Barclay's Spot

BEST FRIENDS

Downtown’s Pawblisher, Barclay Hudson, gets the 411 from so cool canines.

byDan Metz

IT IS A NEW YEAR and spring is already on its way. With the turn of the decade, we get another big milestone this spring: it’s the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day. I don’t want to think about how old Earth Day is in dog years! I interviewed some pups who love the environment about their passions and plans for the new year. BUBBA loves playing pranks, but also hanging out at photoshoots with his pawpa Jason Goodrich, a photographer. BENJI is an aspiring dancer who loves to keep his mama, Downtown’s own Aida M. Toro, company while she writes. MAX, a great outdoorsdog, loves to explore, taking pawpa Mark Butler with him through Central Park and Upstate New York. When GUSTAVO (GUS) gets outside, he loves to relax with mom Thema Emanuel and smell the flowers before going home for some cheese and a bit of DogTV. FERDINAND likes to sit back and smell the flowers with mom Kate O’Brien, a buyer at Saks Fifth Avenue, and dad John O’Brien, who is a portfolio manager at Crestline Investors. DT

Follow my adventures on Instagram, @downtownbarclay

BENJI “I love salsa music. My mommy and grandparents pick me up to dance because I could dance on my two hind legs like a human.”

BUBBA “My favorite game is barking at the door when no one is there. My pawpa looks every time; it must be his favorite game too.”

MAX “My new year’s resolution is to get my pawrents to take me on vacation with them, instead of staying behind.”

GUSTAVO (GUS) “I’m trying to be more active this year, but my mom and I still unplug every weekend and spend quality time together.”

FERDINAND “When the weekend hits, I like to kick back and relax with my pawrents, or treat myself to a shopping spree at Tribeca’s best pet stores.”

REMAINS OF THE DAY Say goodbye to plastic baggie pickup. Doggy Do Good now offers Premium Pet Waste Bags which are biodegradable and compostable. Waiting for your dog to go might feel like it takes 20 years sometimes, but that is no reason for your waste bag to last that long. When your job is to make sure that you don’t leave anything behind on a walk, Doggy Do Good’s bags break down in just 90 days. doggydogood.com

HEMPATHY You should never have to choose between your planet and playing with your best friend. The Eco-Fetcher by Honest Pet Products is a durable, hemp frisbee as tough as your dog. Throw it, roll it, or tug of war--and never think of plastic toys again. honestpetproducts.com

GREENPAW The Ecoweave Front Lead Harness-Red Tri-Style by Cycle Dog is made from post-consumer plastic water bottles. It comes with two leash attach points: a no-pull front attach and a center attach. Stylish and pup-friendly, the harness comes in three sizes with a quickrelease buckle for safety and a bottle opener to make every walk a relaxing one. cycledog.com

SLEEP EASY Breathe a sigh of relief, thanks to the Waterproof Barrier Layout DogBed by Cycle Dog. These eco-friendly beds are antibacterialtreated, anti-mite-treated, machine washable, 3-layer waterproof coated, and use recycled filling made from recycled plastic water bottles. cycledog.com HERB LIFE Kat Donatello has spent over 15 years as an athlete and business leader in the endurance sports industry. In 2014, in her Maine kitchen, she started baking CBD biscuits for her senior dog, Brady. Austin and Kat carries a full line of biscuits and oils to help with everything from anxiety to senior pet issues. austinandkat.com