Winter Time For Pugs

Anyone who own a chubby little pug knows one thing for certain, they are not fans of winter.  They will run, hide, roll over and give you the big eyes of mercy not to go outside.  It is an annual ritual with the gang as they hold on for sun and warm weather to arrive.

Sunshine Buddy

My little yorkie, Kramer and my loving pug, Indy were the best of friends, or at least Kramer wished they were.  Indy grew to love Kramer and they spent countless hours on the deck soaking up the rays of summer together.  They would start in the morning and follow the sun as it moved around the yard, avoiding shade at all costs.  They would stretch out and let the warmth engulf them as they lazily dreamed about treats and belly rubs.

When our little Indy said his goodbyes this summer Kramer fell into a little slump.  His best friend was nowhere to be found.  He searched high and low for Indy.  Not wanting to miss him in case he came outside Kramer strategically placed himself against the fence so he would be ready.  But Indy never came.  Kramer still seems to look around and hope to see his favorite pal and will be soaking up the sun until they can be together again.

For Mr. Pillows.  xoxo

Saddest Day

So after 14 long, sunshine filled years we said goodbye to our beloved Mr. Pillows.  It was his time and I feel lucky to have been blessed with such an amazing friend and companion.  Mr. Pillows (Indy) was, and will forever be my most loyal buddy.  He was always concerned about my feelings and needed to know that I was okay.  Since he was little he would look at me with his inquisitive eyes that just eluded his love for me.  He would climb on my lap and nuzzle in, as if to say...I'm yours and you are mine.  I never really thought I could love a non-human so, so much.  With him it was easy, the unspoken love was what filled up my broken heart.  He was always the first one to greet me as I walked in the door, and I know he would follow me to the ends of the earth.

The past week has been one of the most difficult for me.  My heart feels heavy and empty without him here.  I feel as if I am in a dream and I keep waiting for his bark to wake me so he can get his breakfast. I keep walking out to the deck where the sunshine falls like a blanket all around you, this was his favorite spot.   It is hard for me to go out there and not see him.  I find my eyes well up and start to overflow as I look around and remember he is no longer with me.  I know time will help, but I hope he is soaking up the sun and filling his belly with his favorite peanut butter treats and watching over me.

Love always M.P.  Indiana "Mr. Pillows", my sunshine guy.   1998-2012

Look at this face?  Is it not the cutest thing you have seen?  Look closely.  This is Cooper.  Also known as Ruppert, Pooper, Clifford and Poops.  He is a bad, bad, bad boy.  He was rescued from a Meth House and it seems it never wore off. We love him all the same.  Especially when he is asleep!!!!!

Pugs love pillows and anything soft.  Griffon loves treats, naps and pillows.

Valentine Liver Nibbles

Nothing says "Be my Valentine" better than a blender full of raw beef liver. You have to love your dog a lot to pop that special ingredient into your blender and then make yourself a smoothie in it the next day. These treats are very nutritious and judging from our dogs' reactions, very delicious.

Ingredients

1 lb fresh raw organic beef liver or chicken liver

3 free range eggs

1/4 cup canola or other vegetable oil

2 cups instant oats

1 Tbsp applesauce (optional)

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

3 Tbsp powdered kelp

Filtered water sufficient to make a batter

Process the liver in a blender or food processor until completely pureed. Beat the eggs in a bowl and pour in the oil. Add the liver. Mix in the dry ingredients slowly, stirring continuously so they are thoroughly combined. Add water gradually, until you have a "batter" consistency. Pour this batter into a loaf tin. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in the tin until able to be handled, then gently turn the loaf out onto a rack and refrigerate to cool completely. Cut with heart-shaped cookie cutter. Store in a sealed container  

Winter Pugs

Three Wise Pugs

Oliver and Coopster

Christmas Pinecones

Coopster the Christmas Pug so tired!

Indiana- A Bad Bad Pug

So my sweet old pug Indy (AKA Mr. Pillows) was given just a few weeks to live at the end of this summer. This was a huge blow.  He has been with us for a long time, and although we know he is old you are never ready.  With this news I was a little overcome with sadness to see my four legged bff have seizures and other issues.  We got him on some medications to help him be comfortable and enjoy his last days with us.
I am happy to say Indy is doing remarkably well.  However, since we received the detrimental news we have let the little senior pug do whatever he wants.  Eating extra food and treats, laying out in the sun all day, rides in the car and so on.  Well he has since turned into a little monster constantly barking and demanding more food and treats.  He barks at the pantry until his every whim is met.  I can not even bring myself to get upset because after all this is the end and he should enjoy every minute.  On that sentiment I have created a little pug monster.  Indy is officially a bad bad pug.  One thing remains of my little monster, he is still very loved.

It's a pug life

Thank you for not smoking

OCD

It's funny to think about pugs having personality disorders.  I mean, they are dogs right?  They eat, sleep, fetch, eat and sleep some more. But Indy the pug has the ability to spot a morsel of food from 50 yards away.  What happens next is puffing, snorting, and growling, which leads to full on barking.  Not regular barking either.  It is a bark that instinctively says "Listen to me, I NEED that piece of food, or else"!  This bad habit has continually gotten worse.  He is the sweetest dog 22 hours of the day, the other 2 seem to sometimes cancel out all his nobleness.

Big Fun Times

Why Pugs Make Better Friends Than Humans

Things pugs will do for their  friends:   

Visit you unannounced.

Take over your bed.

Give unconditional love.

Bark at ghosts.

Carry dingleberries into your home.

Forgive and forget

Clutter your house with half-eaten chewies.

Live for today.

Go nuts with elation when you give them a present.

Follow you everywhere.

Let you know when they don’t trust someone.

Protect you.

Show appreciation when you do something for them.

Things Pugs won’t do as friends:

Try to make a point with silly, inappropriate hand gestures.

Talk about you behind your back.

Talk incessantly about trivial nonsense.

Keep repeating themselves even when you tell them you already heard that.

Keep repeating themselves even when you tell them you already heard that.

Be anal-retentive.

Become closet smokers.

Be control freaks.

Give ludicrous excuses for not wanting to do something.

Become obnoxious know-it-alls.

Make money and material things their main reason for living.

Give absurd rationalizations for rude behavior.

Live in the past.

Insist their way of doing something is the only way.

Tell strangers your personal business.

Make sarcastic remarks.

Brag about their exploits.

Lie about their exploits.

Take advantage of your friendship.

Parsley Turkey Meatloaf For Poochies

Aunt V and Cooper

1/2 LB Ground Turkey
1 Egg
1/2 C. Fresh Chopped Parsley
1 TBS. Olive Oil

In large bowl combine all ingredients and form into 4 patties. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, cool and serve.

Veggie Dog- Tomato Gazpacho

1 Seedless cucumber

1 Tomato
1/2 Bell pepper
2 Tbs Fresh parsley

Use blender or food processor, pulse until coarse.  Add 1/2 C water.  (Add salt and pepper for people)

The Pug Head Tilt

Who does'nt LOVE a little Italian Food?

If you want some extra love from your four legged pal try this recipe. Make sure to check with your vet to make sure your pal can handle this before you test it out.

Mini Muttballs and Ditalini

Ingredients:

• 6 cups chicken broth
• Salt
• 3/4 pound ground beef, pork and veal
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup chopped shredded carrots
• 1/3 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus more for sprinkling
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 clove garlic, mashed into a paste with a little salt (optional)
• Pepper
• 1/2 pound ditalini pasta

Directions:

1. In a large, deep skillet or saucepan, bring the broth to a boil, then salt it and lower to a simmer.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the ground meat, eggs, carrots, cheese, bread crumbs, parsley and garlic paste, if using; season with pepper. Form into 1-inch balls.
3. Drop the meatballs into the broth and simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pasta and cook until al dente, 6 to 7 minutes. Let cool before serving to your pooch! Season the people's portions with salt and pepper and sprinkle with more parmigiano-reggiano.

Angel or Satan's Spawn?

Some days my pugs are bad, bad boys.  It is like they get together as soon as I leave and decide to have a pug party. They pull out every toy out of their toy bin and pull their beds out of their pens.  The stuffing out of the couch is pulled out and there are paw prints all over my suede furniture.

Cooper likes to eat my plants.  I used to have a jade plant that seemed to be missing leaves every day.  One day it had only one little jade leaf on it.  Out of the corner of my eye I see Coop nibble up the last leaf.  He is like a vacuum that is on all the time, he eats everything and anything.

Even though my pugs are bad, bad boys it is so hard to be mad.   I come home and there are signs of pug-a-palooza all over but there they are, big eyes, curly tail and funny face so happy to see me. How can I be mad at such angelic little faces, even if they snort like dragons.

Tube Top, Skirt or off the Shoulder Top?

Kramer, Cooper and Griffon

 So all of us who have ever gotten the itch to buy clothes for our pugs know one thing.  Pugs have no neck and no shoulders so clothes don't stay up.
The first day of wear it slowly slides down, by the second day it is an off the shoulder or shoulders top.  By the third day you are looking at at pug tube top, and by day four it is a full on pug skirt.  I am thinking adding an extra elastic around the next so Cooper does not become a cross dresser.  :)

Cooper stuck in his tube top and the gate

Mr. Pillows Sunshine Day

Mr. Pillows after his sunshine walk

When this time of year rolls around and you get that early spring warm weather.  The sun is warm on your skin and there are little specks of green life underneath the brown.  Mr. Pillows loves this weather.  He takes long walks with plenty of stops to spell all the smells.
These are the days you remember how beautiful the mountains are and how nice 60 degrees and sunny can be.