On having a dog in NYC

When we moved to NYC in March, our 13-year-old Boston Terrier, Bruiser, made the move with us. When we told people we were moving to NYC, one of the first questions almost everyone asked was, “Is Bruiser going, too?” The thought of not bringing our beloved “B” didn’t even cross our minds until people started pointing out how challenging it might be having a dog in NYC–or any city for that matter. And not just an any dog, but our 13-year-old Bruiser, specifically.

Bruiser, like many older Boston Terriers, is blind, and, like many older dogs, she’s deaf. She started developing cataracts when she was about 9 years old and within a year or two, her cataracts had fully matured making her almost completely blind. She can see shadows and tell when a light is switched on in a dark room, and sometimes when you move your hand close to her face, she knows you’re there. Also, sadly, Bruiser has a serious heart murmur, a condition that we learned about after moving to NYC.

Twice at day, if not more, we carry Bruiser half a block to Central Park (because of her heart condition, she can’t walk very far anymore without starting to pant or struggling to breath) where she lays in the sun if it’s not too hot, goes to the bathroom, sits on the bench with us, and gets lots of “Aww”s and “So sweet”s and “Oh, is she old?”s. You would be surprised how many people ask about our little B. Even though there are hundreds of dogs in our neighborhood, people seem so intrigued by her. It’s surprising, really. Maybe it’s because we (literally) always carry her or perhaps because she has funny looking eyes now, but mostly, I hope, it’s because people can tell how much we love her.

So, to say it is challenging having Bruiser in New York City is right, but it’s a welcome challenge. And, in all honesty, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

We love you so, so much B.