HAPPY TAKE YOUR DOG TO WORK DAY 2024 FROM “THE POODLES OF PARK AVENUE” BY KAREN-CHERIE COGANE!
KAREN-CHERIE COGANE
![KAREN-CHERIE COGANE]()
KAREN-CHERIE COGANE
CREATOR OF "THE POODLES OF PARK AVENUE"/PUBLISHED BOOK WRITER, STORY AUTHOR, SCRIPT WRITER & POET- ALL AGES FICTION & NON-FICTION: ADULT, YA, TEEN, AND MG - ANIMAL RIGHTS & ARTS ADVOCATE
Fast Forward to 6/21/24: “Bonjour from Simone, the Park Avenue poodle, on ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day!’ Yay!
So, are you ready for the most fun time of the year? Hear, hear for woofs, wagging tails, and floppy ears!
Pooches have taken over corporations with jubilation. Therefore, it’s not a lark if you hear a lot of barks.
I’m at my dad’s office, having a ball, strutting up and down the halls!
We canines will see what our humans do all day, when we otherwise go for walks, eat treats, and play.
Maybe we'll join in -- It will be a win-win!
Dog moms and pops: Give your canines the warmest work welcome yet, and a lot of pets!
Celebrate this very important date and make us feel certifiably great.
Hey, why not have a doggie race at your office space?
I’m eating yummy bacon treats at Raymond’s banking job on Wall Street.
Also sipping my mainstay, lime flavored chilled Perrier.
I miss my poodle beau, Ricardo, though. Jorge, his human and our chef, will treat him to a special meal with much appeal.
My Chihuahua walking partner, Mojito, is incognito. Frank, our dog walker, is taking him for a burger and French fries’ lunch that the Mojito likes a bunch. He will have to do with hot fries, even though the weird dog prefers them cold. His doctor people could not bring the Chihuahua. Kind of feel sorry for Mojito, but all their patients need is his yappy bow-wow. And all I would need is the high-strung Mojito acting up, like an obnoxious pup.
I hung out in the largest conference room with 20 mighty fine canines – It’s a big conference room! It was fun to re-connect with some I met before and meet new dogs. I socialized with a girl Bichon, a boy German Shepherd, a boy Labrador Retriever, two male Boston Terriers, a male Dachshund, a female Golden Retriever, a female Cocker Spaniel. Today I got reacquainted with an adorable girl Maltese, called ‘Malta,’ (not much of a stretch) and a boy English Sheepdog called ‘Shaggy,’ (also, not a stretch).
The Doodles, the “in thing” in dogdom, are here. A Goldendoodle, a Labradoodle, an Australian Sheepadoodle, were part of the group.
Can’t blame breeders for mixing other canines with poodles. They get our beautiful hair, intelligence, dexterity, our charming personality, and all-over greatness. Not trying to be conceited, but, well, it’s true. I will admit the Doodles are very cute.
Powder Puff, who was here last year, Raymond tried to set up Powder Puff with Apollo. Is it coincidence that her dad is on vacation now? Don’t think so.
And now there’s Shiney, the black Berna-doodle, who is two years old. Her father is John McCall, the HR boss.
Decked out in bow ties, hair bows, barrettes, and stylish haircuts, we dogs look their cutest yet.
I have fluffed pompoms and a coiffed body. I went to my beauty salon, Ma Belle Chien, yesterday and got pampered by my stylist, Lilly. She gave me a gardenia bubble bath, a lathered shampoo, a blow dry, a pawdicure, a long massage, and much brushing.
In the conference room, some dogs are spinning, and water bowls are brimming. Happy barks did abound, and toys are scattered around.
Doggie wishes granted: Bowls of bacon, pumpkin, peanut butter, and carob treats are here for us to eat. Yes, some spilled on the floor, but not to worry, there are always more.
We waited and commiserated. Canines relax, watch TV, and they talked to poodle me.
A lot of dogs were full of pep, while others slept.
Many four-legged friends said hi. They try and please me as much as they can, since Raymond is a very important finance man. I got many compliments on my hairdo from the other pooches.
Some of our parents took us into their respective offices, where a pooch was known to go into his pop's files (I wouldn't do that), and my dad is in a meeting. So, I am alone and doing the greeting.
People are coming into Raymond’s office to fuss over me, since pets and admiration go with the poodle territory -- It’s fun to be caniche me!
I love my dad’s BIG corner office on the 40th floor, even though I have been here before. It’s hardly a bore.
It’s also fine to get some me time.
Therefore, I lounged on my pop’s plush couch, since I’m not a slouch. Then I plopped on daddy’s comfy leather chair, even though I’m not wearing an outfit, and my body is bare. Now I am seated at his desk chair.
But I miss my pappy, so I decide to take a little nappy.
This executive life may be a lot of work, but it has great perks: A big salary, a huge bonus, six weeks’ vacation, and beaucoup adulation!
Besides, I would be a fantastic boss. All I really need is my poodle hair toss. I’ll add a couple of graceful spins, and I’m in! Who wouldn’t want me at the top? I am the pet daughter of Raymond Margery, my pop!
I know, they could hire me ‘Paw Diem,’ and then I could come and go as I please! I can work in PR, since I’m such a ‘people person,’ I mean, ‘doggie and human person.’ Oh, you know what I’m talking about. They can give daddy my big salary, and then he and mommy can spend it on me. Oui!
A commanding maple desk . . . Lots of fancy, colorful pens, and crystal paper weights . . . A bright digital clock and a sleek new laptop . . . A state-of-the-art desk phone when dad is not on his cell phone . . . Daddy’s diploma. He is a Harvard MBA – Hooray!
What a snazzy place, and it appeals to mommy, Grace. Wish I could read, since there is an organized, neat stack of books, magazines, and newspapers in a maple bookcase. Wish Frank could come here to read to me, and he could bring Ricardo, my handsome poodle beau.
What? More bacon treats for me! Yippee! My father has a Waterford crystal bowl of them on the desk for me. Guess he knew I would be sitting here.
I won’t have room for lunch if I eat too much.
I’m a little restless, so how can I stay occupied?
I notice a ball of rubber bands on the side of the desk that could be in my paws, aka dog hands. Should I unravel them? Nah, but it’s tempting. If Mojito were here, I bet he would be chewing on them.
Raymond has a golf club set and some balls, and one golf club and a ball are out. I could kick the ball with my paw, but I’ll be a good girl. Instead, I won’t make any noise and I’ll keep my poise.
My father has a big TV, and we’re talking big, maybe 80". Considerate dad put ‘Animal Planet’ softly on for me. So now I’m watching a mother gorilla feeding her baby a banana, peels and all.
Too bad my Raymond didn’t put on CBS-TV’s ‘The Young and the Restless’ for me. It’s one of Grace’s fave soap operas, and it’s on at 12:30 pm, Monday to Friday. My mother records it during the week and watches it often at night. Sometimes I view it with her, too. Nikki and Victor, Nick, Victoria, Jack, Ashley, Tracy, Kyle, Summer, Harrison, Adam and Sally, Chelsea and Billy, Lily, Devon, Nate, Cole, Claire, Audra, Tucker, etc., etc.
On 'The Young and the Restless' there’s drama, romance, intrigue, crime, changing identities, long lost twins, power struggles, and pretty clothes that the beautiful characters wear. Beware! Someone might be lurking behind the door, or in the doorway, when a character is making a big reveal. It’s often in an office, but secrets never seem to stay secrets for too long.
The characters on 'Y and R' spend lots of time at the local, trendy coffee house, Crimson Lights on work breaks (which are many). Maybe they’re drinking too much caffeine, or they just want to be seen, cause’ they always go back for more. Can’t they build some more cafes and stores? But where are the doggies? They should create a canine cafe and have some characters with adorable pooches!
I am so proud of my family! I admire pictures of daddy, mommy, and me, and a calendar of beautiful Manhattan scenery.
And with a swivel of dad’s executive chair, I see breathtaking river views beyond compare.
I noticed a yellow notepad and start doing paw doodles. After all, I’m a creative and resourceful poodle.
Feeling carefree, I’ve been thinking what my next poem or prose will be. I’m inspired being at my daddy’s work.
Not that I’m surprised, but Apollo, the dapper black Standard Poodle, who belongs to the Chairman of the bank, BT (Bradley Thomas), is here today again.
I wish I could tell him that I just want to be friends, but Apollo is lovestruck.
I really can’t blame Apollo for having a major crush on Park Avenue poodle me. He is a big catch, since his father is BT! The chairman of the billion-dollar corporation’s pooch has the hots for me!
And it’s a sticky situation because I think BT is grooming my dad to head the bank someday as Chairman, so Raymond wants to please him.
But dad persists in telling BT about my live-in boyfriend, Ricardo, and yet, BT insists that I should breed with Apollo!
But breed? What? I have said it again and again: I’m not ready for puppies! If and when that time comes, Ricardo would be my choice for my puppies’ baby daddy.
BT stopped by and brought Apollo for a ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day’ greeting, when Raymond returned from his meeting.
Apollo smiled and kissed my paw: ‘You look as beautiful as ever, Simone! I am so excited to see you! Is that a new hairstyle? It’s lovely! And your figure looks great! Have you been working out?’
What girl doesn’t love compliments?
I giggled and replied: ‘Hi, Apollo. Merci, and my stylist, Lilly, did my hair at my Beauty Day yesterday. It’s nice to see you again, too. How have you been?’
Apollo: ‘Fine, but so much better now that I’m with you.’
BT smiled and petted me: ‘Raymond, it may seem like an endless broken record, but I am still interested in breeding Apollo. He’s taken with Simone, as you well know. Rightfully so, and she would be a perfect match for him. Is there a possibility you’ll reconsider?’
Dad responded: ‘Thank you, but Simone is still with Ricardo so …‘
BT looked dad in the eyes: ‘There is an update. Some breeders came over to our house and presented 3 potential mates for Apollo to us. But I want to give you first dibs. So, maybe we could breed Apollo and Simone, and Simone can still stay with Ricardo at your place. I would not mind if Apollo and Simone don’t live together. What do you think?’
Raymond: ‘It’s an idea, but if Simone wants puppies with Ricardo, too, I'm quite concerned that it might take a toll on her body.’
I got upset, and I think Apollo understood me, when I said: ‘It might take a toll? Are you kidding? It would take a huge toll! How could I have puppies with both Apollo and then Ricardo? That means I would have to be pregnant two times! That is way too much, considering I’d have six or seven puppies each litter! We are talking 12 or 14 puppies’ total! And it could get confusing. What if I get pregnant again quickly with Ricardo’s puppies? What if we keep Apollo’s black puppies, and Ricardo’s black puppies run around at the same time as Apollo’s? We might have to do a DNA test to find out who the father is!’
BT: ‘A good vet can take care of her and make sure she is in good hands. I know you told me you have one. If that has changed, I can ask my wife what vet she takes our Apollo to.’
“Yes, we still have Dr. Barton, an Upper East Side vet with excellent credentials, and he is very nice,’ dad told BT.
My thoughts: ‘Say what, dad? You are encouraging me to have puppies with Apollo and Ricardo? I’m only one poodle, refined and lovely, but only one.’
‘So, when can we arrange a date to start the breeding process, Raymond? Let’s get this going finally!’ BT emphasized.
Raymond, looked nervous and petted me very quickly: ‘I think it’s premature, since we are doing some new renovations at home, and things are a little unsettled.’
‘We are? Oh . . . Great comeback, dad, but wait a minute, you said this last year and … ’ I pondered.
BT exclaimed: ‘But you are doing more renovations? You told me the very same thing last year. Are you making excuses, Raymond? It definitely seems that way to me.”
My thoughts: ‘Yup, BT is catching on. He is the Chairman.’
Raymond: ‘No, it’s just that Grace decided she wanted to change some other aspects of our apartment. She is all about improvement, and she is quite the decorator.’
BT: ‘Raymond, I will not wait too long, since Apollo is in his prime, and ready to breed. And I do not want to lose his chance to create beautiful offspring. They would be stunning show dogs, and my wife wants to show them! She is very inspired after watching the Westminster Dog Show! And Sage, the black miniature poodle won this year!’
‘I’ll speak to Grace about it and get back to you soon. Is that okay?’ Raymond said.
‘Raymond, I’m a very busy man, and as I mentioned, breeders have started coming over as per my wife. We get calls from breeders all the time about Apollo, since we are quite high profile. You wouldn’t want to lose this opportunity, would you?’ BT asked.
It’s kind of a double entendre that BT is referring to. Does he mean the opportunity for me to breed with Apollo, or does he mean the career opportunity for Raymond to have the “biggest job” at the bank in the future? Or is one opportunity dependent on the other?
Raymond replied to BT: ‘John McCall, the head of HR, has Shiney here today. She is a two-year-old black and white Berna-doodle. She could be a terrific mate for Apollo.’
BT: ‘What about Powder Puff, the white Bich-poo that was here last year? You tried to convince me to breed her with Apollo.’
Dad: ‘Well, Reggie Forrest, the pet father of Powder Puff, and the Senior VP of Media Relations, is on vacation now. So, Powder Puff isn’t here today. But Shiney is!’
But BT countered: ‘I am sure Shiney is a cute and smart dog, but Raymond, if Apollo were to breed with her, the puppies would be mutts. Nothing against them – I am all for mixed breeds. But when it comes to MY SON, I want Apollo’s wife, his mate to be a thoroughbred! After all, she will be joining our family. And I want Apollo to produce PURE POODLES! So, let’s talk about Simone. It’s a win-win with Simone. She is a white Standard Poodle, and Apollo is her black Standard Poodle counterpart, her soul mate. Check! They will have gorgeous black puppies, white puppies, and black and white puppies. Check! Check! They are certain to be poodle show dogs! Check! Check! Check! They are meant to be!’
Note to self: ‘Excuse me? You are planning my family for me now, BT? You are being very presumptuous! Chairman of the prestigious bank or not, I will have babies with the dog I want to, when the time comes. And I will decide, with the help of Raymond and Grace, my pet parents, who I know will be on my side! And the poodle daddy will be Ricardo!’
Raymond: ‘BT, I’m having lunch with John and some other fellows, so perhaps, I can mention it to him.’
‘Well, I’ll take all of you to lunch. Let’s go to ‘Pronto again, the Italian restaurant that we dined at last year,’ BT stated.
Daddy: ‘Sure, that will be wonderful. You can get away, time wise?’
‘I’m THE CHAIRMAN, Raymond, and I can do whatever I want to do! But I’ll have to do it a little later, say at 2 p.m.,’ BT responded.
‘Of course, BT. That will be fantastic, but I’m bringing Simone, since it’s ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day,’ my father replied.
And I bet dad thought this would discourage BT, but nothing such.
BT: ‘Great. I’ll bring Apollo, and of course, we can seat the poodles next to each other. We will get a bird’s eye view as to what their puppies will look like. Then we can discuss it further.’
‘Oh, and John is taking Shiney, so maybe once you meet her, you’ll like her for a breeding partner for Apollo,’ pop mentioned.
‘Nice try, Raymond. What is all this talk about Shiney? Are you trying to deflect from my interest in breeding Apollo with Simone?’ BT asked.
Dad told BT, ‘No, not at all.’
BT: ‘Well, it seems that way to me, Raymond. I will look at Shiney, but I still favor Simone for Apollo. And Raymond, I do get what I want all the time, or should I say, most of the time.’
I said, but I hope no one understood (but I think Apollo did): ‘Imagine my father and the Chairman bantering about me! I mean, I can make my own choices. I’m not a puppy, and I’m not stupid. As if! In fact, I’m one of the smartest breeds. Poodles know oodles! I do like Apollo, just not in ‘that way.’ And I feel so pressured. I am not prepared for this -- just not ready. And I want to know who my babies’ daddy is! I don’t want to say: ‘Is this black puppy Ricardo’s, or is it Apollo’s? Is this black and white pup Apollo’s, or does it belong to my beau, Ricardo? Who’s the baby daddy to this white puppy?’ What if I lose track? Mon Dieu!’
Raymond: ‘At lunch we can relax and have some wine. We’ll salute our canines on ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day!’’
BT: ‘Yes, I’ll meet you at Pronto with Apollo at 2 p.m..’
‘That’s fine, BT. Thank you,’ Raymond said.
‘We’ll toast to the future merger -- the merger, that is, of our two stunning poodles!’ BT insisted.
‘That man doesn’t give up -- doesn't give up! I guess I should be flattered, since Apollo’s very handsome and comes from a great family, but . . . I just want a relaxing ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day.’ Instead, I feel like a piece of meat, that I hear Grace’s single friends complain about, regarding dating. I have feelings, and I love Ricardo. I am true to him, and I do not want to cheat on him. I am spoken for. That’s true amour,’ I said to myself.
My father cleared his throat and fiddled with his pen, and BT and Apollo scooted off.
I pondered, ‘We’re going to Pronto restaurant, as in quick, meaning make a quick decision about breeding me with Apollo, I think. Just a coincidence? I doubt it.’
Dad and me are now at lunch at Pronto with BT, Apollo, Shiney, and pop’s colleagues/pals, Geoffrey (aka ‘Big G’), Peter Ryan (aka ‘R’), and John McCall.
It’s now a Summer day, and we’re seated at a large table outside, where other diners are enjoying the lovely weather.
Me, Apollo, and Shiney i make a nice trio.
But Apollo and I are not a romantic couple. Perhaps Shiney will be my answer to this breeding dilemma. Maybe she will be Apollo’s soulmate. I hope so. Yet, I might be a little jealous if Apollo were to mate with Shiney. A little jealous, I said. Why? Je ne sais pas.
Seating Arrangement done by dad: I am in the middle of Raymond and Apollo. Shiney is seated next to Apollo, on his other side. What was my father thinking putting me right next to Apollo? This will probably give BT more ideas.
BT: ‘Raymond, look at Shiney. As a black and white doggie, she kind of resembles what the puppy daughter of our two poodles might look like. Maybe they will produce some white puppies, some black puppies, and several black and white puppies.’
‘What did I tell you?’ I thought.
John asked dad: ‘What do you think about Shiney, Raymond? Isn’t she adorable?’
‘Yes, Shiney is adorable, John. Nevertheless, Shiney is a Standard Poodle, Doodle, and a Bernese Mountain Dog mix. Simone and Apollo are pure poodles,’ daddy reacted.
‘That is exactly my point, Raymond! Our two poodles are an ideal match for each other. Perfect! I’m more convinced now than ever!’ BT exclaimed.
I knew it! Talk about things backfiring.
‘Thank you, Raymond, but BT’s right. Your Simone and his Apollo could take the show dog world by storm,’ John chimed in.
My thoughts: ‘Who’s side are you on? Wouldn’t you want your Shiney to mate with BT’s Apollo? Then you would be in good with the Chairman of the bank! You’d always be connected to him, and you would probably get promoted!’
‘I know how you feel, BT. And our poodles do look terrific together, but I must talk to Grace about this again. She is very tired right now from everything,’ Raymond revealed.
BT: ‘Well, time doesn’t wait. We’ll have to give the breeders an answer soon. I am losing patience. Please speak to her your wife ASAP.’
“As I told you, we’re in the midst of renovating and re-decorating,” dad added.
‘More renovations? Really, Raymond. But you have a 10-room penthouse, so how much space would six or seven little puppies take up?’ BT questioned.
Thank goodness these humans don’t speak poodle, but I’m pretty sure Apollo understood me when I scoffed: ‘Multiple puppies? Multiples? Ecoute et repete: I’m not ready to be a mother!
S-L-O-W D-O-W-N! What happened to ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day?’ It’s not ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day to Breed!’’
Dad explained: ‘I suppose not that much. We just need to carefully consider this.’
BT: ‘What is there to consider? Wouldn’t you want champion show dogs, probably showing at Westminster? It was held about a month ago, and ‘Sage,’ the black miniature poodle, won Best in Show. Just think: In the future a son or daughter of Simone and Apollo could be shown at Westminster and win! My wife is so enthused about showing Apollo’s future puppies. This is especially true after watching the Westminster Dog Show held in Forest Hills on TV!’
‘I know. Grace watched the terrific Westminster Show also with Simone and Ricardo. It’s just that we’re remarkably busy with Simone, Ricardo, and our household staff. Therefore, Grace would have to take on extra responsibilities, and her plate is quite full already,’ daddy said.
BT’s retort: ‘You always say that. Always. Well, just add more staff, Raymond. Easy Peezy. I pay you enough to have twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty staff. And if we get the new TV account that you’re pitching, I might just increase your salary! And don’t forget your BIG year-end bonus!’
‘That would be very nice, BT. Yes, I’m very grateful,’ my father told him.
‘One of these days, I’ll have to come over to your penthouse and see all your renovations. My wife is planning some more renovations for our Westchester home, too,’ BT added.
I thought: ‘Oh no . . . Daddy better think of something quick before BT comes over and sees no visible renovations. Well, Grace will have to do some. I mean, she loves to decorate, and she does tweaks here and there. She’s a natural. She better get started on major re-decorating and renovations soon.’
Dad answered quickly: ‘Perhaps in the near future, you’ll come over, BT. Oh, great, the food is coming!’
Saved by the prosciutto: The food is here! I love Italian food, and we begin with bruschetta with prosciutto. Everyone, including the dogs, are getting big steaks after!
We canines are also sipping flavored Perrier. The humans are drinking Merlot and getting ready to make toasts. Don’t want to boast, but they’re starting a Simone toast!
I have got to go! Wish me luck!
Before I met Ricardo, the poodle love of my life, I always wanted boys to fight over me. Figuratively, not literally. Now I am a one boy, poodle gal. Be careful what you wish for, girls.
Maybe Raymond can keep stalling BT. Unlikely. Maybe the Chairman will find another poodle for Apollo to breed with. Doubt it. Perhaps he will make a deal with John about mating Shiney with Apollo. Nah. Or, most probably, BT will be relentless in wanting me to be Apollo’s future babies’ mommy! How long will BT keep trying? You know, I’m worth it, unavailable, but definitely worth it.
BT raised a wine glass and toasted: ‘Here’s to the Westminster Dog Show and the debut of Apollo and Simone’s puppies!’
I shouted: ‘The debut? They’re not even born yet!’ and Apollo laughed.
Apollo whispered in my ear: ‘You have to admit, if we were to have puppies, they would be beautiful.’
I smiled at Apollo, a nervous smile, that is.
‘And Raymond, if Simone and Apollo do have puppies, my family would definitely want several of them!’ BT exclaimed.
‘Now BT is planning to take some of my future puppies, if I were to have them with Apollo? What? As if! You should ask daddy, not tell him. I know he is the Chairman, but he’s so adamant, relentless, and pushy!’ I pondered.
Looking nervous, Dad reacted by lifting his glass and sipping wine fast. He could have spilled some vino, but thankfully, he didn’t. Gulps followed.
His pals looked back and forth at each other and the rest of us, and they drank wine. Before we knew it, the bottle was finished, and BT ordered another one.
John was quiet, sipped the wine slowly, and Shiney uttered soft barks. She is a rather big canine, (similar to my Standard Poodle size) but very well behaved and poised. Guess it’s the poodle in her.
I rolled my eyes. No surprise.
Apollo smiled at me and chuckled.
Just in time -- Steak saved the day! It sure comes in handy when you need it, and I dug into my medium rare sirloin.
Everyone concentrated on the yummy food, which put us in a good mood.
Can this problem be solved? What will happen to the Simone/Ricardo/Apollo triangle? BT is obsessed with his pet son breeding with me! What is a Park Avenue poodle to do?
To dog parents: I hope you and your canines have a wonderful, healthy, and safe time!
Such fun! Doggie treats, anyone?
And when ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day’ is through, always remember how delighted your four-legged friends were to be with you!"
Written by: Simone, THE astute Park Avenue poodle, helped by Karen-Cherie Cogane