Pupper West Side: Augustus Is A Swissy with A Penchant for Hand-Holding
Name: Augustus
Age: 2 years old
Breed: Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
Profile/history: My parents knew they wanted a large dog and they liked that Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, or “Swissies”, are healthy, friendly, and can adjust to lots of different environments. That’s me in a nutshell! Swissy pups like me take pride in having an important job to do. One of my jobs is doing tricks. I can spin in circles and shake hands. I love shaking and holding hands! Dad says that after I was taught to shake, it was like I never stopped.
Daily routine: We get up around 6 a.m. and take a morning walk along the Riverside Park Waterline Square area. Would you believe it? I have a lovely Swiss walker named Jessica! Jessica stops by occasionally and helps out when my dads are at work. My dads are both frontline healthcare workers. They’ve needed to be away from home a lot recently, working hard to support New Yorkers during the pandemic, and so Jessica has been wonderfully supportive to me. She’s an absolute treasure! My dads have also made it a priority to spend extra time with me when we’re all together at home. We’ll take long walks in Central Park or just relax. They say I keep them sane and for me, spending time with them is my absolute favorite part of any day.
Loves: Holding hands. Sometimes, if you’re sitting there and not paying attention, I’ll just gently place my paw on your hand or knee. Oop! Look at that! Suddenly we’re holding hands.
Does not love: Water features like waterfalls and those terrifying fountains that shoot water up from the ground. Gah!!! Bowowowow!
Favorite store/business on the UWS: My absolute favorite local business is the big purple ice cream truck parked near Waterline Square. I don’t remember the name of it, but the man who works in the truck is so incredibly friendly and kind. When he sees me, he always rushes out with his arms wide open saying, “Auuuugussstttuusssss!!!!”
Favorite treat: Peanut butter.
Favorite park spot: Mount Tom in Riverside Park. It’s a beautiful rocky outcropping in the park that was supposedly a favorite haunt of Edgar Allan Poe.
How do your Swiss roots manifest in every day Upper West Side life? My Swiss heritage shows up in my love of cheese and cold weather. Of course, chocolate is a no go. But every time I climb one of the boulders in Central Park or Riverside Park, I pause and do a 50-yard stare and pretend I’m looking out over the Swiss Alps. My dads spoil me with multiple fancy collars, including one that has a “William” the ornate blue hippo from The Metropolitan Museum design and on it is a Swiss flag charm.
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.
You tell those fountains, Augustus!
I loooove these interviews. Augustus is lovely. And his dads are doing amazing work.
Fantastic article and so well written. So nice to have cute and happy positive news during this time!!
Thank you for sharing!!☺️
We humans honestly are blessed to be in the company of dogs like this.
What a good boy!
This should get a Pulitzer.
Seriously, though: I LOVE this addition to the WSR! Thank you for the smile!
Grandpups are the absolute best! Augustus loves his jobs, which include being a model for great photographs. Plus he is so very sweet.
Some dog!
Absolutely adorable. I love Augustus’s story. I adopted two kitties during covid and they certainly keep me occupied and sometimes entertained versus busy cleaning up. Thanks for sharing.
And Augustus keep your daddies happy and healthy. They are our heros.
Handsome Boy!!!
Beautiful boy.
I love swissies! They have so much personality. My swissy Clyde is a joy in my life. He loves people so much. And happens to be incredibly handsome. Thanks for sharing Augustus’s story
Was so doggone happy to see the Pupper Westside column today. What a sweet departure from the dad and bad news we’re currently bombarded with.
Augustus sounds like a really great pup!
Wishing him and his dad’s wonderful times together.
They’re all fortunate to have one another especially during this challenging time.
I noticed typo in my email. Please correct
Supposed to be
SAD and bad times
not DAD and bad times