Maggie Mae Pup Reporter

By Maggie Mae…with Ronni Diamondstein

I’m a town dog. I take a walk into the hamlet of Chappaqua daily. Once I saw my neighbor Riley get into the back of his owner’s SUV. When I asked where they were going they said they were off to Gedney Park for a run. I had been to Gedney on a leash a few times so I decided to find out more about it.

First, I spoke to Jill Shapiro the New Castle Town Clerk. She said that dogs are allowed in Gedney Park but only if they follow the rules on the Town website. Dogs can be off-leash on the trails as long as they stay in sight of their owners and obey their commands. I stayed on my leash as I walked along the paths there, because I’m so small. Because there’s no place fenced off for small dogs, 
I feel safest that way.

I decided to ask some of my canine friends about their visits to the park. My friend Rocky, a black Labrador Retriever, is a regular at Gedney. He and his owners follow the rules, and Rocky knows his place in the park. “I love to meet new people and dogs, but I’m so big that my overfriendliness can ruin
a picnic in a playground area.”

Rocky knows that he can’t go on ball fields, but he does enjoy it when his owner unhooks his leash so he can enjoy some freedom on the trails. He says his owners love to take a break from their busy days to walk the nature trails at Gedney. Rocky and his owners have made many new friends at the park and they feel lucky to have a place where they can “stop and smell the roses.”

My friend Harry, the Wire Hair Terrier, also goes to Gedney, where he runs the trails to his heart’s content. He told me that his owner uses the “doggy bags” which are a must for park etiquette. “At Gedney, dogs are friendly and get along with other dogs and people,” says my neighbor Belle, an eight-year-old Chocolate Lab. Belle, who is very mature, likes to do her own thing, so when she encounters other dogs she just sniffs “hello” and moves on exploring the trails.

While a lot of dogs I know head over to Gedney, some like go to the nearby Rockefeller State Park Preserve where dogs must stay on a leash when they walk along the trails and roads. There are other dog parks in Westchester County, but I haven’t visited them. The best advice on visiting a new dog park comes from the ASPCA, which suggests that owners check out the rules before they bring their dogs.

Dogs that go should be vaccinated and should get along well with other dogs. My friend Stella, a miniature dachshund, has had a few unpleasant experiences at dog parks. She recommends that small dogs only go to dog parks that have an area for dogs their size like the White Plains Bark Park or the Peekskill Dog Park.

Gedney Park is a great place for us canines and our owners. It’s a beautiful day today, so I’m on my way for a new adventure!

Contact Maggie Mae Pup Reporter at maggiemae10514@gmail.com

Maggie Mae lives in Chappaqua with her adoring owner Ronni Diamondstein, who, when she isn’t walking Maggie is a freelance writer, PR consultant, award-winning photographer and a School Library Media Specialist and teacher who has worked in the US and abroad.

By Maggie Mae…with Ronni Diamondstein
My owner’s friend Stephanie told us recently that when she gets her new puppy she is going to name her Mia. My owner was curious about that, because she thinks it’s important to meet a new pet before deciding on a name. It’s just like naming a baby, she thinks; you look at it and say, “Yes, that’s the name.”

My owner learned that bit of wisdom when I came into her life. When she decided to get a poodle, she thought she would give the dog a French name after someone she admired like Coco Chanel. But when she met me, she realized that name didn’t suit me. I was so tiny, I weighed only 2 ½ pounds at 3 months old, yet so out-going and friendly she thought I needed a name with more spunk.

Then, because she is a librarian and knows lots of children’s books she thought about the character Maggie in her friend and Chappaqua resident Jean Van Leeuwen’s book, “Wait for Me,” Said Maggie McGee. Maggie in the book was the youngest and smallest in the family and was always chasing after the big kids for their attention.

So I became Maggie with Mae for a middle name because my owner liked that Rod Stewart song. And when she told the students at her elementary school how she named me, one very wise fourth grader, Lucas said, “Of course Ms. Diamondstein would name her dog after a character in a book.”

I wondered how other dogs got their names, so I decided to ask some of my canine friends how they were named and was surprised by the variety of the answers. My Boston Terrier neighbor MJ, has a mind of her own and told me she didn’t like her given name Princess, so she never answered to it when she was called. One day at the veterinarian’s office she heard the Tech called “MJ.”

She decided that was a good name, so she started responding every time it was called. Now that’s what everyone calls her. And my good friend Riley, the Staffordshire Terrier, was supposed to be Logan for the Boston airport connection of his owner Brian, but it just didn’t suit his personality. The Vizla next door to us was named Scotch for his butterscotch colored coat. Wilson, a black and white Shi Tzu, got his sporting name because he looked like a soccer ball when he was a little puppy. Harry Houdini, the Wire Fox Terrier, has an owner who is a magician. And my new Yorkie puppy friend Virginia Woof told me she got her literary name because there are so many English majors in her family. Gypsy, a rescue dog, has owners who are big fans of the singer Stevie Nicks and are especially fond of that song. Gypsy also says she likes to run around and lives up to her name. Ranger, the chocolate Lab, was named by his hockey-loving family for their favorite team.

Every time I hear someone say, “Maggie Mae,” I wag my tail with joy because I love hearing my name. So whether you choose your dog’s name based on its breed, its looks or something you like to do, be sure you say it with a smile in your voice!

Contact Maggie Mae Pup Reporter at maggiemae10514@gmail.com

Maggie Mae lives in Chappaqua with her adoring owner Ronni Diamondstein, who, when she isn’t walking Maggie is a freelance writer, PR consultant, award-winning photographer and a School Library Media Specialist and teacher who has worked in the US and abroad.