel and deal ways to get my pooch to the Hamptons without smuggling her in my suitcase. For the record, you can take your pooch on the Jitney as long as he/she is crated. If the crate will not fit under your seat, then you must put the dog-in-crate on the seat beside you…and buy an additional ticket for that seat. Do you see the dog-owner dilemma?

Now if you have a small dog who can be toted in a carrier, you are fine. I actually could do it because Mia is only about 30 lbs, but she is a bitch – no pun intended. What if your Rover is a lab, or worse yet, a mastiff. Then how do you get Rover to the Hamptons? Truth be told, you need a car. You need a friend’s car or a pet-friendly driver to tote you to the Jers, Hamptons or Fire Island ferry if you plan to give your pup some beach time.  (Metro North allows dogs up to 65lbs for no additional fee as long as they do no disturb other passengers.) I’ve given up my seat in friends cars and taken the train so my puppy can go, but if you aren’t as generous and don’t want to leave the pooch, it’s going to cost you – either morally or financially.

Someone suggested asking my doctor for medical approval. There are many disorders, besides blindness, that require a “service” dog, such as seizure disorders and various forms of anxiety. I’m too chicken to ask my doctor but certain there are plenty Gotham MDs with shaky moral compasses.

Lucky for us, New York is the land of alternatives with services to fit your every need. For dog owners, there is Pet Taxi. Pet Taxi is serious about getting your pooch to the Hamptons or Fire Island. In fact, they have their own webpage for doing so called Hampton Petney (get it, like Hampton Jitney? so clever!). You an your pooch can travel to the Hamptons or Fire Island together! Genius!
Of course the most economical way is to leave pup at home with your neighbor, brother or friend. But then what fun would that be?  For  information on nationwide dog-friendly beaches, hotels and transportation issues, visit www.dogfriendly.com. Do not forget that dogs might also need some prior vaccination before traveling, be sure to keep a bottle of cough medicine handy. You can find it at kennel cough treatment website.

Strolling down East 20th I ducked into Trixie & Peanut, New York’s decade-old frontrunner in luxury pup apparel. While browsing the puppy apparel in the flagship store, and a distinct, embarrassing memory flashed in my mind. I first happened upon Trixie & Peanut on a nice weekend afternoon several years ago while strolling around the neighborhood with my then boyfriend and new shiba inu pup, Mia. In the mood to splurge, I mulled over the collars, slipping onto my wrist those in the running. After much deliberating and debating, my boyfriend and pup were becoming impatient, so we agreed to come back after lunch.

Around the corner we picked up sandwiches and went to eat them in Madison Square Park. As I unwrapped my sandwich and held it up to take the first bite, I noticed a pink and green camouflage ring around my arm, now dangling towards my shoulder. “Oh my god!” I gasped. “What?” my boyfriend asked, curious at my unexpected surprise.

“I stole a collar,” I said holding up my hand to reveal the collar still looped around my arm.

“Yes you did,” he concurred, laughing.

“What am I going to do?” I asked, embarrassed by the thought of going back to the high-end dog boutique and confessing my accidental sin.

“We’ll decide after we eat. I mean, maybe Mia was meant to have a free collar.”

I picked at my sandwich and dangled the collar between my fingers, admiring it’s glimmer in the sun. I put it against Mia’s orange and white neck. “Maybe it’s a sign that I was supposed to buy this one,” I suggested to my boyfriend who shrugged in response, indicating he had no intention of returning the collar. Mia, seeing mommy twirling the collar like a glittery baton, began to reach her nose for it letting out a small wimper. “Oh, she likes it!” I said naively. I unfastened the collar and put it around her neck. That, my friends, was the kiss of death.

Trixie & Peanut’s overpriced dog clothes, collars and beds served as the perfect excuse, according to said boyfriend, to keep the collar. This medium-sized dog collar was 47 bones. Um, pun intended. But it was my careless indecisiveness that caused accidental robbery. What to do? I mulled over it the moral dilemma, which seemed liked a no brainer to my man who finally convinced me that we would spend plenty of money at Trixie & Peanut in Mia’s life and the least they could do was give us a free collar that some ten-year-old in Taiwan probably sewed. Looking back, I can’t believe my choice. I should have returned it, but I was three or four years more immature than I am now and to ashamed to admit my mistake to the chic staff at T&P. Eventually, I donated the collar to Animal Haven, hoping my heaps of donations would in some way counterbalance my bad karma.
So this week, as I browsed the collar rack, I reminded myself that I owed them a sale and searched for something to purchase. To my surprise, all of the collars I searched were around $20. What happened to the expensive collars? I thought. Turns out I was in the sale section (hence the “sale” sign, duh). But I can assure you that on my innagural trip to Trixie & Peanut there was no such section. (Thanks recession!) In fact, Trixie & Peanut has deals on more than just collars. They have dog beds, pleather and space-style silver raincoats, Hawaiian print leaves, argyle sweaters and more on sale now. So for a little more than the price of the collar I stole (I added to account for inflation), I purchased three items instead of one. You can visit your website www.trixieandpeanut.com to see for yourself, but my recommendation, visit the store. Just make sure you check yourself before you exit.

Trixie & Peanut  23 East 20th between Broadway and Park  212.358.0881

As summertime heats up, my furry shiba inu turns on the pant and pulls toward the shade. Poor girl is hot! But seriously, she is really hot. Her coat is thick and designed to keep her warm in cooler weather. Even less furry pooches can get overheated. And if you are like me, then you welcome the opportunity to tote your four-legged friend around when sunshine hits Gotham.

Last summer, a know-it-all crotchety old lady came up to me shaking her cane and yelling that it was too hot for my dog. My New York state of mind wanted to reply “Mind your own business grandma!” but on further inspection I realized that she was right. They always are. Poor pup’s eyes were rolling back in her head and she was panting like a 300 lb man in a marathon. I immediately fetched her water and headed home to cool her down. A little web research brought me to the North Shore Animal League website, where I found some tips on how to cool down a hot dog.

Applying cool packs or icy cold rags to your pet’s neck is the best way to cool them down. I also add ice cubes to my doggy’s water bowl. In the summertime, carry a travel dog water bowl like the one shown. It easily folds into my handbag, beach bag or pocket.  While we may worship the sun, pups need shade. When dining outdoors, choose a seat that shield my pooch from direct sunlight.

Knowing the signs your dog might be stressed from heat is of utmost importance. Restlessness, lethargy, lack of coordination, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, purple or deep red tongue, glazed eyes and of course, heavy panting are signs that your furry friend needs some shade asap.

For more pet summer safety tips, visit the North Shore Animal League website… and don’t let heat keep Clifford from having a cool summer.