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Pupper West Side: Charlie Thinks He’s the Dog Mayor of the Upper West Side

March 19, 2019 | 9:05 AM
in COLUMNS
16

By A. Campbell

Name: Charlie

Age: 3 years old

Breed: My dog mom was a Golden Retriever, but we think there’s a little Basset Hound mixed into my genes and that’s where my short legs come from.

Profile/history: I’m a born and raised Upper West Sider! Notice my bow tie? I’m sort of a well-known personality around here. I like to think of myself as the mayor – dog mayor, that is – of the neighborhood. My dog mom was adopted by an Upper West Sider from the nonprofit Stray from the Heart. He was informed that she’d been spayed but it turned out that wasn’t exactly the case. When he came back from a trip to Spain, Mom was pregnant with me and nine other puppies. Whoops! Luckily, my human parents were looking around for a puppy at that time and they found me in the neighborhood. A few of my siblings ended up nearby as well. I have a brother, Alfie, who lives near the American Museum of Natural History, and we like to meet up and play. Often we get mistaken for each other because we look so much alike.

Daily routine: Dad is up very early for work during the week – around 4 a.m. – so we’ve developed a morning routine which includes breakfast and a pre-sunrise stroll. We like to head toward Riverside Park for some exercise and a game of fetch, or we’ll head over to Central Park during off-leash hours. My dog-walker stops by around 11:30 a.m. each day. Afterward it’s time for my midday nap. Mom, Dad, and I will enjoy dinner together. We are loyal to lots of local eateries including Osteria Cotta and Boat Basin Cafe. If we’re staying in for dinner, we might stop by Gotham Wines, one of my favorite pup-friendly neighborhood haunts, to pick up a nice bold red or crisp white.

Loves: I have many loves including snuggling, napping, and sticks. I also live to retrieve. You throw a ball, I shall find it and return it. I also enjoy meeting babies and children. I do really well with the seven- to ten-year-old girl set, if I do say so myself. I’m very gentle and easygoing with kids, and I think they like that I’m not too tall, so I don’t overwhelm them. At Halloween, I love joining the local kids for trick-or-treating. This past year I was a hot dog, and the year before that I went as a taco.

Does not love: Rain. Precipitation of any kind is unsettling. On rainy or very hot days, I’ll sometimes use the ol’ lay-down-in-the-middle-of-the-sidewalk-pretend-legs-don’t-work trick so that Mom has to take me home by cab.

Favorite store/business on UWS: Gotham Wines and Petco top the list. Mom and Dad joke that I’m always dragging them into all the wine stores on Broadway and making them look like lushes, but the reality is I’m an oenophile who loves catching up with all my wine enthusiast friends.

Favorite park spot: There’s a hilly area in Riverside Park near 91st Street where I like running around on the open grass. Also I love Central Park on the weekends. It really is such a wonderful place to see so many diverse pups and people.

Favorite treat: Chicken – baked, fried, roasted, grilled, boiled – it’s all delightful to me.

What’s the best wine bar on the Upper West Side? I think Osteria Cotta has one of the best happy hours on the Upper West Side and they allow pups to sit on the outside of the patio. I’m also a big fan of Amelie and Pizzeria Sirenetta. Ellington in the Park is a nice little park-based outpost from the main restaurant at 106th and Amsterdam. The three of us like to sit on the patio, take in lovely views of the Hudson River and socialize with other pups. Just thinking about it makes me excited for spring and summer! As a wine connoisseur, I’d say that I’m a Pinot Noir pup in the winter and a rosé -all-day pup when summer arrives.

Read all our Pupper West Side interviews here!

If West Side Rag readers are interested in becoming pet owners, we encourage you to consider adopting or volunteering to be a foster parent with one of the many shelters and nonprofits based in and around New York City. These include but aren’t limited to: Muddy Paws Rescue; Animal Lighthouse Rescue; NYC ASPCA; Humane Society of New York; Bideawee; Social Tees; and Animal Haven.

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16 Comments
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Joseph posillico
Joseph posillico
6 years ago

Love this article, Charlie is the most loving dog I’ve been around.

0
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Robby Westside
Robby Westside
6 years ago
Reply to  Joseph posillico

Charlie doesn’t just THINK he’s the mayor – many would argue he is! What a great pup.

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UWS_lifer
UWS_lifer
6 years ago

I gotta admit….if the West Side Rag changed its format and was exclusively these dog profile pieces I would not be upset at all.:)

0
Reply
MLEN
MLEN
6 years ago

Adorable!

0
Reply
Elly
Elly
6 years ago

Charlie, you are a great neighbor.
You bring credit to our floor.

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Reply
PETER LENGYEL
PETER LENGYEL
6 years ago

You need to do a feature on cats, specifically ragdolls! My Gracie would be the official mayor of the UWS. She is all white and beautiful.🐈🐈🐈❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️

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Fido
Fido
6 years ago

My pooch is way better than this mutt.

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Reply
anon
anon
6 years ago
Reply to  Fido

how rude

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Reply
Elaine Villaver
Elaine Villaver
6 years ago

I love Charlie, and it’s true he is definitely the mayor! I’ve dog sat for him when his parents are away and he is well known in the neighborhood whenever I took him for a walk. I have some great pics of Charlie, one with the 7-10 yr old female demographic mentioned to prove it’s true!

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Eln
Eln
6 years ago

I’m with Peter. Feline profiles please
Both my cats are awesome. One of them is a therapy cat. 🐱

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Reply
Lrahip
Lrahip
6 years ago
Reply to  Eln

A therapy cat….is that even possible, considering the temperament of cats????

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Reply
Robin
Robin
6 years ago

the Pupper West Side is by far my favorite section of the WSR!
it’s extremely clever and always brings a smile to my face.
ALL of the dogs featured ROCK!!!!

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Reply
Puppylove
Puppylove
6 years ago
Reply to  Robin

Same!! Def the highlight of the rag.

We are going to keep our eyes peeled for Charlie in the park. What a cutie.

And thanks for all the doggo friendly restaurant recommendations

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Reply
Lulu
Lulu
6 years ago

I LOVE these pupper stories! Keep em coming please!

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Reply
TravelgalNYC
TravelgalNYC
6 years ago

Charlie, you are the sweetest! Love these profiles 🙂

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Reply
Janice
Janice
6 years ago

Love this profile! Charlie is a cutie-pie!

0
Reply

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