I’m a late bloomer to the dog mom world—I adopted Artemis, my little mutt from Miami (and Argos & Artemis’ chief canine officer) almost exactly three years ago, and she is my first real dog. Previously, my only formidable dog experience came from a robot dog called the Sony Aibo in the late ‘90s. It looked like this, and it was one in a litter of 2,000 from Japan. My parents loved it because it didn’t go to the bathroom, and I loved it because it was all I had. And I will confess to you, fellow dog lover: Aibo was a great dog. He wagged his tail when I petted the top of his head, which had a touch sensor far more rudimentary than an iPhone touch screen.
About 15 years later, I adopted Artemis from In Our Hands Rescue in Manhattan. Our first night, Artemis was anxious and ended up crawling into the crate I had purchased earlier that day, excreting explosive diarrhea all over the cushion. It was 3am and, thankfully, my roommate was asleep (or out—I don’t actually remember). I promptly carried Artemis and the cushion to the bathtub to rinse off all the poop. This was much harder than caring for a robot dog!
“Argos & Artemis was born out of the community I found when I became a dog mom.”
But I still fondly remember that silent night, with Artemis gazing at me in the bathtub, perhaps wondering if she could trust me. I knew I was gazing right back at her because I already knew I loved her.
I’ve been living in New York City for almost nine years at this point—since I was 18. I thought I knew the city when I stopped looking up subway directions. But when I adopted a dog, an entirely new New York opened up to me. I became friends with my neighbors (no small feat in this city). I had delightful conversations with fellow dog owners during early morning off-leash hours in Central Park. I joked around in the dog run and let my clothes get muddy. Artemis always finds something new to explore on every walk we take, even when we’re walking the same route around the same block, and I admire that about her. Artemis reminds me that I don’t know the world as well as I think I do—and that there is still plenty left for me to explore, too. There’s always something left to sniff and buried treasure to uncover.
Argos & Artemis was born out of the community I found when I became a dog mom. I want you to feel like you’ve settled down on a comfortable chair in someone’s impeccably-decorated home (possibly covered in dog fur though—no one’s perfect), and their dog has just crawled into your lap, and you’re about to settle in for an afternoon of storytelling. Or if that image doesn’t do it for you, I want you to find comfort at the end of your long day, with your dog on your lap and Argos & Artemis on your browser. Don’t have a dog but just love petting them? Please make yourself at home. I didn’t have a dog until three years ago, after all.
My dog inspires me to be the person she thinks I am. These days, we’re humanizing our dogs more than ever. Let’s humanize the humans, too.
Here, you’ll find interesting conversations with dog owners, curated guides to living well with your dog, and most importantly, a community of good dogs and the good humans they love. To stay updated, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, the Dog Park.
Artemis and I want to hear from you, by the way. I always keep treats in my purse because you never know who you’ll meet! (Artemis thinks they’re all for her.) Comment below, send us an email, or say hello on social media. We’re all ears—especially Artemis.
Photography by Sylvie Rosokoff