Sometimes when we spot a candidate for our “New Canine-ites” feature—where we fetch a mini-profile of a local dog—it’s all we can do not to drive off the road.
That was the case on a recent afternoon when we spotted Callie Cardon, a massive, brindle English mastiff, walking along Forest Street.
Callie Cardon of New Canaan. Credit: Michael Dinan
At the other end of the leash was dog-walker Brenda Costigan, who puts Callie’s weight at 208 pounds and age at about five, calls the big girl “as sweet as can be.”
“She loves children,” Costigan said. “She’s very gentle. She’s just lovely. She’s a love. Loves being around people, loves taking up the whole couch. Sleeping in the bed.”
And she’s not big on walking, or eating, Costigan said.
“More often than not, she doesn’t finish her meals. She does like treats, and she likes ice cubes, and she likes bananas.”
Though even getting Callie around for a short walk in the neighborhood is a triumph, the dog loves to romp at home, Costigan said.
“She loves to play with the hose. Play with the water. On a really hot day, we’ll just use the hose at her house and she’ll drink and drink and drink and run around after and jump around. She loves playing with sticks and rolling in the grass.”