Pupper West Side: Dr. Watson Solves Mysteries and Advocates for Differently Abled Pups

By A. Campbell

Top of the morning! My name is Dr. Watson and I’m a 10-year-old (give or take) wire-haired dachshund from PupStarz Rescue. When my parents adopted me, I already had the name Dr. Watson and they decided it was a perfect fit. In fact, in “His Last Bow,” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle describes Sherlock Holmes’ famous sidekick as “a heavily built elderly man with a grey mustache,” so I think it’s safe to say the resemblance is spot on.

My parents adopted me in 2016 after I had been given up by my first family and placed on a euthanasia list before the good people of PupStarz Rescue stepped in to save me. I couldn’t have found two more devoted parents to adopt me. They even included me in their New York Times wedding announcement photo, despite the fact that someone else decided to crop me out. Hmmph! The nerve.

Over the past few years, I have become a differently abled pup due to the diagnosis of a couple of diseases – IVDD and cerebellar hypoplasia. IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease) is a spinal disorder that follows from the herniating of an intervertebral disc inside a pup. Cerebellar hypoplasia is a developmental disease which causes pups like me to have an uncoordinated, slightly silly “toy soldier” walk as well as tremors and other symptoms.

In spite of my diseases, my daily routine is very standard. I might wake up still snuggled next to my Dad. The two of us adore each other and we’re so perfectly in sync that our respective beards even started greying at the same time. Ha! My parents will take me for a morning walk and we’ll enter Central Park at the West 85th Street entrance. Dad will carry me up the sloping hill until the ground is flat enough for me to walk on safely. Later on, it’s breakfast followed by a snooze for me and work for them. Some of my favorite neighborhood joints include West Side Wine and Vin Sur Vingt, but mostly I enjoy just relaxing in Central Park, sitting near the Delacorte Theater and watching people stroll by.

For me, living as a differently abled pup has meant that my parents and I have to adapt city life to my needs. I struggle with inclines and declines and need to be carried up and down ramps or hills. I have to be extra careful walking on unsteady surfaces like cobblestone streets and when I attempt a sprint, I end up running sideways instead of in a straight line. If I shake the rain off my coat, I have a tendency to fall over. But my cheerful personality and silly walk have brought a smile to so many people’s faces and have made them curious to learn more about me. In fact, I’ve even been stopped and photographed by the oh-so-popular Dachshunds of NYC Instagram account. I’m proud to be an example for other adoptable pups with disabilities and to demonstrate that dogs with a wide range of capabilities can live full, happy lives with the care, support, and a little extra assistance of a loving family.

 Read all of our Pupper West Side interviews here!

If you think your pup deserves a shot at neighborhood fame, we encourage you to reach out to Audrey at pupperwestsideuws@gmail.com to be considered for a future profile on West Side Rag and follow your fellow Pupper West Sider’s adventures on Instagram at @pupper_west_side_uws

If 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.