1000PUGS CONTEST

So there’s this blog I follow (along with Guardian and Gus) called The Daily Puglet.  And Puglet’s human, Amanda, is a professional photographer, so Pug’s photos are really great.  Guardian needs to take Canon lessons or something ‘cuz our photos just can’t compete. I have photo envy.  Are you hearing this Guardian?

So Guardian entered us into a contest for a new thing called "1000pugs."  Y’see, Puglet’s human is doing a book about 1000 pugs.  She’s going all over the country (starting in January in San Francisco, where she and Pug live) and next Fall she’ll be on our coast. She’s gonna shoot (y’know with Nikon, not guns) pix of 1000 pugs along the way. And there’s this website called 1000pugs where she’s gonna log her trip.  They have a Facebook page, too.  Amanda will be having professional pug and other dog photo shoots wherever she goes.  Some of the money she charges will go to a bunch of pug rescues across the US.  So it’s a really good cause.

Anyway, 1000pugs has contests, and Guardian tortured us by making Gus and me pose for photos to enter one of them.  We had to have some kind of cold weather gear on or near us, and that was about it. We’re supposed to look cute, warm, fuzzy and ridiculous.  One out of three ain't bad—you decide which one we are.  Still, we’re not fru-fru dogs, Gus and me, who like to be dressed up.  Between that and Guardian’s lousy picture-taking, we sort of look dorky—me more than Gus.  HE got to eat something, while I just had to sit and stare into Canon and hope that I didn’t see green dots for hours after each photo.

Here are the photos that Guardian entered.  

 

I think I look goofy, not ridiculous, but someone said I looked “sheek.”  Can a flat-faced dog ever look sheek??  Maybe it’s the hat?

And BTW, those things around my neck---Guardian wears them on her ears!

If you have a pug, hurry up and enter.  You’ve got to get it in by New Year’s Eve.  Just Google 1000pugs and you can read all about it.    Or, you can go to 1000pugs on Facebook to see all the entries.  There are some food prizes, too, but I think we ought to get some treats just for posing--wait, Gus did!  Hey Guardian--I'm one bone behind!

SPECIAL HOLIDAY DELIVERY

This is the season where the night is almost as bright as the day. There are lots and lots twinkling lights on the houses and bushes and windows and things. There are green shaggy things snaking up the light posts. Some posts have big red bows; some have twinkly things on them; and some round things Guardian told me are called wreaths.

 

                         And one lawn had this:

Guardian said the sign is a countdown to Christmas.  That’s kind of silly, doncha think?  Who doesn’t  know when Christmas happens?

HOORAY! NEW FOLLOWERS!

When I, the insanely cute Jazz, started this blog (with some help from Guardian), it was very, very lonely.  Guardian told me that people can follow a blog.  I’m not quite sure if those people are on a leash when they follow, but it would be nice to see that humans don’t always have to be in the lead.  So, welcome Stratoz and Margaret.  What’s that?  Oh Guardian wants me to tell you that Stratoz and Margaret are very creative and make amazing things called Mosaics and Stained Glass.  Since they came to visit here and decided to stay and follow, I think it’s only fair to plug something called “Nutmeg Designs” on someplace called “etsy.”  (Human language is so strange!)  Guardian says Nutmeg Designs had nothing to do with real nutmeg or anything to eat.  Darn!  I was hoping (and I bet Gus was, too) they’d give us some free homebaked goodies.

But then Guardian showed me this and said it was one Nutmeg Design: 

 Well, all is forgiven, Stratoz  (Guardian told me that this person’s real name is Wayne) and Margaret.  Now, all I have to do is put on my cutest pug mug

 

and tell Guardian, this is really something we should add to the stuff that is already in our house.  I mean, it IS Christmas, and well…this is the time to gift others, right?  So, tell Santa to bring that Jazz down the chimney soon.

ALL DECKED OUT

Gus and I love our deck.  It’s like a little fenced in play area with cushions to lie on and things to mouthe.  Guardian lets us out there and we find wonderful treats waiting for us.  Like these long sticks that we can chew and chew and chew on.  They are bully good!  They get all white and gooey—that’s when they taste the best!  And that’s why Guardian won’t let us take them in the house.

Our deck is up high with a railing we can look through.  Gus is very nosy (well, as nosy as a flat-faced dog can be) and if he sees anyone walking anywhere nearby, especially a dog or cat or kid or a piece of flying paper, he just has to sound off.   I’m much more discriminating about what gets my attention.  “Why make all that effort?” I think to myself.  But then I’m the elder, so I know things—like how to conserve your energy for the really important things.  Things like chasing a ball and chewing on it; things like playing with a squeaky toy.   You know—but that’s a subject for another day!

The other day, Guardian got all excited and ran outside on the deck with Canon.  She started taking pictures of the sky.  I didn’t think it was such a great deal, but she was just ooohing and ahhing and saying something about how gorgeous a polluted sky can look.  I thought pollution was a bad thing, but I guess sometimes it can make a beautiful sky.  See for yourself!

So, what do you think?  Who’s prettier—me or the polluted sky?

DANCIN’ DOGS

Well, I couldn’t let it go about Darby’s comment about Gus and me getting up on our hind legs and walking backwards.  In case, you didn’t realize it, Darby, we are actually DANCING!  Yeah, we don’t just stay up on our hind legs and walk backwards (yes, we do that, but…). In case you didn’t recognize it, it’s the Piggy Pug Two-Step.  We don’t do this just for fun, y’know.  We mainly dance for things that taste good.  

Our Guardian often tells us that the pug creator should have named the breed “Pigs” instead of Pugs.  I don’t know, maybe the person couldn’t spell.  Anyway, Guardian often treats us for “doing our job” on walks, and one day we just got up on those back legs to get closer to the food tidbits.  And it worked! Guardian thinks she trained us—hah!  Live on in delusion.  Gus and I really trained her, ‘cause Gus randomly stands on his hind legs and looks so adorable that she can’t resist rewarding him.  I’m really the adorable one, but sometimes I don’t even have to do the Piggy Pug Two-Step to get a treat when he does this. So I’ll give him the “adorable” just for this. 

We’ve also trained Guardian to treat us when other dogs bark. We look at her instead of those dogs who are saying rude things to us.  And Gus has this weird thing about truck and car engines.  He goes crazy when they are sitting there just idling. He starts going all barky-freaky, leaping around, and turning into a raving idiot.  So Guardian has been pretty successful about getting him to look at her now for treats instead of going puggy psycho.  He doesn’t even have to do the Piggy Puggy Two-Step.  And I get some organic dried beef liver bits just for being there.

DARBY SPEAKING HERE

I love Gus and Jazz. Especially Jazz because I have known her longer and also she made me famous by writing about me on the internet and now I have many fans.  When I am in my house and my Guardian says “Gus and Jazz” I start dancing around because I know I will see them soon. Then when we go outside I know how to get to their house and start running up the street. Even when we are not walking with them, if we pass by their house I look at it longingly.

Walking with Gus and Jazz is one of my very favorite things to do. They do neat tricks like standing on two legs and walking backwards. Their Guardian gives them treats and I keep trying to get one but they are always too fast. Their Guardian would give me one, but I have something called a “sensitive stomach” and am supposed to be careful what I eat.

Gus and Jazz are really lucky because they have short hair. Mine is long and leaves and stuff get stuck in it. When I get a leaf stuck to a foot I have to stop walking until my Guardian takes it out. She calls me “the Prince and the Pea”. I don’t know what that means but Gus and Jazz’s Guardian and my Guardian always laugh. It’s not really a laughing matter.

Gus and Jazz have lots of great sweaters and coats. I have only two coats but I can’t blame my Guardian. It’s hard to get coats for me. If my hair gets smushed down it gets all matted and hard to comb and then I complain. She is going to try to get me some boots for winter because I do not like my feet to touch snow.

One thing I love even more than seeing Gus and Jazz is going into their house. I get to sniff everything and maybe play with one of their toys. When we get close I drag my Guardian up to the door. I don’t get to go inside very often but I am forever hopeful.

OUR BUDDY, DARBY

Darby is a special little dog.  Guardian tells us he is rare.  He’s something called a “Havanese,” which is the national dog of Cuba.  Darby’s guardian says he is part of the “Beeshawn” family, whatever that is.

Darby is Gus’s age (5), and I’ve known him practically his whole life.  He used to be really shy around just about everybody, but he thinks Gus and I rock! He’s never been shy around us, that’s for sure.  Well, I don’t mean he plays rough and tumble like Gus and I do, but he comes right up to us and uses his pink tongue on our faces when we let him.  Whenever his Guardian takes him for a walk and then he sees us, he uses all of his 10 pounds to pull his Guardian to us.  She must be really weak, since she just about hangs on when he does this.

Used to be that Darby would hide behind his Guardian when strange people came up to him.  He’d be very selective about his friends (I think we’re his best friends!).  Now, though, he lets more people pet him and barks really loud when he sees certain dogs he doesn’t like.  He even takes on the big dogs now—well I mean he barks BIG at them! You wouldn't think such a loud noise can come from such a small dog.

We take lots of walks with Darby and his Guardian, round and round where we live.  My Guardian says it’s a pack walk, like Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer (which my Guardian always brags that she’s met him personally several times, even one-on-one before he got all insanely popular. All I know is that she left us for way too many days a year ago to go on something called "The Great Dog Adventure," where she had even more time to be around the Dog Whisperer.) Whatever.

I like being around Darby because then everyone thinks HE’S a girl dog!  You have to admit he's insanely cute, like a girl dog should be (ahem--ahem--like me, of course!).

MAN DOG CAVE

I have my own Man Dog Cave.  It’s where I feel safe. It’s where light can’t make my eyes hurt.  It’s firm and soft all the same time.  It’s awesome!

When Guardian first brought me here, I got put in this wire box.  The door was shut at night. I didn’t like that and my stomach got all funny.  I had to get rid of what was in there making me feel funny.  Guardian was sort of annoyed, but she got it that I didn’t need to be locked in the wire box.  So when Guardian finally left the door open, my tummy felt good, and I felt good.  That’s when the wire box became my Man Dog Cave.

Jazz doesn’t have a Girl Dog Cave.  She loves this big ball thing that she can almost get lost in.  She sometimes comes into my Man Dog Cave in the morning when Guardian gets up, but she never stays.  I think she’s envious, but she also comes in there to make sure I’m where I’m supposed to be.  Sometimes even we nap next to each other during the day (never in my Man Dog Cave), but she’s not gonna get my Man Dog Cave.  A guy has to draw the line somewhere.

What's an "iPad?"

My Guardian is really over-the-top about technology.  I mean, who needs 3 computers?  Then, there's something called an iPod (sounds like a vegetable to me), an iPhone (well, I know what a phone is at least), something I heard her call a "Touch" (I like that--touching, I mean), and now there's something called an "iPad."  This doesn't sit on a desk--it floats around the house--a lot. It takes lap space away from us.  I think it's something like a computer because when my Guardian is at a computer, I know I don't get attention, or food, or a walk for what seems like a long time.  And when she's looking at this iPad thing, Gus and I don't get attention or food or a walk for a loooooong time either. Does this happen in your house?  Please tell me this is normal--or not.  Sometimes I think our Guardian likes all these "i" things better than us!  Maybe I should call myself an "iPug."  Hmmmm...brilliant!

THERAPY PUGS

They love me (Jazz)!

I love to be cuddled.

Gus & I are registered therapy dogs. Not to be confused with those amazing service dogs that help people see and hear and get around.  Naw, we don't even want to be like that--too much work.  I know we are hunting dogs (well, we excel at hunting laps and food and probably toys), but we also like to lie around on soft things a lot.  At 5 and 8, Gus and I aren't exactly full of puppy energy anymore.  But we do like people, and a lot of lonely people in those places where lots of old people live brighten up when they see us.  That sure makes me happy!

Our guardian also takes us to a local library, where kids read to us. That's a lot of fun.  I love kids, especially girls.  When I was a tiny puppy, girls in the neighborhood used to carry me around a lot.  I get sort of in a "zone" when they would do that.  Even today, one thing I love best is to be held gently and cuddled. My guardian says I'm promiscuous (whatever that is) because I'll let anyone touch me.  Hello! I'm a pug!

 This is me being read to.

Here's Gus at  a Summer Reading Program

YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE

Oh Gus, you are so...uh...male!  You have no refinement when it comes to food.  I, too, love food, but I don't show it so blatantly.  You really have to subtle-up, Gus.

See? I can lie next to a Kong and ignore it.  Yeah, well, I am pretending for the camera (don't ask what happens after Canon is off), but you get more food from Guardian when you don't beg. Just look cute and sort of pathetic, but don't grovel. Try a trick, like your bow posture.

You could learn a lot from me, Gus.  Stay tuned...

MOLLY

Molly was my guardian's first pug.  She was top pug, then I came into the picture several years later and took over.  I told you that before.   When Molly was 11, she developed a terrible disease called degenerative myelopathy (like the worst form of MS for dogs).  She lost the use of her back legs, got fitted with a cart, and this pix is the last time she was able to be out and about at the pug meetup.  We had a great time there, especially Molly.  She told me she was happy to be able to "walk" more like a dog and loved that her cart allowed her to get around and sniff and be like the other pugs.  Even though she and I had had our "moments," I really watched out for her as that awful disease took away her mobility. I became HER therapy dog.   I was sad when she went over the Rainbow Bridge. Even my 'Cuz ball didn't appeal to me.

Gus and I might have our "moments," and I sound like I am sort of impatient with him.  But truth is, he became a great playmate when 3 months later he came to live with us.  But shhhhh...don't let him know that!

FOOD, FOOD, MORE FOOD!

I LOVE FOOD!  I'm told all pugs love food. That means there are other pugs who want MY food.  Uh-uh...don't even think about taking mine.  I've heard my Guardian say something like food possessive.  Guess that means "DON'T STEAL MY FOOD, OR WATCH OUT!"    Yeah, GRRRRRRR!!  But I'm not so likely to be mean--that's just not me.  I mostly just warn.

When I came to this house I was almost 2 years old (I'll be 5 October 23).  My former family had given me up.  I'd rather not talk about it, but here's what I will tell you:  I LOVE FOOD.  I love most male humans, especially ones in a car or truck.  I DON'T like mechanical noises, like lawn mowers, trash trucks, delivery trucks, & idling car engines.  I get so wild that sometimes Jazz tries to attack me to tell me to SHUT UP!  One day I was so upset over the noises that I attacked her back.  Guardian was really, really angry about that.  Yeah, I'm bigger, younger and have about 5 pounds on Jazz.  But she still bosses me around...she sometimes scares me.  But not as much as when my Guardian gets angry over my attacking Jazz.

Anybody have some FOOD handy??

Past Lives

Since you folks know nothing much about me except that I'm bossy and particular, thought I'd give you a history lesson.  I was born February 11, 2003.  Guardian came to where me and my siblings were so young that I don't really remember much.  But I was told I climbed into Guardian's lap and fell asleep.  So when I was able to really walk and see and run, she came back and took me away.  I came into a home that already had two other pugs, Molly and Satchmo.  Turns out Molly was my aunt, 'cuz her brother was my Dad.  Whatever.  Molly was top pug, but I stopped all that and relieved her of her duties. Guardian keeps saying that she's the alpha B****, and I guess she is.  I mean, she controls the food and water and walks, and the Tricky Treat Ball and the Kongs.  But we all know who really is the driving force behind her alpha-ism.  I mean, without ME who could she alpha around the house?!

I must admit, I'm pretty cute in this picture.  I also admit I left sleeping that way a LOOOONG time ago!

Hi Gus BOY pug here

Well, I can speak for myself. I'm Gus. I'm a boy pug--maybe missing a few parts, but I didn't need them. Jazz is really bossy, but I don't care.  I get most of my Guardian's lap time.  So be careful.  Jazz may try to boss you.  (Pssst...just make a scary clanking noise and she'll run away!)

JAZZ GIRL PUG

Hello there.  My  name is Jazz and I'm a girl pug.  I say that because everybody I meet thinks I'm a boy pug.  They take one look at my smooshed in face and think something like "Oh, that's not a girl-type face."  Well, that's ok because I am more opinionated than the boy pug, Gus, who shares my living space.

Anyway, we have a Guardian who is a human, and every now and then I'll let her speak directly to you.  But for now this is MY blog and you better get used to it.