Tag Archives: dogs

June 26, 2016 · 1:11 pm

Pug Houseguest

Apologies for our quietude over the past two weeks. I have been off on a couple of weekend quests to raise money for the hospital that helped Lola P’s angel grandma (more on those at the bottom of the post), so my computer time has been limited until now.

Lucky Lola P got to stay with her friends, The Fuppies, while I was away, and BOY, were they happy to see her! And I’m so happy that Lola’s Auntie Evelyn took so many photos to share.

Lola waited for me for a while by the front door of her temporary home…worried that she had been abandoned at Griffy Manor forever…

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She was so sad that Murphy came over to try to console her. Nice photobomb, Leo!

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And it wasn’t long before the promise of a lush lawn and some hardcore snuffling took over, and Lola P’s sadness was almost completely forgotten.

Murphy loves Lola SO MUCH…alas, it is very definitely an unrequited situation.

Admitting defeat, but still sitting by her BFF.

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By the time dinner rolled around, Lola was not only feeling at home, she was leading the Evening Vittles Brigade.

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And when I saw THIS photo, I knew that Lola P would never be coming back to her little tv-less apartment. Because…what is better than TV in bed???

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So everyone ends up happy, in the end.

And I apparently now have to start saving up for a giant, flat-screen tv. And cable.

Now that our schedule is a little bit more back to normal around Casa Lola, I think it’s time to start in on our summer adventures, don’t you? Oh, the sunshine and fun that awaits us!

 

NON-PUG STUFF!

Every year for almost a decade now, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, in Toronto, holds the Ride to Conquer Cancer – a 200+km ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls to benefit the cancer research and treatments that the hospital offers. I also participate in the Journey to Conquer Cancer – a 1k, 3k, or 5k Walk/Run that allows families and the slightly less athletically inclined to participate. I ride and walk to support the Head and Neck Cancer team, because they basically became family over the years, and they really are amazing. If you’re a cyclist, it’s a fantastic ride to be a part of – consider participating in 2017!

BUT WAIT! I saw two pugs on the ride route who were cheering us on, so I just HAD to stop and say HI to them. I STOP FOR PUGS!

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June 5, 2016 · 9:01 am

The Summer of NOPE.

Every hot and humid day is a Day of NOPE here at Casa Lola (for both of us, if I’m being honest), but this summer is turning out to be particularly hilarious. Well, for me, at least.

As Lola P gets older, she has wisely decided to not put up with the BS anymore, and she really is hitting her stride this year.

Time to go for a walk?

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NOPE.

Come on. Just a little walk?

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NOPE.

We might meet some friendly dogs and their people!

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NOPE.

Puppy kisses?

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NOPE.

Life-sustaining filtered and chilled water?

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NOPE.

Well, I can see how this summer is going to play out.

At least I’ll be laughing a lot while we sit doing nothing.

Hm. Maybe she’s onto something, actually….

Have a great week ahead, Possums! Stay cool and see you next Sunday!

 

 

 

 

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May 29, 2016 · 9:03 am

A Pug and Her Stinkle (A Trip to the Dermatologist)

You might recall that we visited Lola’s vet a while back to get to the bottom of her overpowering stink mouth. Now, pug dentals aren’t something I take lightly, so we wanted to rule out all other possibilities before she went in for a cleaning.

Lola Pug has what I refer to as a “stinkle” (stinky wrinkle), so Deji and I thought it best to send HRH to see the dermatologist about resolving her clam face issues (not something I talk about much, because HRH is rather sensitive about it) *before* we talked dental.

I mean – if the hot clam boat smell is really her face and not her mouth, the dental would be an unnecessary risk, right?

So off to the specialist we went!

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Have you ever seen a little pug so happy to be at the vet’s?

I really am the luckiest pug mama ever. And it’s not as if this is our first time at the vet specialist rodeo. I mean…look at the size of that file…

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Lola P has WAY more specialists on her payroll than most people do. Certainly more than I do, at least.

Our dermatologist proved to be a wonderful guy, and after a little bit of poking and prodding of the pug’s face and talking about “growing things in a lab” (another pug, please!), we found ourselves waiting to be discharged.

The waiting room is always an exciting place to be – it inspires me and makes me sad, at the same time.

This beautiful guy is a 14-year old Pibble who was in for a chemo session. A sweeter dog you will never meet, and he was raring to get back into the treatment area so he could see all of his human friends at the clinic.

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Of course, Lola P, being the social butterfly that she is, can’t go anywhere without seeing someone she knows, and who happened to be coming out of surgery that day, but her little friend, Sadie.

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Sadie has just had surgery on her larynx and nose, and her recovery is going to be on the longer side, so please go and wish her well on her Instagram page here!

We were handed a bag of various stinkle medications, and we were on our way back home, where Lola P could *finally* eat her lunch and catch up on her sleep after a very busy afternoon.

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Updates to come on the little clamboat and her stinkle. We get to find out what the “lab” has been “growing” next week, so if it’s anything even remotely exciting, I’ll keep you posted.

Until next week, stay cool, stay hydrated, and stay unstinky!

 

 

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May 22, 2016 · 8:34 am

Day 7: Pug In Nature Photography Challenge

Just as I was really starting to have some fun!

The FINAL DAY of the Challenge, and I am SO SAD that it’s over. Or is it???

Lola Pug and I have a LOT of adventures together, and I’m really grateful that you read along and share some of them with us.

Today, to mark the end of the challenge, one of my favourite shots from an adventure out where they grow them mountains big and all pretty like, and where sometimes the tides go out REALLLLLY low, and mama drags HRH out to have some “fun” for a little while.

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Because I don’t want this to end, I’m passing this challenge along. If you choose to do it, OMP, what fun it will be. If not, totally cool beans. No sweat. And make it your own challenge!

We challenge our friends: the wonderful Southern Fried Pugs, the gorgeous Ruby the Airedale,  Yoshi, Not Sophie, and overall funky faerie, Cat, and finally, Hailey and Zaphod.

Until then – we will see you again in a week with a fresh new adventure to share!

 

 

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May 1, 2016 · 8:03 am

Pug Dental Check Up

LP’s mouth has been smelling like the end of the world recently, so I packed her up and brought her to see her beloved vet, Uncle Deji, to see if he could figure out what was going on in her little Pacman mouth.

Lola adores her Uncle D, but she has never been a big fan of kisses, so of course, we smother her with them when she arrives.*

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Can you feel the love?

Wait. There’s video, too!

After the kissing nightmare was over (all 11 seconds of it), Dr. Deji turned his attentions to someone’s mouth.

One of the many amazing things about pugs is that they have such soft and flappy lips…that are amazingly strong and turn into Fort Knox when you try to lift them up to get a gander at the teeth underneath them.

Well.

We had limited success on both sides. The tooth mystery still lingers (like someone’s breath). So we stood and chatted about options while Lola P found a comfy spot to sort out the events that had just transpired.

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It’s all okay. She got lots of recovery time from the horrors of the kisses and the tooth exam (there might also have been a thermometer inserted into a more delicate place), but she received lots of treats, praise, and love…

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…and eventually she forgave us for the indignities that come along with ensuring a healthy and happy long life. A price we all must pay, I might add.

And so the saga continues.

 

*There’s been a lot of talk recently over whether dogs “like hugs” or not, which in one way has been a great way to make folks more aware of the many nuances of dog body language, and in another way, it’s been kind of headshake inducing. I mean how does everyone not understand already that dogs (and all animals) are individuals with personal likes, dislikes, and moods. And NO ONE likes being forcibly restrained in close quarters, right? I guess the obvious isn’t always so obvious to everyone.

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April 24, 2016 · 8:44 am

Belated Pug Birthday!

I carry all of the blame for this.

Lola P’s birthday was back in March, just before I started blogging again, and I realised only this week that I hadn’t posted ANY of the photos, and oh my god, how terrible, because they still make me laugh.

A true diva such as Lola Pug requires a bit of a splash on her birthday (11 years, dears – where has the time gone?!?), so the menus were planned, the (two) guests were invited, the party hats were unearthed, and the celebrations BEGAN!

Well. The photobooth was set up, is what I mean to say.

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Lola P is really *such* a pro.

The crazy and overwhelming joy felt in the photobooth was only amplified when the Fuppies came over and joined the party.

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Can you feel it?

Can you feel the love and joy and complete celebration?

I throw such amazing pug parties.

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Happy belated birthday, my little Bean.

I love you more than I ever thought possible.

And boy, do you ever look fetching in pink.

 

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June 14, 2015 · 8:46 am

Diabetes Pug

We have been BUSY here at Casa Lola over the past few weeks, so let’s start by filling you in on our most recent adventure, shall we?

I woke Lola Pug up the other day to tell her the exciting news that we were about to have a house guest.

Lola Pug loves house guests.*

*Lola Pug: This is entirely untrue. The human lies terribly.

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We have been hosting and having play dates with Nelly going on nine years now, so these two are not only sisters from the same mister, but they are also old friends.

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Both Lola Pug and Nelly are getting higher up on the pug seniority list, and age typically brings health developments along for the ride. We noticed a while ago that Nelly was starting to act “not herself”, so her people whisked her off to the pug doctor, and they did so not a moment too soon. Nelly was diagnosed with diabetes!

So along with her food and bed and a favourite toy, Nelly came bearing these new accessories…

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Now, I am *that* person who needs to look away when I get a blood test or a vaccination. When I was a kid, it once took three nurses to hold me down for my annual blood test. (not my proudest moment) But now that I’m slightly more grown up, I think of happy places and chocolate and baby pugs, and I usually make it through with minimal embarrassment.

Needless to say, I saw this new development in Nelly’s care as a long overdue challenge that it was time I faced head on. It was the perfect opportunity to overcome a silly phobia, and the chance to do it for love.

And you know what?

It was NBD, as the kids say.

After a tutorial by Nelly’s humans, as well as many discussions with friends whose dogs have diabetes, I was ready for action. And I had a schedule. I always need a schedule.

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Turning the vial gently 10 times to mix the insulin so that I don’t create any bubbles…needle in…drawing out… just like I’ve seen it done a million times by people much smarter than me.

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I was definitely more nervous than Nells was when her appointed insulin hour came around.

In fact…

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…she was pretty darned excited about what was about to happen.

Why would anyone be excited about getting a needle, you ask?

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…because giving an insulin shot the right way means getting a second dinner, in Nelly’s world.

A little jab with the thinnest of needles in the squooshiest part of Nelly’s ample neck folds was nothing to her. And it was pretty quickly no big deal to me, as well.

It didn’t take long for the girls to gang up on me and start to demand some evening entertainment.

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So now that I’ve earned my Junior Pug lab coat, I guess it’s time for me to put on my adventure cap and get us outside, right?

The most amazing thing about this really simple diabetes treatment is that Nelly is doing SO well. In fact, I haven’t seen her this playful and happy in years.

So, alright, little ones. I’ll get me adventurers hat on and see what I can conjure up for you. To be continued next Sunday!

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April 26, 2015 · 8:31 am

Little Dog Party

Lola Pug and I have been pretty quiet for the past few weeks. Spring is trying it’s best to …spring… this year… Oh, that’s not true. It’s not trying at all. Life has been pretty grey and cool and wet around Casa Lola. Very uninspiring and kinda depressing, to be honest.

In my continually vain attempt to keep HRH amused, I thought she might enjoy a visit to see her Griffy friends (aka The Fuppies). Well, it turned out that The Fuppies were already having a casual party, of sorts, so the more the merrier!

Well. I guess that depends on what your idea of “merry” is.

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Little Murphy – always in love with Lola Pug, even though the feelings have never been even remotely returned – sat watching the craziness with her pug friend for a while.

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Everyone was having a whale of a time on the other sofa. So much so, that the humans decided it would be great to get all of the canines present together for a photo.

Let me introduce you to The Little Dog Gang… Leo, the Shih Tzu, Barkley, the Cutiepie, you know Murphy and Bosco, the Brussels Griffons, of course, and who is that in between the Griffies there? You see her – the really happy looking one…

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I would like to think that Lola Pug simply loves to look at the camera, but I’m pretty sure that’s not quite what was happening here.

In fact, I think I might be making up for this transgression for quite some time to come.

Lola Pug. At a party. For DOGS!?!

Better go and read my Pug Parent Manual again.

In the meantime – COME ON, SPRING! I mean – really. If I don’t get some good adventures lined up for HRH, I’m going to be in some SERIOUS trouble pretty soon!

Until next week!

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February 15, 2015 · 8:36 am

Florida Pug

So have you had time to take a guess at what Lola Pug got up to on her exciting trip to the land of palm trees and manatees?

When we last left her, HRH was rather happily soaking up some much needed vitamin D…

 

…but it wasn’t ALL about sunshine and relaxing.

Lola Pug was active and sprightly…

 

…she moved around the pool like a sunflower capturing the optimal sunshine angles…

 

…she went for exciting walks that involved a lot of exercise…

 

…she entertained friends and listened to what were clearly some thrilling discussions…

 

All in all, I think I had a very happy pug on my hands.

  

But even the best of things must come to an end. I broke the news to Lola Pug gently, just as her Auntie was giving her a post-yogurt skritch…

 

It’s time to go home, sweetie.

Our visit was short, but it was just what we needed to recharge our batteries and feel a bit of warmth on our skin before returning to the long winter ahead.

Bye bye, beautiful ocean and beaches and sunshine…

 

…and hello winter.

You might be cold and frosty, dear city, but it warms my heart to see you again.

 

I might be the only one who feels that way, though.

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So I guess I had better get my thinking cap on and line up some new adventures before someone cries mutiny, and teaches herself how to book her own flights.

Wishing everyone in the North American snowbelt many warm, palm tree dreams this frosty weekend!

Now, little pug. What are we going to get up to next….

 

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February 8, 2015 · 10:03 am

Jet Set Pug

When last we left you, The Pug and I were leaving our dear friends on Bowen Island, British Columbia, and hurtling back through the air to Casa Lola.

 

But we weren’t headed home to rest. Nope. Not *quite* yet.

No sooner had we opened our front door and emptied our suitcases than we packed up again and headed straight back to the airport.

Where to this time, Pug?

 

Lola Pug really wasn’t impressed with my insistence that we embrace the jet-setting lifestyle, but she soon changed her mind when we landed at our next destination.

 

After a quick watering of the flowers, a certain someone ran out to her favourite spot in the entire state…

 

…and staked her claim on the spot that I suspected she would basically remain in for the duration of our trip.

 

Hey, no judgment here, Pug.

In fact, I’d advise you to soak up those winter rays as much as you can. We have a lot of winter left, and we have to grab our sunshine when we can!

 

We both proceeded to take a good, long nap, and got ourselves rested up for the week that lay ahead in this magical winter land of palm trees, geckos and sunshine.

Our adventures down south continue next week! Can you guess what we got up to on this trip?

 

 

 

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