Pupper West Side: Bailey Loves Attention and Volunteering as a Pet Partner
By A. Campbell
Name: Bailey
Age: Almost two years old! I’ll turn two this summer.
Breed: Bernese Mountain Dog
Profile/History: My parents were looking for a pup with the personality to match their home – they said a calm, loving home needed a calm, loving dog. That’s me, alright! I have to admit that I like a lot of attention. I’m occasionally mistaken for a bear or a life-size stuffed animal.
Daily routine: Every morning it’s a healthy breakfast followed by a quick jaunt over to Central Park to enjoy off-leash hours. I’m part of a group of regulars and want to give a special shout out to my friends Maggie, Goldie, Gus, and Brinkley. Guys, I’m being interviewed for the West Side Rag! What a world! Ahem, ok, so back to my routine. We’ll take a couple more walks throughout the day. People often think that hefty puppers like me need lots of exercise, but it’s actually quite the opposite. I enjoy getting time outside, but I don’t need tons of exercise. In the colder months, I have a lot of energy. Rolling around in the snow and skidding over the ice – I just love it! I honestly don’t understand why everyone complains about the (gorgeous) weather between December and March. Also, aren’t you enjoy this chilly Spring we’re having? Puffy coats in mid-May! How delightful!
Loves: Attention. Heh. Sometimes, I’ll put my head in someone’s lap or lean against them, just to subtly remind them I’m here and in desperate need of pats.
Does not love: I’m not a negative pup, but if I had to choose, I’d say the humid New York City summers.
Favorite store/business on the UWS: I can often be found outside Lenwich when Mom and Dad are grabbing morning coffees. I also enjoy stopping by Park West Pharmacy, Citibank on West 81st, and TD Bank on West 86th. TD Bank is so pup-friendly with their treats and water bowls.
Favorite treat: It’s important to keep up appearances, so one of my favorite treats are rawhide chewies that keep my teeth clean.
Favorite park spot: The Great Lawn in Central Park. It’s so exciting when they finally open it up in the Spring. The cherry blossom trees that surround the border of the Great Lawn are just stunning. And of course, the wilderness vibes of the Ramble speak to my Swiss roots.
Would you tell readers about your volunteerism as a Pet Partners therapy dog? Yes, of course! Pet Partners is an organization that promotes the health and wellness benefits of animal-assisted therapy, activities, and education. Pups like me will work with patients in recovery, people with intellectual disabilities, seniors living with Alzheimer’s, students, veterans with PTSD, and those approaching end of life, to improve their overall health and well-being through the human-animal bond. It’s a rigorous program of classes, training, and a behavioral assessment. My “job” is to provide people the comfort, love, and affection that a dog provides without the responsibility of taking care of one themselves. I’m part of a team with my sister, Sydney. Sydney is 15-year-old high school student, and she and I make visits together. My family recommended that I get involved because they thought my disposition was perfect for the role. Bernese Mountain Dogs are not only very kind, but also keenly sensitive to people’s emotions and needs. My hope is that our work proves to be very meaningful to others.
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.
What great photos!
Call me biased, but I love this.
Dear WSR,
Thanks for the appeal and the links, above. Two nights ago, I started tweeting doggie rescue posts (“Save a life”).
Look at Bailey’s great big smile, folks. I could cry. Nights, I binge myself to sleep on YouTube animal videos.
G’night,
Love you madly
Hey West Side Rag,
Since you have turned these adorable little pups into local celebrities, I think now you should put together a “Meet & Greet” type event where we get to pet and spoil these guys with treats. Maybe get an autograph or two.:)
In all seriousness, thanks for promoting these shelters and non-profits and encouraging people to adopt. Well done!
Agreed! Hopefully there can be ink pads for pawtographs!!
WSR: love this stuff, keep it coming. Dogs are wonderful and there are many organizations that need adopters and fosters. Let yourself experience the joy of having a dog.
Well, most of the time………
One more thing, you can help a neighbor keep a cat or dog when they difficulty caring for them. PAWS NYC will match you with an individual in your hood. If you cannot adopt, you can get your animal fix this way. Thx WSR!
Bailey is a terrific spokesdog to encourage ownership and adoption. Also, I really enjoy the more positive stories on WSR.
Love this and please follow Bailey on her instagram account: @bailey_theberner !
What’s so interesting about this breed for WSR to write about?
Not exciting to me… just another mutt.
So many civic-minded pups on the UWS!
WSR, Thank you for publishing good-hearted pieces like this.
My cat is a therapy cat with Pet Partners. Welcome to the club. You’re cute!😉
I love this section! Keep ’em coming, WSR!
Love love these articles! I have 2 MaltiPoos Lovey Dovey and Laszlo the Wonder Dog. They’d love to volunteer. How do we get connected?