Introducing Lucky, whose Mad. Friend owner, Maddy Stoller, gave us the lowdown on this playful Mad. Sq. Dog!

Introduce us to Lucky

On February 21, 2011 I got Lucky—literally. He was 12 weeks old and was a rescue from Atlanta. They told me they knew his mom was a Bichon and his dad might have been a Bichon or a poodle. I just knew he was the cutest little fella I’d ever seen.

I had never had a dog before and it was actually suggested to me by my doctor that I get one for emotional support. I had just recovered from a year of hell fighting breast cancer and it took a toll on me not just physically but mentally. Lucky truly turned out to be the best medicine.

For someone who was never a “dog person,” Lucky changed my life forever. I now want to win the lottery so I can buy a huge piece of land and rescue as many dogs as possible.

When it comes down to it, Lucky actually rescued ME. When I lost my mom 5 years ago in a car accident I thought my life was over. And I think it would have been if I didn’t have this precious little boy who needed me as much as I needed him. He was super close to my mom and it was confusing to him when grandma stopped coming to visit. He would go nuts whenever he saw her. My mom and Lucky had a very special relationship. It took a long time for him to stop waiting by the door for her. Slowly we healed together. I can’t tell you how many nights he literally kissed my tears away.

How often does Lucky come to the Park, and what does he like to do there?
Lucky and I love Madison Square Park. Not just the dog run, but even just sitting on the benches, meeting such an interesting and friendly mix of people and their dogs. Lucky is very much a people person and especially loves when kids come up and pet him, which happens a lot in the park. In the winter we aren’t there as much but once it gets warm out, we are there almost every day. I come home from work and I say “Parky Luck?” and he jumps up and down, raring to go. Madison Square Park is really an integral part of our lives. We live a block away and part of the reason I can’t ever imagine moving is that’s our place.

What are Lucky’s favorite treats and toys?
Lucky loves treats. But he’s a funny little guy. His favorite is brushless toothpaste treats! Sounds crazy I know, but they are little treats filled with doggie toothpaste and he loves them. Just the rattling of the bag gets him excited! He also loves cucumbers and bell peppers. I give him real doggie treats but I do mix in the healthy ones. He’s also a big fan of sweet potatoes. He’s white so when he dives into them (and he does) and then picks up his head he has a little orange sweet potato face.

Lucky’s favorite toys are the ones with squeakers. When he was a baby he’d tear them apart and I’d find the squeakers all over the place. But for sure his absolute favorite toy is a stuffed sheep named Lambchop. My mom bought him a few (since he used to rip them apart). Somehow I feel like he knows his grandma bought it for him. He plays with her all the time and often falls to sleep next to her. He also can’t get enough of his bully sticks. The stinkier the better (for him at least).

Does Lucky have any particular dog buddies or favorite areas to play in the Dog Run?
Lucky loves to continuously jump on and off the benches in the dog run. He will play with any dog, big or small. He used to have two favorite buddies Sarge and Max, but both of them moved away recently. He has a new cousin Navy who is just a pup and we are going to take her to the park for the first time as soon as it gets warmer. No doubt she will love it and will be his new favorite park buddy.

Anything else you would like to share about Lucky?
I call Lucky the “Mayor” of the neighborhood because the people in every store we go into know him. If I go in a place without him it’s like, “where’s Lucky”? Of course they don’t know my name. I’m just “Lucky’s mom” and I’m good with that. I know I sound biased but I seriously get stopped all the time by people wanting to pet him or just tell me how cute he is. He smiles a lot so I also get “what a happy dog!”

He knows certain words, so for example if I say, “come with mommy to get coffee” he stops and sits right in front of Starbucks. Lately he just stops me in front of any Starbucks and looks up at me like, “are we going in?”

He does the same with CVS. We go in there a lot so if we are walking past one he will stop and pull me inside. His little quirks keep me laughing all the time.

He loves coming to work with me. Maybe because EVERYONE wants to play with him. He runs around and has the best time.

At the end of May we are going to California to visit my brother. He loves to sit in his lap in his big chair and watch TV with him. He also loves to smell the grass. He’s still not so sure about the sand on the beach, lol. He’s a great traveler. He sleeps in his carrier right at my feet the whole way.

Oh and lastly, Lucky is happiest when I put him in a wagon. Any wagon: a shopping cart, a laundry cart, the valet card in my building… I am currently compiling a photo series of Lucky in his carts. He is quite a character.

I don’t know how I got so Lucky. I’m just so grateful that I did.