We've had Bea almost a year now, which is logically why our year supply of poop bags is almost done. We remembered just how many hundreds of bags we had in that year supply, and the thought we had was "my god, that's an awful lot of poop."
Just saying.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Bea Doesn’t Know
I’m writing this on a flight from Norfolk to New York, returning home after attending a friend’s wedding. We have only been away for about 40 hours, but we’re really looking forward to seeing Bea.
Jacob, Jenna, and Bea’s girlfriend Leah have been keeping her company this weekend. We know that’s not going to be able to happen too many more times, as Jenna is about to have a baby. And let’s be honest, Bea would eat that baby. (Bea, if you’re reading this, don’t eat babies).
Bea loves playing with Leah, so she was very unsuspecting when I brought her over to Leah’s on Friday night. But then when I left, she was incredibly confused. The difference in a child’s sleep over and a dog’s sleep over is cognizance of what the hell is happening.
There was never a moment where we could explain that we’re just going to Virginia for 2 days and we’ll be back around noon on Sunday. Just a feeling of abandonment, followed 40 hours later by a feeling of overwhelming surprise.
While I’d love for Bea to know that she’s safe and we’ll be home soon, I admit, I’m very much looking forward to Bea’s “happy to see you” butt dance. It’s really become one of my favorite things.
Jacob, Jenna, and Bea’s girlfriend Leah have been keeping her company this weekend. We know that’s not going to be able to happen too many more times, as Jenna is about to have a baby. And let’s be honest, Bea would eat that baby. (Bea, if you’re reading this, don’t eat babies).
Bea loves playing with Leah, so she was very unsuspecting when I brought her over to Leah’s on Friday night. But then when I left, she was incredibly confused. The difference in a child’s sleep over and a dog’s sleep over is cognizance of what the hell is happening.
There was never a moment where we could explain that we’re just going to Virginia for 2 days and we’ll be back around noon on Sunday. Just a feeling of abandonment, followed 40 hours later by a feeling of overwhelming surprise.
While I’d love for Bea to know that she’s safe and we’ll be home soon, I admit, I’m very much looking forward to Bea’s “happy to see you” butt dance. It’s really become one of my favorite things.
Monday, April 9, 2012
A Dog Named Kevin
When we tell people Bea's name, they either get it or they are very confused. Today, a woman couldn't understand why her name would have "Arthur" in it if she was female. I said "Well, she's kind of mannish." Crickets.
I began thinking about what the funniest name would be for a dog, and I've decided it's "Kevin." There are dogs in my neighborhood named things like Jax and Magoo and Apricot and other things that you'd never name a human being unless you were famous. But there aren't any named for some guy in your office.
I just imagine a ridiculous looking pug waddling through a dog park and saying, "This is my dog, Kevin."
Maybe Sara and I are strange. But we've been laughing for the last 10 minutes.
I began thinking about what the funniest name would be for a dog, and I've decided it's "Kevin." There are dogs in my neighborhood named things like Jax and Magoo and Apricot and other things that you'd never name a human being unless you were famous. But there aren't any named for some guy in your office.
I just imagine a ridiculous looking pug waddling through a dog park and saying, "This is my dog, Kevin."
Maybe Sara and I are strange. But we've been laughing for the last 10 minutes.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Mean Girls
This morning we took Bea to the dog park to do her thing - which is what we do most mornings. Usually she has it all to herself, and the neighborhood was especially quiet due to Good Friday and Passover. But why is this morning different from all other mornings?
A dog and her owner came in to the park while Bea was already there. When they got into that little submarine airlock entrance part, Sara atypically suggested that our two dogs meet through the fence first. The owner agreed, and the other dog went absolutely nuts and tried to eat Bea through the fence. Bea, being the street tough that she is, tried the same. Thankfully the fence prevented any damage, as Bea was the size of this dog's paw.
As the other owner left, Sara explained that she'd suggested the fence meet & greet because she'd seen this dog before - and this dog doesn't like other female dogs. Sara also said that's fairly common. I thought back to high school, and I agree.
The good news is that after the incident, Bea pooped almost immediately. I don't know if it was the stress, the fact that we helped with her battle, something else, or coincidence. But a quick poop is always appreciated.
A dog and her owner came in to the park while Bea was already there. When they got into that little submarine airlock entrance part, Sara atypically suggested that our two dogs meet through the fence first. The owner agreed, and the other dog went absolutely nuts and tried to eat Bea through the fence. Bea, being the street tough that she is, tried the same. Thankfully the fence prevented any damage, as Bea was the size of this dog's paw.
As the other owner left, Sara explained that she'd suggested the fence meet & greet because she'd seen this dog before - and this dog doesn't like other female dogs. Sara also said that's fairly common. I thought back to high school, and I agree.
The good news is that after the incident, Bea pooped almost immediately. I don't know if it was the stress, the fact that we helped with her battle, something else, or coincidence. But a quick poop is always appreciated.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
How to Build a Portable Ramp for Your Dog
It's too early to tell if Bea's knee is getting better from the glucosamine, the laser treatments, or neither. But I do know she can't keep jumping up on the bed, on the couch, and into the car. As is, Bea occasionally falls off the bed. It's one of those "if this didn't hurt her, it'd be adorable" moments. Kind of like when she's chasing Leah and runs into a wall.
I decided that I would build her a few ramps. I've gotten a lot handier since building the club, so I went to Home Depot, bought a better set of power tools, and some supplies. What followed was a Slum Dog Millionaire building experience, where everything I built, I learned from the club.
I ended up building her a ramp, covered in carpet - with a hinge in the middle so it can be put away neatly when needed. Well, I built her three of them, but they're all exactly the same. Not including the tools, each one cost about $15 - and only took an hour. And if I had a better way to cut the carpet than household scissors, it would have taken half that time.
If you'd like to do the same for your dog, here's what you'll need. You can change the size of things depending on the height of the ramp you need and the size of your dog.
Supplies:
-6 pieces of shelf board, 2' long x 1' wide x 3/4" thick
-6 2-inch hinges with 36 3/4" screws
-A 2' x 12' piece of carpet
-A box of wood staples
I bought two 6-foot pieces of 12" by 3/4" shelf board. Since I needed it in 2-foot sections, it's cheaper to buy it pre-cut than buying one sheet of 12-foot. I paid for the other 4 cuts, so I had 6 pieces of 2-foot long board. I chose shelf board because it's already painted, finished, and smooth - and I wasn't sure how much of it I'd be covering with carpeting. Whatever you do, don't buy pressure treated wood - that is made for outdoors, and is treated with chemicals. (I learned this while building the club's drink rail).
Don't worry about sanding the edges of the wood - those will be covered with carpet (or the ramps will slide on the floor). Your next step will be hinging the wood together. I used two 2-inch hinges on each ramp - strong enough to hold it together, but they don't add much weight. If you need to build something larger, increase the size of the hinges and consider adding a 3rd hinge. Don't put the hinges all the way on the edge; to distribute more of the weight, start an inch or two off the edge. Drill pilot holes first so you don't splinter the wood - and if you get an electric screwdriver, spend the extra $20 to get an impact screwdriver. It will make your life MUCH easier, and the screws are more likely to go in flush. (I learned this while building the club's shelves).
Next is the carpeting. I bought an electric staple gun - it cost me $40 extra but saved several hours and blisters. Also, the staples go in much more flush with an electric. I bought just enough carpet to wrap around the board and leave the middle with the hinges uncovered. If you cover them, the hinges won't work because the carpet will have no slack. If any staples don't go in all the way, go back over your work and knock them in with a hammer. (I learned this while building the club's stage).
Finally, I covered the hinges, sort of. I stapled a piece of carpet to one of the boards, while leaving the other board unstapled. That way when the ramp is open, every part of the wood is covered and thus doesn't need sanding. And when the ramp is folded, there's only a bit of carpet sticking out. (This skill I made up on the fly).
The hardest part of building the ramp is training your dog to use it. Bea is good about going down the ramp, but she still jumps up. We have seen improvement though - she's started jumping on the ramp and then jumping from the ramp to the couch. Eh, it's a start. I am guessing it will take a week or two to train her. If not, at least I can use the ramps to make my porch wheelchair accessible.
Bea surveying the ramp, upside down.
Bea posing by the ramp halfway folded
Bea, using the ramp the way she uses it.
Bea helping me put the ramp away.
I decided that I would build her a few ramps. I've gotten a lot handier since building the club, so I went to Home Depot, bought a better set of power tools, and some supplies. What followed was a Slum Dog Millionaire building experience, where everything I built, I learned from the club.
I ended up building her a ramp, covered in carpet - with a hinge in the middle so it can be put away neatly when needed. Well, I built her three of them, but they're all exactly the same. Not including the tools, each one cost about $15 - and only took an hour. And if I had a better way to cut the carpet than household scissors, it would have taken half that time.
If you'd like to do the same for your dog, here's what you'll need. You can change the size of things depending on the height of the ramp you need and the size of your dog.
Supplies:
-6 pieces of shelf board, 2' long x 1' wide x 3/4" thick
-6 2-inch hinges with 36 3/4" screws
-A 2' x 12' piece of carpet
-A box of wood staples
I bought two 6-foot pieces of 12" by 3/4" shelf board. Since I needed it in 2-foot sections, it's cheaper to buy it pre-cut than buying one sheet of 12-foot. I paid for the other 4 cuts, so I had 6 pieces of 2-foot long board. I chose shelf board because it's already painted, finished, and smooth - and I wasn't sure how much of it I'd be covering with carpeting. Whatever you do, don't buy pressure treated wood - that is made for outdoors, and is treated with chemicals. (I learned this while building the club's drink rail).
Don't worry about sanding the edges of the wood - those will be covered with carpet (or the ramps will slide on the floor). Your next step will be hinging the wood together. I used two 2-inch hinges on each ramp - strong enough to hold it together, but they don't add much weight. If you need to build something larger, increase the size of the hinges and consider adding a 3rd hinge. Don't put the hinges all the way on the edge; to distribute more of the weight, start an inch or two off the edge. Drill pilot holes first so you don't splinter the wood - and if you get an electric screwdriver, spend the extra $20 to get an impact screwdriver. It will make your life MUCH easier, and the screws are more likely to go in flush. (I learned this while building the club's shelves).
Next is the carpeting. I bought an electric staple gun - it cost me $40 extra but saved several hours and blisters. Also, the staples go in much more flush with an electric. I bought just enough carpet to wrap around the board and leave the middle with the hinges uncovered. If you cover them, the hinges won't work because the carpet will have no slack. If any staples don't go in all the way, go back over your work and knock them in with a hammer. (I learned this while building the club's stage).
Finally, I covered the hinges, sort of. I stapled a piece of carpet to one of the boards, while leaving the other board unstapled. That way when the ramp is open, every part of the wood is covered and thus doesn't need sanding. And when the ramp is folded, there's only a bit of carpet sticking out. (This skill I made up on the fly).
The hardest part of building the ramp is training your dog to use it. Bea is good about going down the ramp, but she still jumps up. We have seen improvement though - she's started jumping on the ramp and then jumping from the ramp to the couch. Eh, it's a start. I am guessing it will take a week or two to train her. If not, at least I can use the ramps to make my porch wheelchair accessible.
Bea surveying the ramp, upside down.
Bea posing by the ramp halfway folded
Bea, using the ramp the way she uses it.
Bea helping me put the ramp away.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Bea Arthur Likes to Watch (A Post By Sara)
Steve is busy with this and hasn't had a whole lot of time to blog. Intermittently blogging with a professional comedian/writer is fairly intimidating, as I'd rather take a math test over writing an essay. However, my fear of being less enjoyable reading is overcome by my desire to share Bea's stories on this blog. So here it goes.
Over the past several months, we have been leaving the TV on as a calming mechanism for her separation anxiety. Since the TV is almost always on when we're home, logic would dictate that Bea wouldn't feel as alone if it were on when we're not home. Although we have now trained her to know that we'll always come back, we still leave the TV on for Bea when we leave.
There is something so inherently amusing about a dog watching television that we have had a great deal of fun choosing programming for her. Our main goal is to not have scary music or sudden loud sounds. Bea's rarely reacted to the television while we're home other than perking her ears up when a dog barks. Although when the Westminster dog show was on, Bea sat up with her ears alert and stared at the television. Maybe she was protesting their decision to drop Purina over their shelter dog ad.
How come there's no dog show for mixed breeds? Racists.
Some top choices are:
Golden Girls, so she can watch her namesake.
Telenovelas, so she can keep up with her Spanish.
Antiques Road Show, so she can get some art and culture.
Bob Ross, because Bea loves happy little trees (at least peeing on them).
The Real Housewives of NYC, so Bea can learn she's not the only bitch in town.
Sesame Street, so she can learn to read and count.
Dogs 101, so she can learn about her cousins.
House Hunters and House Hunters International - she loves to look at real estate.
The main comfort Bea gets out of the television is that it simply drowns out any neighbor noises in the hallway that might freak her out. But in case she actually likes watching it, we left the Puppy Bowl on for her during the Superbowl. She's a big fan of the mixed breeds.
Over the past several months, we have been leaving the TV on as a calming mechanism for her separation anxiety. Since the TV is almost always on when we're home, logic would dictate that Bea wouldn't feel as alone if it were on when we're not home. Although we have now trained her to know that we'll always come back, we still leave the TV on for Bea when we leave.
There is something so inherently amusing about a dog watching television that we have had a great deal of fun choosing programming for her. Our main goal is to not have scary music or sudden loud sounds. Bea's rarely reacted to the television while we're home other than perking her ears up when a dog barks. Although when the Westminster dog show was on, Bea sat up with her ears alert and stared at the television. Maybe she was protesting their decision to drop Purina over their shelter dog ad.
How come there's no dog show for mixed breeds? Racists.
Some top choices are:
Golden Girls, so she can watch her namesake.
Telenovelas, so she can keep up with her Spanish.
Antiques Road Show, so she can get some art and culture.
Bob Ross, because Bea loves happy little trees (at least peeing on them).
The Real Housewives of NYC, so Bea can learn she's not the only bitch in town.
Sesame Street, so she can learn to read and count.
Dogs 101, so she can learn about her cousins.
House Hunters and House Hunters International - she loves to look at real estate.
The main comfort Bea gets out of the television is that it simply drowns out any neighbor noises in the hallway that might freak her out. But in case she actually likes watching it, we left the Puppy Bowl on for her during the Superbowl. She's a big fan of the mixed breeds.
Monday, March 19, 2012
The Bea's Knees
When you have a 49-year-old dog named Bea Arthur, you're not surprised when the vet tells you she has arthritis.
We assume Bea is almost 7 - we got her last summer, and she was 6. But we don't know how far into 6 she was. She was a street dog, so her age is probably just the best guess of a vet, and not the exact count of how many rings she has inside. I always thought that counting rings was such a cruel way to tell how old a tree was, because you can't count til it's dead. "Happy birthday! It's your last one."
We've been taking Bea to the same vet since we got her. They're a few blocks away, and since there's never available street parking in Manhattan, a vet we could walk to seemed like a great option. But the more Bea had to go to the vet, the more it became apparent that we'd be better off driving to Connecticut if we had to.
For the last several months, Bea has been limping. It's not constant, but it's often - she will hop without putting weight on her right hind leg. As adorable as a bunny hop can be, it was clear Bea was hopping because she was in pain, so we wanted to get it fixed as soon as possible. When it started, we brought Bea to our vet (let's call her Dr. A), who looked at the leg and said it clearly didn't pain her, so no problem. Um, okay.
I noticed the limp getting worse recently, so when I took Bea in for shots last week, I brought it up again. Dr. A suggested Bea might have arthritis, which seemed like a reasonable guess. Reasonable, sure, but also a guess. What a great way to diagnose a problem.
"Doctor, I have a headache."
"Maybe you have the flu?"
"No."
"Okay. Lupus?"
There were no tests other than Dr. A touching Bea's leg to see if she'd yank it away in pain. Which is silly; Bea is a tough girl. She'll get in the face of dogs three times her size without blinking - I don't think she'd yank her leg away if it was trapped in a thresher (which, thankfully, it is not).
Dr. A gave us some glucosamine (marked up, of course), and said to feed her one cube a day for 3 months to see if it works. That's a hell of a racket. By the time we're done with that experiment, we're $150 in.
Sara wasn't satisfied with the diagnosis, and I don't blame her. Dr. A seemed to be the kind of vet that is great for routine shots, but anything complicated was out of her knowledge base.
A woman in the park told Sara about an animal clinic in Chelsea that does a laser treatment, which allegedly worked on her dog. We went in for a consult on Saturday - and within 5 minutes, that vet (Dr. B) diagnosed Bea with a luxating patella, apparently a common problem for small dogs. The more we read about it, the more obvious it seemed. Perhaps Dr. A was sick the day they covered L illnesses in vet school.
A luxating patella means a patella that luxates back and forth. Okay, so that's not really a thing, but Bea's back knees pop out of place. The two possibilities for correction are laser treatments that cost about $600 or surgery that costs about a million dollars. Okay, so about $5K, but that's close.
Dr. B suggested the laser treatment, which confirmed our suspicion that he is responsible. Or maybe, knowing the lasers won't work, he's going for the slow play where he gets $600 now and $5,000 later.
I'm guessing the former, since we've already noticed Bea limping less after just two treatments. We went in for the second treatment today, which was difficult to do by subway. Even in her adorable makeshift travel bag, on the subway Bea shakes like an iPhone on vibrate. We ended up walking the last mile because we couldn't take how scared she was. And if there's anything that will calm a frightened dog, it is walking through midtown Manhattan during rush hour. Oops. Wednesday, we drive - If I have to, I'll stay in the car or pay for a garage.
The upside is that while we lose the comedy of a 49-year-old named Bea Arthur having arthritis, we gain the much funnier idea of a 49-year-old named Bea Arthur having an addiction to laser tag.
It is amazing how quickly I've become okay with spending money and time on Bea. A year ago, I didn't think I'd ever have a dog. Now I have one that I spend hours and hours with each week that's already cost us $6K (and we're not even a year in). The treatments don't just cost $600, they also take time. We have to take her in 3 days a week for the next month, and then once a month after that. Hell, I'm the kind of guy who doesn't like getting haircuts because they take too much time out of my schedule. But when you fall in love, you're willing to go the extra mile. Even if it's in midtown Manhattan in rush hour.
How can you look at her and say no?
We assume Bea is almost 7 - we got her last summer, and she was 6. But we don't know how far into 6 she was. She was a street dog, so her age is probably just the best guess of a vet, and not the exact count of how many rings she has inside. I always thought that counting rings was such a cruel way to tell how old a tree was, because you can't count til it's dead. "Happy birthday! It's your last one."
We've been taking Bea to the same vet since we got her. They're a few blocks away, and since there's never available street parking in Manhattan, a vet we could walk to seemed like a great option. But the more Bea had to go to the vet, the more it became apparent that we'd be better off driving to Connecticut if we had to.
For the last several months, Bea has been limping. It's not constant, but it's often - she will hop without putting weight on her right hind leg. As adorable as a bunny hop can be, it was clear Bea was hopping because she was in pain, so we wanted to get it fixed as soon as possible. When it started, we brought Bea to our vet (let's call her Dr. A), who looked at the leg and said it clearly didn't pain her, so no problem. Um, okay.
I noticed the limp getting worse recently, so when I took Bea in for shots last week, I brought it up again. Dr. A suggested Bea might have arthritis, which seemed like a reasonable guess. Reasonable, sure, but also a guess. What a great way to diagnose a problem.
"Doctor, I have a headache."
"Maybe you have the flu?"
"No."
"Okay. Lupus?"
There were no tests other than Dr. A touching Bea's leg to see if she'd yank it away in pain. Which is silly; Bea is a tough girl. She'll get in the face of dogs three times her size without blinking - I don't think she'd yank her leg away if it was trapped in a thresher (which, thankfully, it is not).
Dr. A gave us some glucosamine (marked up, of course), and said to feed her one cube a day for 3 months to see if it works. That's a hell of a racket. By the time we're done with that experiment, we're $150 in.
Sara wasn't satisfied with the diagnosis, and I don't blame her. Dr. A seemed to be the kind of vet that is great for routine shots, but anything complicated was out of her knowledge base.
A woman in the park told Sara about an animal clinic in Chelsea that does a laser treatment, which allegedly worked on her dog. We went in for a consult on Saturday - and within 5 minutes, that vet (Dr. B) diagnosed Bea with a luxating patella, apparently a common problem for small dogs. The more we read about it, the more obvious it seemed. Perhaps Dr. A was sick the day they covered L illnesses in vet school.
A luxating patella means a patella that luxates back and forth. Okay, so that's not really a thing, but Bea's back knees pop out of place. The two possibilities for correction are laser treatments that cost about $600 or surgery that costs about a million dollars. Okay, so about $5K, but that's close.
Dr. B suggested the laser treatment, which confirmed our suspicion that he is responsible. Or maybe, knowing the lasers won't work, he's going for the slow play where he gets $600 now and $5,000 later.
I'm guessing the former, since we've already noticed Bea limping less after just two treatments. We went in for the second treatment today, which was difficult to do by subway. Even in her adorable makeshift travel bag, on the subway Bea shakes like an iPhone on vibrate. We ended up walking the last mile because we couldn't take how scared she was. And if there's anything that will calm a frightened dog, it is walking through midtown Manhattan during rush hour. Oops. Wednesday, we drive - If I have to, I'll stay in the car or pay for a garage.
The upside is that while we lose the comedy of a 49-year-old named Bea Arthur having arthritis, we gain the much funnier idea of a 49-year-old named Bea Arthur having an addiction to laser tag.
It is amazing how quickly I've become okay with spending money and time on Bea. A year ago, I didn't think I'd ever have a dog. Now I have one that I spend hours and hours with each week that's already cost us $6K (and we're not even a year in). The treatments don't just cost $600, they also take time. We have to take her in 3 days a week for the next month, and then once a month after that. Hell, I'm the kind of guy who doesn't like getting haircuts because they take too much time out of my schedule. But when you fall in love, you're willing to go the extra mile. Even if it's in midtown Manhattan in rush hour.
How can you look at her and say no?
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Bea picked LIU-Brooklyn to with the NCAA Tournament
Okay, that's not true. But I have been watching a great deal of basketball with her.
It's been almost 4 months since I updated this blog. I used that time to build and open a comedy club. The Laughing Devil is now up and running (and successful) in Long Island City, NY, and I expect all of you to attend a show shortly.
A ton has happened in that time, and I hope to fill you in on all of it. The big things are that we got a king bed that Bea loves disappearing in (yes, we let her in our bed now), and Bea has some knee problems. The two don't combine well as Bea likes to jump up on the bed. The good news is that all the build out I've done at the comedy club has taught me enough that I can build her a ramp. Thanks for being patient while I've been working, Bea - you will be rewarded.
Bea and Sara and I are now watching Florida State try to bust up my bracket. Okay, so Sara is looking at pictures of me and Bea, and Bea is burried in the king bed. But the overall point is that I'm back to updating, and Cincinatti better win.
Taken in a hotel, when Bea cared about what was on TV.
It's been almost 4 months since I updated this blog. I used that time to build and open a comedy club. The Laughing Devil is now up and running (and successful) in Long Island City, NY, and I expect all of you to attend a show shortly.
A ton has happened in that time, and I hope to fill you in on all of it. The big things are that we got a king bed that Bea loves disappearing in (yes, we let her in our bed now), and Bea has some knee problems. The two don't combine well as Bea likes to jump up on the bed. The good news is that all the build out I've done at the comedy club has taught me enough that I can build her a ramp. Thanks for being patient while I've been working, Bea - you will be rewarded.
Bea and Sara and I are now watching Florida State try to bust up my bracket. Okay, so Sara is looking at pictures of me and Bea, and Bea is burried in the king bed. But the overall point is that I'm back to updating, and Cincinatti better win.
Taken in a hotel, when Bea cared about what was on TV.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Bea Arthur Cross Promotion - Be the Change for Animals
I've still been super busy with the club (and Sara's recovery), but I had time for a quick post. Be the Change for Animals wrote about Bea and the blog. Check it out! http://btc4animals.com/btc-news/4animals-stories-to-inspire-8/
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thanksgiving: Bea and the 8th Graders
The last few weeks have been insanely busy. With the pending opening of my new comedy club, I've barely had time to eat, let alone blog. Sara has been great, pitching in to walk Bea as much as possible. I try to go whenever I can - it's nice to be out as a family, especially before the weather drops down to New York's "I hate it here" temperatures.
Today the world slows down for Thanksgiving (at least the American world) - so I actually have time to post. I also had time to spend a half hour in the dog park with Sara and Bea. The energy there was great. The owners weren't stressed about work, there were no walkers letting 80 dogs run free, and it's 50 degrees and sunny in late November. Whatever the reason, Bea was in a fantastic mood.
There was a big dog that was incredibly playful in the park, who after several play bows, finally got Bea to chase her. It's so rare to see Bea play with a dog other than Leah, so we let it go on as long as we could.
The play finally stopped when another big dog came into the park. A beautiful white dog we've seen a number of times named Apricot (though her owner calls her "Ay-pricot) immediately took the focus of Bea's playmate. The two big dogs rolled around together and chased each other, and Bea hilariously tried to get in on the fun. Bea barked incessantly as the two ignored her completely. She ran around behind them a lot, but they didn't show any interest. To them, she is half a dog.
It was like watching a 4th grader trying to play hopscotch with the 8th grade girls. Actually, it was like watching a 4th grader trying to play hopscotch with the 8th grade girls who are smoking instead of playing hopscotch.
Even though her game ended early, it is rare for us to see displays like today, and we love it. Bea came home tired and happy, wagging so much her butt was out of control. We've now had her about 6 months - and while I know she's got to be thankful for her new life, she's still just coming out of her shell.
We wish we could bring her with us when we go to my brother's for dinner tonight - I'm sure his kids would love that. My brother's carpet, however, would not. Too bad - it'd be the perfect cap to a great day.
Maybe I will just sneak Bea some turkey.
Today the world slows down for Thanksgiving (at least the American world) - so I actually have time to post. I also had time to spend a half hour in the dog park with Sara and Bea. The energy there was great. The owners weren't stressed about work, there were no walkers letting 80 dogs run free, and it's 50 degrees and sunny in late November. Whatever the reason, Bea was in a fantastic mood.
There was a big dog that was incredibly playful in the park, who after several play bows, finally got Bea to chase her. It's so rare to see Bea play with a dog other than Leah, so we let it go on as long as we could.
The play finally stopped when another big dog came into the park. A beautiful white dog we've seen a number of times named Apricot (though her owner calls her "Ay-pricot) immediately took the focus of Bea's playmate. The two big dogs rolled around together and chased each other, and Bea hilariously tried to get in on the fun. Bea barked incessantly as the two ignored her completely. She ran around behind them a lot, but they didn't show any interest. To them, she is half a dog.
It was like watching a 4th grader trying to play hopscotch with the 8th grade girls. Actually, it was like watching a 4th grader trying to play hopscotch with the 8th grade girls who are smoking instead of playing hopscotch.
Even though her game ended early, it is rare for us to see displays like today, and we love it. Bea came home tired and happy, wagging so much her butt was out of control. We've now had her about 6 months - and while I know she's got to be thankful for her new life, she's still just coming out of her shell.
We wish we could bring her with us when we go to my brother's for dinner tonight - I'm sure his kids would love that. My brother's carpet, however, would not. Too bad - it'd be the perfect cap to a great day.
Maybe I will just sneak Bea some turkey.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Getting Peed On
We were in the dog park with a woman who wasn't paying attention to anything but her cell phone. Her large dog was jumping up on us, stalking Bea, and being a general nuisance and she didn't care. I imagine she'd be the same parent who would let her kid destroy a Walmart because she's entranced by a sale on conditioner.
But an amazing thing happened. Another big dog came in and lifted its leg to pee. Right then, the annoying dog put its head right under the peeing dog's leg, and got covered.
You might call it gross - I call it justice.
But an amazing thing happened. Another big dog came in and lifted its leg to pee. Right then, the annoying dog put its head right under the peeing dog's leg, and got covered.
You might call it gross - I call it justice.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Curb Your Attitude
I wrote the following about Long Island City, otherwise known as LIC.
There was a recent piece of graffiti that said “dog owners are ruining LIC.” Because sweeping generalizations, divisiveness, and graffiti are clearly positive forces. I’m surprised it wasn’t smeared when the writer tripped over their own irony.
Painting every dog owner as a negative influence is irresponsible; the vast majority of dog owners are people who just enjoy caring for a living thing that loves them unconditionally. Having a dog is like having a kid who doesn’t grow up to hate you.
I didn’t like dogs for the first 31 years of my life. But I fell in love with a dog person, and she educated me to understand that there aren’t bad dogs, just bad owners. It makes sense – every time a little boy shrieks on an airplane and his parents do nothing, it’s not the kid that I want choked with a seatbelt extension.
Is this neighborhood filled with bad owners? Since I wasn’t a dog owner until recently, I can see the issue from both sides. Some dog owners are over enthusiastic, treating their dogs like they’re more important than any human being. Some dog owners are under enthusiastic, not policing their dogs’ bad behavior. But is that enough to “ruin LIC”?
I doubt it – since my dog is actually the reason I love it here so much.
My time in LIC was supposed to have an expiration date. My wife and I moved here to save up for a bigger place in Manhattan, since most Manhattan realtors define a two-bedroom apartment as a studio with a bathroom. A three-bedroom is a studio with a bathroom that has a tub.
For the first six months we lived here, we were focused on leaving. We didn’t meet any neighbors, we ate most meals in Manhattan, and we kept to ourselves like we had nuclear launch codes. For six months, we didn’t live in Long Island City – we just slept here.
Things suddenly changed when we adopted our dog, an adorable Beagle/Dachshund mix we re-named Bea Arthur.
Who wouldn't love living here with a dog?
Because we needed to walk Bea, we met our neighbors. Because we had to be home to train Bea out of separation anxiety, we discovered LIC’s restaurants. Because we wanted some outdoor space for Bea, we moved from a high rise at the distant northwest corner of the neighborhood to a brownstone in the heart of Vernon. I love my dog, but I love her more because she gave me Long Island City. She loves Long Island City, too – I know that because she’s comfortable pooping all over it.
Maybe poop is the problem. Irresponsible, selfish people who aren’t conscientious about cleaning up after their dogs can ruin things for everyone. But irresponsible, selfish people are the reason there’s often food garbage on the Vernon Mall and why that yellow hummer is STILL parked in two spots in the Rockrose garage. If you judge an entire group by its weakest members, then every one of us is “ruining LIC” in some capacity. Saying “dog owners are ruining LIC” is based in as much fact as saying “people who cut their sandwiches in triangles are ruining LIC.”
I’ve moved around a lot. I’ve lived in six neighborhoods in Queens, five neighborhoods in Manhattan, one in Jersey, and two each in Boston and LA. I’ve moved around so much, I feel like AC Slater’s backstory before he got to Bayside.
This is the sixteenth neighborhood I’ve lived in, but thanks to Bea Arthur, it’s the first one that I actually feel a part of. Having a dog showed me that Long Island City is a wonderful place with a healthy diversity that doesn’t often exist outside of a college brochure. Even if I wasn’t a dog owner, I would hate to see them removed from that diversity. And not just because dog owners also own more than half of the neighborhood retail.
If you still think “dog owners are ruining LIC,” picture a grown man yelling “Bea Arthur, stop sniffing that dog’s butt!” If that doesn’t make you enjoy life a little more, nothing will.
There was a recent piece of graffiti that said “dog owners are ruining LIC.” Because sweeping generalizations, divisiveness, and graffiti are clearly positive forces. I’m surprised it wasn’t smeared when the writer tripped over their own irony.
Painting every dog owner as a negative influence is irresponsible; the vast majority of dog owners are people who just enjoy caring for a living thing that loves them unconditionally. Having a dog is like having a kid who doesn’t grow up to hate you.
I didn’t like dogs for the first 31 years of my life. But I fell in love with a dog person, and she educated me to understand that there aren’t bad dogs, just bad owners. It makes sense – every time a little boy shrieks on an airplane and his parents do nothing, it’s not the kid that I want choked with a seatbelt extension.
Is this neighborhood filled with bad owners? Since I wasn’t a dog owner until recently, I can see the issue from both sides. Some dog owners are over enthusiastic, treating their dogs like they’re more important than any human being. Some dog owners are under enthusiastic, not policing their dogs’ bad behavior. But is that enough to “ruin LIC”?
I doubt it – since my dog is actually the reason I love it here so much.
My time in LIC was supposed to have an expiration date. My wife and I moved here to save up for a bigger place in Manhattan, since most Manhattan realtors define a two-bedroom apartment as a studio with a bathroom. A three-bedroom is a studio with a bathroom that has a tub.
For the first six months we lived here, we were focused on leaving. We didn’t meet any neighbors, we ate most meals in Manhattan, and we kept to ourselves like we had nuclear launch codes. For six months, we didn’t live in Long Island City – we just slept here.
Things suddenly changed when we adopted our dog, an adorable Beagle/Dachshund mix we re-named Bea Arthur.
Who wouldn't love living here with a dog?
Because we needed to walk Bea, we met our neighbors. Because we had to be home to train Bea out of separation anxiety, we discovered LIC’s restaurants. Because we wanted some outdoor space for Bea, we moved from a high rise at the distant northwest corner of the neighborhood to a brownstone in the heart of Vernon. I love my dog, but I love her more because she gave me Long Island City. She loves Long Island City, too – I know that because she’s comfortable pooping all over it.
Maybe poop is the problem. Irresponsible, selfish people who aren’t conscientious about cleaning up after their dogs can ruin things for everyone. But irresponsible, selfish people are the reason there’s often food garbage on the Vernon Mall and why that yellow hummer is STILL parked in two spots in the Rockrose garage. If you judge an entire group by its weakest members, then every one of us is “ruining LIC” in some capacity. Saying “dog owners are ruining LIC” is based in as much fact as saying “people who cut their sandwiches in triangles are ruining LIC.”
I’ve moved around a lot. I’ve lived in six neighborhoods in Queens, five neighborhoods in Manhattan, one in Jersey, and two each in Boston and LA. I’ve moved around so much, I feel like AC Slater’s backstory before he got to Bayside.
This is the sixteenth neighborhood I’ve lived in, but thanks to Bea Arthur, it’s the first one that I actually feel a part of. Having a dog showed me that Long Island City is a wonderful place with a healthy diversity that doesn’t often exist outside of a college brochure. Even if I wasn’t a dog owner, I would hate to see them removed from that diversity. And not just because dog owners also own more than half of the neighborhood retail.
If you still think “dog owners are ruining LIC,” picture a grown man yelling “Bea Arthur, stop sniffing that dog’s butt!” If that doesn’t make you enjoy life a little more, nothing will.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Bea Tries a King Bed
Normally, Bea either sleeps next to our bed on a make shift mattress made from a folded quilt cover, or she sleeps on our couch. Which can be pretty adorable sometimes.
Is this the cutest thing you've ever seen?
We do not let Bea in our bed - it's both to prevent her from being spoiled as well as necessitated by us not having the room, even for a 20 pound little thing like Bea.
Our bed at home is a full one - the downside of a New York apartment is that we have just enough room for me, my wife, Bea, and three shirts. We've debated getting a king bed and just sacrificing the floor space in the bedroom, but that may not work.
"This is our bedroom. It's where we keep our bed and our hopes for a bigger apartment."
By the way, why do mattresses cost several thousand dollars? They're not made of any expensive materials and EVERYONE has one. There's no need for tech support or maintenance either; mattress should never cost ten times the price of an iPod. I'm guessing it's because there's no market for a used mattress. Or maybe there is one and its disgusting.
We're on the road in Boston this weekend, so we decided to let Bea in the hotel bed. It's like a vacation for her, so a bit of spoiling is okay. Letting her on the bed also prevented her from pacing around the room since she gets freaked out by new places.
Yes, it's not super easy to sleep with her there (even when she's happy, her wagging tail whapping the bed is not quiet). But it is super cute.
There are a few wonderful lasting effects of the cuteness - especially when we document them. So I guess we'll be getting a king bed soon.
Bea hanging out with daddy.
THIS is the cutest thing you've ever seen.
Is this the cutest thing you've ever seen?
We do not let Bea in our bed - it's both to prevent her from being spoiled as well as necessitated by us not having the room, even for a 20 pound little thing like Bea.
Our bed at home is a full one - the downside of a New York apartment is that we have just enough room for me, my wife, Bea, and three shirts. We've debated getting a king bed and just sacrificing the floor space in the bedroom, but that may not work.
"This is our bedroom. It's where we keep our bed and our hopes for a bigger apartment."
By the way, why do mattresses cost several thousand dollars? They're not made of any expensive materials and EVERYONE has one. There's no need for tech support or maintenance either; mattress should never cost ten times the price of an iPod. I'm guessing it's because there's no market for a used mattress. Or maybe there is one and its disgusting.
We're on the road in Boston this weekend, so we decided to let Bea in the hotel bed. It's like a vacation for her, so a bit of spoiling is okay. Letting her on the bed also prevented her from pacing around the room since she gets freaked out by new places.
Yes, it's not super easy to sleep with her there (even when she's happy, her wagging tail whapping the bed is not quiet). But it is super cute.
There are a few wonderful lasting effects of the cuteness - especially when we document them. So I guess we'll be getting a king bed soon.
Bea hanging out with daddy.
THIS is the cutest thing you've ever seen.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Are you freaking kidding me?
For the second time in a week, I stepped in dog crap at the new dog park. My fault for being in a dog park at night.
The park is made entirely of gravel, so it's supper easy to clean up poop. And yet some of my neighbors are still lazy (or do it on purpose because they find my stepping in it hilarious).
Either way, I'm glad my new apartment has outdoor space. I'm especially glad that space comes with a hose.
The park is made entirely of gravel, so it's supper easy to clean up poop. And yet some of my neighbors are still lazy (or do it on purpose because they find my stepping in it hilarious).
Either way, I'm glad my new apartment has outdoor space. I'm especially glad that space comes with a hose.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Unfortunate Choice of Words
Sara and I are trying to teach Bea recall, so we took her to the dog park and took turns saying, "Bea! Come!" Which was fine, until she didn't move. So I yelled it a few times, quickly. And then I realized I was in public yelling "Bee cum!"
Oops.
Oops.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Bea’s First Sleepover
Our friends went out of town for the holiday, and asked us to watch their dog, Leah. Leah (if you don’t recall – or even if you do), is Bea’s best friend (and on again off again lesbian lover). Leah is the only dog that gets Bea to play, which usually involves some chasing, some rolling around, and some mounting. “On again off again” also describes their typical afternoon together.
Oh baby! That's the stuff.
This weekend, Leah did two things for us. One, allowed our dog to act like a dog. Two, reminded us how lucky we are.
Leah is adorable – she always wants to play, and her “sit” is one of the cutest I’ve seen. She can be a handful; she’s almost 2, and clearly has the energy of a puppy (maybe several puppies?) Sara and I are pretty sedentary people, so having an excited dog would be difficult for us. But the thing about Leah that makes us really value Bea is Leah’s bowel control.
I have gotten annoyed by Bea’s finicky nature when it comes to where to poop and when. I am NOT looking forward to the long walks in cold weather while she decides on the perfect patch of grass. But Leah is the opposite. She will poop or pee anywhere. The middle of the street, on someone’s front steps – even in our bedroom (thank god for hardwood floors). And that’s something I just couldn’t deal with long term.
I understand that Leah is nervous to be away from her owners, and that doesn’t help. You can’t explain to a dog that its owners will return in a few days – each time the owners go away, there’s a part of the dog that assumes they’ll never be back.
But she also just pees and poops an awful lot, regardless of where her owners are, and that’s part of her personality. What Leah really showed us this weekend is that all dogs have their issues. Maybe your dog is food aggressive or barks each morning or is terrified of socks. Every person has their idiosyncrasies, and so do our dogs.
And while we’d love for Bea to be willing to chase a ball, friendlier when she meets other dogs, and not terrified of delivery men, all told she is a wonderful dog.
People often tell us that Bea is lucky we adopted her. So are we.
The girls playing together.
Oh baby! That's the stuff.
This weekend, Leah did two things for us. One, allowed our dog to act like a dog. Two, reminded us how lucky we are.
Leah is adorable – she always wants to play, and her “sit” is one of the cutest I’ve seen. She can be a handful; she’s almost 2, and clearly has the energy of a puppy (maybe several puppies?) Sara and I are pretty sedentary people, so having an excited dog would be difficult for us. But the thing about Leah that makes us really value Bea is Leah’s bowel control.
I have gotten annoyed by Bea’s finicky nature when it comes to where to poop and when. I am NOT looking forward to the long walks in cold weather while she decides on the perfect patch of grass. But Leah is the opposite. She will poop or pee anywhere. The middle of the street, on someone’s front steps – even in our bedroom (thank god for hardwood floors). And that’s something I just couldn’t deal with long term.
I understand that Leah is nervous to be away from her owners, and that doesn’t help. You can’t explain to a dog that its owners will return in a few days – each time the owners go away, there’s a part of the dog that assumes they’ll never be back.
But she also just pees and poops an awful lot, regardless of where her owners are, and that’s part of her personality. What Leah really showed us this weekend is that all dogs have their issues. Maybe your dog is food aggressive or barks each morning or is terrified of socks. Every person has their idiosyncrasies, and so do our dogs.
And while we’d love for Bea to be willing to chase a ball, friendlier when she meets other dogs, and not terrified of delivery men, all told she is a wonderful dog.
People often tell us that Bea is lucky we adopted her. So are we.
The girls playing together.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
A Brief Thought About Poop And Homeless People
As I put a poop bag in the garbage, I realized that there's got to be poop in every garbage in my neighborhood, constantly. There are a ton of dogs here, and not too many garbage cans - so at any given point, every garbage can has a few bags of poop in it.
This wouldn't be a big deal, except this is NYC, so homeless people often root through garbage cans to find recycling to turn in for money. While there aren't many homeless people in this hood, I'm guessing the ones that are around are pretty pissed at all the poop they find.
Just a fleeting thought. Enjoy your day.
This wouldn't be a big deal, except this is NYC, so homeless people often root through garbage cans to find recycling to turn in for money. While there aren't many homeless people in this hood, I'm guessing the ones that are around are pretty pissed at all the poop they find.
Just a fleeting thought. Enjoy your day.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
The Vernon Blvd Dog Run
I am super excited, because the dog run by my apartment is finally getting renovated. I recently moved to the uber up-and-coming Vernon Blvd; it’s only a few blocks from my old place, but I’m right in the heart of things now (and half a block from our neighborhood dog run). Next to the dog run, there has been an empty field full of weeds – a surprising thing to have right off the most expensive real estate in the area. Actually, so is a dog run.
Turns out that things are empty because it’s impossible to build on that block. The remnants of old train tunnels prevent any developer from building anything heavy – you know, like a building. Instead, the block is lined with a park, basketball courts, tennis courts, and a crappy, tiny dog run.
The park and courts are kept in immaculate condition, rare for anything in New York City. But the dog run is, well, run down. Holes in the fence, uneven dirt, hardly any shade, and not very much space makes the run a difficult place to take a dog.
But due to some tireless efforts from a few community dog lovers, New York City is expanding the run to the empty field next to it, and adding a separate run for small dogs, shade structures, and water. The run will be closed for the next two weeks while they spruce it up, but it will be well worth the wait.
I will be benefiting from the actions of a few of my neighbors. It makes me want to get involved next time something like this happens – but mainly I’m writing about it so other dog lovers can see the change that is possible in their own communities if they need something done.
Turns out that things are empty because it’s impossible to build on that block. The remnants of old train tunnels prevent any developer from building anything heavy – you know, like a building. Instead, the block is lined with a park, basketball courts, tennis courts, and a crappy, tiny dog run.
The park and courts are kept in immaculate condition, rare for anything in New York City. But the dog run is, well, run down. Holes in the fence, uneven dirt, hardly any shade, and not very much space makes the run a difficult place to take a dog.
But due to some tireless efforts from a few community dog lovers, New York City is expanding the run to the empty field next to it, and adding a separate run for small dogs, shade structures, and water. The run will be closed for the next two weeks while they spruce it up, but it will be well worth the wait.
I will be benefiting from the actions of a few of my neighbors. It makes me want to get involved next time something like this happens – but mainly I’m writing about it so other dog lovers can see the change that is possible in their own communities if they need something done.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Get Your Kids’ Hands Out Of My Dog’s Face
When we met with a behaviorist about training Bea, she said that the toughest thing to deal with as a dog owner is the general public. She’s right, but I wouldn’t have put it as nice. I’d have said, “Don’t forget that the majority of people you will meet are idiots.”
Bea is a cute dog. She is friendly without jumping on anyone, small without being strangely freakish, and well behaved without being a robot. Part of why we adopted Bea is because the very act of looking at her melted us. As I’ve said before, her puppy-like features mixed with adult behavior make her very easy to love.
It’s because of this that walking her is often an obstacle course. She is still a very scared dog, as any dog who spent 6 years in a shelter has a right to be. She deals with strangers coming up and petting her pretty well – though her lip licking and tail downward show us that she’s nervous at best. She’s like a constant high school freshman: trying to project an air of confidence while obviously worrying if things are going to be okay.
There have been adults who have handled Bea in a dumb way – including one woman who insisted on standing over her and talking to her like she was a baby. I don’t always understand my dog, but at that moment I believe Bea and I were thinking the same thing.
The worst is when the behavior comes from kids. A parent needs to be responsible for their child’s behavior, so when a child hits Bea in the face, it is the same as the parent hitting Bea in the face. And yes, that’s happened several times. The kids are just trying to pet Bea, but young children don’t always have the hand-eye coordination necessary to gently touch a moving target. I imagine this is what George felt like in “Of Mice and Men.”
And the parents don’t always ask if Bea is friendly before they let their kids have at it. What would happen if a kid hit Bea in the face and Bea bit her? No court would see that as self-defense, and neither would many parents. Especially those who just let their kids swat at everything they think is cute.
“Do you want to pet the dog?” should NOT be the first question the parent asks. “Is she friendly?” and perhaps “is it okay to pet her?” addressed to me, should come first. Hey, I wouldn’t want their kid petting me without the parent asking first. Or at all – that’s a bit creepy.
Bea is a cute dog. She is friendly without jumping on anyone, small without being strangely freakish, and well behaved without being a robot. Part of why we adopted Bea is because the very act of looking at her melted us. As I’ve said before, her puppy-like features mixed with adult behavior make her very easy to love.
It’s because of this that walking her is often an obstacle course. She is still a very scared dog, as any dog who spent 6 years in a shelter has a right to be. She deals with strangers coming up and petting her pretty well – though her lip licking and tail downward show us that she’s nervous at best. She’s like a constant high school freshman: trying to project an air of confidence while obviously worrying if things are going to be okay.
There have been adults who have handled Bea in a dumb way – including one woman who insisted on standing over her and talking to her like she was a baby. I don’t always understand my dog, but at that moment I believe Bea and I were thinking the same thing.
The worst is when the behavior comes from kids. A parent needs to be responsible for their child’s behavior, so when a child hits Bea in the face, it is the same as the parent hitting Bea in the face. And yes, that’s happened several times. The kids are just trying to pet Bea, but young children don’t always have the hand-eye coordination necessary to gently touch a moving target. I imagine this is what George felt like in “Of Mice and Men.”
And the parents don’t always ask if Bea is friendly before they let their kids have at it. What would happen if a kid hit Bea in the face and Bea bit her? No court would see that as self-defense, and neither would many parents. Especially those who just let their kids swat at everything they think is cute.
“Do you want to pet the dog?” should NOT be the first question the parent asks. “Is she friendly?” and perhaps “is it okay to pet her?” addressed to me, should come first. Hey, I wouldn’t want their kid petting me without the parent asking first. Or at all – that’s a bit creepy.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Bea Arthur Likes to Look at Real Estate
On our hurricane forced trip to Cleveland, we learned something new about Bea. She LOVES sticking her head out the car window. While I've seen dogs do this for years, I'd never driven with a cute little dog head in my rear view before. It's amazingly adorable. Unfortunately, I'll never be able to get this on video, or we'll all die in a fiery crash.
At first we'd open the window a bit, afraid that Bea might jump out. Even now, we're still a little afraid she might fall out when we open it all the way (balance is not Bea's strong suit). So we make sure to hold her leash just in case she starts slipping, and we let her put her wind-blown little head out the window. It's gotten to the point now where she even lowers the window herself. Probably just her accidentally standing on the button, but that would be a hell of a trick for her to learn.
She doesn't do it all the time (and certainly can't do it soon when the weather will be too cold) but we notice she does it every time we drive by expensive houses. Clearly Bea is a dreamer, just like us.
It'd make a nice Disney movie - a dog from a shelter in Puerto Rico moves to an apartment in NYC, and eventually to a mansion in the suburbs. Okay, so that would be an awful movie. But I bet Disney would still make it.
At first we'd open the window a bit, afraid that Bea might jump out. Even now, we're still a little afraid she might fall out when we open it all the way (balance is not Bea's strong suit). So we make sure to hold her leash just in case she starts slipping, and we let her put her wind-blown little head out the window. It's gotten to the point now where she even lowers the window herself. Probably just her accidentally standing on the button, but that would be a hell of a trick for her to learn.
She doesn't do it all the time (and certainly can't do it soon when the weather will be too cold) but we notice she does it every time we drive by expensive houses. Clearly Bea is a dreamer, just like us.
It'd make a nice Disney movie - a dog from a shelter in Puerto Rico moves to an apartment in NYC, and eventually to a mansion in the suburbs. Okay, so that would be an awful movie. But I bet Disney would still make it.
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