August 20th, 2008
We didn’t really start to feel the effects of TS Fay until last night. But since last night we have gotten rain, rain and more rain with a little bit of wind thrown in there. Luckily, nothing too bad at this point. However, Fay is a bit fickle and it has been difficult for forecasters to really pin down her path. Right now it looks like she is going to skirt right by us out on the Atlantic and then turn back and hit Florida again. We have been keeping a watch on the weather and Benny has been more than happy to help us out. He was getting an updated report this morning as we were eating breakfast.
TS Fay reminded me of a question that was sent in a while back by a blog reader that wanted to know how we prepare for hurricanes. I’d be more than happy to share, but first let me preface this with we have never actually been through a hurricane. We are relatively newcomers to the state of Florida and have been lucky enough not to have to ride out a storm. With that being said here are some of the preparations we make each year with a focus on the pugs and the cat.
Water, batteries and other staples
We stock up on all these things. Many have told us all about being without electricity for several days so we make sure we have plenty of batteries on hand to power our flashlights and little lanterns for a good long time. We make sure we have enough water not only for us, but also for the pugs and the cats.
Crates
We make sure the dog crate that fits in the car along with the cat’s carrier are handy in the garage. If we are ever forced to evacuate or go to a shelter, I like to have a crate with me if for some reason we would need to keep the pugs contained. We also have 6 foot leashes and harnesses handy.
Food
One of the biggest problems with the pugs is that their food must be refrigerated. If we lose electricity for several days it is likely their meals will spoil. So we always keep a big bag of Wellness kibble on hand during hurricane season. During that time we give them kibble as treats and we mix some in with their food so it would not be a complete shock to their digestive system if they had to switch to an all kibble diet suddenly.
In all honesty, with 3 dogs and a cat, if a serious hurricane threatened our area we would most likely evacuate. So we try to keep a list of our essentials. For example, Luna’s eye drops. Can’t forget those.
Hopefully, our lucky streak over the last 3 years will continue.
August 19th, 2008
Little Luna has taken over the recliner. Looking forward to your captions in the comments.
August 18th, 2008
It’s that time again! Time for the 2009 OBP Calendar Contest! It is hard to believe that this is our fourth year of doing the contest. It is quite a task, but I just love looking at all the photos throughout the year.
So, gather up all your adorable pug photos and get them submitted. And, as always, a portion of the proceeds from the calendar sales will benefit pug rescue.
August 15th, 2008
The pugs have an odd fascination with rental cars. I’m not really sure how all this came about, as it’s not like we have a rental very often, but for some odd reason, the pugs insist on going for a ride in any rental that we have. Now that I think about it, the pugs insist on going for a ride in any car that is at our house. When my parents came to visit they insisted on going for a ride in my Dad’s big truck. It is Henry that always leads the charge, but Luna and Benjamin would never miss a trip.
Don’t worry we didn’t let him ride in the back. But while in the driveway he loved to sit back there. He thought he was King.
So yesterday, when the rental car returned to our driveway after what the pugs thought was a miraculous 4 day disappearance that left just one human to pet them, the pugs expected to go for a car ride. Apparently, we weren’t going fast enough because the next thing I know Henry jumps into the trunk. I would not have expected anything like that from Henry, he isn’t a jumper at all. As soon as Benjamin sees Henry in the trunk, he hops right in and sits on the suitcase because he knows he has a present in there (A new knucklebone in this case. G-Ma has taught him his friend the suitcase always comes back to the house with a treat in it.) With the boys in the trunk, all happy with themselves, Luna wants in too. So we help Luna get into the trunk and the three of them are like pigs in mud.
So we unpack the suitcases and pugs from the trunk and then we go on the obligatory different car at my house ride on which we let the pugs ride in the backseat and from Henry’s point of view all is then right with the world.
Have a great weekend everyone!
August 14th, 2008
Whenever I get the pugs a bone or something to chew I always buy three of whatever it is. That way each pug has their own bone. I could probably get away with only getting one though. When I first give each of the pugs their bone, they all run off to chew. After a few minutes of chewing, the amount of time varies depending on the type of bone I give them, Benjamin, Henry & Luna all become interested in one bone and take turns chewing the same bone. One of them will chew for a bit, then go to get a drink of water and then one of the other pugs will take their turn. This process repeats usually until it is time for bed. Benjamin & Henry have been doing this since they were pups. Now it takes a bit longer to get their turn since little Luna came along. But it can’t bother them too much because I always maintain a one bone per pug ratio. They just choose not to chew it. Silly pugs!
August 13th, 2008
Erin wrote in to ask a question about the infamous pug anal glands. Erin’s pug, Marti, used to go in to get her anal glands expressed every few months, but things have gotten a bit worse and Marti has to go in every 2-3 weeks now. Erin was wondering if anyone had any experience with anal gland surgery or any advice they could offer.
I wanted to pose this questions to all of you blog readers because I don’t have much experience on this one. Benjamin, Henry & Luna all do a perfectly good job of expressing their anal glands all on their own which is a blessing and a curse in itself. Another good reason we keep a sheet on the sofa.
Thanks for your help pug lovers!
August 12th, 2008
Baby Benny! Looking forward to your captions in the comments.
August 11th, 2008
We made the trek to Ikea this weekend in search for a new entertainment center. We found something we liked so needless to say we had a lot of assembly to do. We worked into the wee hours of the morning and all our hard work really tired out the pugs. We did keep them up way past their bedtime, but at least we were considerate enough to make a comfy spot for them to nap.
August 8th, 2008
A favorite part of my day, next to bedtime, is unwinding in the yard with the pugs for a few minutes after work. I wish I was able to set those 10-15 minutes aside everyday, but sometimes dinner, errands, the gym and life just don’t make it possible. But, I am happy that I at least take the time a couple days of week and I think it helps me enjoy it so much more.
We don’t do much while we are out in the yard and that is what makes it great. I get my daily dose of vitamin D, pet the pugs, watch the birds and just relax. Some days I snap some pictures, some days I brush the pugs, but others I just sit on the bench surrounded by Benny, Henry & Luna and do my best to take in the moment and think about nothing.
August 7th, 2008
Thanks to Carla we can now say that the generous readers of Owned by Pugs raised $500 for Compassionate Pug Rescue in the OBP Raffle! We hit $498 selling tickets and when Carla saw that she donated an extra $2.00 so we had a nice round number.
Thanks again everyone!
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