Hoboken flooding looks even worse to dogs

Remember the pretty significant Hoboken flooding we had last week? It can become fairly precarious for us as adults – when flood waters are sometimes measured in feet.

Well, even after the flood waters subside – or if we’re simply left with mere puddles – imagine how it must feel to be a pooch?

When you’re only a foot off the ground, inches of water can feel like feet for the poor dogs!

Here, poor Hoboken411 Mascot Oscar felt a bit dismayed about the situation where he parks when we get our tasty Starbucks drinks.

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Technorati Tags: dogs, flooding, Hoboken, Hoboken Flooding, New Jersey, NJ, Oscar, Pets, PHOTO OF THE DAY, photography

New dog pool formed as Hoboken water main breaks!

Yesterday, as we were watching the umpteenth Hoboken water main break on Jackson & Newark Streets, Hoboken411 Mascot Oscar and his buddy Norton (AKA Paulie) found something fun to do in town!

Why look at the negative, when all this fresh, clean water rushing out of the ground can be an instant dog pool!

I recommend that all dog owners rush to the scene of the next Hoboken water main break and have an impromptu street party (provided it’s not one of those gross sewage pipes!)

With no traffic, it was great. Perhaps we can draft an ordinance that automatically permits public drinking on each street that is closed due to a water main break?

When I run for Mayor – that will be on my campaign platform, for sure.

Have a nice afternoon, Hoboken!

Technorati Tags: Dog Pool, dogs, Hoboken, Hoboken Water Main Break, New Jersey, NJ, Public drinking, Water Main Break

Hoboken411 Mascot Oscar receives Spring Makeover

It’s that time of year! After messing around with Hoboken411 Mascot Oscar’s “hair do” over the years (Lion, Taxi Driver), I’ve decided to do his Mohawk just one per year.

I realized that it was too hot for him in the summer, and too cold in the winter – so it’ll be his once a year spring dog makeover each April.

Do you give your dog a fresh start in the spring?

We use Hoboken Dog Wash. You can see Erica for smaller dogs, and Mercedes for larger pooches.

Technorati Tags: Haircut, Hoboken, Hoboken411, Mascot, Mohawk, New Jersey, NJ, Oscar, Spring Dog Makeover

Shipyard understands – posts sensible Hoboken dog run rules

The Applied Development folks who own the Shipyard complex uptown understand common sense, at least when it comes to dog park rules. And they’re not plagued by bureaucratic red-tape, inefficient bloat or political in-fighting. They simply posted great rules at the new waterfront dog run.

They must read Hoboken411, because these rules are in-line with what we feel should be posted to remind the dimwits of society that ultimately they should be responsible for their own actions.

1. Best line of them all is “use at your own risk.” That should be the norm for 99.9% of everything on planet earth.
2. Next, is no toddlers or teeny kids. A friendly way of saying “This isn’t your God-damn family room, please don’t treat it like one.”
3. While not a powerful statement, they “strongly discourage” parents not to allow kids under 12 into the run.
4. Lastly – I love that they included a “no unattended dogs” clause. Again, it’s not your yard – try not to treat it that way.

Would you ever knowingly put yourself into a precarious situation without thinking of the alternatives? Or the potential repercussions? A comparable situation happened to myself and Hoboken411 Mascot Oscar the other day.

As we were approaching one of the city dog parks – there was what appeared to be a new dog owner with a rather large and loud pit-bull in the park. I have no issues with pit bulls per se, but this owner had him leashed in the park, looked like a newbie (who didn’t appear to have dog skills), and people were leaving the run. I chose to skip the dog park on this occasion. Why risk it? Not rocket science, and not the end of the world. I’d rather be safe and sound. Live another day, you know?

But I’m thinking the city of Hoboken might find some inspiration from private entities like this? But I doubt it. Knowing the track-record here in Hoboken, they might go in the opposite direction and install swing sets and baby diaper changing stations within the confines of our very few dog recreation areas. Heck, might as well go all out and add an outdoor maternity ward and blood donation stations while we’re at it.

Click to read comments and why kids should be banned from dog parks…

Technorati Tags: Banning kids at Hoboken dog parks, Children, dog parks, dog runs, Entitlement, Family, Hoboekn411, Hoboken, Letter to the Editor, New Jersey, NJ, Parenting Family, responsibility

How many dogs in a car are OK in Hoboken?

Hoboken411 reader (and new resident) Louise spotted that “pack” dog walker in town the other day. Here is what she had to say:

“The owner is a dog walker in town and keep about 10 dogs in her car for anytime from 30 minutes or more in the car while picking up other dogs. This looks so uncomfortable as well as unsafe for all these dogs.

This dog walker charges all these people with dogs to walk them and they do eventually end up at the dog park but not until they drive around picking all of them up. I dread what will happen over the summer! She has all sizes, kinds of dogs barking and stuffed into her car – I wonder if the owners know that this is how their pups are spending their afternoons, with minimum time actually getting
any exercise or fresh air. I think this is terrible. I just moved to Hoboken and have loved everything about it until I saw this and learned that she does it daily.”

411 Note: I did see this personally myself last week – and all the dogs in the SUV were barking quite incessantly, and the walker was telling them (calmly from what I saw), to “stop barking.” Not sure if they were excited or scared. But you don’t see employees of a dog kennel telling all the canines to “stop barking” there, I feel that it’s just natural dog behavior to express themselves in certain situations – good or bad.

411 Tech Note: And for all future video submissions: Videos taken “portrait” or vertically just stink. Take them sideways, horizontally (or “landscape”). It’s not that hard.

Click to see previous dog walking packs updates…

Technorati Tags: dog parks, dog runs, dog walkers, dog walking packs, dogs, Hoboken, New Jersey, NJ, Pets

Thousands of dogs in Hoboken – problem only on one block?

Here’s a Hoboken Dog Poop Alert for those of you who walk your pooches along Bloomfield Street uptown between 12th & 13th Street.

One resident (who also owns dogs) placed some ominous signs that read “Please CLEAN UP after your dog. A serious virus is being transmitted to our healthy dogs by what you leave behind.”

My guess is that it could have been some parvovirus infected puppy that might have been new to the neighborhood. Even if you clean up a parvo-infected dog’s poop, any lingering residue in the soil or on the sidewalk will still contain the virus and can be transmitted to other dogs – for up to one year! Which is why all dogs should receive the parvo vaccination, and puppies really should avoid places like the dog run until they’ve had their shots. However, there are quite a few people in Hoboken who are unfit to own dogs – and may not be following sensible dog care guidelines. Who knows.

Luckily since I’ve had Hoboken411 Mascot Oscar, I haven’t heard of any dog parks overrun with any significant communicable diseases (like parvo, kennel cough, etc.)

Hopefully these dogs that were apparently inflicted are OK.

But this guy may have another problem on his hands. Looks like the rain washed some of that toxic printer ink off – and could kill his tree and have it come crashing directly into his brownstone!

Technorati Tags: Cleaning up after your dog, Dog Poop Alert, dogs, Hoboken, New Jersey, NJ, Parvo, Parvovirus, Pets, PHOTO OF THE DAY, photography, Vaccination