Featured
November 25, 2024

Dogs of Lebo

Written by Tess Reinhart

Three cropped images of dogs with black lines and an icon style illustration of a bone with a black outline in between each one. Dog 1 - Light brown and gray dog with a white patch of fur on its chest and front paws standing on a sidewalk wearing a red collar. Dog 2 - Close up of a gray dog with a black nose and brown eye. Dog 3 - Dog with a black and brown face and ears that stick straight with and a white body with a pink harness sitting on a piece of furniture with a white pillow in the background and its paws on a yellow duck toy.“It feels like a requirement to live in the community,” said Kelly Donohue of dog ownership in Mt. Lebanon. Donohue walks her friend Nelly’s dog, Dakota, as Nelly travels often for work. Although Donohue isn’t a resident, her frequent walks with Dakota down Beverly Road have acclimated her to the neighborhood. “It’s interesting the community that the dogs build,” she noted.

While dog ownership isn’t a legitimate prerequisite to living in Mt. Lebanon, it can feel like it. According to Forbes, a study in 2024 revealed that 66 percent of US households (86.9 million homes) own a pet; 75 percent of those homes house at least one dog. A recent MarketWatch study ranked the Pittsburgh area 15th on its list of dog-friendly cities based on dog friendliness, walkability and health. Pittsburgh scored the highest on the dog walkability scale, coming in at 88.1 out of 100. Perhaps Mt. Lebanon’s sidewalks and pet-friendly storefronts helped boost these calculations.Icon style illustration of a white dog paw with a thick black outline.

Having a dog isn’t all about playing fetch and taking leisurely neighborhood strolls. It’s a serious undertaking to welcome a new life into your family. Bower Hill Road resident and West Liberty Animal Hospital veterinarian David Dorn says prospective pet owners should do their research and know what to expect before bringing a dog into the home.

First: the initial cost of purchase. Buying straight from a breeder can command a hefty fee, ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars. Rescuing a dog from a shelter can be less expensive up front.

Second: the cost of ownership. Responsible ownership means routine veterinary checkups, pricy breed-specific food, crates, beds and more. All puppies or formerly sheltered dogs require training for commands and socialization.

Third: time. You should plan on a baseline of two to three hours a day with your dog, accounting for basic exercise, feeding, grooming and quality time.

Dorn also urges the importance of independent research.  “Each breed carries their own inherent behaviors, activity levels and potential medical
issues,” he said.

French bulldogs, for example, have a great disposition and good size, making for a loving family dog, but can often have a host of medical issues, said Dorn. Their pushed-in faces (caused by brachycephalia,
or a smaller than average skull) often lead to breathing difficulties.

When it comes to the age-old debate of “adopt don’t shop,” Dorn shares his take. “There are pros and cons to either route. If you know that you want a specific breed, it is important to find a responsible breeder who is working to eliminate genetic disorders which are common in every breed,” Dorn said. “With adoption, you may not be able to determine the history of the dog, and the possibility exists that the dog may have had a problematic puppyhood to overcome.”

After weighing all aspects of becoming a dog owner, the next and most important question for the dogs of Mt. Lebanon is: where can they go? A LeboLife blog walked us through all of the dog-friendly stops in the South Hills, but since then there’s been a new edition to Uptown called Bowes & Bones.Icon style illustration of a white dog with a thick black outline.

Owner Bridget Bowes may be from Upper St. Clair, but she “couldn’t think of a more perfect location” to open her dream store. For Bowes, a dog business is reflective of the cultural and generational changes surrounding pets.

“More and more people want to take their dog places and include them in their daily activities,” Bowes said.

That’s why the team at Bowes & Bones offers so many community events. Photos with Santa, a “kissing booth” photo op, a puppy painting class and dog training are just a few of the activities they’ve offered since opening.

The special thing about Mt. Lebanon dogs is how they take on a life of their own. Some of them have celeb-level status, even over their parents.

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET’S MEET THE DOGS OF LEBO.

 

Dog with a black and white face and body with its tongue hanging out standing on a sidewalk wearing a red harness.BIBBY
Age: Not sure! (Rescued in 2019)
Breed: Great Dane mix
Owner: Joe
Lives on: Colonial Street

Bibby is quite the large guy, although his family is not sure what else he is mixed with besides Great Dane. He’s obsessed with throwing and catching balls. He might get a little territorial if you or your dog try to steal his ball at first but don’t worry, he’s “all bark and no bite!”

 

Close up of a gray dog with a black nose and brown eyes.

BEAR
Age: 2.5 years
Breed: Pitbull
Owner: Matt
Lives on: McFarland Road

Bear was recently rehomed to Matt from a different owner but is already fully crate trained and even knows a couple of commands. Who knows what Bear will know by this time next year.

 

Small black dog with some light gray fur on its face and front paws standing on a sidewalk looking at the camera.

NORM!
Age: 11 years
Breed: Puggle (pug and beagle mix)
Owner: Rich
Lives on: McCully Street

Norm! (yes, that’s how you spell it,) was named after Norm Peterson from the television show Cheers. Which feels extra appropriate, given that we have our own version of the Cheers bar with The Saloon in Uptown. On the other side of Lebo, the crew at Mediterra greets him every day—he’s basically a celebrity.

 

Light brown and gray dog with a white patch of fur on its chest and front paws standing on a sidewalk wearing a red collar.CHARLIE
Age: 8 years
Breed: Zuchon (Shih Tzu and Bichon Frisé mix)
Owner: Eileen
Lives on: Royce Avenue

Charlie walks the Beverly Road strip twice a day, where people regularly stop him for pets. He’s the first small dog in this family, but his size doesn’t stop him from picking fights with much bigger dogs. Charlie’s favorite part of his walk? Getting a treat from his favorite stop, Little Nippers.

 

Black long hair down with medium brown patches on its face and paws laying on a vibrant green patch of grass.SAMWELL “SAMMY”
Age: 5 years
Breed: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Owner: Jane
Lives on: Terrace Drive

Sammy is quite the pampered pooch, which makes sense because Cavalier King Charles Spaniels were bred royal, after all. Sammy was a COVID pup, but he follows a long history of cavaliers in his human’s lifetime. Fun fact: his half-brother lives across the street, and they see each other all the time.

 

Dog with a black and brown face and ears that stick straight with and a white body with a pink harness sitting on a piece of furniture with a white pillow in the background and its paws on a yellow duck toy with an icon style illustration of a bone with a black outline and the words STAFF DOG in black letters in the right bottom corner.EMMY
Age: 2 years
Breed: Rat terrier
Owner: Carrie Moniot
Department: Public Information

Carrie and her husband have always loved rat terriers. Their last one lived to be 16 ½ . What’s more – they both also have a background in television, so she said, “we wanted to get a third Emmy.”

 

A black dog sitting in a beige office desk chair wearing a red tie with a paw print pattern with an icon style illustration of a bone with a black outline and the words STAFF DOG in black letters in the right bottom corner.GUS
Age: 1 year
Breed: Black labrador
Owner: Greg Wharton
Department: Planning

Gus, short for Angus, is the perfect accompaniment to Greg’s cat Moo. Moo is white and black like a dairy cow, while Gus looks like a beef cow. Gus and Moo get along, snuggling all day while their parents are at work.

 

Two dogs with dark and medium brown fur and white patches on their faces, chests and paws sitting together on a sidewalk with an icon style illustration of a bone with a black outline and the words STAFF DOG in black letters in the right bottom corner. The dog on the left is wearing a blue collar and the dog on the right is wearing a red collar.MONTY AND DINGO
Age: 5 years
Breed: Boxer
Owner: Kathy Montgomery
Department: Information Technology

Monty and Dingo may be litter mates, but the two could not have more opposite personalities. Monty is high-energy and a big licker, while Dingo is timid around new people. Boxers may have been bred for manual labor, but these two just want to go camping with their parents and hang out!

 

A small dog with light brown and white fur and its tongue sticking out looking at the camera with an icon style illustration of a bone with a black outline and the words STAFF DOG in black letters in the right bottom corner.JAX
Age: 6.5 year
Breed: Beagle
Owner: Tracey Murgi
Department: Administration

Jax came into Tracey’s life around five years ago when a friend found a stray, after years of having dog owners dump unwanted animals on their property. Tracey didn’t have a pet and was just curious to meet the dog. Impossible to resist his “big sad eyes,” they adopted him on the spot and have been enjoying walks and couch snuggles ever since.

 

A small black dog with gray patches of fur on its face and front paws wearing a white and lime green harness laying on the sidewalk.COSMO
Age: 11 years
Breed: Pug
Owner: Chris Leeper
Department: Public Information

Cosmo, originally from Texas, is a good travel companion and buddy. He loves snuggles, requires his 10 a.m. nap to function and is a huge TV enjoyer. Cosmo enjoys shows with lots of dialogue and minimal dogs or horses (of which he is deathly afraid), so he avoids Lord of the Rings.

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