BostonZest

Maggie Mae Is Fifteen-Years-Old!

Today our own Maggie Mae is our Sunday Dog. She's also our Monday Dog and Tuesday Dog .... and our 24/7/365 Dog. We created this slide show to salute this special birthday.

The show starts and ends with photos of Maggie on August 20, 2011– her 15th birthday.

To see the slide show on a mobile device or to see it with captions click here. 

(If you mouse over the photo\controls will appear. The controls let you stop, start and choose the photos you want to see from the thumbnails.)

Maggie does have one of those long names. It is Windsong's Maggie Mae MacGuinness. Yes, she was named for a beer! Her breeder was a wonderful woman, Nancy Schoch, who was one of the leaders in Westie Rescue. We learned a lot from Nancy, and when she died, we tried to help fill the gap in caring for abandoned West Highland White Terriers.

The slides show Maggie doing some of her favorite things. She loves to sit and watch the world go by from a window in our Boston condo, a deck at the beach, or a bench in the park. She'll sit by your side for hours and enjoy a passing parade of friends and neighbors. And, being a friendly creature, Maggie has lots of friends and wonderful neighbors.

She continues to have a successful modeling career and appears in many of our feature articles– especially those about traveling with a dog.

Maggie makes a bit of a fashion statement with her sporty t-shirts and winter coats and boots.

And, we included a couple of puppy shots when she was 15 "weeks" old.

Happy Birthday Maggie! We'll help you celebrate this week and spoil you some more in the upcoming year!

Instead of an ad today, we're honoring Maggie's request that in lieu of gifts to her, you consider a gift to your favorite dog rescue charity. Or, you can support her favorite one, WestieMed. This tax-exempt charity pays for the veterinary care of West Highland White Terriers who have been surrendered to rescue groups.

Here's a story of one they helped who lived with us for a little while and was named after Maggie when she reached her forever home.

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

Backpack Buddy, a Sunday Dog on the Move

We met Buddy a couple of weeks ago, during one of those punishingly hot July afternoons. He was helping himself to a long, cool drink of water that he carries in his own backpack. What a smart dog!



Buddy was quick to tell us that having his own supply of what he calls “the wet stuff,” allows him to walk with confidence for miles– he just craves the exercise.

This active five year old lives with his people in, what they proudly described as, “dog friendly Charlestown.” They rescued this handsome guy from the Virgin Islands, after some uncertainty as to whether they could actually get him to Boston.



Buddy likes women best and is slowly learning to trust men. As for other dogs, he’s beginning to accept them. Buddy’s also training hard as he adapts to his new surroundings.

Welcome to Boston, Buddy! You’re gonna love it here! 

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Need the perfect place to put a prized photo of your favorite dog or a great gift for someone with a new family member? Look at this great Leash Hook with a Photo Frame!

Details:
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

North End Beauty Captures Sunday Dog Spotlight

Her name is Ursula. And, this tiny, three-month-old from Boston’s North End, definitely has the cutes! She’s been in town for only a few weeks, but already feels right at home. Her person told us that she’s, “Very, very funny. I haven’t laughed so hard in the 3-weeks that I’ve had her– in my entire life!”



“She’s such a sweet, little puppy.” And, we agree! Ursula, who’s already learned how to play hard, showed us how much she loves her weasel toy. But, for such a petite puppy, Ursula has quite the official title: miniature, longhaired, blue-and-tan dappled piebald Dachshund! And, she wears it well.



The miniature dachshund was developed to track down critters that burrow, such as, rabbits and prairie dogs (no wonder she likes her little weasel). The breed is said to be playful, affectionate, and...brave.



While we were getting to know Ursula, she was checking out a couple of curious yellow Labs who were out for a walk. This little girl showed a lot of confidence as she moved in for a good, fearless, hello sniff. See more of their encounter in the short video below...



And, if you happen to see this gorgeous, miniature Dachshund prancing around the North End, be sure to stop and say, "Hi!" I’m sure she’ll be eager to introduce herself. Thanks for being such a special Sunday Dog, Ursula!

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

If you have a puppy, or adult dog, keep a supply of Puppy Pads on hand to make clean up easy. While they're great for little ones, you can use them throughout a dog's life to help with upset tummies. 

This brand comes in different sizes:

Iris Neat 'n Dry Floor Protection and Training Pet Pads

Wee-Wee Housebreaking Pads for Dogs

Nature's Miracle Quick Results Training Pads



Details:
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny Cherubino
Video: © 2011 Ed Cherubino

Bonjour from Sunday Dog, Maki

We never know who we’ll run into during a Boston summer, and that’s half the fun. But, even I was surprised to hear “bonjour” coming from a beautiful Bernese Mountain Dog who was on a tour of the city.

Maki, Sporting Her Gentle Leader

It wasn’t what she said, but rather her alluring accent that grabbed my attention. She told us she goes by the name of Maki (as in sushi roll), but that she prefers crunchies.

She and her family are visiting from Quebec and were taking a lunch break and a lie-down on the Comm Ave Mall. Maki explained that she was drawn to this area because, “the Mall's 32 acres were designed in the French boulevard style.” Wow! Obviously, not just a pretty face. No surprise, though.



"Berners" are known for their intelligence, and for being loving, loyal, and willing to please. Maki’s only nine months old, but already displays an amazing amount of poise and wisdom.

Enjoy your stay in Boston, Maki. Adieu!

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

We used a Premier Pet Gentle Leader Headcollar with our first Westie Girl, and we've recommended them for difficult walkers. Another great version of this type of head collar is Coastal Holt Dog Walking Collar .



Details:
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

10 Tips on Taking "Your" Sunday Dog for a Ride

When your dog hears, “Want to go for a ride?” does she lead you to the car keys or run for cover? Either way, whenever we play chauffeur, our furry friends expect us to be, up to job!

This car was parked on a cool, spring day. Before it moves, all the dogs should be restrained in the back seat. In a collision, the front air bag system can be deadly– even to a harnessed dog.

 

 

 

To help us all live up to their expectations, here are:

10 Tips on Taking "Your" Sunday Dog for a Ride

1. For new passengers, start with short trips and work up to longer ones.
2. Decide how you’ll secure your pet in the car and reward cooperation.
3. No riding “shotgun!” Research says: back seat in a carrier or harness secured to the vehicle’s seat belt is safest.
4. In a collision, the front air bag system can be deadly– even to a harnessed dog.
5. AAA advises restraining a pet while driving protects all on-board. In a crash, an unrestrained dog can exert hundreds of pounds of pressure!
6. Exercise before a long trip often makes for a tired, sleepy dog and a better passenger.
7. Give you and your pet a rest stop every 2-3 hours.
8. Our own rule is, we just don’t leave our Maggie alone in a car (even when she insists on driving).
9. Bring a good supply of water for your pet.
10. If your guy is prone to motion sickness, cover car seats with disposable puppy pads for quick & easy clean-up.

 For more tips, see: AAA Pet-Friendly Travel Tips

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Where can you find Dog Seatbelts? Right here!

 

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

Sunday Dog, Billy– the Gentleman Aussie

Billy’s a true gentleman, much like his namesake, actor William Powell, who was described as a gentleman professionally and personally. 



This five year old Australian Terrier is a very happy, confident, little guy who hardly barks. Billy is an avid TV viewer and one of Animal Planet’s biggest fans. But, his real passion is watching “Birds!”       



Just the mention of the word, and he’s on high-alert. At home, Billy’s favorite spot is a bay window, where he’s able to track all of his feathered friends.



A very active, playful aussie, Billy’s in great shape and loves his city walks and romps. He was extremely patient to sit and pose for our cameras, but we could tell that he wanted down.



No bark, no sound, just that unmistakable look. You really are a gentleman, Billy– and a very special Sunday Dog.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

And, see Billy’s sister, Myrna Loy at: A Four-Legged Star in Our Midst!

Do you know someone who would just love The Complete Thin Man Collection / Alias Nick and Nora) ?



Details:
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

Put ‘er There, Murphy!

Murphy at the Taj with his buddy, Abraham

 

If there’s one thing Sunday Dog, Murphy loves to do, it’s shake hands. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he often gets a treat, or three, by simply offering his paw.

Murphy’s been visiting the Taj for a cookie break since moving to Boston two years ago. This handsome Irish Setter’s morning routine takes him from his Beacon Hill front door, through the parks, and directly to the Taj.



While this energetic red-head loves getting cookies from many of his neighborhood friends, he told us that his real weakness is vanilla ice cream– just a little, now and then.

To see Murphy in action, you’d never guess he’s ten (seriously Murph, you don’t look a day over five). He was adopted at age six from an Irish Setter rescue group in New Jersey clearly having learned a thing or two about manners.



Murphy is very loyal and affectionate, and has obviously landed in a great home! Whenever, we meet a rescue, it’s their human who always gets a thank you from us. But, in this case, his person admitted that, “Murphy has given me much more than I have given him.”

It sounds to us as if you were meant for each other. 

To Learn More about Bringing an Irish Setter into Your Life, Go To:

Irish Setter Rescue in New Jersey

Adopt-a-Setter

And, Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

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Details:
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny Cherubino