Hiking with friends

We had friends over this weekend, and we took them to the same trail area again with the girls. It was a cooler day so there was less panting, wheezing and complaining in general. They're becoming robust outdoor pugs.

Sasha was feeling so good she would linger at really interesting smelling spots until we were well out of sight. Dave had to go back and retrieve her multiple times until I threatened her with the leash (no! not the leash). We finally turned around when we came to a pretty steep grade. Although Cleo nimbly climbed up to the top, Sasha just sat down and looked at me, super-harumph . She forgave me in the car. I think she was too sleepy to stay mad.



It's impossible to know what Cleo was thinking here.



And Cleo was pretty sleepy afterwards, too. Sleepy enough to snuggle with someone other than us.

Pug-a-phernalia

At our last Pug Sunday in SF, we met a guy who designs adorable pug-themed items. We fell in love with one of his prints that looks pretty much like Cleo -- crooked teeth, lopsided ears, googly eyes, and all.

We wasted no time in getting onto the website (http://www.cafepress.com/rainbowpugs) and ordering us up some pug items. As soon as it arrived in the mail, I had the girls model some of the products for a prolonged photo shoot.

Look at how horrified they look. They were so mad at me after this, they wouldn't even look at me.

Cleo's photo-op

Poor Cleopatra isn't getting her share of media time.

This is the face I see the most often. Her 'pleasepickmeuppickmeuppickmeupPLEEEEEEEZ' look.

And there's the sleepy look. This is probably what she looks like 99.999999% of the day, but I'm just not there to witness it.

Then, there's the Classic Cleo look. The one that Dave likes to imitate when he wants to cheer me up or give me a free giggle.

An apple a day

I think the reason that Cleo's breath is so less stinky than Sasha's is because Cleo still actively chews like a puppy. Sasha gave up on chew toys a while ago, and I don't think I need to remind everyone of the Dental Horror that she subsequently went thru -- my toothless pug. We can't even get Sasha a little bit interested in a chew toy anymore. Cleo, on the other hand, loves her nylon Greenie.

It's plastic so there's no danger of her swallowing it, getting a bowel obstruction and dying (or worse, incurring thousands of dollars in vet bills). It's supposedly melon flavor. Whatever it is, Cleo loves it.

This is what we have to do to poor Sasha. She pretty much hates it.

Exhausted pug

Sasha was so tired after our long walk, she let me take all sorts of pics.

Curious Sasha

On our walk this past weekend, we decided to try hiking with the pugs off leash. Cleo behaved beautifully -- trotting obediently behind us the whole time. Sasha, on the other hand, would get wildly distracted by some fascinating smell on the side of the path, get wholly absorbed, and lag behind. Each time she felt the need to peep and mark her territory.

When she finally looked up, we could actually see the look of panic -- they're gone. they've left me. i'm all alone. But, by the end of the walk, Sasha was pretty confident there wasn't going to be any abandonment, and began to be more independent. As in, more runty. Cleo also clued in, and you could tell she was torn between hanging with the rebel Sasha or being a good heeling pug.

Look at the indecision in that one raised paw.

Saturday hike

We took the pugs for a nice long walk on Saturday morning. There's a mess of trails literally up the street we were alerted to by a fellow pug owner in the neighborhood, and they're all dog friendly. Sashacleo had the best time.


Cleo was just delighted to be outside, as usual.

We had to make a few pit stops for thirsty pugs. We knew that when the loud pug panting turned into wheezing, we should stop and hydrate.

Sasha was convinced we were hiding more than water in our pack.

Long walk

To my horror, Cleo doesn't fit into her paddington coat that I got for her at the end of last winter. Sasha's belly isn't looking any less turgid, either. So the pugs are now on a strict diet and exercise regimen. We've been going for long walks in the afternoon when I get back from work -- today was our longest yet -- wandering thru our hilly neighborhood. Too much exertion, I guess, because Sasha came to a screeching halt more than once, stopping dead in her tracks, pulling back on her leash, and looking at me, like -- mommy. are you serious.

Afterwards, the animals were so exhausted they passed out on the sofa. Sasha opened her eyes long enough only to pose for the camera.

Emperor's New Clothes

I went to one of my favorite dog boutiques in NYC with Mina -- DoggyStyle in Greenwich Village, They may remember me from the last time I was there and made off with half of their merchandise. I love it because it's geared towards little dogs, they have excellent quality stuff (hand knit cashmere!), and the staff are amazingly friendly. They were having a sale. I got a little velvet choker for Cleo (for those days when she wants to be pretty), and these velour matching puff sweatshirts for both the girls. The sweatshirts ride up on their pudgy bellies so that they pouf out like little 80s queens. They look so glam -- little do they know that most of the time, they're naked.

Pug-o-ween

Dave took the pugs to a local Halloween pugfest this past weekend while I was in NYC, called Pug-O-Ween. hee hee. Only crazy pug owners would think of something like that. There was a parade and costume contest, with proceeds benefitting the local pug rescue group. Dave dressed up Sasha as Santa, and Cleo as a reindeer (pic courtesy of novato pug group)

The winning pug was a fireman. Dave took a lot of other pics of hilariously dressed-up pugs. It looks like some people really went all out for costumes, unlike the cut up piece of laundry Dave used for Sasha's beard.

Auntie Mina

I went back to NYC for a long weekend. Unfortunately, after intense debate and long soul-searching, I didn't end up bringing a pug. Actually, the situation was -- I was all set to bring a pug, and then Dave came home and negged the whole idea out of hand. Too bad. The pugs do love their auntie Mina. Although of course I wouldn't have brought the pretty pug. This picture is from our last visit.

Cleo is so misunderstood

Sometimes, Cleo can be pretty.

Post-op Pug

Sasha is completely healed. If you look closely you can see that she's missing a nipple.

You can barely tell that just than less than a mere 2 months ago, she was split from stem to stern. Little girl had a very hard time of it. So did I. This video was taken of my darling pug after we took her home from the vet's, all doped out on pain meds. Struggling to stay awake and off of her incision.

Ba-NAAAA-na!

The pugs, begging for their daily morning treat.



It's hard to get the full effect without sound, but Dave wouldn't let me tape him yodelling -- "BA-NAAAAA-NA!!!!"

oh hooooo, I'll get you, my pretty.

Welcome home

Cleo was happy to see me when I came home today. I know this because she shoved her protuberant muzzle into my right eyeball. I think she meant to give me a kiss, but forgot by the time she made it to my face, and ended up colliding with my eye socket instead.

Look at that muzzle. It's practically a weapon.

Lazy Sunday

We had a late night on Saturday, so we all took a nap in the afternoon. There's nothing like falling asleep, covered with pug.

Pug Sunday

We finally got another chance to take the pugs to pug sunday in the city last weekend. The first time we went, I forgot my camera. This time I tried to take lots of pics to capture the full effect of an enormous number of pugs, milling around.

Sasha was a little less stand-offish this time, sniffing and allowing sniffs, but spent most of her time investigating the periphery for bathroom spots. Cleo would have none of it. At least she wasn't in a fearful panic this time, clawing desperately at my leg, but I could count on her to be plastered to my leg all afternoon.

It was also Halloween Pug sunday because of october, I guess. I wish I had known to dress up the girls. We did meet some hilariously dressed pugs, though.