A Year of Fostering ~ What I Have Learned

Wow! It is hard to believe that it has been a whole year since Mom and Dad started bringing these strange pugs into the house for random amounts of time. A whole year of fostering through Pug Rescue of New England.  At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about the whole idea. I mean, you guys know me. I am very fond of myself, and my life. I enjoy being the center of attention, and I merely tolerate Brigitte and Sluggo for what they can do for me. So, the idea of additional pugs, eating my food, sleeping in my bed, stealing the spotlight from time to time, wasn't all that appealing.

Reflecting back over the past year though, has made me realize that helping these pugs on one leg of their journey to be the star of their own lives isn't all that bad. In fact, it has been kind of enriching, and I may have even learned a thing or two along the way. 

I thought it would be nice to share some of the things that each of the 7 pugs that have stayed here at The Pug Rest Inn have taught me.

Let's start at the beginning with Frankie.

Frankie wasn't here long, but he was the first. Frankie taught me about hope. He taught me that even when you have been rejected by people, that you should never give up hope. Because it only means that there is another opportunity for happiness waiting right around the corner. Him coming into our home after being returned to PRoNE also taught me that Pug Rescue of New England will never give up hope either. They will keep on trying, no matter what it takes to make sure that every pug ends up exactly where they need to be.

That's where Frankie is now, exactly where he needed to be.

Next came TJ.

Oh boy, TJ. He had many lessons for us. The first thing I learned when TJ came to stay with us was that my Dad is very brave. Even though TJ had a very sad story, and Dad knew it would hurt him to know what kind of a life TJ had before coming here, he still made a commitment to help TJ without hesitation. I was very proud of Dad that day, and TJ was such a special guy, there was no way even I was  going to give him a hard time.

TJ taught me about resilience. He taught me that when you love someone, you stick by them all the way 'til the end. Even if sometimes that means you might not be number one. He taught me that sometimes people really need us, and that if we tough it out, our rewards will be great.

TJ also taught me something I have been learning for a while now. That even when our eyes can't see so good, we can use our other senses to help us along. If we follow our hearts, they will lead us home.

That is where TJ is. Home.

Next came Emma.

Emma taught me that sometimes change is good.

She was in a place where there were little kids. Little kids with maybe not the best manners around pugs. Little kids who were very busy. So one day, after one of these kids fell on her, she gave him a little chomp. She didn't really hurt him, but it was enough to let her grown up humans feel that maybe their house wasn't the best place for her.

Now when Emma came here, she was very well behaved, In fact, she was here for out East Coast Spring Fling, and she was like our own private security. Whenever anypug got too rowdy, there was Emma making sure everyone piped down. 

Emma got herself the perfect gig up in New Hampshire. Fresh clean air, lots of room to run around, great parents, and no kids. Good for you girlfriend!

Then there was Millie.

Millie taught me about trust.

We don't know a lot about Millee's life before she came to stay with us, besides the fact that a super nice lady took in her and her sister Ginny from a family that was moving. The nice lady held onto Ginny because  being an older gal, Ginny did not take too well to moving on from her former family. She didn't want her to have to go through that again.

When Millee first got here, she did not like men, at all. Even Dad. She barked and barked at him every time he came into the room. Other men too. Hated them. Best as we could tell, she must have know a man in her past who wasn't very nice.

It didn't take long for Millee to figure out that Dad was a pretty nice guy. After that, she met more and more men who treated her kindly, and before long, she was able to trust again. Now she has her very own Dad, who she loves very much. Millee has a great new family, and I could not be happier for her!

Now we come to Penny. Oh Penny P, the things you have taught me.

You all know Penny's story since I just shared it last week. You know she is a very complicated girl, but you know what? Penny lives life on her own terms. No apologies! She let me know that it is OK to be bad to the bone, but also share a very tender side with everyone you meet. She taught me that no matter what, you have to maintain your sense of humor, and to always keep 'em guessing. Penny has had to overcome a lot. In doing so, she has become a survivor. Nothing keeps her down.

Penny's philosophy...what's mine is mine, and what's yours in mine too! Don't step to me!

Somehow, she gets away with it. As a true diva myself, I have to respect that.

Penny taught me that even though I thought that I only needed me, I really do need Brigitte and Sluggo to make our pug family complete.

Now our current fosters (that's foster with an s), Maggie and Zoro. Their lesson plan is not quite complete. 

I can tell you one thing that I have already learned about from their first parents.

Selflessness.

Maggie and Zoro are a pair of pugs who have always known love, kind of like me. They are very lucky in that respect. Their parents love them so much in fact, that they have made the ultimate sacrifice of letting them go. They have entrusted them to Pug Rescue of New England, and us, to ensure that their lives get back to how they used to be before stuff got so hectic. Magie and Zoro need to do all the fun things pugs love to do. Go out and meet other pugs. Travel to different places, meet new people. Go on long walks with all kinds of interesting smells and sights, and most importantly have their people around as much as possible. Maggie and Zoro love people, and they love life.

This is a responsibility that I take very seriously. So I am making sure that Mom goes over their applications with me too. After all, who else knows how to ensure that somepuggy lives the glamorous life than me? 

I can identify a proper pug person from a mile away. Just don't let me get any closer or I might pee on their shoe. Right Dad?

 So, it seems I have learned quite a bit in the past year, and here I thought I knew everything. I guess I will continue to sanction this fostering business. Who knows what new wisdom lies ahead for me.

Maybe I should implement a new Wednesday Words of Wisdom. Wilma's fosters words of wisdom. Hmmmmm.....Mom!!!!!!

Pupdate on the New Guys

Maggie and Zoro have been here a week. So far, they are doing pretty good. I mean, after the whirlwind tour of Penny P, we were pretty much ready for anything! 

We've never had a pair of guests here at the Pug Rest Inn, so that part is definitely new. These two are definitely down with each other. I mean, they like to pal around with us too, especially Zoro. He tends to like to make his way around and lay with each of us for a little while every day. 

Me and Zoro

Sluggo and Zoro

Brigitte and Zoro

Maggie and Zoro 

Even Maggie is a good snuggler.

These are quality traits to possess, especially as the days are getting cooler. So for that, I will keep them around!

Overall, they have been pretty well behaved for house guests. We are all getting to know each other. One thing I learned this week, is that when a pair comes in, it is probably best not to start in on them, as they tend to have one another's backs. So that point has been dually noted, especially by Brigitte, if you know what I mean.

Today was a fun day. We all got in the car and went down to the beach. Mom and Dad said we are taking a big ride tomorrow, and they wanted to take a test run with all five of us before they had to take us in front of seasoned pug wranglers.

We were pretty good. Don't tell them, but we are lulling them into a false sense of security. We reserve the right to go totally hog wild tomorrow if we fee the need, just to clarify.

It was a great day at the beach, and if I am being honest, we are all pooped out. So we will have to rest well tonight to make sure we have plenty of energy for tomorrows festivities. I wonder where they are taking us?

Maggie and Zoro checking out the CT beaches.

Brigitte and I, the old salts that we are were talking to the local fishermen.

It looks like where ever we are going tomorrow it will be blog worthy, so hopefully mom will continue the trend of helping me get the word of all of my adventures out to my peeps. I know you have been missing me.

Penny Penny P, It's Your Girl Penny P

It's been a long time coming, but we are finally ready to tell you about our most complex foster to date!

Penny came to us from a wonderful couple who had taken her in after her Mom was diagnosed with Dementia. She was clearly always loved, but she had certainly had some instability in her life most recently. There was a pug in the home of the folks who took her in, and Penny and her did not get along. At all. Whatsoever. I mean the fur was flying over there!

So Penny's rescuers made the heart wrenching decision to surrender her in love to PRoNE.

We took on Penny, not really knowing who was the instigator in her former living situation. With me as HBIC, and Brigitte not putting up with any nonsense from anyone, there was no telling how things would pan out.

She must have known she had to win us over quick, because she took a running leap straight into Mom and Dad's hearts!

Those soulful eyes and that snaggletooth didn't hurt.

Not long after she arrived, Penny got sick. Really sick, with pneumonia.

It was very scary.  Mom and Dad along with the folks at PRoNE and her interim parents, even us pugs, were very worried about her.

It took her a while to fully recover, but she did start feeling better. It probably had a lot to do with the awesome food plan and accommodations here at the Pug Rest Inn.

Penny is a real clown. She has a huge personality, and she loves to be around people.

One of the things that makes her happiest is going to bed. Seems silly right? Well, Penny doesn't exactly go to sleep when she goes to bed. She likes to leap and flop around the bed like a damn puppy! You would think someone gave her Angus beef!

As she became more comfortable, Penny started giving all of us, pugs and people alike, a run for the money. Penny P started acting like a boss! She used to like to jump up on the couch pretty much anytime someone was home to let them know that they had better get over there and sit with her. She demanded head scritches, by just rubbing her head on any available hand. If you stopped? Fuggetabout it!!

Didn't matter though, that imp really had a charm about her.

While she was here, our former foster TJ came to stay for a few days. You remember TJ.

It was great to see him! He is doing so great!

Something changed though after TJ came. The apple cart had been upset, and even though she had shown a sassy side before, Penny decided that she did not like Brigitte, and she was going to take her out! We already knew they Penny would probably be best as a single pug, the rescue was looking into placing her in a family with a submissive boy pug, and it seemed like that might work, but they have now thought better of it. With all of the stress and change she had been through, Penny just couldn't handle not knowing her place in the pack. It was time to throw paws.

She went all Sleestak on Brigitte's a**

It was a very scary time, and a very sad one for Mom and Dad. The slightest potential that harm may come to any of the pugs in the house, had to be considered, and it was determined by everyone involved, that Penny needed to stay somewhere else until her forever home was found. So we said farewell.

Things returned to normal once Sluggo did his best to mend up Mom and Dad's hearts (he is the social worker of the group).

But unbeknownst to us, that was not the last we would hear from Penny. A couple of weeks later, Mom went away for the weekend with Sluggo and her friends. Apparently, since Brigitte wasn't going along for the trip, and Mom would be driving right past Penny's new place, and she missed Penny very much, and Penny was making quite a splash in her new foster home, she thought it would be a good idea to pick Penny up and take her on a big Boston weekend!!! (Mom thinks I forgot, and will not be exacting revenge for such an egregious crime against moi. She is wrong)

Here are a few of the shots I took off of her camera...

There's that stinky a** toy of hers.

Well, to make a long story short, there were some kind of complications surrounding dropping Penny back off. Next thing I know....She's baaaaaaaack!

The plan was to be very careful about keeping dibs on Penny, separating her from everyone when there were any kind of high value items around, and to return her the following week when Mom and Dad were going back to Boston. 

It pretty much worked. Since we are all in one piece, and Penny is back in her current foster/we hope foster fail home.

This was a long post, I know. But Penny's is a long story, and she is still on her journey to discover where she will ultimately land. She still needs to be cleared for a much needed dental. So be sure and go back and peruse the pictures, because that endearing little snaggletooth will probably have to go. We will keep you posted on what happens with Penny.

In the meantime, enjoy this little video compilation of Penny's stay with us.

http://youtu.be/xTup2dwgRek

It's That Time of Year Again

The time of year when Mom starts getting crazy notions about dressing us up in some kind of get up and marching us down the street in the Park Road Parade!

I really don't mind, because we get to see lots of people and pugs, and everyone fawns all over us. As they should. I am going to share pictures of us from yesterday's parade, but that was not the end of our eventful day. I will save that for later!

When we first arrived, we met Bella and Wally. Bella is just a little spitfire at 2 years old. Wally made fast friends with Brigitte so that he could share her wagon.

Then it was off to meet up with everyone dressed as, you guessed it, minions.

Which is really quite ironic, since...well, I don't need to explain to you guys.

There was a pretty butterfly,

and a very festive pug.

There were a couple of cows, and a gentleman in a tie.

There was Pooh, and Eeyore, a monkey and a fish, but lets face it folks, the main attraction was us! The minions.

Sluggo made himself a girlfriend, while I checked out the float. 

Brigitte reluctantly rode on the float, due to her lame leg and such. (It ain't easy getting old)

But I just had to be down with my people.

Some kid tried to take Brigitte for a ride!

We won the costume contest!!! That means Mom and Dad will get us prime rib from the Corner Pug with the prize money!

It was a great morning, and we were pooped on the way home.

We figured it would be a day of resting on our laurels, so imaging our surprise when Mom left and came back a little later with these two!!!

No, you are not seeing double. We now have 2 guests at The Pug Rest Inn.

Meet Zoro and Maggie.

 They are a bonded pair of pugs ages 7 and 5. We are still getting to know them. They are quite attractive, and sweet too. I don't think it will be long before there is a a vacancy sign up again.

So, you guys don't even know about Penny, which is so wrong on many levels. I am going to force Mom (I have my ways) to write a post about her next.

My Chewy Review

Hi friends! A few weeks ago, we heard from our friends over at Chewy.com. They were looking for members of their blogger program to do a review for one of the many tasty products they carry.

Some of you may remember that we have been using Chewy.com for about a year now. Ever since we reviewd the site last Summer. They bring us our delicious Honest Kitchen Preference base mix whenever we start running low. It's like magic!

 I was all over checking out some new treats, so I took a look at the options with Mom.

I chose Orijen Alberta Wild Boar variety.

Let me tell you, they couldn't have come at a better time. Mom had been giving us dried pineapple chunks for treats. I mean, they are OK, but these freeze dried chunks of deliciousness are unbelievably scrumptious!!!

They are so tasty in fact, I started running back outside after getting one for doing my business, so I could get another when I came back in.

What's great about them is there is only one ingredient. That is good for Sluggo because he has such a sensitive little belly. The other thing is that these boar lived good lives out on the free range. 

Brigitte had her dental not long after we received the bag of treats. I was psyched because I figured more for me, since she could only have soft food. I was wrong. Mom just easily crushed them op small for her, and Brigitte got some too. 

The only thing wrong with these treats is that they are all gone. I am going to have Mom start adding them to our Chewy.com auto ship order, so we never run out!

Stay tuned, there is a very special Birthday coming up this week!