Weekend in New Jersey 1

I was in New Jersey this weekend when I saw this guy walking his dog on his skateboard. He even did a turn ran by me again so I could take his photo. The weather was perfect -- warm with low humidity.

How is the weather over at your end?

Pugilicious

I saw this little fellow outside Murray Bagels on 23rd Street and 8th Avenue in Chelsea while his owner ran inside to get himself a bagel for breakfast. I had just finished my lox & cream cheese bagel before going to see my account to file my 2008 income tax.

So have you filed your taxes yet? It is due on April 15 but I did mine early.

It's A Dog's Life

I saw this cute little dog at the Brooklyn promenade a couple weeks ago. It looked totally content sitting on the bench with its owner enjoying the beautiful weather outside.

So when are you most content?

Bull Dog Eyeing Someone Else

This bulldog had other things on his mind when I photographed him on Broadway and 19th Street near Union Square last weekend. He was eyeing a couple of kids on my left who were eating hot dogs from the street fair.

So have you ever been distracted by food?

Available for Adoption

I saw this little guy at an animal adoption booth on the corner of Broadway and 17th Street in Union Square recently. I'm not sure if this group is affiliated with the ASPCA and I will do some investigation on it later this week.

So have you ever adopted a pet before?

Charlie the Pug

Meet my new neighbor Charlie, a 4-month old pug whom I met during his afternoon walk recently. It was very warm and humid outside and poor Charlie was exhausted so he plopped down under a shade and decided to rest his poor feet. His owner tried to coax him up but he refused to move so she had carried him home in her arms. What a lucky guy!

So what is your favorite thing to do on a warm, humid summer day?

Look At Me

I was at a furniture store in SoHo yesterday and I saw this cute little dog lying on the floor, looking totally bored. When I walked over to take her photo, she immediately sat up and posed for me. She knew she had my attention. In return for the photo, I gave her a pat on the head, a chin rub and she was thrilled to bits. Her owner was too busy talking with a friend to notice anything.

So what do you usually do to get people's attention?

Surfing in the Wind

I saw this cute dog enjoying the breeze (actually it was more like a gust of wind) during his walk in the city a couple weeks ago. He looked like he was really enjoying the wind in his face but it was actually very cold. So maybe he was closing his eyes to avoid from cold.

What do you think? Was he cold or was he enjoying the breeze?

But I'm Not Ready To Go Home Yet

I saw this adorable long haired dachshund at Union Square last weekend. He patiently posed for me and after it was over, his owner told him it was time to go home. But he didn't want to leave.

So when you were a kid, did you ever want to play all day and not go home?

Gone To The Dogs

I have featured photos of my neighborhood dog walker twice already: Dog Walking 1 and Dog Walking 2. Here is a new photo of the dogs sans the dog walker this time. In fact, he was standing to the right of the photo telling the dogs to sit quietly for this photo shoot. And they all did!! Aren't they the most perfectly behaving dogs you have ever seen.

So were you a nice behaving kid when you were young?

Dog in Nolita

This cute dog was tied to a pole outside a cafe in Nolita (north of Little Italy) while its owner went inside to get some coffee. The dog must be used to this arrangement because it didn't look scared or nervous. Actually it just looked bored.

When I crouched down take this photo, the dog didn't get excited or wagged its tail. It merely looked at me as if to say, "What do you want?" Now, that is a New York dog. :-)

So when do you feel bored?

Are You Winking At Me?

I believe this little fellow likes me. I saw him outside Barnes & Nobles at Union Square this weekend and he was winking at me. I winked back at him with my camera.

So what do you do to let someone know you like him/her?

Neighborhood Dogwalker 2

Last March, I posted a photo of my neighborhood dogwalker. I saw him again this week and took a new updated photo of the scene. Notice in the March photo (see below), there was a little dog following behind him without a leash? This little dog was still there (see above) and he was not on a leash either. He took his time walking behind the pack and had to be reminded a few times to keep up with the group. It was the cutest thing I saw all week and it made my day. Maybe I should quit my job and be a dog walker too.

If you love dogs, visit Pension Milou by Jilly of Menton Daily Photo who has the most amazing job, in my opinion. She cares for dogs professionally and she loves them.

When you were a kid, who did you want to grow up to be?

I'm re-posting the photo from March 2007 below because I think it deserves another look.

Woof Woof Bar

It is rare to find a pet friendly restaurant in New York City but this one seems to welcome them. The Health Department prohibits animals in a restaurant so most pet friendly establishments bypass the regulations by setting up outdoors seatings on the side walks to accommodate diners and their pets.

Hope all of you have a woof woof weekend. No questions today. :-)

Meet My Neighbor, Jules

This is my neighbor, Jules. She is a sweetheart despite her size and has the calmest demeanor I have ever seen in a dog. Jules is a St. Bernard and was rescued from the pound a couple years ago after she was abandoned by her original owner. Today she lives in my apartment building with her new owner and is loved by everyone who meets her on the street.

Here is another photo of Jules. You will appreciate her size from this photo.

Jules and my other neighbor Spike never fail to make me smile every time I see them even if I had bad day. I don't know what it is but they always make me go goo-goo-gaa-gaa over them. My voice rises and I start to make weird noises and say unintelligible words to them. Most importantly, my worries miraculously disappear...for at least a couple of minutes or so.

What or who makes you smile every time you see it/him/her?

Hairless Dog

I saw this hairless dog at the downtown street fair a couple weeks ago. It received a lot of curious stares including a couple of "Ewwwww!"s from the kids. The dog demeanor was very nervous and jittery like a chihuahua but it is about the size of a Jack Terrier.

The owners told me the dog was specifically bred for its hairless qualities. Have you seen anything like this before? This was my first time.

Woof OR Ouch?

Prong (or pinch) collars like the one in this photo are common tools used in obedience training for dogs. Although banned in some countries, they are quite popular in the United States. Some dog trainers believe that prong collars are safer than choke collars, which tighten around the dogs' neck when pulled. The spikes on prong collars are not sharp but can be very uncomfortable for the dogs if they are pulled.

This contraption reminds me of a cilice, a metal chain with spikes that is supposedly used by Opus Dei members who practice corporal mortification. If you watched the movie, The Da Vinci Code, you might remember one of the characters wearing the cilice under his robe.

What is your opinion on the use of prong collars in obedience training for dogs?

Easter Bonnet Parade

Every Easter Sunday, New Yorkers put on their best bonnets (or rabbit ears) and come to Manhattan to participate in the Easter Bonnet Parade on 5th Avenue between 49th and 57th Street. Unlike most parades, this event does not require anyone to march down a street or register with an organization. Basically, it is a street party where everyone can dress-up and come hang out with their friends on 5th Avenue, which is closed to traffic.

Despite the cold weather and snow (yes, we had snow this afternoon but it did not stick), tourists, photographers and bloggers like me come out to catch the spectacle of this creative, colorful and zany event. Everyone there was more than willing to have their photos taken.

I took so many photos that I decided to do a collage of the best ones. It was one of the most exciting and fun events I have ever attended and photographed.

No, I did not dress up in a costume. Maybe next year I will put on a pair of rabbit ears and be a photograhee, instead of the photographer.

If you could go, what would you wear to the Easter Bonnet Parade?

Cute As Cute Can Be

First off, I would like to wish everyone who celebrate Easter a Happy Good Friday.

When I take photographs, I normally shoot between two to ten frames of the same subject at different angles. I like to have options when I choose which photo to post on the blog.

Sometimes, I find two or three beautiful photos of the same subject and I am at a loss with which photo to use. If I choose one, do I have to "discard" the others.

This is an example of that dilemma. I have two beautiful photos of this beautiful French Bulldog puppy from the Green Market at Union Square. I posted the first photo earlier this week and I am posting the second one today because I think he deserves an encore appearance. Do you agree?

So how many frames do you shoot when you take the photos of a subject?

How about a kiss for me?

I met this cutie pie over the weekend. He was inquisitive, restless, impatient and totally adorable. But he would not stay still for a photo so his owner cradled him while I quickly snapped the photo. He was making a face because he was trying to sniff my camera.

He is a little French Bulldog puppy, one of the most popular breeds in New York City because of its size and intelligence. According to the New York Magazine article on Ten City-Friendly Dogs, French Bulldogs are great for small apartments because it has a good balance temperament and is not too energetic.

In the same issue of the magazine, there was a calculation of how much it would cost to own a dog in New York City. The tally ranged from $5,099.94 to $52,699.19 per year. Granted, some of the expenses are a little outrageous but who else gives you unconditional love?

So how about that kiss? He is still waiting for one!