Merry Christmas everyone

I'm a simple pup.  I really only need a few things in life to make me happy.  Some good kibble, a nice warm lap and some good times playing fetch.  If I have that in my life, I'm good.  I love my life and having my little brother Winston and big brother Kitty around to play with and snuggle with as well.  Most of all, I love my momuh and daduh and I am so grateful to have a wonderful home and family to be with.  Please think of those less fortunate than us today because we don't all have such a fortunate situation.  Merry Christmas everybody, from Russell and his family!

cold weather

When it gets cold outside, us pugs are supposed to not be fans of it.  I don't quite follow that trend.  I love the cold weather.  To be honest, I actually prefer it.  As soon as it hits 75 or any amount of humidity, I might as well be totally useless.  The cold, on the other hand, energizes me.  I run around like a little nut and it makes momuh and daduh wonder where I got all the energy from.  If there is snow on the ground, forget about it, I'm even worse.  I like to yoink some snow in my mouth and run around cuz I know I'm not really supposed to do it.

Good smells

I guess unlike a lot of dogs, I like to get my bath.  I just kinda sit there and take it and look like a little drowned rat.  Its all part of my plan though, cuz in the end I smell really cute and adorable.  Cute and adorable smells can only lead to one thing...more attention and snuggles and lovin!!  Yesssss, yesssssss!!

wrinkle dogs

This would be a term for dogs similar to me, the Tater, in their body and facial makeup.  I would tend to include bulldogs (french, english, american) and other dogs with those kinda bodies/faces in addition to pugs obviously.  On Sunday I wasn't playing with other kinds of dogs and then a rush of 2 french bulldogs and an english bulldog came in and I was playing like crazy.  I always tend toward playing with dogs that have a similar mush to mine and this day was no exception.  I love to run and play and goof off with doggies that play like I do.

Autumn

My favorite time of year has finally returned!!  I love the weather getting colder cuz it means that my daduh  takes me on longer walks and I get to exercise my leggies more.  Less breathing issues too due to the cooler weather.  Most importantly, I get to pee on crunchy leaves.  This may be my favorite place to pee!!

buzz buzz

As promised, here is my Halloween costume for this year.  I wonder how many of you guessed right and figured out what I was gonna be...

rumors

I know there are at least quite a few of you wondering and pondering what I may be for Halloween.  Rest assured that I will be, once again, dressing up.  Plenty of possibilities are buzzing about and it would be criminal to think incorrectly about what I could be.  Just know that there is a hint somewhere around here that should help you figure it out.

promises

Wow, looks like once again I am not living up to my promise of blogging more often.  Sorry about that Tater Tots!  I will follow up on one promise.  The picture below is a little hint of what I was training for and need to get back on the pony (horses are too big for me) and train again for.  Hope you guys like it!

comparisons

Sometimes my daduh calls me Russie Duvall.  When I get tired and my ears go back it kinda makes me look like I'm bald and apparently like Robert Duvall.  What do you guys think?

cuteness

Momuh and daduh just picked up my new Halloween costume for this year.  Let's just say that I'm gonna be even a little more adorable than I was last year, if that's even possible.  I know all my tater tots are gonna love it.  I have a high standard to live up to from last year but I promise you from my little tater heart that I won't let anyone down.

ehhh

I couldn't think of anything cute to name today's entry so that is what you guys get.  Things are changing around a lot in my little mundo.  One of my older brothers, Snausage, passed away from kidney failure on August 30 and that was tough on me.  He always let me lick his ears and torment him during my 1+ year with him.  With that said, I do have a younger brother now named Winston that was brought into the family before Snausage got sick.  I love him a lot too.  He is very playful and comes to visit me a lot when I'm by myself in the kitchen.  Of course I have to snarf at him and play with him and sometimes I take it a little too far.  That's just how I do though.  Can you blame me?  I wouldn't be a pug if I didn't do stuff like that.

I still love to snuggle a lot and momuh or daduh will randomly find me just come up to them and plop down on their laps if it happens to be available.  That is what I was bred to do and it never gets old for me. I could snuggle all day.  I live to make momuh and daduh happy and proud and content.

Defending myself

Momuh and daduh took me to the park again today.  This will be happening much more often now that the weather appears to be turning cooler.  I was playing nicely with another 12 week old puppy and then when he left, this stupid pitbull came around wanting to play.  It was ok for a bit until it started trying to mount me.  I'm used to this happening considering I'm a pug and I move slow and I'm easy to catch.  The problem is that this stupid pitbull wouldn't stop trying to get after me like that.  Finally I lunged after him several times in order to get him to back off.  Momuh and daduh have never seen me do this before, cuz, once again, I'm a pug and we usually don't do that kinda stuff.  We're laid back little dudes, ya know?  I kept lunging after him and eventually the pitbull's mom came over and said come on, that doggy doesn't wanna play.  Doesn't wanna play?  Doesn't wanna be violated is more like it.  Oh yeah, did I mention that this pitbull is intact?  Ignorant pet owners drive me, momuh and daduh crazy.

new developments

So a lot of new stuff has been going on lately.  I have a new little brother named Winston.  He is a cute, kinda pudgy little smoke colored kitten.  I love to play with him and snarf at him and chase him around.  He seems to like it til I take it too far and bite his head.  Daduh has to separate us at that point.  Also, sadly, one of my older brothers, Snausage, is in a bad way right now.  He has bladder stones and has been at the vet's office since yesterday.  I love Snauser.  He lets me lick his ears all the time and I play with him more than anyone else if given the chance.  He needs lots of love sent his way if all of you tater tots wouldn't mind.  My little wrinkly mush would really appreciate it.

random tater tots

Every so often when momuh or daduh take me out for a walk (which isn't so often this summer cuz of all the dang humidity) I get noticed by strangers.  I dunno how many people are familiar with pugs but a lot seem to think I'm still a puppy.  I'm over 1 year old now so I most certainly am not a pup anymore.  I guess I should take it as a compliment like when older women still get carded, huh?  Must be my youthful disposition cuz it definitely isn't my wrinkles making everyone think I'm so young!!  Anyway, makes me wonder what about me is making so many people react to me in such a positive way.  I'll take the attention no matter how I can get.  I am a pug after all...

good behavior

Lately I've been a very good boy for momuh and daduh.  I've kinda backed off on being a pain in the butt and just really like to lay around most of the day and then play fetch when I do muster up some energy.  I still like to show off how smart I am, but only when it suits me.  Usually that is when I'm getting a treat nugget.  That'll do just fine to get me to show off how smart I am.  At the end of the night I'm being pretty persistent about my snuggles.  I don't really give them much of a chance and I pull a few swirlies and plop myself down on their laps or right next to their leggies and pass out.  I'll let out a big sigh b4 I'm done though.  Ahhh, so nice being a pug!  Here's some inspiration to remind you that the hot weather won't always be around...

more laziness

I'm sorry tater tots.  I know its been some time since my last update.  This weather has been killing me.  All I seem to do during this stuff is just lay on my side and snort and sigh.  That's pretty much what we pugs are good at and famous for.  I promise that I'll be better about giving you more updates from my cute little perspective on the world.  I feel like things are about to start changing for the better for my momuh and daduh!

Inspiration

So with my daduh watching the World Cup incessantly, I've been inspired to greater things.  He got a little replica Jabulani futbol (soccer to those uninitiated) and I played with it a bit.  I am being trained to play soccer like a little version of Xavi!!  Daduh promises that there will be a video of this at some point.

Haiku for my girlie

I love her, Coco
Wonderful, beautiful she
Black, cute and silly

Coco

She is my girlie, so paws off!!  I spell girlie with an "ie" cuz things are made cuter when spelled with an "ie."  I loooooove her.  She is not too much older than me and is an all black pug.  When I was a little pup, she always played with me exactly like I want to play.  We are very similar in so many ways.  We both misbehave in the same manner and are about the same size too.  The few times that I do get to see her at the dog park we make sure to give each other lots of kisses.  She is the only other doggie that I will give kisses to.  I make her tail wag a lot, so I know she loves me just as much as I love her.  I can't wait til I can see her again.  Hopefully momuh and daduh can get a pic of her so I can upload it here for all of you to see.

happiness

I'm feeling like a happy little wrinkle-dog right now.  Mondays and Tuesdays are great cuz momuh works from home and that means that while she is making the donuts, I get to stay up in the office with her and make ribs!!  Only problem is that I can't seem to keep awake on the job and I end up passing out and jumping up on the sofa to get a little more comfy.  Either way, its nice being a spoiled little pug!!

I'm a shark

Seems like a pretty silly statement, huh?  Thing is, I do a few things that sharks also do.  Whenever momuh or daduh gives me my kibbles for dinner or breakfast, I attack my bowl with gusto.  If you watch me from a side angle you'll see my whole body kinda lurch and almost jump when I eat.  Sometimes a good portion of my body will be off the ground.

In addition to that, whenever we play fetch I'll grab my toy and shake it around in my mouth after I have it, much like a shark that just latched on to it's prey.  Its all very silly and I know that.  After all, I am a pug and I really do live to be silly and make people happy.  This is especially true when those people are momuh and daduh!

I'm back!!

Sorry about the long delay between posts all my tater tots (that's what I'm calling my fans from now on since I'm nicknamed the tater).  See, the warm weather gets to me and makes me even sleepier and more sluggish than usual.  I know, I know, pugs are slow to begin with.  When the weather gets like it's been, my coordination isn't as good and I just don't have it in me to get up on my hind legs and type very much at all.  I'd much rather be doing what you see below!!

Getting used to things the way they are

So I was just at the dogsitter's place for a week and a day.  It's amazing how well adjusted I am after having spent time away from momuh and daduh like that.  When they came home I was perfectly ready for them and didn't act weird or spooked.  I know that is how a lot of other dogs react to being away from their families but thankfully I didn't go through that.  Just goes to show what can happen when you have an amazing dogsitter that does things right.  Same stuff as usual.  Of course that involves giving momuh and daduh and my brothers (the cats) lots of licks and snuggles.

Being watched

Ha, betcha you thought something creepy about that title huh?  Nope, just talking about what will happen when momuh and daduh go on vacation.  I'll be looked after by Karyn Stonehouse, the best doggy walker/petsitter in the world.  Her company is called Above and Beyond Dog Care and what she does for me is truly above and beyond.  Momuh and daduh trust her so much with taking care of me.  They know if anything happens to me that she'll take care of me without a doubt, just like her own doggies.  I mean after all, how can you not take care of someone as cute as me.

New food

So momuh and daduh are trying to figure out my tookus issues.  I'm on a new food and its the one that Dick Van Patten makes.  So far it has definitely changed things but we'll have to see if it is all for the better.    I've been off the medications to help things for a bit and it seems like the food is doing what it is supposed to do.  Maybe my little belly doesn't like fish ingredients very much.  That was the biggest ingredient in my other food, so hopefully that'll be it.  I'm too cute to constantly have issues with my rear end.

Updates and potties

So daduh just ran out and got me a new little bed to lay in.  My other one was getting kinda worn and was easy for me to chew through.  The new one is all nice and fluffy and wonderous!!

On a different note, I like to pee on tall grass.  I know other pugs do this as well, but I wonder sometimes if we are the only breed that does this.  I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that I'm not much taller than the grass I pee on, but something comes over me when I find a patch of unusually long grass.  I just have to pee on it.  That's how I roll.

Potato

Sometimes whenever I am being silly, momuh and daduh like to call me potato or tater.  I'm guessing this is cuz I am tan, small and round.  I guess it all depends on which spud we are talking about cuz some are darker than others.  Maybe a creamer potato perhaps?  That just doesn't roll off the tongue like tater does though.

Abuse

Last week when daduh was taking me on one of my midday constitutionals, we saw something that was really scary and sad.  As we were rounding the bend in our development, we saw a woman leaning over a dachsund and she wasn't happy at all.  She was yelling at it and then starting slapping it in the face for something.  She did this as daduh and I stared right at her and wasn't even slightly deterred by an audience.  Then when the dachsund saw me it came running over at me cuz it wasn't on a leash.  It bared it's teeth and growled at me. 

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention the 100+ lb great dane that was also not on a leash that belonged to this woman and came over toward me as well.  Not a fun walk.  Even better, this woman and her unleashed dogs don't even live in our development.  They just come over to use ours apparently.  As she walked away with the dachsund, the dane kept staring at me and wouldn't move or listen to her as she got further and further away.  Why do people think leash laws aren't for them to follow and especially on big, huge dogs like a dane.  I just don't get people sometimes.  I mean, us doggies are so cute, why would u wanna slap us around or worse, not leash us and potentially have us run away and get hit by a car. 

Showing off

I'm a smart pup!!  I just hide it a lot cuz I know I can get away with so much.  My cute little stocky body and wrinkles make me so irresistible that I can be a stinker and do things that I know I shouldn't, but will still get away with.  Every so often though, I let my intelligence show through.  For instance, I understand the command "Get your gator."  I can have a pile of toys laying around and if someone tells me to "get your gator," I know which toy it is and will come running over with that.  I just can't show off how smart I am all the time cuz then I won't get away with things as much as I'd like!

Perspective

From my perspective on the world, most everything is huge.  Being only a foot high presents challenges in life that you can't even imagine.  Despite this, I feel the need to act as if things aren't ever a problem.  I know that someone will lift me up and carry me to wherever I need to be if I can't get there myself.  You see, I'm just that adorable and I know it.  This is why I do stinkerish things.  I know in the end that I can get away with it.  This isn't something that will go away with age either.  I'll just grow gray on my jowls and look more "distinguished."

Doggy park

I love going to the doggy park.  I always know when it's gonna happen cuz momuh and daduh put on my collar.  I start going crazy and jumping around all happy and I always run right out to the white car cuz that is the only one momuh and daduh drive me to the park in.  I shed and the other car has cloth seats.  This one has leather, so it works better for me.  10 mins later and I'm running around playing with all the other various doggies and it is glorious!!!  I found lots of other dogs that played like me and it was around 55 degrees out.  Perfect Russie weather.  Not too hot or too cold.  If only more days could be like this.

Weather changes

Last night was very different for me.  Usually I wander around the world and act like usual and then I'll pass out on the couch.  I end up laying on momuh or daduh's lap and that is it!  Last night was a lot warmer than it usually is and they put a fan on in the house.  So instead of laying on the warm leather couch with momuh and daduh, I decided to go lay on the armchair made of cloth material.  I passed out as usual, but something didn't seem right about it.  I like it a lot cooler and of course I need my snuggles.

I am 1!!!

Yay for me.  Today is my birthday and I am now officially no longer a puppy.  Even though I may look like a little old man, I'm only 1 year old.  Nothing will change overly much.  I will still bobble around happily and try to pee on anything taller than me and some random tall grass patches too.  I am still adorable and love to snuggle as much as I can.  Happy Birthday to me!!

Yoink!

I like, no strike that, LOVE to yoink things.  This would consist of randomly snatching something up with my mouth and running around with it.  I'll let momuh and daduh try and grab it from me but then I'll just continue running around with it.  I like to stroll through the house with something in my mouth and then just plop down somewhere and sit like a human would.  I know I'm adorable when I do this too and that is exactly the reason why I do it.  I would do anything to make people smile and make them happy.  In the end, that is what makes me a happy pug!

Snuggles

I consider myself an authority on this subject.  I was bred exactly for this purpose.  I was meant to be a lapdog and I am quite happy doing just that.  Whenever given the chance, especially after a nice game of fetch, I love nothing more than hopping up on the closest available lap and passing out.  I guess the only downside to this is that I snore.  Yet another standard of my breed.  Since we have the smushed in faces it leads to being a heavy snorer.  Either way, I know this adds to my cuteness.

Wonderful stuff

I love weather like this.  I get to go out on more walks to exercise my short little leggies.  Also, and more importantly, I get to go on car rides with momuh and daduh to different places.  I got to go to an outdoor shopping center on Sunday and I met so many other doggies.  I can remember a really big english mastiff, another pug, cocker spaniel, mini schnauzer, big bulldog and puppy bulldog, bernese mountain dogs, my friend Tofu (a chihuahua) to name a few.  It was a good day for us doggies to be outside and socializing.  Sometimes I get a little too excited when I see other people.  It comes from a good place though.  I just have so much love to give and if other people and kids want me to share that love, I'll happily oblige!

Ah poop

So I haven't been a good little puppy lately.  It isn't my fault though.  You see, for as long as I can remember, momuh and daduh have been making me a gourmet breakfast every morning.  This consists of my kibble, pumpkin and psyllium husk.  I have major daub issues...  That's what momuh and daduh call it when I am relaxed and I kinda release some anal gland juices.  The combo of pumpkin and psyllium husk keeps my problems at bay for about a month until I show signs of needing to have them squeezed out by a vet (the usual of trying to get to my tookus or for other people's pups, dragging butt on the ground).  Thankfully I don't drag my tookus though!!  Anyway, due to the nationwide shortage of pumpkin, my schedule has been thrown off and as a result of this I've managed to "do work" in the house for two straight days.  Thank god for Amazon.com selling groceries online though cuz momuh and daduh ordered lots of pumpkin for me through them and soon I'll be back in tip-top shape.

I really didn't mean to "do work" on the carpet momuh and daduh, I promise...

Snow!!!!

Unlike most pugs, I love it.  Even though I'm small, I love to run through it like I'm an Alaskan sled dog.  I like to push my squished up little mush into the snow and make it stick to my old-man whiskers.  I also love getting a mouthful of snow and gobbling it up like its real food.  Of course this makes me have to go potty sooner, but that's what daduh takes care of for me.  When I get to play out in the snow I will tire myself out pretty good and then you know what that leads to don't you?  EXTRA SNUGGLES!!!

Hello World!

I usually go about my day the same as every other doggy.  Somewhere around 6am my daduh comes down and feeds my fuzziness with a half a cup of kibble and I stay in my little den.  He comes back to let me out and we go wandering around the neighborhood for me to "Go Potty" and "Do Work," which I usually do on command unless I feel like being a stinker.  After a walk and getting my stuff done, we go back to see momuh before she heads off to work for the day.  I play fetch and wander around looking to torture Snauser, by big boofy kitty cat brother.  This is pretty fun but he doesn't like it so much.  I don't really bother with my other kitty cat brother cuz he is much older and kinda unhappy about me being here.  When momuh leaves, daduh puts me in the kitchen with various toys and things to chew on so I don't get myself into any trouble.  Somewhere around 1-2pm I'll get my next bathroom break and some playtime.  I reallllly look forward to this time.