Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Botox

Last week, I joked about Luna getting Botox to take care of the wrinkles on her neck.  Well, last night I was flipping through the book “Why do dogs drink out of the toilet?” while watching the American Idol boys and came across a question asking about plastic surgery for dogs or what they refer to as “Bowser Botox.”

It turns out that Botox for pooches isn’t too far fetched.  Breeds that often have wrinkly faces, such as Pugs, Bulldogs, Shar-Peis and Pekingnese, often develop a problem where facial folds cause the eyelashes on their lower eyelids to fold into the eye.  This can be quite painful and if not treated can even result in vision loss.  The most popular way to treat this is currently via a surgical procedure, but it turns out that Botox has been used to also solve the problem.  Who knew?

Monday, February 26, 2007

Accessorizing

It didn’t take long before Luna got the whole diva routine down.  We got her a new pink, fleece hoody to help keep her warm on chilly mornings and as soon as we put it on her, she added a little strawberry yogurt to her chin to complete the outfit.  She wasn’t sure if the two shades of pink were going to go when she first saw the coat at the store, but once she got the coat home to her food bowl she knew she had the perfect outfit on her hands.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Chilly Willy the Pugguins

This weekend, the mornings were a tad chilly for Florida standards.  So after, their morning walk, we had a little bit of fun wrapping the pugs up in some blankets to warm them up.  Benny thought his ducky might be a little cold as well, so he brought that with him.

Henry was the least cold of the three, but since he isn’t much of a morning person he liked being snuggled all in a blanket and getting a chance to get back to sleep.

Luna had a coat on for the walk, but once we got her back inside we took her coat off and got her wrapped up in a cozy blanket.  Benjamin decided to join her to help warm her up even more.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Cluck Cluck Cluck

Anyone know of some anti-wrinkle cream that will get rid of this chicken neck?  I’m so self conscience.  Any DVM’s do botox for pooches?

Friday, February 16, 2007

Henry’s the Man

We got the boys as puppies when they were only 8 and 9 weeks old.  Baby Benny is actually a week older than Henry but he’s still the “baby.”  Henry, however, is a natural leader and far more serious and (sorry Ben but…) intelligent of the 2 boys.  It is pretty obvious that they are high maintenance puggies.  It is all our fault.  We made them that way.  When they were little we would hold them all the time, hold their bones for them and give in to their every need.

Finally, however, Henry can chew a bone on his own.  Benjamin can, too, but he will do everything in his power to get someone to hold it for him instead.  Henry, though, is a big boy and he can do it on his own now.

It definitely goes to show you that how you are raised greatly impacts on what you are like as an adult.  You see, Little Luna who has probably never even had a bone in her life until she came here, holds her bone with confidence because she has always had to do things on her own.  No one has ever done anything for her.  She does not need any help.  She has even tackled bones that are bigger than she is!  That’s why Henry is the man and Baby Benny will forever be the Baby.  Little Luna, well, she’s in a league all her own.  She is more like a Cinderella story in a scrappy sort of way.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

What We Love

As a tribute to Valentine’s Day, the pugs would like to recap some of the things that they love.

Benjamin, of course, loves food.  Here are some of Benjamin’s finer moments with food.  There’s Benny waiting for pumpkin bread.  Benny trying to walk off with Luna’s birthday cake and even Benjamin sleeping with his bone.  That’s a true pug for you!  A pug that loves food!

Then there’s Henry.  He isn’t quite as shallow as Baby Benny.  Henry loves simple things.  Henry is more like a Jimmy Buffet kind of dog.  He loves relaxing in the pool in his pug tug and also going to the beach.

Luna, the diva of the trio, has definitely learned to love the finer things in life.  Being the girly girl she is, she loves her fashion!  Luna also has a multiple love of birthday parties.  There’s cake and couture!  What else could a lady need?

Needless to say, though, they also love each other!

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!  May you and yours feel the love all day everyday!

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Valentine’s Treat Sale

All Valentine treats are on sale now at H. Doodle.  The treats won’t arrive in time for Valentine’s Day, but we’re sure your pug will forgive you!

Monday, February 12, 2007

Beach Party

We haven’t been to the dog beach in some time, so this weekend we decided the pugs were due for a much needed beach day.  Baby Benny and Luna had been bouncing off the walls at home with endless energy so going to the beach was the perfect way to tire them out.  There is just something about the sand that makes all three want to run and run and run.

Benjamin, Henry & Luna didn’t disappoint.  As soon as we got to the beach, they started romping around.  In the shot above, you can see Benjamin & Henry are “it” and Luna is about to be tagged.

The water was a little chilly, but that didn’t stop Benjamin & Henry from going out and getting their paws wet.  Luna dipped a toe or two in, but for the most part she stayed on dry land.

Benny was feeling particularly adventuresome and he went in the water the farthest he has ever been before.  Most of the time, Benny hangs right by the shore, but this time he ventured out a few paces.  The funny thing with Benny is that he goes out a little bit and then once he realizes how far out he is he turns and runs as fast as he can to shore.  You can see the light bulb go off in his head that says, “Oh, no!  Benny is too far from shore!”

Friday, February 9, 2007

As Told By Luna

Hi everyone.  It’s me, Little Luna.  I had to go back to the ophthalmologist’s office today for a check up.  Of course, this visit was no different than the rest of my life…some good news, some bad news.  I just take it all with a grain of salt, though.  There’s a lot to share, so put up your feet and get comfy…

The trip to the eye specialist’s always begins with the car ride that is about an hour long and since my brothers rarely go, I get special treatment and ride in the front seat since I am so well behaved in the car.  Well, this trip was no different.  So, I took the long car ride and arrived at the vet’s office.  I usually see a lot of pug cousins there but today seemed to be poodle day instead.  There were 2 poodles in the waiting room and a Bischon that looked very much like a poodle.  So, we all waited in the lobby.  While I was waiting I saw my favorite nurse.  It was Kimmie!  She was there when I had my tumor removed and a few times before and since then.  On my last visit, though, I wasn’t that nice to her which I really regret.  I tried to be more polite today but my nerves got the best of me and well, I just wasn’t my usual happy-go-lucky self.

When it was my turn, Kimmie invited us into the room where they check me out.  Kimmie asked mom some questions about my eyes and if she thought she’d seen any decline or improvement.  Well, mommy had to confess that I have been walking into the glass door again and having some other visual difficulties including some blue pigmentation in my “good” eye.  Kimmie noted this on my chart.  Then came the wiggly part.  I had to have these little papers put in my eyes to measure how my tear production is coming along.  I did well on that test but it took 2 takes.  I got too nervous the first go round and popped the strips right out of my eyes.  I’m telling you, since my tumor was removed, I just get antsy these days.  Mom says we’ll work on that.  Once that was over, mommy & Kimmie talked a little bit.  Mom said that she wanted to write about this on the blog in hopes of helping some other pugs with eye issues.  I sort of felt like a speciman at that point but I guess if it’s for the good of pugs everywhere, then I won’t be so vain.

Kimmie & mommy continued to talk.  Then Kimmie brought in a doggie my size!  It was her Papi-chihuahua mix.  Oh, she was a cutie.  It would be neat to have a play date with her!  It’s hard to find friends that are just my size!  Kimmie brought the pooch to another room and then it was time to see Dr. Denis.

Dr. Denis came in and looked at my chart and then took some photos of my eyes and then looked at my eyes using a flashlight but the rest of the room was dark.

After that, mommy & Dr. Denis talked about the blue stuff mommy sees in my eyes.  Well, here’s where that good news/bad news roller coaster comes in….the good news is that my tear production is high.  The bad news is that my pigmentation is getting worse.  With my pigmentation getting worse, then my vision is also suffering.  Oh yeah, and that blue stuff is water that accumulates inside my eye as a result of the pigmentation getting worse.  The eye that had a tumor, though is like completely healed!  Sweet!  For my latest malady, however, I am back up to 4 meds every other day.  I will have my regular doses of tacrolimus every day.  My neopolydex drops are every other day.  The new one called cyclosporine will be added daily and then there is an ointment that I will be given every other day.  The ointment is to help get rid of the water in my eye.  Funny, I take drops to make me have tears but then I get an ointment to take water away.  Hmmm?  Doesn’t seem to make much sense to a pug like me but if it is what the doctor ordered, who am I to say?

So, it was a day of good and bad news.  I know I’m rescue and life gave me some lemons but here I am making lemonade!  I keep smiling because I keep a positive attitude and love my forever home!

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Flossies

The boys and Luna got their first taste of a Flossie on Christmas.  Santa was kind enough to leave them each one in their stocking.  Needless, to say they loved them.

So we decided to stock up on a few.  They keep them very busy and they are a great distraction for the pugs at night when we are trying to make it through about an hour of TV with no distractions.  If it wasn’t for Tivo and bones I don’t think I would ever be able to catch any TV time.

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Barking at the TV

Yesterday, we watched the Puppy Bowl III before the Super Bowl.  Benjamin got really into the game and spent most of the time running up to the TV and barking at all the adorable puppies.

Friday, February 2, 2007

Pug Pile

Benjamin, Henry and Luna were out enjoying the afternoon sun the other day and when I looked up from my computer I saw all three snuggled up on the lounge chair.  Luckily, my camera was nearby and I was able to snap the shot from my desk.

It might just be me, but they seem to be saying, “Are you off work yet?”  I wish pugs, I wish.