The Dogs of Central Park

Meet the four-legged friends who frolic, walk, and romp in New York City's biggest playground. Move over Westminster! There's a live canine show happening in Central Park seven days a week, 365 days a year. On top of the 25 million people who visit New York's iconic park each year are those with an extra two legs who utilize the 800-plus acres, be it to soak in the sun, fraternize with fellow canines, or promenade along the walkways with their well-heeled owners. Big dogs. Little dogs. Multibreeds. Photographer Fran Reisner captures all these playful creatures throughout the seasons in their furry splendor as they delight in the natural wonders of New York's biggest green lawn. There's snow-loving Lenny, an elderly Golden Retriever who was born in Austria and has traveled the world with his owners, an opera singer and his wife. Charley is a Standard Poodle and a certified "Delta Dog," doing volunteer therapy at Mt. Sinai Hospital. And there's Daisy--a mixed breed with piercing blue eyes who hails from the Bronx and to whom Roberta Flack once stopped and sang "Daisy Daisy"--exudes cool as she relaxes on a bench. Calmly mugging for the camera, displaying panache and flair as they pose in front of Bethesda Fountain or Belvedere Castle, these urban sophisticates are all adorable prancers who make it clear that New York City is their turf. Whimsical, humorous, and genuinely endearing, The Dogs of Central Park is a unique love letter to dogs and to New York, and is a wonderful souvenir for tourists and dog lovers alike.