New York City: Adventures in Dog-Sitting

** Second in a brief series about my 11 day house hunting trip to New York City. Read Part 1 here.

Meet Sofia.

For most of the time I was in New York, Sofia was my charge. Her full name - Sofia Antonietta - is bigger than she is. Sofia is a miniature Chihuahua. She, like Carla on Scrubs, is Dominican and Nick rescued her and brought her back to New York.

I was a bit nervous to take care of her because I've never cared for a dog. Or owned a dog. Or lived in a house where a dog also lived. And let's face it, I'm a cat person. Nick received approximately one million texts from me full of questions. His instructions were pretty simple: Don't let her sleep with you on the bed, walk her twice a day, make sure she has food and water, don't let her die.

Easy right?

See how skeptical and afraid she looks?

I had many thoughts, questions, and concerns over the course of the week:

• Is that thing in the bathroom a wee pad?
• Why is she so scared of other dogs?
• When she sees another dog at the end of the block, why does she instantly want to run inside?
• WHY WON'T SHE GO TO THE BATHROOM WHEN I WALK HER???
• Is it normal that she shakes all the time?
• Why does she keep trying to lick me?
• How do you get this damn harness on??
• Is that a tiny pile of pooh in the kitchen?
• How many times am I going to gag when I clean it up?
• Will that result in me puking?
• Better put this gate in the doorway.
• We just came back from a walk, and NOW she goes to the bathroom on the wee pad.....
• Yes, you may sit in my lap, Sofia.
• Where are there more poo bags?
• What the hell is she chewing on?
• How did she get my razor??
• Is the fact that she's been chewing on the handle of my razor going to kill her?
• Well, she seems fine....
• Why does she pee a little when she gets excited?
• Why is she so excited when I come home? 
• Does she have a really weak bladder?
• Why is she looking at me so despondently? ("that's the way her face looks" - Nick)
• Did she just pee in the bed? 
• No, she's just exceptionally warm.
• She sure snorts a lot. Should I be concerned she does that instead of barking?
• We just came in from a brief walk because you got scared, Sof, why do you want to go right back out?
• Seriously, stop trying to lick me.
• It's a downpour outside, I just got a flash flood warning on my phone. I think this is a poor time for a walk.
• (She's totally into watching Iron Man while I pack)
• Fine sir, I will not patronize this deli if I can not bring this tiny dog in while I order.
• I wonder if she'd fit in my purse?
• Dogs require so much more attention than cats.
• We've been playing fetch for like 45 minutes but sure, we can keep it up if you're still into it.
• Get out of my suitcase.
• (She barks twice as Carly and I leave the apartment because she loved Carly so much. Only time she barked all week.)
• No, you may not have any of my sandwich. I'm not sure that's okay with your dad.
• Thanks for keeping me company this week.

Monday rolled around and I said goodbye to Sofia. She is a very sweet little dog and I was glad of her company while I was in New York alone.

Love, Sarah