I can’t help it. I’m a pug fanatic. Blame Kay Thompson’s Eloise. Have you seen Hilary Knight’s pug? It belongs to Eloise and his name is Weenie.
Who wouldn't want a pug named Weenie? As a child I had a feeling I would have a pug of my own. A friend of mine from college had one. I went to visit her after her first daughter was born. You know who greeted me at the door? A little girl pug with a pearl collar necklace. I was smitten.
Pugs used to have much longer legs, as you can see from this print we found in London
My love affair started with a rescue pug. I fell head over heels with this middle aged lady with bad eyesight and she felt a connection to me too. I knew pugs had eye issues. I was prepared. At the pug adoption her name was "Pugsley," but that wouldn't do. She was Lucy to me.
Eye drops, anti-inflammation pills and ointments kept her poor eyesight from getting worse. She had a condition where her eyelids turned in onto the cornea so her fur scratched and irritated her eyes. Though she she eventually lost her sight, that didn't keep her from getting around. She was my lapdog.
Pencil drawing of Lucy in my bed
About two years later we added another rescue pug to our household. Brutus. Before children, for entertainment, we would drive around the neighborhood looking for other dogs out on a walk. Lucy used to get so worked up over other dogs out walking. She hated seeing that - what little she could see. Brutus came along for the excitement.
Miniature watercolor I did of our boy Brutus. He loved to rub his whole body in our rosemary plants - hence the sprig by his side. I also used this pose in my pug Christmas card above
We couldn't go anywhere without thinking of our pugs.
Brutus smothering poor Lucy in their bed
Journal entry from our Himalayan extravaganza
I was pregnant with triplets. Life went on as usual for a short while longer.
My reaction to a boudoir pregnancy shoot, with steadfast Brutus
The calm before the storm - look at my swollen face. You try growing three humans!
Then we had children. Our pugs were vexed. Jack, the oldest of my triplets, had some kind of macho war going on with Brutus. Things escalated slowly until one day Jack tried to grab Brutus’s tail. In an instant, Jack was screaming and he had a giant gash across his cheek. His face was literally ripped open. I knew he needed stitches.
His scar is a constant reminder of that fateful day. We couldn't risk another incident, so Brutus went to go live with my mother 45 minutes away. It was so sad, but I think Brute felt more like himself without constantly being under the feet of four toddlers.
One of the hardest things I have ever done is put Lucy down. She was suffering from congestive heart failure - it was the most humane thing to do at this point. I held her (never thought I'd be able to do it) while vet our gently injected her with the infusion. She fought it - that was horrible. I held her, sobbing, and suddenly, she went limp. That was it. One moment she was alive and then not. That was such a raw experience - I haven't bawled like that since I was a child.
My sons keep her ashes in their bedroom.
Wolfie was pug number three. I found him from a breeder in Sherman Oaks. "Chester" was a year old and she was looking to find him a home. Couldn't keep that name - sounded like a creepy dude in a trench coat.
Wolfie the stud
My marriage circled the toilet the following year. We moved to North Carolina as a last ditch geographical fix that turned into a vain attempt to stay together for the kids. My mother took Wolfie to her house (Brutus had passed away two years earlier) to keep him until we were settled. We never did get settled. Six months after we left California, I found myself back again with my children. Financially I was out of luck. Wolfie stayed down at my mother's house, and she decided he was her dog from that point on. I didn't have the mental or emotional energy to fight it.
Besides, we were now moving to Florida.
About five months later, I started to get antsy for another pug. I saw an ad for a little black girl across the state near Ft. Lauderdale. The kids and I drove across the Everglades to meet her and it was love at first sight. I always wanted a black pug, just because! They look like those little imps from Flemish paintings - the ones where they are pulling wretched souls down into hell.
Oh my God!
My son with our pug Chloe
My other son in pug puppy heaven - this fawn baby was the only one in the litter that wasn't black
What could be better than having a gaggle of pugs climb all over you?
My daughter in her element - teach your children to be kind to animals!
You have never lived until you've been assaulted by a whole gaggle of pug puppies.
She was not ready to come home with us, but three weeks later I made the trip to go bring her home.
She's been our little black bitch ever since.
Waiting for my boys to come out
Pug at the table
Turning white
Pugs snore like there's no tomorrow. They are also extremely motivated by food. Chloe turns into a wet gremlin when she gets a hold of some forbidden treat. Once she managed to get into my husband's backpack and find chocolate. Yes, we knew chocolate is toxic to dogs. She didn't care. Here was a grown man in a headlock with a pug on the floor wrestling Crocodile Dundee style.She didn't go down without a fight.
Here's a little storyboard about a fictitious pug creature I made for my creature design class when I was working toward my MFA. We had to take a dog, species canus, and blend it with an entirely different species into a creature we imagined. Then we had to write about it.
Canus = pug in my mind. Now and forever.
Illustrations © Johanna Westerman, 2016
Not sure whether I should cuddle the pugbat or have nightmares about it. Will report back in the morning.
lol, @yef99- please do. I assure you, they are harmless. All bark, no bite
I Need to hug a pug now!
Please do!
SO CUTE!!!!!
I can imagine going on a trip around the world in a hot air balloon with a pug!!!!
Just imagine how magnificent it'd be! You'd be floating there, light as a feather, with a GODDAMN PUG!!! ^___^
YES, @heretickitten! Wouldn't that be amazing? And I do believe you have made a pug emoji. Imagine that!
Hahah, yeah, I've got my own webserver, so I can upload any image I want really easy!
Steemit has some great features.
Markdown support in the comments is amazing. It's why I always make sure to read comments and upvote good comments. Posts are only the entry-point of the true awesomeness of steemit.
But yes, pug hotair balloon. A glorious adventure. If you get rich off steemit, you could probably actually go rent some time in a hot airballoon with your pug, right? I bet photos of a pug in a hot-air balloon would be well received on steemit. =p
Raz! It's another gaggle of pugs! I want them all.
I have to confess, my favorites are the french pugs :D but this photo was too cute not too share!
good
Frenchies? Stout pugs with propped up ears! I LOVE frenchies. I'll have to have one someday.
I sure love dogs, but people should go back to the 'original' breeds instead of what we have today... It's not right, what we do to these creatures.
I agree. I'm greatly saddened by the inbreeding and suffering many dogs endure in order to conform to "desirable breed standards." I sure love me my pugs, but I also have two rescue muts. They are always the healthiest. I wish people would spay and neuter their pets. Animal shelters are bursting at the seams with beautiful animals who deserve good homes. It breaks my heart every day.
I got my little hero out of a shelter, too. He has his problems, anxiety most of all, but I love him nevertheless.
But being a little critical here, by buying a pug and "advertising" them here, aren't you supporting them being bred that way? Whenever a dog is an "in"-accessoire, more and more people get one, consequently inbreeding will harm the breed even more and people not knowing what this special breed needs, sometimes even medical assistance, which is expensive. And this will, at the end of the day, fill the shelters even more.
For example, there was an ad "starring" a West Highland White Terrier. Because of that, many people got one, thinking they are cute. But they are hunting dogs and need a lot of walks and attention and training. Not quite what you want for your family. So they ended up in a shelter, if they were lucky. Gladly, in my home country we don't kill dogs in shelters when no one adopts them...
I will say it now. If you are looking for a pug, PLEASE look for them in pug rescues and/or shelters. I am not advertising - it's the kind of dog I have. Someone else might prefer Yorkies.
I call my girlfriend weenie, which is short for her full name, she is a lovely lady. No joke!
Don't forget the open season sasuage dog
My daughter loves animals
This is my first comment, so hello to everyone.
How many pugs do you currently own, I'm actually interested in owning one myself.
Omg I almost cry with your post, I have been really sad because my sister is putting her 14 year old pug Chico down and it brakes my heart everytime I think about it. He is my nephew and I havent be able to see him since 2008 and knowing he is going to go without me saying good bye makes me cry every time I think about him. Pugs are nature gifts to people, the only problem with them is they dont live forever.
I prefer to be able to tell apart the pets face from it's butthole. Other than that, I'd get a pug
Ha ha! Pugs have the cutest buttholes! And faces - two different things entirely. Get one - you will see
I have a black pug called Bailey and I just love him to death. He's got such a good heart, always tries to do the right thing, but screws up sometimes because he forgets.
I live with him and my girlfriend in the Philippines and we're planning to go to Australia for a few months and maybe think about moving there permanently.
But after much enquiry, it turns out Bailey can't come! Australian customs is very strict and Philippines is not a favoured country when it comes to animal imports.
Not to mention, pugs are considered a flight risk by many airlines due to some suffocating in transit due to their silly little noses. The requirements make it virtually impossible to transport a pug from Philippines.
I'm heart broken; I don't want to leave my little buddy behind. He and I are best pals, but he's totally obsessed with his mummy. When she's away, he just sits at the front door loyally, waiting patiently for her to return. How will he do without her?
I can't look him in the eye, because I know in a few days I have to say goodbye and he won't understand why we disappeared. Maybe he'll think he did something wrong?
I'm seriously considering paying Johnny Depp to smuggle him in for us. Does anyone know a way I can keep my little defacto family together?
Oh no, @popcornlobotomy. That is terrible! I wouldn't be able to do it. Have you made arrangements for Bailey to have a good home? I am so sorry.
Yes, he'll be well looked after. My alt plan is to leave him with a very good friend who will continue to raise Bailey in an environment where he'll want for nothing. No cages (they use cages frequently in the Philippines, it's terrible), 24-7 care and loving company.
It's still heartbreaking, though. I keep imagining him sitting at the door waiting for his mummy and daddy to come home, and maybe we never can.
I don't want to leave him, but we made these plans assuming we could work something out -- it was only after we investigated it we realised we didn't have any options. By then we were committed to the path.
I have a feeling this will be one of those things in life that leaves a little pain in the heart that never heals.
It may well be. My heart is aching for you.
aww! so cute! =)
@fairytalelife Thanks for sharing the loveliness! <3 :)
@virtualgrowth, you are welcome. You must be a pug person too.
I love the pug! This is my favorite breed of dog. I always wanted to make myself this little friend. UPVOTE^_^
I hope you do, @breathe3000. They are special
i love pug very much that cute little eyes drive me crazy
any photos from MIB? :)
Very cute!
We have a Pug-Pity and he is the biggest hand full you could imagine! Think like a paraplegic all of a sudden getting the gifts of a super athlete! He never stops.... always play-play-play. I tell him everyday "lucky for you, you are really cute"! Look forward to sharing your post with my wife tomorrow. Cheers
Thank you! Pugs are crazy. Some pugs are extremely energetic. Chloe is a fat slug turd, though. She can't be bothered to run after anything - unless you drop some food.
I love all dogs but wife LOVES PUGS.... very cute and your right... I have witnessed pugs change dramatically when food is involved!
so cute ....... pug :)
I love pugs too :) So cute :)
While I don't own a pug myself, I came across this "pic of a pug" the other day.
School time pug? Or dapper pug who is a bit shy? @steemitwithstu, thanks for posting this little guy.
pugs
pugs everywhere
; ) lovely post
Thanks, @dragonslayer109. They have to be!
Talking of life you should really see this:
https://steemit.com/blogging/@haroonbro/steemit-can-steemit-be-a-life-changer
Because I kinda believe in that.. Steemit can be a life changer. Upvote and I'll do the same for you.
so cuuute!!! ^^
Pugs are fun, I've known a few, but never owned one. We had Boston terriers as a kid, similar personality, it always seemed to me.
...so this "post" is first on the steemit wall haa?? :(
i love animals
Yes finally pug on here!!!
They are so cute:)
I love it, dogs are the best and it was an honor to hear about your pug journey so far :) glad this got so much steem so I had the chance to read it
Thanks, @miki. Gotta love them pugs!
I enjoyed your "pug" journey. It is a wonderful experience to love so completely and sad that loss is a part of loving. We are better for the experience. All the best to you.
Pugs are really great dogs, did you know they are the oldest breed of domesticated dogs? It makes sense that they are VERY human centered and understand us so well, and need to be with us even more than other breeds, they've been around us for 100s of years!
Great post! I love animals too. My dogs just joined SteemIt - check it out :)
Golden Retriever Puppies Ranger and Gracie are Now On SteemIt! (( Click Here For Super Happy Underwater Dog Swimming Video :) ))
Hi! LOVE LOVE!