Tag Archives: pugs

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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March 22, 2015 · 9:39 am

Birthday Girl Lola Pug

Ten years ago, a very special pug was born. This scampy, feisty, opinionated little girl would change my life in all sorts of wonderful ways, so it was not even a question that we would celebrate her 10th birthday in a memorable way.

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I promised The Bean a few things on her birthday…we would go to visit as many of her favourite people as we could, I would not open my laptop all day (cellphone didn”t count – I had to take photos!), and I wouldn’t touch her with my feet while we were cuddled on the sofa that night (she hates it when I do that).

The morning started with Birthday wishes from far away friends…

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…which she seemed to appreciate….

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We received a VERY special message from her friends in Illinois, Donald and Daisy. Daisy was clearly *deeply* impressed with the whole birthday wish idea.

After a little breakfast and a short constitutional, we trekked to the other side of the city to visit some dear friends who we haven’t seen in ages…and who also happen to make some of the most adorable and delicious cookies we’ve ever seen.

Not only was Lola Pug positively showered with love by the amazing team at Mad Batter Bakers, but she has her very own, personalised Lola Pug cookies now!

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Lola Pug was truly made to feel like the star that she is, but the Mad Batter team had cookies to make, and we had deliveries to set out on, so we had to tear ourselves away. But don’t worry – we’ll get back to the cookies in a little bit.

Our first stop on our way home was to visit Lola Pug’s amazing health care team and her beloved Uncle Deji.

She loves going to see them (so weird, but I’m thrilled), so we *had* to stop by for a quick celebration of treats and a rousing serenade of the Happy Birthday song.

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Lola’s Uncle Deji has eagle eyes, and he quickly spotted the personalised tag on the Lola Pug cookies.

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We left the team happily munching on the best soft gingerbread in the city, and we headed home to take a bit of a nap after a busy morning.

But first, we must take a closer look at these amazing cookies…

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I’d say the resemblance is uncanny. But Lola Pug’s belly can’t handle cookies, so she was sadly denied.

And before you say, “But I could never eat such a cute cookie!”, trust me when I say that you’d be missing out on a whole lot of baking goodness if you didn’t eat the cookie.

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I know. It’s unfair to talk about all of this deliciousness and not let you have any, Bean.

We settled in for a nap, and rested up for our next, big birthday day.

What? You think ONE DAY is enough time to celebrate with all of our best friends?

Wait until you see who we’re going to visit NEXT!

But first, we nap. …and maybe eat some cookies. I *might* have brought a bag (or three) of extra gingerbread home from the bakery, just to make sure I don’t eat all of the pug cookies we have for our human friends.

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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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January 25, 2015 · 8:36 am

Bedstede Pugs on Bowen Island

To mark Lola Pug’s final full day on Bowen Island (at least on this trip), we took the pugs on a lovely, chilly beach walk, then bundled them up into the car to get a few provisions in town before heading home to warm up.

 

Never one to be outwardly impressed with much of anything, Lola Pug really takes all of her adventures in stride.

A quick stop off at my new favourite place on the Island…

 

…and we were all ready to head home. Even Miss Roxy was pining for a nap.

 

And I do think that Lola Pug was dreaming of warmer, drier places as she watched the goings on.

 

Now, Roxy’s people have something very special in their home that is a *perfect* way to warm up and relax after a winter adventure, and I couldn’t wait to get back to the house to try it out.

In our last post, I asked how YOU like to warm up, and both Hailey and Zaphod and our Southern Fried Pugs friends said that warming up by a fire (with bonus marshmallows) are their favourite things to do…but at Hacienda RoxSea, there is this amazing little nook that I had been ACHING to jump into.

This thing on the left isn’t a painting on the wall…and it’s not exactly a room….

 

…it’s an honest to goodness sleeping nook!

Bedstedes are Dutch, and I think they might just be the best thing I’ve ever seen in a house. THANK YOU, NETHERLANDS!

The pugs wholeheartedly agreed with me. Although that kind of makes sense, as it was the Dutch who first brought pugs over to Europe, and…wait…were bedstedes made specifically FOR cuddling with pugs? Or maybe just for pugs, themselves.

 

They might well have been, because Lola wasn’t too thrilled at the prospect of me invading her private mattress room.

 

With a little bit of rearranging, and the addition of a blanket along with the lovely Roxy…

 

…and maybe a little bit of wool for me to play with, we all settled in for a most excellent coze.

 

The lure of the cozy bedstede is so powerful, that Roxy’s Dad decided to join us, and we had a glorious time reading books, cuddling the pugs, chatting away and warming up.

Well. Some of us had a glorious time.

 

Oh, Lola, sharing isn’t *that* miserable, is it?

I have an awful lot to live up to now, as I believe I will now be expected to construct a bedstede at Casa Lola on our return. But only big enough for *one* pug, right, Lola Bean?

But we have a few more adventures to go on before we can rest at home, little one.

Stay tuned – The Pug is on the move!

 

 

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January 18, 2015 · 8:36 am

Bowen Island Pugs in the Wild

Time to wake up, pugs!

With a good sleep under our belts, we decided to go on a little trek to let Roxy show Lola Pug the wonders of her new Island home.

…but first we had to convince Roxy to get out of bed.

 

With a little bit of sweet talk, we all made it to the car, and we made our way to another nearby beach. Island living means lots of beaches!

We’re all bundled in, Commander Roxy! Take us away on an adventure, please!

 

As everyone who lives with pugs knows, no adventure can begin until we have fully investigated the foliage and landscape…and perhaps peed a little bit here and there…

 

It was a short wooded hike to our destination look out point, and I dare say, Lola Pug was deeply involved in appreciating the sights and smells.

 

 

 

Lola Pug hung out near us, but Roxy was a bit more adventurous.

Hey! Roxy! Come on back, baby!

 

We’re headed down to the beach!

 

As Roxy headed down to the beach (or was she still looking for hot dogs?), Lola took a moment to pose all adorable-like on the edge of the hill.

 

…and then down to the beach we went.

 

Roxy and her people found lots of things to sniff and investigate, and they generously helped Lola discover the wonders of Bowen Island.

 

Rocks and seaweed and empty creature shells…

…and living oysters!

 

How cool is THAT, little Pug? We’re going to leave this one alone to let him grow a bit more.

With a little bit more rock scrabbling and snuffling at seaweed and ocean life, we decided that warm and cozy sounded really good, so we called the bold adventurers back to reluctantly wander in from the ocean.

 

My bones were chilled, and I had something else in mind to follow up our morning adventures.

Hey, Pug! You ready to head out?

 

I’d say that’s a vaguely skeptical response, but that’s only because she doesn’t know what we have in store for her next.

What do YOU think is the best way to follow up a chilly beach adventure on the ocean?

We’ll let you know our choice in the next blog post!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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January 11, 2015 · 9:54 am

Bowen Island Pug

Lola Pug has high expectations of her mama, and venturing to the other side of the country simply isn’t enough to keep her interested and happy, so when we got an invitation to travel *slightly* further abroad, we jumped on it.

Well. We jumped on a ferry, to be more precise.

 

After a short hop across a calm, cold, stretch of ocean, we found ourselves on a gorgeous little enclave of an island, and on a welcoming and happy doorstep.

Hey, Lola…Welcome to Bowen Island!

Turn around, honey…who is that coming out to greet you?

 

With a sniff, a happy bum wiggle, and a few little kisses, Roxy welcomed us to her new and beyond beautiful home.

 

It was as if the two best friends had never been apart.

Without any delay, we all piled into the car to catch the sunset from the local beach.

We arrived just as the heartiest of the locals were wrapping up the annual Island Polar Bear Dip, so we were gratefully able to warm ourselves by the remnants of their bonfire.

 

Well. Lola Pug and I warmed ourselves. Roxy kept herself warm by busily scrounging around the beach for leftover hot dog motes.

Busted, babe.

 

The sun started to set, and all was well with the world.

 

It was suddenly quite easy to understand why Roxy and her people had succumbed to the siren call of island life.

 

We bundled ourselves up and headed back to the house to warm ourselves by another fire to get the cold ocean air out of our bones. But not before a look back at a gorgeous end to a happy day of travel and reuniting with dear friends.

 

Bowen Island, it’s a pleasure to meet you!

Now. Time to warm up and rest up for our ongoing adventures.

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January 4, 2015 · 6:24 am

Pug New Year Adventures!

Wow, what a year 2014 was for us at Casa Lola.

Lola Pug and I both needed a good, long break over the holidays, and with the little one finally getting medical clearance to fly again, we have friends and family and far away places on our minds.

Up into the air we go, and off to a place that Lola and I both know well and love to visit…

 

…someone is never impressed with the weather out here, though….

 

Yah, honey – it rains here. A lot. But we flew such a long way, and we need to go outside in order to see our friends!

 

We finally got out and about, but a certain someone *clearly* wasn’t very impressed with me – or with our first destination.

 

But we didn’t come out all this way just to walk by ourselves! I clearly needed to get our social plans in gear before HRH called a mutiny on my butt, so it was time to call in the Big Guns.

We have so many very dear friends out this way, but the first chap on our visiting list was our long time friend, Sir Winston Wilbur…

 

…and his amazing little brother, Sam Cooper.

 

The dog park we went to is a busy one, and we always seem to meet new friends to hang out with. Jazz here joined us with some leftover Christmas spirit to share….

 

His little brother, Blue, took the holiday spirit a whole step further with his hilarious reindeer coat. Blue has magical powers, apparently, as the usual boss of all dogs in the park, Sam Cooper, fell in LOVE with him. Sam Cooper basically turned all of his attention to this little face instead of chasing the bigger dogs around.

 

The weather really was entirely trying to give us pneumonia, and Lola Pug and I have slightly thinner blood than the folks out here, so the coastal cold chills us a bit deeper. We had a quick run around and catch up and then bundled the boys into their chariot.

 

Lola and I bundled our shivering selves up and headed back to the car where we could crank the heat up and then head home to get ready for our next adventures.

 

…and adventures we are having.

We can hardly wait to share them with you, so don’t go too far!

The Pug is taking 2015 by storm, so watch out friends and family – you’re on our visit list this year!

 

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December 21, 2014 · 6:24 am

Pug Claus 2014

Lola Pug and I are BIG fans of Christmas, so around this time of year, we absolutely MUST head down to meet Mr. Claus, himself, when he comes into town.

Fortunately for us, Santa has a soft spot for rescue dogs, so he made a special visit this year to the annual Pugalug Pug Rescue Pug Claus celebration.

So many pugs came out to meet Santa and spend the afternoon showing off their festive outfits, all while raising much needed funds for pug rescue.

This little guy is a rescue from a few years back – can you even stand how well he rocks that bow tie and suit?!? (and how about that cool shirt on his dad!)

 

Remember this little charmer from last month’s Pugoween event? (Hint: She was the taco!) She’s grown a bit since then, and clearly I can’t stay away from her gorgeousness. The camera loves her, no?

 

Lola’s somehow actual relative (we’ll say he’s a cousin), Higgins, was there with his people. He was looking stately and handsome, despite his people’s best attempt to make him look jolly and festive.

 

…the happiness…the cuteness….

 

Josephine was all-eyes on her mama, Mrs. Claus…

 

I would have just handed her all of the sardine snacks in my hand…proof that her mama clearly has WAY more willpower than I do.

I mean LOOK AT THIS FACE!

 

But as fun as it is to mingle and socialise, the Man of the Hour was upstairs, and in a rare moment of excitement and affection, Lola welcomed Santa with a BIG and clearly welcomed kiss…

 

…and then proceeded to whisper all of her hopes and dreams for Christmas and the New Year into his ear.

 

The pug who is usually Little Miss Wriggles in anyone else’s arms was as comfy as anything in Santa’s lap.

He’s kind of a special dude that way, I guess.

 

We had such a fun time, and all funds raised are headed to help pugs like little Blossom here find love and health and a brand new life. If you’re looking to donate to a great cause this holiday season, I highly recommend Pugalug, by the way. They are a group of amazing, experienced and committed rescuers, and they are 100% volunteer.

Friends, family, love and giving back. What more could Christmas possibly be about?

 

Thank you to Steven Chung for the gorgeous formal Santa portrait at the end of the blog post!

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