10 NYC-Themed Dog Toys as Iconic as the City Itself

What would New York City be without its iconic skyscrapers? This felt-covered roller dog toy has hidden slots for treats and looks like a cross between One World Trade Center and the Empire State Building — icons of the NYC skyline, if ever there were any.

Give us your tired, your potty trained, your huddled masses yearning to chew! This canine reimagining of Lady Liberty not only looks cute, it’s also made of heavy-duty cotton canvas with double-stitched seams to stand up to even the most aggressive chewers. 

New Yorkers have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the MTA. We love that the subway and buses exist, but we could do without the constant service delays, re-routings, and ever-rising prices. And then there’s that hideous rule that says dogs have to be in carriers to ride. Ridiculous.

Well, at least your dog can take out their frustrations on this plush, chewable MetroCard — whether home on the couch, or stuck in their carrier (however swanky) on the way to the vet. You get that MetroCard, Rufus! That’ll show ‘em.

New York lays claim to lots of iconic carbs, but none more proudly than the bagel. Although bagels originated in Jewish communities in Poland, the New York City version is in a league all its own — something about the water. And with a little cream cheese (or a lot)? Fugget about it!

There are few things fashionable New Yorkers love more than a bougie sneaker (this is a walking city, after all). And while a genuine pair of the ever-popular Golden Goose low-tops for humans retail at hundreds of dollars, this plush version is a steal at just $17. 

Uber and Lyft might be taking over, but they’ll never fully replace yellow cabs in New York. And who would want them to? A New York City street without yellow cabs would be like a meadow without grass. 

Iterations of Robert Indiana’s iconic “LOVE” sculpture can be found in cities all over the world — from Philadelphia to Taipei — but it all started in New York City. In 1965, the Museum of Modern Art commissioned Indiana to create a holiday card print. The red, blue, and green design he created was so popular that it has been a part of the zeitgeist ever since. 

The Cosmopolitan may have been born in Minneapolis in the ’70s, but it didn’t achieve true fame until the ‘90s in New York, when Carrie Bradshaw started ordering them on Sex and The City. Of course, dogs and alcohol don’t really mix, but this squeaky cocktail is just the thing to help your urbane dog unwind after a busy day of sniffing butts at the park. 

It’s hard to believe it has been almost eight years since the video of a rat dragging a full slice of pizza down the subway steps went viral. It was the perfect marriage of two iconic NYC symbols, which makes this hand-made toy about as New York as it gets. That said, it is a bit on the pricey side, so probably better for gentler pups.

Sometimes referred to by New Yorkers as the rats of the sky, pigeons are not actually native to New York, but were brought here by European immigrants in the 19th century. However you might feel about real pigeons, though, this crochet version is pretty cute, and it’s built to handle a hefty thrashing by even the most enthusiastic dog.