Pets & Their People features ‘how we met’ vignettes of dogs and their humans, uncovering the particulars of this unique relationship, from touching adoption tales to outlandish quirks.
Those multicolored peepers belong to Blue, a five-year-old Boston Terrier. Blue’s mom may be a familiar face, as she’s none other than Babba C Rivera, founder of ByBabba and co-founder of HER USA. The duo lives in a Brooklyn apartment, along with Babba’s husband, Carl. Both humans are from Sweden, but have lived in NYC for years, though Babba is frequently traveling back and forth for work and play with Blue in tow (in her Travel Carrier). Blue & Babba treated Wild One to chat about the importance of adopting, hypothetical dog birthday parties and Blue’s love of sauerkraut. Read on for the full convo!
Wild One: Those eyes! Assuming the name Blue is inspired them?
Babba C Rivera: Yes, the one blue eye! She was rescued from a breeder that was getting rid of her. They were breeding show dogs and Blue’s multicolored eyes were a nonnegotiable flaw. When we adopted her, we wanted her name to celebrate her uniqueness.
WO: How did you guys find her?
BR: My husband and I randomly fell in love with the Boston Terrier breed. I was interviewing someone for work while still living in Stockholm, and she had a bunch of Boston Terriers running around her office. I was in love instantly.
When we moved to New York, my husband went from wanting a dog to needing a dog. I was a little hesitant just because New York felt new and stressful. We decided we’d adopt a dog when we happened upon the perfect one. Then my husband found Blue on an adoption site called Snort Rescue, which specializes in short nosed dogs. We’ve always loved dogs with a unique look, so we instantly loved her blue eye, half-white face, white eyelashes, all of it.
WO: Is her personality as quirky as her unique look?
BR: Yeah, she’s kind of a weirdo. My husband and I joke that she’s a dog-cat-bunny hybrid given how cuddly and hoppy she is. Blue also has a lot of human expressions and traits. She gives us a ton of side eye, and when she doesn’t feel like going for a walk, she pretends she doesn’t hear me calling her name. The best is that she never barks. If she wants to hop on my lap and I’m not paying attention, she’ll patiently sit by my feet and wait until I notice her.
WO: Does Blue have a favorite human food?
BR: She absolutely loves sauerkraut. My husband can’t say no to her, so if he’s eating some he always shares with Blue. The downside is sauerkraut gives her the worst farts.
WO: If you hosted an extravagant party for Blue, what would it look like?
BR: I actually used to host birthday parties for her. I really love the concept of dog gatherings. It’s more about serving food and creating activities for the humans in a space where they can also feel comfortable bringing their dog. It’s hard to find places in New York where you can have a nice, normal experience with your dog.
As for an ideal party, I think I would rent out the SoHo Grand’s Dog Park and invite all of my friends because a lot of them are dog owners.
WO: How is life with Blue different?
BR: We’ve had Blue for four and a half years now and it’s very hard to imagine life before her. When we were adopting Blue, I was a little fearful of that level of commitment. Having a dog for 15 years is a lot! As soon as we adopted her that perspective completely shifted. Now it feels like no time will ever be enough.
How I spend my weekdays vs. weekends has definitely shifted. My job is very social and involves a lot of events, meetings and workshops. It feels like my busy “Manhattan life” is Monday-Friday, and Blue comes everywhere with me, she’s the best companion. Then on the weekends it’s all about her. We go to the park, hang out, all of it.
Photo credit: Sam Liebeskind
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