D is for Doggy:

156 West 22nd Street, New York, NY 10011
(212) 633-0040

Dog boarding,  dog walking, and doggy day care is serious business in New York City.  In our neighborhood, there is literally one of each on each block catering to the plentiful amounts of 4 legged clientèle. I was referred to D is for Doggy from a friend, visited the website and their store, but was mainly sold by their doggy webcam, which is turned off during their bedtimes.

Pros:
- Details: Original owner, Gina, based the boarding set-up on natural dog behavior; dogs sleep together in packs, not in individualized crates like most boarders.  There are scented nooks throughout the rooms so dogs stay stimulated and occupied. Dogs initially remain in a holding area so they are calm when introduced to the rest of the dogs.  Small details such as this led me to believe that Mr.Brown would be in good hands.

- Price: Their pricing structure was on par with other dog boarding areas plust 15% off for 5+ nights boarding. Yes, its still expensive but, seriously, so is all of NY. Furthermore, my dog is my child and god knows my parents wasted plenty of their money on useless things for me, why can’t I do the same for my dog? Lastly, I did consider the possibility of getting a dog walker but for the amount of attention, care, and peace of mind, dog boarding worked best.

Cons:
- Inconsistent: the first time we left Mr.Brown for 3 nights. After the first day, I received an email from D Is for Doggy with a few pictures of Mr.Brown’s stay.  Even though this was a minor detail, it was VERY appreciated considering how much we were paying for them to basically walk him 1x a day and feed him 1x.  It gave me peace of mind and led me to believe that he was in good hands.  The last 2 times we have boarded him over 5 days but I have received no email, no picture to let me know how he was doing.

Furthermore, whenver I have gone to pick him up, the girl at the counter has little to no clue how Mr.Brown has been. “So, how was he”…”Good.?”  I find her lack of compliments to be, almost, rude and offensive.  I probably won’t be bringing Mr.Brown back before we move back to California.

- Attention: The first 2x I brought Mr.Brown back home, he has been super thirsty and super hyper. This leads me to believe that he isn’t being given enough water and that he hasn’t been exercised enough.  When I brought this up with the attendant, she was slightly defensive and somewhat apathetic. This really shouldn’t surprise me, this is NY after all.

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The meal time vigor and enthusiasm from a Labrador Retriever requires durable and heavy duty dog food bowls and water dishes.  Growing up in a Chinese household, we were fairly apathetic when it came to dinnerware for our pets.  Most of my childhood dogs ate out of retired stainless steel pots and pans which serves its purpose but, looking back, is pretty stinking ghetto.

Mr.Brown currently gobbles his food out of Petco’s Jumbo Stainless Steel No Tip Bowl.  So far its lived up to its promise to being “no-tip”, “anti-rust”, and “easy to clean.” However, I am not a fan of the cheap rubber ring surrounding the base which is supposed to keep the bowl in place.  It doesn’t stay put, which caused my husband to ask “what is this black thing for?” I’m pretty sure you can get this cheaper elsewhere, but it is very durable so I have no regrets.

Mr.Brown stays hydrated from his lovely Petco Basic Two-Toned Stainless Steel Bowl. True to its promise, its “anti-rust”, “anti-tip” and “easy to clean.”  I do have it placed on top of a shoe box to elevate it and make it more ergonomic for canine comfort.  I bought the largest bowl, but a smaller size could have sufficed since Mr.Brown is indoors and stagnant water is no bueno.

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Living with a medium to high energy, large breed dog in New York City has a few notable drawbacks. In addition to adjusting to living in a small confined space, dealing with city cacophony, we had to solve the dilemma of dog food.  Back in California, driving to the pet store, picking up a 40lb bag of kibble and storing it in the house somewhere didn’t even cause me to flinch. Now in the city, I had to locate a retailer that carried Mr.Brown’s dog food in the 40lb size, figure out how to lug it home, and find room in the apartment to store it…man, the things we take for granted.

The nearest retailer that carried the right dog food in the right size is Petco in Union Square. I’m bummed that they charge a flat rate for delivery, they really need to reconsider zoning and charging per zone (ie. Trader Joes). I learned the hard way not to be a cheapskate and carry 40lbs home, so $7 bucks and a 3 minute cab ride later, I’m home.  Petco Union Square is pretty huge and seems to carry pretty much all the major labels of food and a modest-decent selection of dog supplies (clothing, leashes, collars, toys).  I’d give this location a demerit for poor customer service, but then again, that applies to basically all retailers in NYC.

One great thing about this location is its central location and proximity to the Union Square Dog Run.  Whenever I get to this dog run and realize I’ve forgotten a toyl, I can run over to Petco and buy an overpriced tennis ball (seriously, don’t buy tennis balls here!). Or, I can stop by the Farmers Market on Mon, Weds, Friday/Saturdays

As much as I’d like to shop at local dog boutiques, sometimes I welcome the predictability of a corporate chain store.

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