Cleo is back at the vet

This time, just for a checkup. Turns out I've been negligent and have not taken her back for her annual dermatology checkup in over 2 years. oops. 

Cleo has serious allergies, which the fabulous vets at UC Davis have treated successfully with diet and flea medicine modification. She's on a kangaroo-oatmeal diet (no more homemade food for the pug), and on a daily flea medicine called Capstar. 

Why go into this? because Capstar in the past year has, through some fancy patent footwork, gotten super-greedy, thus skyrocketing the cost of a single pill from less than $1 to over $3. Totally ridiculous! I said. I'm switching to a cheaper flea med! I said. well, that was a big mistake. Poor pug broke out in a terrible itchy rash, and now she's back on Capstar. Teach me to try and save a buck. or two. or a few hundred. 

mama. u cheaped out on me.

Of course, I had to bring all 3, because when I tried to sneak out of the house with just Cleo, Deedee and Sasha put up some serious wailing and caterwauling.  

my fans would've missed me

 All three were totally focused on any treats that were coming their way.  Luckily for them there were a lot of them.  UC Davis is definitely on the short list for these pugs.

is that the door? is that a treat?

Is Spring here?

As far as winters go, this was one of the mildest.  Great for the pugs, since they hate getting cold wet feet.  Not so good for the garden or, oh, I don't know, the whole agriculture industry.  Normally, it would be raining and chilly this time of year.  Instead, I see this on our apricot tree:

stupid tree thinks it's sping and is already budding

Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.  So, we all took advantage of the sunny blue sky to get outside and make us some vitamin D. 

I don't know who taught these 2 to sit like that

Cleo likes almost nothing more than to sun herself while leaning up against some plant.  In this case, a succulent.  Luckily, one without spines.

i'm not that stupid, mama

I think Deedee thinks she's a meerkat.  She certainly hops around like one.  Here she's showing off her perfect posture, while remaining vigilant on behalf of her pack.

i am almost invisible, blending in with this here grass

Sasha didn't want to miss out on the fun and games.  Little girl's arthritis has lately been bothering her a bit more, so that stairs are really quite the obstacle.  Which she surmounts by yarping loudly and imperiously until some human comes over and carries her.

the sun's rays wait for no pug

My little Sasha.  When did you get so old?

Who's been sleeping in my spot?

Normally, Sasha is the one I find snoozing in a sunny spot on the rug.  Imagine my surprise when I walked into the room to see this:

Cleo and Deedee

Where is the geriatric pug, anyway.

move. ur in my spot.

Sasha.  Don't disturb your sleeping sisters.  

i'm not disturbing them. i'm MOVING them.

Cleo and Deedee prevailed.  The sunny spot remains theirs.

mama it's getting too noisy in here to sleep

Is Sasha really blind?

One would argue that a truly blind pug would not be aware enough of the bright sun to want to shield her eyes from it.

Perhaps she was just really sleepy, and while walking, collapsed with her paws completely outstretched. 

I don't think I need to add that this pic was snapped 1 microsecond before she was shnergled.

The pugs' new sofa

Our new sofa finally was delivered this past weekend (just in time to watch the game that will never again be mentioned).  We were fussing with its position, trying to determine the absolute best place to achieve the maximum chi and TV-viewing angle.  Hadn't even yet tested it with our behinds before the pugs decided to christen it with theirs.

u guys r way too slow

We did choose the fabric knowing full well that the puglets would be the sofa's main occupants.  We brought home swatches of fabric and rubbed them all over the pugs' bodies to determine which one best repelled their incredibly tenacious fur.  I highly recommend this maneuver for all items to be brought home -- blankets, clothes, small children, etc.

we r glad u picked this color to best highlight our fur

Cleo found the sunniest spot on the sofa in which to rest.  Note her judicious use of the fuzzy comfy throw.

Deedee wasted absolutely no time in perching herself on top of the sofa back.  Again, as pug-loving suckers, I mean, parents, we designed the sofa so that the back would be wide enough for a pug butt.

u could've made this a leetle wider

Bonus: it's also in a sunny spot.

mama i am working on my tan

Watching TV with the dada

Football season is a great opportunity for the puglets to get in some quality pug dada time. Normally the dada is not one for massive long-term shnerglage. So when the game is on, and he becomes an immobile lump of potato-chip-eating, beer-drinking example of humanity, the pugs gravitate towards what they know will be a guaranteed lap for hours.

Sasha treasures this quality time with her favorite human.

i am crushed by pug but still happy

Cleo appreciates there is less wild screaming on that side of the couch, than what is exhibited by the mama.

Look at this pug, looking at her dada adoringly.

Deedee snuggles for a bit and then goes off for Private Pug Time.

she has her toy for company

Off to chase the snow

Because of the ridiculously temperate winter we've been having, snowfall in Tahoe has been few and far between. So when the weather forecast finally called for snow, we were off to the mountains! Let it SNOW!!

The pugs have decidedly and wildly different feelings about the white stuff. Fairly characteristically, the puppy Deedee loves it -- romping around in it, getting snow all over herself...

... running in circles through snowdrifts...

i am free! running thru der schnee!

... and peeping in it.

Sasha approaches snow from an investigative angle. She likes to explore its many culinary offerings.

Sasha actually ate quite a bit of it.

this is just delicious

I don't think anyone will be surprised to hear that Cleo hates the snow. As soon as she knows we're going outside, she starts shivering melodramatically. She won't do her business until I've cleared off a wide swath of snow-free ground. And she certainly is not up for walking in it. Look at this pug, huddled up in the one square foot of ground not covered with snow.

it burns us

The pugs are, I mean, the car is, filthy

After our trip to the beach, I had to make an emergency stop at the carwash.

Because not only did I drive all through an unpaved beach parking lot, but the pugs then proceeded to fling about the car as much dust and sand as they could. 

at least Cleo has the decency to look ashamed

The pugs love the carwash.  Because the carwash loves them.  They each get a (giant) treat from the guy that checks us in.  Needless to say, the pugs get very excited about that.

Deedee is looking for her new BFF

Weirdly, the pugs are Totally Unfazed by the spraying, the scrubbing, and the blowing that goes on.  These are the same animals that'll bark at complete silence.

Sasha is upset that someone has missed a spot

even our pug-carriage has cleaning minions