Owned by Pugs

Pugs on vacation

2007-08-16T15:23:00.000-03:00

Our vacation was a blast! 2 and a half weeks of relaxing, and the boys only had to stay with their grandparents for a few days while we went away. The rest of the time was spent at the beach, running around, barking, and swimming! We discovered that they are fantastic little swimmers. If only I had a video to post...Vinny continues to dog paddle even when you lift him out of the water! I promise to get some videos when we go back down in September.

Just look at these gremlins! Those are some happy pugs, getting to run on the beach and get all filthy so their mommy and daddy can clean them up.

Daddy and his boys. They sure were happy that their Daddy was home after almost five months!

Mommy and Vinny, who is very hard to keep still for a photo.

Are these two happy pugs or what?

Although it looks like Vinny is catching a frisbee, he's actually not that coordinated. He is really holding it in his mouth and running away from me as I try to catch him.

Couch potatoes

2007-06-18T22:16:00.000-03:00

Since my office is now the couch, the boys like to spend a lot of time with me at "the office." Here's them recently helping me with my writing.

The boys and Happy

2007-06-18T22:02:00.000-03:00

The puggies love to eat grass! They're like little sheep...grazing and munching. Bosco thinks it makes up for the fact that he's on a diet.

We decided to experiment with taking the boys around back so they can run around for a bit. They actually behave like normal dogs, and they've made friends with the neighbors' dog Happy, who is a laid back lab. Poor little Bosco really wants to keep up with Happy, but his little legs won't carry him fast enough.

Dog bums

2007-06-18T21:58:00.000-03:00

I don't know what it is about these dogs, but it seems like every time I go to take a picture of the boys they turn around at the most inopportune time. So what I end up with is a camera full of shots of their butts. Cute as they are, I really like their faces better.

Puggies love spring

2007-05-10T11:45:00.000-03:00

The boys are so happy the weather is finally nice! Bosco especially enjoys it because he can go outside and eat as much grass as he wants, which is especially appreciated since he's on a diet. The vet said he weighs too much. Big surprise there. But his Daddy is in denial and thinks he's the perfect size...what are you gonna do. So the little man is dieting and supplementing with grassy treats. Yum! Here are some recent pics of the boys in the yard.

Happy Vinny!

Poor little hungry Bosco

Could they be any cuter?

Daddy won't be pleased!

2007-03-12T11:08:00.000-03:00

This is what happens when Daddy leaves...his boys start going up for sale! However, no one made an offer, so we took him off the market.

Here's mommy and her boys. Bosco wants to be a lapdog, but he's too massive!

Bosco loves his hedgehog toys. He brings them all to his bed and hoards them.

Pretty Vinny

2007-01-12T14:50:00.000-04:00

Vinny is just so fun to dress up. He's so laid back about it all, even if he's a little embarassed. Here he is in his lovely headscarf and his grammy's vintage necklace. So pretty.

Hmmm, the Wookie doesn't seem to be enjoying it quite so much.

Happy Christmas pugs

2007-01-12T14:43:00.000-04:00

Happy new year! Although we went to Newfoundland for most of the break, we did spend some time hanging out with pugs, which is always just what the doctor ordered. The boys got some Christmas gifts from their grammy, which they promptly set out to destroy. Here are a few shots of the boys over Christmas.

Vinny loves the little squirrel! It rolls around and has a long tail that's perfect to shake. Of course, once he figured out that he could catch it by the tail, it quickly became old news.

The boys loved their little Santa bears so much they destroyed them both within about 10 minutes.

Bosco loves to cuddle with his Santa bear...

While Vinny wants to eat his!

Obey the pug!

2006-11-22T19:20:00.000-04:00

Steve now refuses to drive my car on base because I have a bumper sticker that says "Drop bones, not bombs - obey the pug!" He says it's embarassing. Pshaw. This website has the absolute coolest dog stuff out there for those of us who are – how shall we say – slightly enamoured with our fur babies. This cracks me up to no end:

Random pug shots

2006-11-22T19:12:00.000-04:00

Because who can have enough pictures of pugs? The boys are seriously so cute, and as they get older their little personalities become more and more distinct. Bosco is really dominant toward Vinny, but when it comes to his humans, he's the most submissive. Vinny really, really refuses to listen to us. They're super smart...but even more stubborn. Here are a few cute shots of them in all their puggy glory.

Bosco and his "human eyes"

Vinny with absolutely no dignity

Bosco's licker is broken!

We love our Daddy!

2006-11-22T19:09:00.000-04:00

Although I'm pretty sure the pugs love their mommy, when Steve's home all the animals flock to him like he's the pet whisperer. Honestly, they clamor to be on his lap...or chest...or head...basically, wherever there's a free spot.

Pugs doing what pugs do best

2006-07-06T20:36:00.000-03:00

Puggies are notoriously great at sleeping! Here are some shots of them in all their sleeping glory...Mr. Helmsley even gets in on the action!

Beach Boys

2006-07-06T20:30:00.000-03:00

We spent a week at the cottage with all the critters. The kitties tried to escape many times, and the boys did their usual – barked, chased dogs, barked, peed, etc. They also went for some swims and ran on the beach. They love the water!

Mommy and the boys

Playing in the water

Weeee! We love the water!

Bosco doing a mean dog paddle

Finally! New pug pics are here!

2006-06-16T14:07:00.000-03:00

Well, it has been ages since I've posted any new shots of the boys. They love their new house and think it's their own personal bathroom.

Here are some cute pictures of Vinny.

We got Bosco his own little couch because he can't jump up on the grown-up couch.

Hopefully these will keep the grandparents happy for awhile!

Fashion Pugs

2006-01-06T23:28:00.000-04:00

There is just something about pugs that makes people want to dress them up. Do a Google search for "pugs in costume" if you don't believe me. Vinny and Bosco are definitely no exception to the rule -- they have quite extensive wardrobes. A pug surely cannot be seen in the same outfit two days in a row! Of course, Steve is rather embarassed when we take them for walks in their cute little sweaters, but they DO have to be warm (and look cute!).

A Puggy Holiday

2006-01-06T23:19:00.000-04:00

Happy New Year! Steve and I spent most of our holidays in Newfoundland, but we did squeeze in some quality pug time as well. We all ate lots of food, especially Bosco, who now weighs in excess of 30 pounds. It's Steve's dream come true. He's so large Vinny is dwarfed in comparison. Vinny has skinny little hips that make Bosco's butt look especially large. The following pictures clearly show how the boys spent the majority of their holdiay.

Shawshank Pug

2005-12-11T22:16:00.000-04:00

As mentioned in the post below, Bosco has chewed a hole through the wall. There was no wall residue anywhere on the floor, which means it ended up in his belly. We knew he liked to eat, but this is a little much.

DEVILS!

2005-12-09T10:42:00.000-04:00

First, take a look at these cherubic little faces:

Now, take a look at the mess they made of their new bed. Bosco is the instigator and Vinny follows along in the badness. How can such angelic little dogs be so very, very bad? Bosco also chewed a hole in the dining room wall. Yes, a hole. I will post a picture once I get over the shock.

Pug portraits

2005-12-03T12:01:00.000-04:00

It's been a long time since I've posted any new pictures. The pugs just haven't been doing much that's photo worthy these days! With the colder weather they mostly bum around the house chewing bones and chasing the cats. However, I thought I'd post these pictures for those of you who need a pug fix (Grammy Nicholson)!

Taking it easy

2005-10-02T21:48:00.000-03:00

On Friday Bosco had his manhood removed, and the vet said he has to take it easy for 10 days. Does this look like a dog who wants to take it easy? Note: Bosco is the one on the left with the evil glint in his eye. Vinny just got done telling him not to play so rough.

Human Eyes!

2005-10-02T21:42:00.000-03:00

Nobody understands when we say Bosco has human eyes. Just look at those eyes! Those are not the eyes of a dog...they are the eyes of a sad little fat man in a fur coat.

Ladies' men

2005-10-02T21:38:00.000-03:00

The boys sure are popular with the girl dogs! Here they are harassing a pretty german shepherd on a recent walk. She wasn't sure what to make of the grunting, snorting gremlins who kept smelling her behind. They thought she was very lovely.

Walking together

2005-10-02T21:32:00.000-03:00

We just got the boys a new double leash so they can walk together. They love it! It makes our lives easier too because we don't have to stop at every pole for a sniffing session. When one pug stops to smell, the other one will usually drag him along. It makes taking a pee hard though!

Pretty Boy Bosco

2005-09-13T17:35:00.000-03:00

Here is what our lives have been reduced to. On a recent Saturday evening, we were hanging out on our couch. That in itself may be sad enough, but I decided to start dressing up Bosco in my pretty scarf. Steve was horrified, but I'm not sure about Bosco. I think he looks gorgeous.

I'm not sure why, but Vinny's face in the background reminds me of Butthead. Does that make Bosco Beavis?

Bullies

2005-09-13T17:32:00.000-03:00

We took the boys down to the cottage for vacation, where they had a ball tormenting all the other beach dogs and children. Some children have actually been known to cry when being chased by the boys. Vinny and Bosco gang up on their victims and chase them down the road. It's at the point where dogs pause before passing our cottage, look around, and only continue on if the pugs are nowhere in sight.

This poor guy didn't stand a chance.

Squirrely toy

2005-09-13T17:30:00.000-03:00

This is the same strange toy that Bosco was cuddled up with in an earlier post. We're not sure if it's a lion, squirrel or beaver, but it makes all kinds of silly noises when they chew on it. Notice how Vinny treats the toy. A snuggly companion for Bosco...dinner for Vinny.

Mr. Helmsley

2005-09-13T17:28:00.000-03:00

Steve forced me to put this picture up. Mr. Helmsley does NOT enjoy the car and spends the entire trip on my lap panting. For some reason her panting cracks us right up. She looks slightly snake-like.

Pug of the Month!

2005-09-13T08:59:00.000-03:00

Vinny is famous! He's been selected to be Pug of the Month at pugnation.com. I'm not sure why they said he has a sister Lily though. Oh well, he's thrilled that people will be admiring him anyway!

Check it out at http://pugnation.com/pom.htm

Jailed!

2005-08-25T20:48:00.000-03:00

The suspects were captured on suspicion of causing mischief and disorderly conduct. Both have previous records for damage to property (digging holes), excessive noise (barking past 11:00), being public nuisances (harassing other innocent dogs and children), and deviant behavior (see previous post re: humping problem). The suspects will be held without bail until they learn proper pug behavior. Oh, who are we kidding -- this IS proper pug behavior!

Cozy kennel

2005-08-25T20:46:00.000-03:00

Even though the boys each have their own crates, they love to hang out together in Bosco's during the day. Actually, Vinny loves to hang out in Bosco's crate, but little Bosco gets a bit of separation anxiety when not in his brother's company 24 hours a day. As soon as Vinny lies down for a sleep, Bosco trots in after him and plunks his chubby self next to his brother.

Greenies are the best!

2005-08-25T20:43:00.000-03:00

The boys' grandmother Nicholson is always spoiling them with yummy treats that their mean parents never buy. Their absolute favorite are greenies...those disgusting, smelly, crumbly green chewy bones. They will eat one in a single chew session, and then lucky Steve gets to go hunting in the yard for little green gifts.

Poor Blue

2005-08-15T09:06:00.000-03:00

Our friend Lisa gave the boys a new Blue's Clues toy, which they have adopted as their new favorite. The funny thing about the pugs is that they are joined at the hip (or corresponding dog part) and don't believe in independent playtime. So, whenever one decides to play with a toy, the other drops whatever he is doing and lunges at his brother's toy. Anyway, they love Blue and haven't put him down for days.

Beach bums

2005-08-08T18:51:00.000-03:00

Last weekend we took the boys to the cottage for some fun in the sand and ocean. They absolutely love being able to run for miles...well, Bosco runs for a little bit then plops his chubby bum in the sand and watches his brother. They usually drink lots of salt water and it makes them sick, but the fun seems to outweigh this slight annoyance. They also spent alot of time terrorizing the big dogs on the beach, causing their grandmother declare that they are not pugs, but thugs!

The elusive Mr. Helmsley

2005-08-08T18:49:00.000-03:00

Captured!

Finally, I have managed to get a picture of Mr. Helmsley. She is actually a very pretty cat and here she is looking especially lovely. If only her personality matched her looks!

Pug Parents

2005-08-04T19:21:00.000-03:00

For those who haven't seen us in awhile, I thought I'd include this recent picture. It was taken a few weeks ago down at the cottage for the sole purpose of having something relatively nice looking to post on the blog. Unfortunately, this is the best we could do.

All tuckered out

2005-08-04T19:18:00.000-03:00

I had to include this picture because it is just so cute. This furry creature is a squirrel/beaver/lion, and it makes all sorts of silly sounds. The boys just love it. Bosco must have worn himself out playing with it -- either that or he just loves cuddling!

I love bath time

2005-07-28T21:28:00.000-03:00

Vinny has always been a bit of a strange dog, and just loves to have baths in the sink. All you have to do is say "want a bath?" and he starts jumping on the sink, trying to get up. Then he sits in the sink and lets you lather him up and rinse him off. When it's all over he lets you give him a treat, but only because he has to at least pretend it is a huge chore.

Buddha fear

2005-07-28T21:24:00.000-03:00

Everyone knows the Buddha is a symbol of peace and compassion. Everyone, that is, except Vinny and Bosco. When we first brought Buddha home for our flower garden, Vinny thought he was under attack and stood in front of him barking madly for half an hour. Not one to be outdone, Bosco began barking too, although he was not entirely certain what all the fuss was about. He looks up to his big brother though. In the end, the boys learned that the Buddha usually sits in his garden meditating. Vinny still doesn't trust him though, and keeps a wary eye on him most of the time.

Peanut butter gremlins

2005-07-28T21:17:00.000-03:00

Eating peanut butter in our house is a dangerous undertaking. One is likely to be surrounded by pugs, being stared at with huge googly eyes. And if one dares to offer some on a finger, be prepared: there is nothing quite as disconcerting as having two sloppy pug tongues competing over a drop of peanut butter.

This is what you might see if you are sitting in a chair eating some.

Hot bellies

2005-07-28T21:13:00.000-03:00

The pugs tend to get very hot bellies in the summer. It's very common to come into a room and find them sprawled with their bellies on the floor. Bosco's is rather fat, and his little legs kind of splay to the sides. But a pug's gotta be cool, no matter how ridiculous he may look.

Here's Vinny's belly sprawl. This guy obviously loves having his picture taken.

Great wall of pug

2005-07-28T21:07:00.000-03:00

The great wall of pug is finally finished! The boys can now run free around the yard. Putting up a fence was far, far more work than we imagined. Advice for anyone contemplating building a fence: don't. Just don't. Hire someone, and close your eyes when the bill comes. Steve used superspikes, which are meant to be an easy way to put up a fence, but ended up being nothing but a pain. But now that it's finished, we can just sit back and relax with the boys for the rest of the summer.

Here's Steve putting the finishing touches on the great wall.

Working hard

2005-07-24T00:54:00.001-03:00

We spent last weekend at the cottage, helping out with construction of the new deck. Megan's idea of working is to sit on a chair and supervise, but Steve -- bless his heart -- jumped right in and did the thing he hates most...painting. He looked so good in his coveralls that we promptly put him to work painting the hallway as soon as we got home. We'll post pictures of the completed project as soon as it is actually completed. Guess the overalls shouldn't be put away just yet!

Caught in the act

2005-07-24T00:50:00.000-03:00

Finally! We have proof!

No one believes that Bosco spends the majority of his time humping Vinny. Vinny is so used to this that he just continues on with whatever he is doing at the time. Note the look on Bosco's face...he does not feel the least bit guilty or embarassed. Vinny is busy chewing a rawhide and probably figures it will all be over soon. Ah, the life of a pug.

Pool fun

2005-07-24T00:19:00.000-03:00

We decided to get a little pool for the boys since pugs don't do so well in the heat. We thought they'd simply sit in it, but instead they splash around and try to get the octopi and fishes that are on the bottom. They dig at them for ages, even though they never catch anything! Then they'll jump out and shake all the water off as close to you as possible.

Vinny adores the pool!

Bosco isn't so sure....

The other children

2005-07-20T20:50:00.000-03:00

We couldn't neglect a brief introduction to our other furry children!

Mr. Sully is Steve's pride and joy. Affectionately known as the Wookie, Sully is Steve's faithful companion and follows him everywhere. He even speaks on command. He loves to lick Steve but always tries to bite Megan. Sully is a giant cat, and when all 20 pounds of him get on top of you, you're begging for mercy. Mr. Sully suffers from asthma, which makes most visitors want to cry. Just when he was finally used to being chased by Vinny, Bosco came into the picture. Sully still isn't sure what to make of the smelly little grunting creature who keeps trying to procreate with him.

Our other kitty is called Mr. Helmsley. She is an elusive little creature who hides in the basement most of the time. She emerges occasionally for sustenance, but mainly stays out of sight. For this reason, a photo of Mr. Helsmely is unavailable. She is really Megan's cat, but Steve has come to love her for her strange personality.

Meet the boys

2005-07-20T20:32:00.000-03:00

An introduction to the boys is in order!

First up, meet Vincent Thomas Pug, aka Vinny the Squid. Vinny was born on October 11 2004, and we rescued him from a pet store in Oromocto. It was love at first site for Megan, but Steve had to be convinced. But Megan knew that Vinny would be a surprise for her the next day, and sure enough Steve came home carrying a frightened little puglet. Vinny settled in very quickly, and before long was chewing everything in sight and destroying all his mommy's socks. Steve was away for the first three months of Vinny's life with us, and every day on the phone would say "how much work can it really be?" Megan is laughing at him now since Bosco is twice the devil that Vinny ever was.

Here is the handsome Vinny:

Vinny's bio:

Age: 10 months

Weight: 20 pounds

Height: 1 foot, standing

Hobbies: Chewing, chasing cats, having his chest scratched

Talents: Grunting, snorting, wagging giant tongue

Next up, meet Vinny's younger brother Boscerelli Stephen Pug, aka Bosco the hellboy. Bosco was born on April 11, 2005 and we brought him home from Nova Scotia in June. His biological daddy is the biggest pug we have ever seen and Steve is hoping Bosco will be a 30 pound pug. He has already learned how to go up the stairs, but is still working on coming back down. Usually he follows his brother up and then barks at the top of the stairs for someone to come get him. The vet said Bosco is too fat, so he is on a strict workout regime. Mostly this involves half-heartedly chasing Vinny, and then sitting on his fat butt.

Here is Bosco when we first brought him home:

Bosco's bio:

Age: 3.5 months

Weight: 12 pounds (and growing!)

Height: short

Hobbies: Eating dirt, humping Vinny

Talents: Bosco has the ability to sound just like Cujo