I was honored to be asked to write an essay for the 20th anniversary of Inside Chappaqua Magazine by the founder and publisher Grace Bennett. I wrote about the bond between me and my owner Ronni Diamondstein and how a dog can enrich your life.
You can read it online here. https://www.theinsidepress.com/when-theres-a-dog-in-your-life/
Proud to announce Ronni Diamondstein’s Debut Picture Book!
From Publishers Marketplace, January 17, 2023:
Children’s: Picture Book Non-fiction
Ronni Diamondstein’s debut JACKIE AND THE BOOKS SHE LOVED, about former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s love of reading, starting at an early age and lasting well into adulthood and her career, illustrated by Bats Langley, to Nicole Frail at Sky Pony Press, in a nice deal, for publication in November 2023, by Lary Rosenblatt and Barbara Stewart at 22MediaWorks for the author (world).#author photo credit: Randi Childs Photography
“Dominic” by William Steig is one of my favorite books. My owner has been reading it to me since I was a puppy because it is one of her favorite books. Dominic is a little bored with his neighborhood so he sets out on an adventure. He packs his collection of hats and his piccolo and heads out wherever the world may take him. Dominic encounters members of the Doomsday Gang and deftly foils their attempt to rob him. He meets new friends along the way who tell him of their less-fortunate meetings with these villains. They ask the heroic dog for help, but can one dog along take down the Doomsday gang? You’ll have to read it to find out. It’s a story about life great for people of all ages. My owner, Ronni Diamondstein who is a children’s librarian gives it to adults as well as children.
Dominic is a great dog. He is my hero. I hope everyone will read this terrific book.
I am especially happy to share this book today because November 14th is the author William Steig’s birthday. He would have been 114 this year.
I love books about dogs and their humans and this is one of my very favorites. “Always” by Alison McGhee and Pascal Lemaitre is about the unconditional love and all the things a dog will do for his human. The bond between a beloved dog and a child is very deep. A dog will go to the ends of the Earth to protect his dear friend. A poignant story about friendship, loyalty and best of all love. With sweet illustrations and simple text, it’s a delight to read over and over again. Which is what I do!
This has to be the first book I review because talking to your dog is so important and I was lucky enough to interview the author and Newbery Award Medalist, Jean Craighead George for one of my Maggie Mae Pup Reporter columns in Inside Chappaqua magazine.
In How to Talk to Your Dog Jean Craighead George writes “No one will ever love you as much as your dog does.” That is very true and I hope my owner knows that. In the book humans can find out what their dog is saying and how to talk back to us dogs. George explains what all the sounds we make mean and what the wag of our tail tells you. She tells you how to say hello to us and how to say, “I’m the boss.” She knows that we really think we are the boss, and she will show you how to show us that you are our leader.
Jean George loved her dog Qimmiq and you can tell by the way she wrote the book. Her dog Qimmiq was the most wonderful dog and the inspiration for How to Talk to Your Dog. She dedicated the book to Qimmiq, her “wonderful talking dog.”
“After I studied wolves I realized Qimmiq was talking to me the way the wolves do,” she said in 2010 when I interviewed her. “He howled ‘Ah oohh’ just like a wolf. My granddaughters would call in the morning and say, ‘I want to speak to Qimmiq.’ I’d hold up the phone and he’d howl. And then they would hang up. They didn’t want to talk to me.” She also gave me some good advice: “Always obey,” which I didn’t much like, and “Let your owner know when you are annoyed!” That made my tail wag, and I hoped my owner heard it too!
I highly recommend this book. Young children should read it with a grownup.
Happy Reading!
© 2021 Ronni Diamondstein, All Rights Reserved
Recently my owner, Ronni Diamondstein and I were the subject of an article in our local magazine Inside Chappaqua & Millwood. The tables were turned on us since we do the writing and interviewing, but we loved the writer Megan Klein. She is an aspiring journalist studying at Boston University. My owner has known her since Megan was a baby. It was fun to have her interview Ronni. Our picture was even on the cover of the magazine! You can read about this “dynamic duo” in this link.
Getting ready to watch a Cuomo Briefing with my mom.
I wrote about my pandemic experience. Now you can read how my owner Ronni Diamondstein experienced it with me. Her latest column in Inside Press magazines. I wonder if Governor Cuomo’s dog Captain will like what she wrote.
Here’s the link: The Power of Pets in the Pandemic
Groomed and enjoying the fresh air
Maggie Mae was excited to see the snow falling outside.
“Can we go out to play?” she asked her mother.
“Later,” her mother said. “It’s a blizzard out there. It is too cold and a strong wind is blowing.”
“Can we bake cookies instead?” asked Maggie Mae. “That would be fun.”
“That’s a perfect thing to do on a snowy day like today,” said her mother. “Let’s go into the kitchen.”
“I can write about it for my newspaper when we are finished,” said Maggie Mae.
Her mother took out a big red mixing bowl and put it on the kitchen table.
Maggie Mae helped take out the tools she needed to bake: baking sheet, measuring cups and spoons. “And of course the spatula,” Maggie Mae said holding up a pretty pink one.
“Let’s get all the ingredients ready,” her mother said.
“May I help?” asked her little brother Beau as he came into the kitchen.
“Sure,” said Maggie Mae.
Her mother placed the ingredients on the kitchen counter: flour, sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla. “Love is the most important ingredient,” she said. “ We have to bake with lots of love.”
Maggie Mae helped measured the flour. She beat the butter and the sugar, stirring and stirring.
“Let’s add the eggs and a teaspoon of vanilla,” said her mother.
Maggie Mae stirred and stirred.
“I will fold in the flour,” said her mother. “Then we can roll out the dough.”
Maggie Mae rolled out the dough with a rolling pin. It was hard work.
“Let’s cut them into hearts since we are making them with love,” Maggie Mae said.
Beau stood on a stool and helped her cut out the cookies. They placed the cookies on the baking sheet.
Her mother put the cookies in the oven.
“What can we do while they are baking?” asked Maggie Mae.
“We will make the frosting,” said her mother. She took out powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.
“I will stir that,” said Beau.
Maggie Mae started to write her story. She could smell the cookies baking. She even wrote the recipe in her story.
“Let’s give some of the cookies to our neighbors,” said Maggie Mae. “Sharing is caring.”
“That will be a nice surprise,” said her mother.
When the cookies had cooled, Beau and Maggie Mae decorated the cookies with red and white frosting. Then they packed them up to give to friends and neighbors.
“Baking cookies on a snowy day was a good idea,” Maggie Mae said to her mother. “And sharing them is even better.”
© 2020 Ronni Diamondstein, All Rights Reserved
The first Snow of 2020 on Saturday, January 18 was a quiet storm. I went to check it out. I love the snow. It is gentle on fluffy. Staying safe in the winter is very important for pups. I wrote about it in my Maggie Mae Pup Reporter in Inside Chappaqua magazine. You can read that here below.
About an inch or two of snow today.
Keeping your Dog Safe in the Winter
When it’s cold outside I’m happy that my owner dresses me in one of my winter jackets. Being a small dog and close to the ground I really feel the cold. And she makes an extra special point of wiping off the salt on my feet when we come in from the ice and snow. It made me wonder if there were other things dogs needed to know about in the winter so I contacted a local veterinarian, Jeremy Tubbs, DVM of the Millwood Animal Hospital.
I love wearing my coats when I go out but I don’t always see other dogs wearing one on very cold days so I asked Dr. Tubbs if all dogs should wear a coat or sweater. “I think every dog is different and has its own level of tolerance,” says Dr. Tubbs. “Of my two dogs, Solo and Jasper, one loves wearing a sweater or a coat outside, the other will try to take it off. I feel that smaller dogs, and those with shorter hair coats would benefit from one, especially if they are going to be outdoors for a prolonged period of time.”
Sometimes when I’m out in the ice and snow I stop walking because my paw hurts. I lift it up and wait for my owner to make it feel better. I asked Dr. Tubbs about that. “With prolonged activity in the snow, snowballs can accumulate between the pads of a dog’s foot. This may become uncomfortable, or simply make walking difficult,” says Dr. Tubbs. “In this case boots may help, but like anything, a dog has to be trained to use them.” I tried them once but it was hard to walk in them. Dr. Tubbs said he has heard of people using PAM cooking spray on their feet to prevent snow accumulations. “The most important thing is to know your own dog and its limits.” And like my owner, he is all for washing paws when you come in the house. “Some ice melt products can also irritate a dog’s pads and inter-digital spaces. I always recommend a quick wash of the feet after a walk to remove the snow melt and salt to prevent licking and further irritation.”
My friend Willie, a French Bulldog who is eight years old once slipped on the ice and sprained his rear leg. Dr. Tubbs said it very important to consider our older dogs in ice and snow. “By the time they are two years old, over 85% of dogs already have arthritic changes, and it may be more difficult for our geriatric dogs to step over high snow accumulation, or navigate icy sidewalks or areas. In this case, booties may be a good idea for better traction and footing.” And puppies need to be careful too. “Puppies will have more of a challenge over all,” says Dr. Tubbs, “Navigating through snow and ice, immature bones can be more prone to injury. So using more caution with the youngsters is always important.”
I also wondered if I still needed topical treatment of flea and tick medication during the winter and Dr. Tubbs agreed that it was a good idea. “All it takes is for the temperature to become a little mild for fleas and ticks to come out.”
Just like when it is very hot outside it’s not a good idea to leave your dog unattended in the car in the very cold weather. Dr. Tubbs says that dogs have a natural coat 365 days a year, though some are more dense and warm than others. “Air between the skin and the coat acts as a natural insulator. But if a pet is inactive, its core body temperature will lower, and if a pet is not acclimated to cold temperatures, it can become uncomfortable very soon.” Dr. Tubbs says that he would not leave his animals in his car for a prolonged period if the temperature is below 40 degrees. “But my dogs are used to the toasty confines of their dog beds and our home.”
I get excited when I see snow and love to be out and about in the winter, but I do get cold. Like Dr. Tubbs’s dogs nothing makes me happier than being cozy and warm in the house curled up with my owner or on my dog bed.
For more cold weather tips for pets you can go to the ASPCA website:http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/cold-weather-tips.aspx
Inside Chappaqua Winter 2012/2013
© 2020 Ronni Diamondstein, All Rights Reserved
Maggie Mae Pup Reporter 