Woof! Welcome to Dog Diaries — a biweekly series where the dogs run the show. New York City is filled with hundreds of dogs of all ages, sizes, breeds, and personalities. And we’re going to meet them all! Well, we’re certainly going to try. This week, we’re spotlighting the dogs of Madison Square Park.

Dear Dog Diary,

After a chilly start to April, New York City was finally blessed with some warm and sunny weather. It felt like all of the dogs in Midtown flocked to Madison Square Park for some playtime at Jemmy’s Dog Run — one of the nicer dog parks in Manhattan. The space was remodeled in 2022, and it’s clear that the pups love running up and down the turf-covered hills and lounging in the shade on the cool pavement.

I decided to spend my Monday afternoon hanging out with Flatiron’s finest Fidos, and I learned that while the park may be fancy, the dogs like to keep it real, and they come from all kinds of backgrounds.

Roxie, she/her, 1-year-old dalmatian

Roxie was easy to spot with all her spots. I haven’t seen many dalmatians in real life before, so I was definitely feeling starstruck. However, her owner, Albina, told me they’ve actually met four other dalmatians at this park before, but that could be because they come every day. She tries to let Roxie play at the park for at least an hour a day, no matter the weather. “I love rain. I love snow, and so does she,” Albina said. All the playing must tire her out because at home she only sleeps.

Albina has had Roxie since she was a puppy, and she’ll be turning 2-years-old this summer. The pair used to live in Brooklyn, but they moved to Manhattan last year. At first, Roxie was a bit shy and wouldn’t leave Albina’s side, but after a few weeks, she came out of her shell, and now she’s super social at the park. Albina also told me about Roxie’s preferred way to perch. “She usually sits like a person,” she said. Almost like a human, Roxie sits with her legs splayed out. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see this silly sitting position, but Roxie still claimed a spot in my heart.

Seven, he/him, 4-month-old Rhodesian ridgeback

Seven’s owner, Sofiia, is a first-year Parsons School of Design student who just took the leap with her boyfriend to adopt this sweet and energetic puppy. He’s named after their lucky number, and he’s already so attached to his parents. Sofiia loves snuggling with him at night. “He puts his head in my neck, and he just sleeps like a little shrimp,” she said. At first, he wouldn’t sleep at night like a typical baby, but they’ve since developed a routine. “Our bedtime is 10 p.m., so he knows whenever we shower, it’s time for him to settle down.”

Sofiia describes Seven like he’s a person: “Smart, intelligent, hardworking guy, definitely knows what he wants.” His mental sharpness comes with the breed; Rhodesian ridgebacks are smart hunting dogs. Sofiia said that when Seven smells a rat on the street, he’ll pull her toward it without hesitation. They try to take Seven to Central Park to get his sniffing in every weekend. He’s also bold, always playing with the toughest dogs in the park, which can be scary for Sofiia to watch — but you can’t deny that they match his energy.

Hugo, he/him, 4-year-old French bulldog

This little Frenchie was the smallest pooch in the big dog area, and that’s the way he likes it. “He’s always trying to get the biggest dog and play with them,” said his walker, Ricardo, who has walked Hugo five times a week since he was a puppy. “He’s shy, but I feel like we’re connected,” he said. Despite his shyness, Ricardo still describes him as sassy. “It’s a weird combo,” he said.

Hugo’s favorite toy is a bit of an odd one, a squeaky basketball attached to a baseball bat. Ricardo said it used to also have a soccer ball attached to it, but Hugo “one hundred percent” broke it off while playing with it. Despite Ricardo’s attempts to describe this toy, I just couldn’t picture what it could possibly look like. He also loves balls, which are much easier to recognize. “Once he gets a ball, there’s no way of you getting it back until he drops it,” Ricardo said.

Lucky, he/him, 9-year-old Scottish terrier mix

Lucky came a long way before he arrived at Madison Square Park. Nearly two years ago, his owner, Marco, was having coffee at an outdoor cafe in Italy when he saw Lucky get struck by a car. He searched for a family, but when he couldn’t find one, he ended up bringing him back to New York. They’ve been together ever since. Now, Lucky lives a luxurious life; he doesn’t even eat dog food. Marco cooks all his food for him with ingredients like carrots, potatoes, ground beef, and chicken. “But still, his favorite food is whatever you’re eating, so he’s begging you for food every time,” Marco said.

The dog park is a perfect place for Lucky because he’s extremely anti-leash. “If you put the leash on, he’s gonna be crazy. If you don’t put the leash on, he’s like your shadow,” Marco said. Lucky kept close to Marco most of the time I was with them, but he usually has a couple of friends at the park. Other than that, he’s not so into other dogs or playing in general. He mostly just eats and sleeps. “My friends tell me he’s broken because he’s like a cat,” Marco said. You aren’t broken, Lucky! You’re just enjoying the soft life.

Mateo, he/him, 10-year-old terrier mix

Rescues always steal my heart, but something about Mateo and Michael made me melt. Their story goes like this: Michael’s client worked for an animal rescue, and her specialty was matching dogs with potential adopters. She told Michael about Mateo, and at first, he said he wasn’t looking for a dog, but she didn’t give up.

“She was talking to me about him, and I couldn’t sleep that night, so the next day I texted her, and I said, ‘Tell me a little bit more about this dog,’” Michael said. So they set up a meet-and-greet with Mateo’s foster mother and they hit it off immediately. “He sat on my lap the whole time,” Michael said. Mateo finally came home on May 21, 2017, almost eight years ago.

Mateo loves girls, so he and I got along great. “You got the happy snap,” Michael joked as I took pictures of the noisy pup. He definitely prefers people to dogs, but Michael said he’s okay playing one-on-one. It’s packs that make him nervous, so he usually sticks by Michael’s side, and they make the sweetest pair.

Next time you find yourself at Madison Square Park, consider joining the ever-present group of people at the fence of Jemmy’s Dog Run watching these pooches play. If one catches your eye, strike up a conversation with their owner. Sometimes they’re even friendlier than their dogs, and if there’s one thing I learned by doing so, it’s that there’s a story behind every canine.