By A. Campbell

Name: Lia and Havana.

Age: [Lia] I’m 8 years old.

[Havana] And I’m almost 4! I’ll be 4 in July.

Breed: [Lia] We’re both Yorkshire Terriers, or “New Yorkies” – if you will. We’re adopted siblings and our moms are sisters.

Profile/History: [Lia] I was living with a family that had three children under the age of 5 years old, and they were having difficulty balancing it all. My former family reached out to my mom and aunt and asked if they would consider adopting me. Mom says that as soon as she saw my photos, she fell in love.

[Havana] A few years later, my mom was going through a really hard time when she found me. A breakup. Aren’t those just the worst? But you know, there’s nothing like the love of a sweet pup to help you get over a nogoodnik! Hmmph! Anyway, I was the “ugly duckling” of the group but Mom and I connected right away. Luckily for me, the story ended with a new home, a new aunt, and a new sister!

Daily routine: [Lia] Well, we try to keep up appearances each day. In fact, we just took a nice aromatherapy bath this morning because we didn’t want to show up looking like a couple of ragamuffins for this interview.

[Havana] Gracious, no!

[Lia] Each morning, we’ll go for a walk around 6:45 a.m. We’ll head into Central Park around 102nd Street and stop by the lake to say good morning to the ducks. We’ll get a little exercise in the park. Havana likes to chase her miniature tennis balls and I like to chase her. In the afternoon, we’ll get a visit from our dog walker and then it’s rest and relaxation once our moms come home.

Loves: [Lia] It may sound basic, but I love going to Starbucks and ordering a Puppucino. Sometimes I also get a small bite of a sandwich as well. I also love Greenies, and I love hiding them around the apartment.

[Havana] I love Greenies too!

[Lia] Yeah, but you’re not allowed to have them because they make you queasy. So, when I hide them and then you find them and eat them, it becomes a problem.

[Havana] Ugh, fine. Well, aside from Greenies which I love but apparently can’t enjoy, other things I love include my sister – when she’s not withholding Greenies – miniature tennis balls, and of course, pizza!

Does not love: [Havana] Ooh! I want to answer first, because I have a good one. Strange situations. I strongly dislike any situation that I sense is off-kilter or vaguely suspicious. For instance, if I see luggage just randomly standing unattended, I’ll start barking and drawing attention to it. “If you see something, say something”, amiright?!

[Lia] I don’t like unruly, misbehaved dogs. We’re so small, and that can be kind of terrifying if a big dog is disorderly. I guess I should note that people probably mistake my sister for being disorderly when she’s barking her head off at a random suitcase but she’s trying to be helpful.

Favorite store/business on the UWS: [Lia] Starbucks at 100th and Columbus.

[Havana] I enjoy the smells outside of TJ Maxx and any chance to ride in the shopping cart while Mom browses the store.

Favorite treat: [Lia] Greenies!

[Havana] Also Greenies! Heh. Ok, but since they’re technically contraband for me, I’ll say banana chips made specifically for dogs.

Favorite park spot: [Lia] I’m obsessed with that little wood chip area near the Reservoir. It smells so nice and mulch-y.

[Havana] My favorite part of Central Park is the baseball fields near the 106th Street entrance.

You mentioned your great love of pizza – what do you think is the best pizza on the Upper West Side? [Lia] Hands down – Mama’s Pizzeria.

[Havana] Yassssss! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. We love to stop by and order a classic cheese slice. Pizza crawls top the list of our favorite New York City summer activities.

[Lia] Right, until we end up waddling back home full of delicious dough, sauce, and cheese. We should note that our moms grew up on the Upper West Side, and Mama’s Pizzeria has always held a special place in their hearts.

[Havana] That’s true, but it’s still delicious! We’ve tried lots of hot spots – Grimaldi’s, Joe’s – but in our humble opinion, nothing compares to Mama’s.

Read all our Pupper West Side interviews here!

If West Side Rag readers are interested in becoming pet owners, we encourage you to consider adopting or volunteering to be a foster parent with one of the many sheltersand nonprofits based in and around New York City. These include but aren’t limited to: Muddy Paws Rescue; Animal Lighthouse Rescue; NYC ASPCA; Humane Society of New York; Bideawee; Social Tees; and Animal Haven.