Pug of the Month – Liam

Happy April! Our next Pug of the Month is Liam! He was nominated by his mom Jean!

Liam’s mom explained that Liam is such a good caretaker of his Number 1 fan, Lucy. Lucy is a blind cat and has been obsessed with her pug brother Liam ever since she was a kitten. She loves to run around his legs, rub on his face, and follow Liam wherever he goes!

Jean said that Liam is patient with his kitty sister Lucy and loves her so much! Lucy will often shower Liam with affection at least twice a day, and the two can be found sitting together. Jean said that Liam seeks out Lucy to remind her that he is not going to leave her.

Jean refers to Liam as Lucy’s “seeing eye pug.” She said that Liam will be extremely helpful whenever Lucy has to go for a vet visit. He happily rides in the car and sits with her in the office during her appointments. Jean says that having Liam there seems to calm Lucy down significantly.

Liam will also sit with Lucy when she has to get things done like clipping her nails, grooming her hair, or brushing her teeth. He defends her, and tries to make her feel comfortable. Liam is such a good pug brother!

I thank Jean for emailing me with Liam’s story and his enduring love for his kitty sister Lucy! I was not made aware that Liam is on any form of social media, but we can still share his awesome story with the world!

---

To nominate a Pug of the Month here on Pug Geek, tweet @Pug_Geek or email puggeek@gmail.com! Be sure to share your pug’s story and lots of photos!

Pug of the Month – Tzippy

Happy March! Springtime is just around the corner, and we have a new pug to celebrate again! This month, we want to talk about Tzipporah von Slurpenstein, otherwise known as Tzippy! She was nominated by Maddrox & King PB, who said, “She is kinda new but she is very fun, funny, and friendly. She always adds a slurp to all of her tweets.” Let’s meet Tzippy, shall we?

Tzippy cuddling with Sis when she was a puglet.

First of all, I would like to state what an honor it is for me to be nominated for Pug of the Month! When Mommy told me of the nomination, I couldn’t even believe my velvety ears! This is truly, truly an honor.

My full name is Tzipporah Feistypants Pumpkinloaf Snuffalo von Slurpenstein Leibner Santos Doyle and I was born on October 9, 2013 in Jefferson, Wisconsin. I lived on the farm with my birth parents, Ginny and Brutus, their very kind, responsible human, and my three pug brothers until I was 8 weeks old. On the day after Thanksgiving, 2013, I became part of my forever family!

Tzippy with her family when she was Pug Of Honor at her Mom and Dad’s wedding last September. Her dress is just like Sis’s, but a lighter color.

 

Mom and Dad came to the farm house to see us as puglets. They had been wanting a pug for a very long time. When they came in, I was in a little crate with my three brothers. Mommy and Daddy were supposed to get one of the boys, but when the man let us out of the crate and I saw Mommy, I just knew she had to be mine! She sat down on the floor and I came right to her, climbed right up and started kissing her face! She smelled like bacon and milkshakes (she’d just had lunch at Culver’s) and she was really good at cuddling. After about 20 minutes of non-stop kissing, Mommy told Daddy that I needed to be their puglet. The man asked if they were okay with a girl, despite the extra costs for spaying and such. Of course, they didn’t mind because they were already smitten with me and my kisses. Mommy named me Tzipporah because she thought it was a beautiful name for a beautiful girl, plus the nickname Tzippy would fit my personality. We said a quick goodbye to Ginny and I had my first car ride. I rode inside Daddy’s coat while Mommy drove. I got to meet my Grandma and my Human Sis and Uncle Lenny. That was also the day I saw Star Wars for the first time!

Tzippy’s Uncle Lenny. His legal name is Leonard Cohen.

That was over a year ago! I am now one year old and I live in a cozy house with a pawsome back yard where I like to supervise my Daddy when he grills out in the summertime. I also love playing tennis ball with Daddy and Sis – it’s like fetch, except when you get to the part where you bring it back to the human, I prance around with the ball in my mouthface and it turns into a game of chase!

Tzippy says about this photo, “This is my favorite tennis ball. Humans say they’re all the same but they are so NOT. This one is the most fun, by far!”

 

I also like running with Mom – we do an 11 minute mile, but she totally holds me back! I also enjoy chasing the laser pointer, watching TV (especially shows about food), foraging for schmutz, licking textiles, protecting my family from passersby, and supervising food preparation. I am a very friendly pug and love making new friends. I’m not a fan of car rides, but I do like being in new places once I get there.

Tzippy and family at the Milwaukee Pug Fest last year. It was the first time she tasted bacon.

Last summer, my Mommy was sick and had to have surgery on her stomachal area. She was scared and sad and bored and watched lots of pug videos to cheer herself up. She found my hero, Chubbs the Wampug, and through her we found out about #pugchat. One week, Mommy and I decided to join Twitter so that we could #pugchat too. Mommy liked seeing all the pictures of pugs, but she didn’t really like Twitter. I, however, love it. I convinced her to let me take over her Twitter account, but I have a hard time typing with my handpaws so Mommy types for me. She makes sure not to censor anything, so she transcribes my slurps and lets me butt into conversations because I have a very in-your-face kind of personality.

One day, my life changed completely when my pseudo-brother Maddrox, welcomed me into the fold of the #DoritoPugs and #TCFP. He gave me the title of Happy Eager Beaver, and Mommy agreed right away that it’s totally me! I try to eagerly welcome new pugs (and anyone in line with the pug spirit of spreading friendship, love, good vibes, and stealing snacks. Oh wait, maybe not the last one…) and make everyone feel welcome. I hope to one day be a therapy pug at a local hospital.

Tzippy taking care of Sis when she wasn’t feeling well.

I also met my love Humphrey the Pug on Twitter. He is such a wonderful, caring pug, and I am so lucky to have him in my life!

I started #pugscouts because my Sis is a Girl Scout, and around Christmastime, she went to a meeting where she came home with a lot of cookies. I wasn’t allowed to go to the meeting, so I asked Mommy if I could have my own meeting with my friends. #Pugscouts is a fun way for pugs (though it’s not ONLY for pugs, of course!) to hone our pug skills and celebrate everything that’s great about being a pug. We also hope to do things to help those in need and make the world a better place. Thank you again for this honor!

What a fabulous story from Tzippy! She really has done so much for the world of pugs in her short time being here! She’s not even 2 years old and has accomplished so much! Thanks again to Maddrox and King PB for the nomination and congratulations Tzippy! Be sure to follow @Tzippypug on Twitter!

---

To nominate a Pug of the Month here on Pug Geek, tweet @Pug_Geek or email puggeek@gmail.com! Be sure to share your pug’s story and lots of photos!

Pug of the Month – Wellington

Happy New Year everyone! I’m happy that we’ve had a successful year of 2014 showcasing all sorts of lovely pugs! Be sure to check the archive for all of them!

The first Pug of the Month for 2015 is Wellington! He was nominated by Amélia Isabel-Doyon on Twitter! She said that Wellington has a great sense of style and is a funny pug! Let’s learn more about the stylish pug!

Hi everyone! Wellington the pug here and “Wow” is all I can say! I feel so honored to have been nominated! And I must admit I have let this go to my head around the house; I make Mom & Dad call me Sir Welly now!

How about we take a few minutes so I can do my favorite thing and tell you all about ME! I am a 7 and a half year old pug from Boston, Massachusetts. Mom first got me when she was in college and having a hard time. She was working too much and going to school too much, so she quit her job and got me!

For the first 3 and a half years of my life it was just Mom and I. We would do everything together! I even went to work with her! That’s right, I have been a shop dog at many stores and now I am head of security and pets at The Red Wagon where I usually can be found in a cubby or box. I finally told Mom she needed to go out and find me a dad because drinking wine alone with me and watching Lifetime movies wasn’t  a life for a pug like me. The first time I met Dad, he split a pizza with me and it was love ever since!

I have always been a fashionista pug, proudly sporting a bow tie or sweater whenever I was out painting the town red. Finally, Dad convinced Mom to sell some of her bow ties on etsy and now I spend my evenings running the foot of the sewing machine (or snacking on dropped thread).

Some of my favorite things to do include: Riding the MBTA, eating whatever I can find on the floor (including, but not limited to: thumbtacks, crumbs, shoes, and most recently Christmas tree needles), running as fast as I can, barking at the birds chirping, and chasing my tail.

Fun fact: My life theme song is “Party in the USA!” So I put my paws up! They’re playing my song! Nodding my head like “Yeah!” Moving my tail like “Yeah!”

Thank you all for being such good friends! We don’t know where we would be without our Twitter friends! Hopefully this year, Dad will ask Mom if he can make us a family! *Paws Crossed*

Thanks again Welly for being such a great sport! For more from Wellington, be sure to follow him on Twitter!

---

To nominate a Pug of the Month here on Pug Geek, tweet @Pug_Geek or email puggeek@gmail.com! Be sure to share your pug’s story and lots of photos!

Pug of the Month – Violet

Our Pug of the Month for December, and the final Pug of the Month for 2014 is Violet! Violet was nominated by Humphrey the Pug on Twitter. Humphrey says she’s a supportive and beautiful pug who shares joy every day. Let’s hear about Violet from the pug herself!

I’m so honored to be December’s Pug of the Month, thank you for the nomination! For those of you that don’t know me, I’m 9 years old and love city life in Chicago. To start at the beginning, I was born to a very responsible and caring breeder in Chicago. My mom says she had to meet me as soon as she saw my soulful eyes in my first photo.

The breeder described my personality as independent, confident, sweet, and a bit of a trouble-maker (and I’m still the same way!). That sounded perfect so my mom came out to meet me and my birth family the next day (she got to meet both my parents and my grandmother, which was so fun). It was love at first meeting for both of us.

I was a very energetic puglet and loved my puppy obedience classes, so when I was a couple years old we decided to give agility a try. I loved it! I might not have been the fastest dog in the class, but I was one of the most enthusiastic. We didn’t compete, but that’s only because my mom wasn’t up for it (I think I totally could have done it). Our classes were usually indoors, but once a year we got to do it outside at a beautiful house in Indiana.

We retired from agility about a year and a half ago and switched to NoseWork (scent training) classes. The scent is on a Q-Tip and can be anywhere in a giant room (in a box, in water, on a wall, hanging from the ceiling, etc.). It’s really hard work, but I totally love it. My mom loves it too because it really tires me out (and it’s fun to watch all the other dogs, they are all so good at it).

One of the big reasons we decided to try NoseWork is that my vision is declining. Despite going to an Ophthalmologist my whole life, taking daily medication, and trying surgical treatment, I have only about 10% vision. My mom thinks NoseWork has helped me learn to use my sense of smell more, so we’re happy we gave it a try. Most people don’t even realize how little I see.

 When I’m not doing classes or lounging on the couch, I love shopping, checking out Chicago, and most of all, posing for photos. As soon as anyone brings out a camera, I’m in front of it. I’ve even been known to push other dogs out of the frame when their people are trying to take photos of them. #sorrynotsorry

Probably the most common question that I get from people on Twitter and Instagram is, do I really swim? I do! And I love it! When I was a puglet, all the other dogs in my extended family were labs and I just joined right in with them when they ran into the water to retrieve sticks. They call me the pugador retriever! If there is water nearby, you can count on me being in it (but please never take me for a walk in the rain, I don’t like that).

My mom and I feel very lucky that I’ve been able to have a good, stable, well-loved life. Most of the dogs in her life before me, and many of my friends, were rescue dogs so we know we are fortunate. We have supported several rescue groups with fundraisers, dog walking, etc. and a month ago we saw that one of our local pug rescue groups, MOPS Pug Rescue & Adoption, was in dire need of donations for the medical care of two pugs they had just taken in. While we were making a donation, we read a little more about them and couldn’t help but think that one of them in particular could be a perfect fit for us. So we submitted an application, went through the whole process, and were approved! We picked him up the day after Thanksgiving and after spending a few days making sure it was a good fit for all of us, we officially adopted him on December 1st! So, meet our new pug, Timmy! My mom tried to get this photo of us together when we were on a walk this weekend, but we insisted on looking at each other instead – which she thinks is a much better photo (I always know best when it comes to posing).

Timmy is almost 10 years old, sadly his family had to relinquish him due to financial reasons (it’s clear from his personality that he was well loved). He’s had some bladder stone issues, but we have a lot of experience with that so we are totally up for the task. He’s a total love and has already brought us a lot of joy and laughs. We are having so much fun showing him city life and he’s been enjoying all the new smalls and meeting people (P.S. We’re happy to report that other pug that was in the original post we saw was also adopted!!! We are so excited for him, especially because it seems like he had a hard life before MOPS took him in. They still have an adorable father/daughter bonded paid that are looking for a forever home if anyone in northern IL/WI area is looking to adopt).

With it being the holiday season, we can’t help but reflect on how thankful we are for all of our friends we’ve met through #PugChat, Twitter, and Instagram (we only wish we could meet more of you in-person/in-pug). And we are very thankful to all the good people out there that work so hard to make sure animals have good lives.

Violet sure has had a wonderful life and a wonderful family! We’re so glad Timmy has joined in to experience all that love and warmth as well!

Be sure to follow Violet on Vine, Twitter and Instagram for lots of stylish photos!

---

To nominate a Pug of the Month here on Pug Geek, tweet @Pug_Geek or email puggeek@gmail.com! Be sure to share your pug’s story and lots of photos!

Pug of the Month – Felix

Happy November! This month we are shining the spotlight on Felix! For those of you who do not know Felix, he is a Pugzu, which is a Pug/Shih-tzu mix. He was nominated by Kimber the Pug and Amélia Isabel-Doyon. We welcome all sorts of pugs here, so we’re happy to have Felix as November’s Pug of the Month! Enjoy his story!

WOW! Hi guys!! I’m Felix the Pugzu! I am 5 years old – but am stuck with an “I’ll look like a puppy forever” condition! (What a hardship! HA!) If you are wondering what a Pugzu is, here are the specifics. I am what happens when a Pug loves a Shih Tzu! I am known to my Twitter and Instagram friends as “The Fuzzy Pug” or “Fuzzy Face”! I live with my Ma and Dad (Tiffany and Adam) and my two cat-bros (Fraser and Hemi)! I have a human-bro named Josh whom I see lots on weekends! We live in St. Catharines, Ontario! I am a proud Canadian Pugzu!

The beginning of my life was a tricky one. I was born in a puppy mill in the slums of Niagara Falls, Ontario. When my Dad found the ad for me, I was listed as 4 months old, the runt of the litter, and the last to find a home. When they came to visit me, I was in the bottom of a cage, burrowed under a blanket that was dirty and smelled of urine. They didn’t even see me in the cage until the guy nudged the cage and I poked my little head up! I was TERRIFIED! I was shaking and absolutely hated being picked up and touched! I am very cautious though. Ma doesn’t think I was handled very gently and often against my will!

Well, my Ma left the decision of whether to bring me home or not to Dad, and went out to the car. She was totally smitten and was praying and praying… When Dad got to the car, it looked like he didn’t have me and Ma was heartbroken… Until he pulled me out of his pocket! I was so little that I fit in the palms  of Ma’s hands! And, that’s how the love affair between my Ma and me began! I was Ma’s early Christmas present!

Looking back… I am a pretty blessed guy. I am spoiled absolutely senseless. I have gazillions of toys and am completely ambushed with love every minute of my life! Some fun facts about me are: I came with my name (It suits me perfectly, Ma says!)! I do not shed! I do not bark (unless I’m playing with my cat-bros or the Evil crevice tool makes an appearance…)! I am hand signal trained as well as with verbal commands, and my vocabulary consists of over 50 words! I do not need to be groomed every couple month depending on the state of my fuzziness! I LOVE wearing jackets and hoodies! I like to burrow under my Sesame Street blanket and I will sleep wherever you put it! I am costume-a-holic! I love to be dressed up! My favorite, by far, is my Bee costume!

I love family functions. I can be in settings with tons of people off leash and just hanging out with Ma under her chair or near her feet. I am very well behaved and invited to all the events and anywhere dogs are allowed because of this. Although… I have maintained my shy/cautious behavior from when I was a puppy. I generally tend to be very leery of strangers, and one really needs to get to my level and let me come to you. I do not like abrupt and loud attention. Even Ma can’t bend down and scoop me up real quick, or I’ll jump out of the way and run for cover. Even though I’m surrounded by love and happiness, I’ll never forget the sad, scary days. It took Ma and Dad a while to win me over, but they were persistent love givers! Res assured, though! Once we’re friends, it’s for life!

When I joined Twitter in April of this year, my main and sole mission was to “live tweet” an event I was taking place in! The National Service Dogs hosts an Easter Egg Hunt for dogs, raising funds to aide in the training of Service Dogs for Children with Autism and Special Needs. This was the third year I had participated! And, I tied for second place as top fundraiser! Last year, I was first place! As successful as the event was, I was NOT prepared for the outpouring of love from Twitter for the Pugzu!

I was completely embraced into the Pug Community. I was nervous at first; I didn’t know if NOT being a purebred Pug would be a big deal – some people are funny like that. But boy was I wrong! I am so completely blessed with my Twitter family! I am now a member of the #DoritoPugs and #TCFP – a grumble of pugs and a Pugzu who take that extra special care to welcome new pug friends and remember birthdays! I am a part of the Charity Committee; together with our #PugChat friends, have raised over $3,000 for charities around the world! And, there are so many ideas brewing for fundraisers! Stay tuned for more fundraising and Pug Community support events in the future!

To all my Twitter and Instagram friends… In the spirit of our recent Canadian Thanksgiving (and the upcoming American Thanksgiving), I am so grateful and thankful for all of you. There have been some moments when people have looked down on my mixed heritage, but with your love and support, this Pugzu has come out on top! I look forward to your tweets and posts every day and am so happy that you all love mine. Please find me on both Twitter and Instagram @felixthepugzu! I am so blessed to consider you all friends and welcome all others!

The nomination was so wonderful, and even though I’m only part Pug – becoming one of the family has been the best gift a fuzzy guy like me can ask for! Thank you all, so much!!

Thanks Felix for being so amazing! Be sure to follow Felix on Twitter and Instagram!

---

To nominate a Pug of the Month here on Pug Geek, tweet @Pug_Geek or email puggeek@gmail.com! Be sure to share your pug’s story and lots of photos!

Pug of the Month – Humphrey

It’s October and it’s time for a new Pug of the Month! This month, it’s Humphrey! By way of his mom, Brenda, Humphrey sent me a lovely story that I want to share with you today! Enjoy!!

Hi friends!!! My name is Humphrey and I am 6 1/2 months old. I live in a suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. My human family has a great passion for pugs. After losing their last puggy, Otis, after 14 years, they were devastated. It took a while with them for the healing to start, but it became very clear that their home was missing something…a pug! I mention Otis, even though we never met, because he is the reason for the passion and the reason why I am now with them, lucky me, thanks Otis!! This is me when they got me at 8 weeks old.

I was the last puppy to be chosen from the litter, and I had some minor health issues, but I am doing great now. I am growing into a big puggy, very muscular, and I love to eat, but my body is growing so fast that my weight can barely keep up!! My pug daddy was a very big and muscular puggy, too.

I am very energetic and friendly and I love kids and other animals. In our home are my human mommy, daddy, sister, some fishies, and my kitty sister, Ginger. Ginger is about 8 years old and I love her!!! She is very good and patient with me.

My human sister’s name is Lauren and she is 12 years old. Lauren helps take care of me and we play together every day!!! I like to play silly games like hide and seek.

She has even taught me some tricks, with the aid of my favorite food…CHEESE!!!

My human family says that I am one of the friendliest dogs that they’ve ever seen. When we go out, I think that everybody wants to see me. Then, when we have to leave or keep walking, I cry and whimper as I leave. I will do this over and over with everyone that I meet!!! I love friends!!!

Therefore, the main reason for joining Twitter is to meet and support friends. My mommy is my main admin and posts for me. We always keep in the spirit of my puggy personality of being friendly. My mommy is well in tune with my motto of “treating others the way that you would like to be treated.” The great news is that my #pugchat friends have brought me into their pack with overwhelming love and support and I couldn’t be happier! There is a bond of support within the pugs here on Twitter unlike any other and I am so proud to be included. As with the Unite to Fight campaign for team #pugchat to create awareness and raise money for animal cancer.

In the continuing spirit of helping others, a pug friend of mine, Molly Leroy, crossed the rainbow bridge recently and I am trying to raise money to help an animal in need of wheels. She was a rescue pug and benefitted greatly from having wheels. Eddieswheels.com is assisting in the efforts. More information can be found pinned at the top of my Twitter account. This is a common need for animals especially pugs, if anyone is interested in donating or just sharing the message, that’d be great!!!

You’ll see messages from me supporting pug rescues; I want to be a channel of communication to help spread the word of rescuing pugs, especially senior puggies whom are tossed to the side so many times due to health issues.

I enjoy hearing about  my Twitter friends and their day and being able to share my life journey with them. We enjoy online events like weddings, birthdays, #pugchat, and we recently did a #pugmystery where I had the starring role as a track superstar!!!

Again, I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am to be part of this community. Just a young pug from the Midwest with supportive friends from all over the world, how lucky am I? Thanks for the nomination and thanks for being my friend!

Thank YOU Humphrey for the wonderful words! Humphrey was nominated by his buddy Maddrox (half of last month’s Pug Couple of the Month) because “he promotes more b-days, #pawcircle, newbies, and all around good cheer than anyone I can see.” Well said and I agree!!

Be sure to follow Humphrey on Twitter!

---

To nominate a Pug of the Month here on Pug Geek, tweet @Pug_Geek or email puggeek@gmail.com! Be sure to share your pug’s story and lots of photos!

Pug COUPLE of the Month – Kimber & Maddrox

For a very special treat, a COUPLE was nominated this month!! The newly married Kimber and Maddrox are September’s Pugs of the Month!

 

KIMBER

 

Hello, my name is Kimber and I am 5 years old. My mom is a registered nurse with a passion for pug rescue. She’s rescued 4 pugs who were puppy mill survivors. My dad works for directv. He is my best pal and the only person I’m obedient for. I have twin brothers, they’re the best. They sneak me foods when moms not looking. I also have a pug sister named Este, she’s my best friend.

Mom calls me Kimby for short, and Kimber Ashley when I’m in trouble (which happens a lot!) I’m a mischievous pug, I bark a lot, terrorize the cat, sneeze in moms coffee, forcefully lick people, and jump on the table to snatch food!

I’m fairly athletic for a pug, so anything within jumping distance is free game! My favorite thing to do is play! I love my toys even more than I love food! My favorite toy is “pudgy wudgy”. He is a pink unicorn who is bigger than I am. I drag him all around the house and suckle on him when I’m sleepy.

I try to help out around the house by licking the windows and picking up any crumbs that may have dropped. It’s tough work but I do a good job. When I’m not being naughty, I like to snuggle and get head scratches. 

In my spare time I make videos on the vine app. I have over 25,000 followers. Mom can’t believe so many people follow me but, who can resist a cute pug? I’m known for my extra long tongue. It wasn’t always like that, it just sort of kept growing!

Since joining social media I have met my handsome guy Maddrox the pug. Our love bloomed over twitter quite quickly. We look just like each other (don’t worry, we’re not related I had mom look into it) and we were virtually pug married on 8/23/14. We plan to meet for real in the near future.

I’m also a spokes doggy for petbox! You can order one with my discount code KIMBER20. Well, that’s my story folks! Pug hugs and paw bumps!

MADDROX

 First I must thank whoever nominated me. The honor I feel to be included in the group I am now a part of is indescribable. I’m just me. I’ve not overcome or fallen victim to a dreaded disease, no major impairments, never been on TV, not crossed the bridge unexpectedly or have any of the special traits that the other winners have shown. I’m actually pretty lazy. I’ve been known to be on the far end of the couch when Mom goes to work at 8:30 and be in the same spot when Dad gets home after 4:30. But I promise to stay awake long enough to give the flattering appointment it’s proper attention.

I was born Sept. 25th, 2008 in Saugus Massachusetts. I am from a very classy breeder whom my folks looked into very deeply before they chose to use her service. Mom and Dad had just moved into their new condo. Dad had two cats  but Mom felt there was a space that needed to be filled. She said “How about we both get our first dog”. Dad half heartedly said ok but would rather have a smaller breed. A Pug was the first choice. He was still a little on the fence on the idea until he saw the first pic of my litter and without knowing which was me he pointed at the screen and said “I hope that’s him”….. and it was me. He was sold!!!  When they came to pick me up I knew what was going on because I was the last of my brothers and sisters to go to their Furever Home. The breeder put me in an ugly sweater and handed me to my new Mom. I squirmed a lot but not because I was scared. I was put back on the floor and walked over and kissed my Fur Mom goodbye.

 Dad drove home and I sat in the back with Mom. To this day Dad insists that is why I’m a Mommy’s Boy. That was in Nov. 2008 and life was pretty a routine cycle til this April. That is when we adopted my brother, King. I’m still my lazy self but man, he might be two years older then me but he’s got a ton more energy.

I’ve been very open since I joined Twitter in January. I tell you of me and my family’s highs (King’s arrival, my virtual wedding to the beautiful Kimber, Daddy’s poker hi-jinx) and my/our lows (my hurt hip, Dad’s sad days, me and King’s teeth extractions). I do like to focus on the good that others might miss. If I think something is nice or kind I try to point it out hopping my friends get to see it as well. I believe in strength in numbers. That is why I, along with Thor, formed the #DoritoPugs and later shopped the idea of combining the #DoritoPugs and #FritoPugs into #TCFP (Team Chip Feet Pugs) As a group we welcome newbies to the Twitter community, spread the word on birthdays and #pawcircles, push for noble charity fundraising and promote all around good feelings. I also really enjoy the support that my friends and I’s mythical soccer team #FWPFC (Fluffy World Pugs Football Club) receive.

 All in all I just like feeling that I can help make others smile and have fun. I really just like making others happy and help them feel good and good about themselves.

Not to sound like I am bragging but I have taken great pride when some of my ideas have taken off to become a great group effort. From coining #FranklinsFighters and then seeing it on t-shirts, to making the pushes for Poppy’s dreams of 500 RT’s for her cute donut pic and then her dream of getting #pughugs to trend. But I take more pride knowing that it was really my great friends who made those things happen on the grander scale.

Let me close by thanking you all again for this honor. I never expected this in my wildest dreams. And again, thank you all for being my friends. I always try to reach out and reply to the nice things you say to me but if I do miss something never take it wrong.

I love you all.

Kimber and Maddrox are like leaders in the Pug Twitter community. I actually received more than one nomination for them! The humble pugs might not realize how much of an impact they have on the community. It is my honor to shine a light on these two this month, and I hope you also enjoyed reading their story!

---

To nominate a Pug of the Month here on Pug Geek, tweet @Pug_Geek or email puggeek@gmail.com! Be sure to share your pug’s story and lots of photos!

Pug of the Month – Mingooch

It’s August! We welcome the dog days of summer, and our new Pug of the Month, Mingooch! Mingooch was so honored and excited to be featured, and he just couldn’t wait to tell his story. He is so proud of his family and gushes over them! Take it away Mingooch!

So let’s talk about me. My favorite toy is my Winnie The Pooh pillow that my grandma bought for me years ago. Mom and dad know that nobody goes to bed until we find Winnie.

Speaking of bed, I make mama LAUGH every night because of a new habit I have.  When I want to go to bed, I want to go to bed. Oddly enough, like clockwork between the hours of 9 – 10 pm, I hunt my mommy down wherever she is in the house and stare relentlessly at her and follow her until she gets into bed. Daddy laughs at her all the time and says “Excuse me but I believe your pug is sending you to bed.”

Mama’s favorite thing is how I wake her up every morning. I walk on top of her to wake her up, she rolls over and we spoon on her pillow and fall back to sleep for an hour.

Mingooch and his daddy

I have a brother and he’s BIG. Mama calls him her gentle giant. Me? Well I have other names for him but we can’t publish those sooooo let me tell you briefly bit about him….

My brother is my mama’s former service dog who fell ill. Mama and Daddy now care for him daily. Mama was offered another service dog but she was only allowed to take in another service dog if my brother left as it would be too confusing for both service dogs. Mama, in her unconditional love for her animals, refused to let my brother go and now has placed the focus of her life on HIS recovery and given up her own recovery to do so (I’ll get to my mama’s physical challenges in a bit). She says she does it willingly with an open heart because me and my brother are her children. She says as long as she is physically capable of doing so, she will care for us both until the very end.

Mingooch and Pax

Mama often says I saved her life because she can’t even begin to fathom not having my kisses, my goofy antics, and my deep snuggles throughout her day to wipe away (or lick away) her tears. She says I am without question the best medicine.  She goes on to tell me often that I am a blessing beyond her expectations. 

Mama faces physical pain on many levels every day so my role is to listen for when she crawls into bed and immediately assume the “snuggle position” up against mama’s chest where we share the pillow…and can I just say my mama is quite the pillow hog! 

Let me share with you some of the challenges that I help my mama endure daily. See, along with needing daily assistance with basic functioning as a result of PTSD, my mama faces multiple life threatening conditions daily due to complications in recent years with her Spina Bifida. Even though most don’t know what these are, the complications are a result of conditions called Chiari, Hydrocephalus &  Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome.

These changes in recent years could and have resulted in multiple 911 calls from dangerous and excruciatingly painful vital sign changes all from something as simple as going from sitting to standing to name just one of many scenarios that mama is challenged by daily. Mama was recently told that after 43 surgeries and hundreds of hospital admissions that despite dangerous declines in her conditions,  the changes are no longer operable. It is predicted that she would not survive any surgical attempts to improve the current conditions or would come out partially paralyzed. The docs have told her it’s best to leave things as they are and continue to manage the daily symptoms and challenges. 

Mama has her Masters in Special Education but had to stop working 12 years ago and now no longer drives nor is she able to stay alone on most days. Although Mama’s quality of life may look to many as extremely limiting and isolating (they would be correct), mama chooses to focus on her blessings. In her eyes, mama says she has many blessings to be grateful for. She most certainly considers me to be one of God’s greatest gifts in her life. Mama often calls me “her heart” because her love and gratitude for me runs so deep that even the words “I love you” don’t seem to cut it when she’s squishing and loving me to pieces (and boy can mama squish me when she’s kissing me!). 

Mingooch and his mama

One of the many things that makes mama laugh about me is how I’ve become so accustomed to her wheelchair that I often follow her around the house UNDER it! Most times daddy has to point out I’m under there so mama can be super careful, but I’m a pro at following her under there. Daddy has  tried to get it on video but I’m too smart for him. I hate the camera so I run when I see that thing come out. 

Now I need to stop here and say that I’m so honored to be named pug of the month! However, to be chosen as pug of the month by my tweethearts MAMA is simply awesome!  My tweetheart @Carleythepug‘s mama writes this column. I want to take a moment to do a shoutout to my girl Carley so here it goes….CARLEY I WUVS YOU!! I am the luckiest pug in the world to have her as my tweetheart. Just sayin. 

Carley’s message to Mingooch

Since mama can’t get out of the house a lot, I is not much of an outdoor pug, but mama makes up for that in lots of all day snuggling and spoiling with tons of toys, kisses, and love.  We do go for occasional walks with my amazing daddy around the neighborhood but that’s more like my mama in her wheelchair, Daddy pushing mama and me on mama’s lap. 

Mama says the bottom line is once you’ve been owned by a pug and experienced the love of a pug, it is a love you can never again do without. 

I think all of the pug owners reading this can attest to that last line. Mingooch is definitely a special dog with a very special family!

Although Mingooch recently chose to delete his old Twitter account for personal reasons, you can now find Mingooch at his newly created account under the same name, @MingoochThePug! If you have recently received a new request to follow Mingooch, this is the reason for that. He’s looking forward to reconnecting with his awesome pug buddies all over again!

---

To nominate a Pug of the Month here on Pug Geek, tweet @Pug_Geek or email puggeek@gmail.com! Be sure to share your pug’s story and lots of photos!

My New Pug Mug

My father in law goes to an auction every Friday and usually comes up empty handed. A few times he’s been able to get some goodies for him or for my husband and I, and recently he found the most amazing thing: a Pug Mug!

If only it were a black pug like Carley. But I’m so excited to use this everyday at work now! Proud Pug Mama!

Pug of the Month – Poppy

This month, I want to dedicate Poppy as Pug of the Month. Poppy passed away on June 26 after battling cancer. She was a beloved pug in the Twitterverse and many pugs and humans alike shared the joys of her presence. We are so saddened at this news and it is still fresh on our hearts, so I would like this to be an opportunity to share your memories and thoughts of Poppy. This isn’t a usual Pug of the Month post since I haven’t had a chance to get her story in detail.

Leading up to her passing, her daddy Rob knew it was going to be coming to an end, so he made her life as comfortable as possible. The Twitter community came together in heaps of support by changing their profile pictures or banners to a poppy field.

I’m going to leave this post with some photos of Poppy. Please feel free to share your thoughts and memories of Poppy in the comments. We love you Poppy!