Small Dogs, Big City

May 27, 2009 -

I traveled to New York City this weekend for an annual girls' trip and couldn't help but notice all of the small dogs frolicking around town. Malteses, Yorkies and Teacup Poodles, oh my! I popped my head into every pet boutique I saw; even Henri Bendel has a room dedicated to high-end pet apparel! There were pet boutiques on nearly every corner and small dogs in their carriers were welcome in stores and restaurants just as any mother with a stroller. Dog walkers held bouquets of leads led with small dogs, Central Park had purse-sized pups on almost every bench, but there wasn't a dog over 15 pounds to be seen. Precious and Anna would have loved a gift from The Big Apple, but to my dismay (and theirs), there wasn't a sweater, tee or collar for large dogs in sight. I searched the high streets and the low streets in search of the perfect gift, but I found no luck. Every piece of pet clothing or collar I saw looked like apparel for a hand puppet or a bracelet for a toddler. Our trip was amazing and we had a great time, but I couldn't help but wonder: where were all the large dogs? In a city where all are welcome, where were the Labradors, Retrievers, and Shepherds? Of course landlords have no-pet policies or weight restrictions, but what about the homeowners? Even on our morning run through the Upper East Side, there wasn't a manicured Standard Poodle in sight. Maybe I'm missing something. Maybe I wasn't looking in the right places. Maybe there just aren't large dogs in the Big City. To all the bigger dogs in NYC: I missed you this weekend hope to see you on my next visit.

XOXO Jessica