Pet of the Week: Harper Helps Herself
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- Written by Katy Goldman
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Meet Harper Tuber Handwerger, a 6 1/2 year old English Yellow Labrador Retriver. She has been a gentle, loving, strong, capable and FOOD OBSESSED dog since the beginning. She was named after singer Ben Harper.
Harper loves to be outside and is often taken for long walks in the woods. She searches out all bodies of water she can find - no matter how big or small, clean or dirty. When given the chance, she will wallow like a hog and dunk her head in the mud! You can also find Harper walking the streets of Fox Meadow. She will always lay down if she sees another dog, even from afar. She is more comfortable with smaller dogs as she finds them less threatening.
Harper is very protective of her mom, dad and two big brothers. She will not go upstairs in the house until everyone is settled at night. Once everyone is upstairs, Harper will make her way there and start in her mom and dad's bed, fighting for a spot between them. She finds herself being sequestered to the foot of the bed.... Ultimately, Harper works her way downstairs and sleeps on the couch snuggled in blankets.
Much to her family's disbelief, Harper often jumps up to the kitchen table and snatches food -- silently! She somehow never moves a plate or silverware. When she is caught, she puts herself in her crate knowing that should not have stolen food. Her family laughs because Harper's crate is her happy place and they have not found a way to reprimand her!
Local delivery guys are loved by Harper. Be it the postal worker who comes with a treat, the UPS guy whose gloves she tries to steal, or the crossing guard who also gives her treats, Harper doesn't tire of putting herself out there. She always remembers who gives her time and treats.
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Pet of the Week: Ollie to the Rescue
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- Written by Katy Goldman
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Rescue dog Ollie joined the McCabe family in Fox Meadow in February 2021. After a wonderful 13 years with their previous Australian rescue dog Scout, the family knew they wanted to save another life. They searched for months and made several unsuccessful applications on Petfinder.com to adopt a rescue dog. Ultimately, daughter Maddie who is 13 years-old came across Ollie online.
Then known as Di Er, Ollie was rescued from China where there is an inhumane dog meat trade. There, sadly, dog paw soup is a delicacy. Ollie and his brother were rescued from the rear of a restaurant, while awaiting their slaughter. The small rescue organization cannot be named due to concerns of it thwarting their rescue attempts. Suffice to say, they do a wonderful job of saving many dogs from China and finding them homes in the US and Canada. Ollie spent 5 months in Canada with a foster family before coming to Scarsdale.
Despite his rocky start to life, Ollie has settled in well with his new family. He is very loving, enjoys neighborhood walks and is always ready to play with one of his many stuffed toys. Girls Sydney (9) and Maddie (13) enjoy dressing him up. He is incredibly protective of his new home and family and has recently taken to shredding up the mail when it comes through the door! The vet has estimated him to be around 2-3 years of age but is unsure of his breed. She suspects Ollie’s two missing teeth are due to his treatment in China.
Dogs are wonderful companions who quickly work their way into our hearts. So many are in need of a home and the family encourages others to adopt from a shelter or rescue group. Anyone who is interested in learning more, can reach out to Jennifer McCabe at PetsofDale@gmail.com.
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Pets of the Week: Benny, Wally and Sadie Welcome You Back to the Office
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- Written by Susan Douglass
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Susan Douglass, President of the Scarsdale Forum, and her family create a holiday card every year featuring their dogs. The theme of this year’s card is "welcome back to the office." Last year's theme was supply chain delivery issues, and the prior year's theme was taking care of yourself during Covid. The cards usually feature a poem or text to bring out the nuances in the theme. Above is this year's photo featuring their dogs Benny (left) and Sadie (right), along with their grand-dog Wally (center).
Here is the text that goes with the card:
Wally: The boss says we have to return to the office five days a week.
Sadie: I like being virtual.
Wally: False! There’s no such thing as a “virtual dog.”
Benny: Next thing you’ll tell me, there’s no such thing as Santa Claus.
Sadie: At least I'll get to dress up in something other than sweats.
Benny: More importantly, I can take clients to lunch again ...
Wally: While the rest of us stay in the dog house.
Sadie: How 'bout we celebrate being together.
Wally: Yes, it's good to return!
Wishing You Joy As You Return To Doing The Things You Love!
A bit of background about the dogs. Benny, who is 8 1/2 years old, is an Australian Shepherd. He was certified by Therapy Dogs International (TDI) as a therapy dog when he was 15 months old. He has volunteered at White Plains Hospital since then, except for a 2 1/2 year hiatus due to Covid. Sadie is a miniature Australian Shepherd who is 6 1/2 years old. The family adopted her when she was 2 ½ and took her to school so she could become a TDI-certified hospital volunteer. As with Benny, Sadie passed her test on the first try, and is a popular volunteer at White Plains Hospital.
Grand-dog Wally is a 5 1/2-year-old Aussie Doodle who belongs to Douglass’s younger son Martin and his family, and lives in Harrison. Wally is a frequent visitor, where he plays with his dog cousins.
Susan explained, “although we would love to feature our two grandsons in the holiday cards, their parents prefer that we not do so (our sons Nathaniel and Martin were "tortured" by being featured in our hilarious themed holiday cards until they were teenagers).
Facilitating and Maintaining Friendships With Doggie Playdates
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- Written by Andrea Seiden
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Scarsdale families understand that playdates are a wonderful opportunity for moms and dads to get to know other moms and dads while their young children make friends of their own. With the right activities and a few well-chosen snacks, everyone enjoys a fun, relaxing afternoon with friends – relationships that may last a lifetime.
But, what happens when the children go off to the Scarsdale Middle School, high school or college and moms don’t have an excuse to sit in the backyard or around the kitchen table with a their posse of friends anymore?
Sloane Worth, a Greenacres resident for 18 years and real estate agent from Houlihan Lawrence, shares that she and her friends now arrange playdates for their dogs. Instead of toddlers playing Simon Says or Tag in her backyard, Sloane’s caramel red Austrian Labradoodles, Whiskey (3-years old) and John B (still a puppy), play fetch and tug of war with their doggie pals. Supervised backyard fun allows the dogs to get the exercise and socialization they need to thrive. “I have had as many as seven dogs chasing a ball in the backyard,” says Sloane. If you don’t mind a little poop and digging, a doggie play date is a great excuse for pet owners to connect over a cup of coffee or glass of wine.
Whiskey and John B love each other as if they were littermates and can spend hours in a park or big yard with or without their neighborhood friends. Originally Labradoodles were bred as therapy dogs, so when Whiskey and John B aren’t chasing each other, they love to cuddle together in a cozy, living room chair. Sloane confides that her Muppet look-alikes on occasion have been known to get into mischief. “They crave eating paper towels and tissues. We are not quite sure how they swallow down the Charmin, but usually what they eat today comes out tomorrow,” Sloane says with a chuckle.
Sloane and her family are frequently seen walking Whiskey and John B on Kingston, Brite, and Huntington. “Walking a dog is a great way to meet your neighbors,’’ Sloane tells us. Going on she shares, “But having a doggie play date is a great way to make friends.”
Logan the Lounger
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- Written by Andrea Seiden
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The Wheaten Terrier is prized for its soft, silky coat and playful, kind nature. People love the graceful breed’s vibrant color - a rich golden, reminiscent of wheat fields gently swaying in the summer breeze awaiting the harvest. Their eyes are dark reddish brown with a slightly almond shape. A true showstopper. However, don’t let a Wheaten’s beauty fool you. Beneath all that fluff, you will find a working dog. Wheatens were originally trained to patrol the borders of small farms, ridding them of vermin; rising early to herd sheep and hunt with their master.
But for Logan, a one-and-a-half-year-old Wheaten living in Heathcote along with his owners Joanne and Jon Shapse, getting up early to hunt, round up mice or even go downstairs to eat puppy chow is the last thing on his mind. At sunrise, most dogs are at the ready – waiting to go outside, do their business, and eat. Not Logan. Logan is more of a lounger than a worker. Snoring away with his head supported by downy pillows between Joanne and Jon, the 7 AM alarm does little to disturb this handsome snoozer. When Logan does open his peepers, rather than jump up, he rolls over and begs for belly rubs, tickles and kisses. Given Logan’s sweet, yet debonair personality, his owners are more than happy to accede to his requests. Joanne confides that, “we are not sure who loves this morning ritual more – the dog or us.” No matter, it's a great way to start the day.
Like 60 percent of all dog owners, Joanne and Jon allow Logan to sleep on their bed with them. Sharing sleeping quarters with this adorable furry friend is cozy – especially on a cold winter night. But mornings can sometimes be tough, especially if one of them has an early morning commitment. Joanne, shares “If we didn’t drag him out with a leash, he will just sleep-in like a teenager--missing his many walks around Scarsdale.”
When awake, Logan rules the roost. “The house revolves around him,” says Jon. He is a constant source of energy and a fountain of happiness – even if he doesn’t herd sheep.
We would love to feature your pet as our Pet of the Week. Interested? Email us at PetsofDale@gmail.com.
