opening or a crinkling candy wrapper can often prompt dogs to make eye contact.
Labrador Retriever Deke is a service dog who belongs to the owner of Books of
Wonder, a delightful children’s bookshop in Chelsea. Before becoming a service
dog, Deke was a blue-ribbon champion in Rally, an obedience-based sport, as
well as a top-notch hunting dog. Max is a Border Collie who works on Governors
Island. Every morning he chases the geese off the grounds. He is the only dog
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allowed on the island. Tori, a black Labrador, and Blue, a German Shepherd,
are New York state–certified police K9s. They work for the New York City
Police Department on Staten Island. Despite being expertly trained at explosive
detection and criminal apprehension, they are totally comfortable around people
and happy to receive lots of affection. I also photographed Pretzel, a rescue from
a high-kill shelter in Los Angeles who now works as a model, most recently posing
with the Fearless Girl statue in Manhattan’s financial district.
Seventh lesson: Professional dogs will sit still for you. Amateur dogs . . . not so
much. Eighth lesson: You can buy the inserts to squeaky toys separately. It’s easier
to hide them in your hand and manage your camera at the same time. Cultivate
the skill of making crazy-sounding noises. I got better and better at this one—ask
me sometime and I’ll show you. Ninth lesson: Be ready to shoot on the first noise you
make, because by the second noise, the dog may lose interest or discover that he
or she is afraid of the camera.
Tenth lesson: Bribery almost always works. Eleven: Even dogs who generally don’t
like treats can be tempted by the peanut butter–flavored ones.
And, finally, the twelfth lesson: Despite the city’s reputation, most New Yorkers are
super friendly, especially New York dog owners. Devoted, giving, and kind, most
of them are happy to take time out of their busy days to hang out and help you
get a great shot of their dog.
I didn’t start out as a dog photographer. I’ve spent the last twenty years focusing
my lens on pretty people and pretty things, from food and textiles to home decor.
This project made me a dog photographer—and the wonderful dogs and people
I met have made me a better photographer, period. This, my year of dogs, has
been one of the best of my life. And though the work for this book may be done,
I have just gotten started.
Thank you, dog lovers and canines of New York.
—Heather Weston, May 2017
MANHATTAN
“Vehement silhouettes of Manhattan—
that vertical city with unimaginable diamonds.”
—Le Corbusier (1961)
ASHER and ASHBY
Pembroke Welsh Corgis
24th Street & Broadway
Asher and Ashby are living a
high-rise lifestyle in Manhattan.
They hold Canine I and II
Positive Dog certifications
and can be seen at Madison
Square Park, where their
speed is unmatched for
their stubby legs.
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NINA
Kromfohrländer
Manhattan
Nina was the first
Kromfohrländer to immigrate
to the United States; she
traveled to New York from
Germany fifteen years
ago to live with her two
dads. Kromfohrländers
are a rare breed, only
recently recognized by the
American Kennel Club.
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MR. CHOW
English Bulldog
Soho Grand Dog Park
Mr. Chow was named
after the gangster
Leslie Chow from
The Hangover
.
OLIVE
French Bulldog
Soho Grand Dog Park
“When I gave her doggy
teeth-cleaning sticks, she
took each one and hid them
under my bed for a week.
She went under there while
I was vacuuming, and when I
went to pull her out, I found
her stash of tooth sticks.
Now I brush her teeth.”
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Eloise and Madeline are both named after the
characters in children’s books. Their human is a second-
grade teacher at an all-girls school. See more of them
@eloise_takes_nyc and @madelines_adventures.
MADELINE
Maltese
Soho Grand Dog Park
ELOISE
Yorkie
Soho Grand Dog Park
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FIORELLO and
WISTERIA
Bochis
Upper West Side
Cross a Boston Terrier
with a Chihuahua and
you get a “Bochi.”
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ROUGAROU
Cavalier King
Charles Spaniel
Upper West Side
“Rougarou is a wonderful
flying companion.“
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BYRON
Poodle
105th Street
& Broadway
Byron is named after
the poet Lord Byron.
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SEAMUS