Do you know how hard it is to write with a Pug on your lap? It is not an easy task to do. Either the Pug is sleeping, in which case you don’t want to change position, or the Pug is climbing onto the computer desk. I have three of these magical little animals, each with their own personality, so there is never a dull moment in this house. Even when they sleep, they are a cacophony of sounds – farting, grunting, yipping, and snoring. They chase whatever has caught their eye in their dreams and run, kick, and play… until I wake them up. They are utterly spoiled, and they act like royalty, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Pita is my girl, and a big girl she is. She is the alpha, and she knows it. She never fails to remind the boys when they get a bit too big for their collars! Pita is also the one that can give the saddest “nobody loves me, nobody ever feeds me, and I am starving” face that you’ve ever seen. Trust me, she is not starving! She is an absolute angel until it is nail clipping time, and then she looks like she is having an exorcism. It takes two of us to trim her nails, one to hold her and the other to do the trimming. I am usually the one holding her because she trusts me but believe me when I tell you that she will scratch and claw at me until she draws blood to avoid the nail clipper.
We’d had Pita for almost two years when we brought Boudreaux into the fold. Boudreaux is the tiny Pug. He is also the one who most resembles a tank. He may be tiny, but he is fierce! The UPS man doesn’t stand a chance when Boudreaux is on the lookout! Of course, as soon as someone approaches him, he runs away and barks from a safe distance. Boudreaux, or Lil Boo, was Grubby’s little companion. It was funny to see this big burly guy cuddling with this little Pug who hates getting his feet wet but cuddle they did. We used to joke about Boudreaux being our angry little Pug because he could give the stink-eye better than most. We always said that if he had opposable thumbs, he would be writing a manifesto. He is also the cuddliest of them all. It’s an interesting dichotomy: the angry little guy who thinks everyone is out to get him and the sweet-natured goofball. He also snores the loudest, and it amazes me that something so small could make so much noise.
Then, there is Giacomo. Giacomo, or Jock, is our old man. We adopted him from the shelter, and he is just a happy Pug. He is happy that he’s out of puppy jail. He is a senior Pug, but every once in a while, we get to see him frolic like a puppy. Giacomo sings for his supper and thinks that every time he wakes up from a nap, he should be fed. He has a double curl in his tail, so it really looks like a cinnamon bun on his little back. Pita and Boudreaux tolerate Giacomo, and sometimes, they actually include him in their antics.
When Grubby died, Lil Boo was in Pug Heaven initially. He was getting treats left and right, and plenty of people were petting and cuddling him. And then… everyone left, and he was left wandering around, looking for his Daddy. He was so forlorn that it nearly broke my heart. Then, something happened… Boudreaux saw me crying, and he hopped up on the couch and cuddled me. He hasn’t stopped since. All of the love that Lil Boo had for Grubby, he gave it to me. I’m his person now.
All three of them are different, and yet, the love they give is unquestioning and they give it freely, without demand or expectation. They are the closest beings to perfection as I believe you can get. They are happy to cuddle me whenever I need it, and even when I don’t need it. I’ve always been a dog person and having them beside me during the past eleven months has given me peace. Pugs are kind of like Lay’s potato chips… you can’t have just one, but when you’re lying on the couch and all three of them are climbing over your legs, torso, and head like mountain goats, you might wish you only had one. They may act like royalty but that’s only because they are the Queen and Kings of Hearts.
I love this one!