Pupper West Side: Watson Has Welsh Roots, Loves Shakespearean Drama

Name: Watson.

Age: 1 year old.

Breed: I’m a Corgi, which is Welsh for “dwarf dog”. I like to think that if Queen Elizabeth and I ever met, we’d really hit it off.

Profile/history: My parents had been “empty nesters” for a while but knew that they wanted another dog. My sister tagged my mom in countless corgi Instagram photos and soon enough, the decision was made! I fit right in to the family too – my siblings and I are all redheads.

Daily routine: I’m up early to greet the day. Mom and I will do a very slow walk around the neighborhood, allowing me to meet every person and every pup on our route. Later, I’ll go back in my crate while Mom and Dad head out for some exercise. They both work from home, so we’ll spend the day together and in the afternoons, Dad and I will head down to Riverside Park to hang out on the grassy knolls or watch the Hudson Warehouse Theatre Company rehearse for an upcoming performance. I’ll offer the troupe tips on how to emote and perfect their delivery of a line. ‘The course of true love never did run smooth!’

Loves: Meeting people and other dogs!

Does not love: Anything to do with water. Corgis like me can swim – even with our stumpy legs – but it just makes my thick coat so heavy. I prefer to sunbathe instead.

Favorite store/business on the UWS: I enjoy stopping by Starbucks for a takeout puppuccino.

Favorite treat: Dried lamb lung is my absolute favorite. I discovered it during my puppy training classes with Amanda Gagnon Dog Training.  It’s delicious and nutritious – high protein and low fat!

Favorite park spot: The tree lawns of Riverside Park. I like sprawling in the grass around the area near 91st Street, just after you come down the hill and enter the park.

What’s your favorite thing about the UWS? I’ve always loved how much outdoor dining there is in the neighborhood and how many wonderful people you can meet that way. The outdoor dining scene is especially good for the community these days, as restaurants attempt to re-open and figure out how they’re going to safely serve customers again. Restaurant owners and patrons have always been so friendly to me and I think that’s a special vibe that the Upper West Side has going for it, even in the midst of all the recent heartaches we’ve experienced. I hope I can continue to bring a smile to my neighbors’ faces – behind their masks, that is – and I look forward to supporting as many local small businesses as I can in the coming weeks and months.

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; Animal Care Centers of NYC; NYC ASPCA; Humane Society of New York; Bideawee; Social Tees; Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue and Animal Haven.