Wild Alaskan Mountain Pug>>>>>>in FLORIDA!

Flying

2011-10-27T02:42:00.000-04:00

Let me start off by saying that pugs are not meant to fly; we are meant to remain firmly entrenched between our parents' laps in a snuggle position on the ground.

My parents and sister went to Taiwan to visit for 10 days while I stayed with Grandpa in NJ. They told me they had a great time, as did I. Before she left, Mommy warned Grandpa not to fall for my sad, woe-as-me-I-am-a-poor-starving-puggy look. Luckily, my grandfather is a softie and pretty soon I had him wrapped around my little paw. I was getting treats and table scraps left and right . . . Mommy was horrified when she returned and saw I had put on a few pounds. I just thought I looked extra cuddly. Mommy warned me that there is a weight limit for in-cabin pets on the airplane and that I just might not be able to fly home with them. Hold on a minute! I thought -- no one said anything about flying home!

As usual, my parents did not listen to me and before I knew it, I am sitting in a carrier underneath an airplane seat. Of course I was a huge hit with the other passengers . . . who can resist a puggy?

Here I am peeking out of the carrier. I was so upset when Mommy told me I had to remain there the entire flight!

I was trying to give Mommy my most pathetic look so she would take me out of the carrier.

I wasn't sure what this was -- kinda looked like those black bears I had seen in Alaska, but different coloring. Daddy called this a panda bear. He said they saw two of them at the Taiwan Zoo.

My parents said the highlight of their trip to Taiwan was the food. Here is just an example of their first day of glorious non-stop eating. Sounds like my kind of vacation!

Back Again!

2011-10-24T07:07:00.001-04:00

Hello pug bloggers! I am back from an extended hiatus (a forced hiatus by my incompetent parents, I have to add) and ready to regale you all with my adventures. Sadly, nothing spectacular happened during my absence, with the exception of me taking my first plane ride (which I will recount later)!

One thing my Daddy likes about the winters here in Florida (aside from the awesome weather) is that the green markets are back up and running. There are two we attend regularly: one on Sat morning and one on Sun morning. Unfortunately, only the Sat one allows dogs so my options are limited.

This is me and Daddy at the West Palm Beach Green Market.

This unfortunate specimen is my Grandmother's rat -- er, chihuahua. She definitely did not enjoy the green market (don't ask me why, chihuahuas are a strange breed)

Here I am sniffing around one of the plants. Don't tell my parents but I was looking for a place to pee

I was going to pee by the pot but then my sister caught me and ratted me out (stupid sibling).

Grasshoppers

2011-05-26T07:02:00.003-04:00

Daddy is on a mission: he has decided that no grasshoppers will survive the week. We have these scary big grasshoppers all around our house; they actually are pretty (if they weren't 5 inches long) since they come in colors of yellow to red. They don't bother me much. I do like to chase them but they really don't provide much of a challenge -- they can't hop very fast because of their size. Now lizards, that is another story. I break a sweat trying to catch one of those little suckers . . . Anyway, they have been eating alot of our young fruit trees and flowers, so Daddy has decided they must go! Unfortunately, they are resistant to most pesticides so you have to kill them the old-fashioned way -- STOMP!

Mommy found this one on our screen window. And this one actually is one of the medium-sized critters!

Like I said, not bad looking if it weren't so big

New Blog

2011-05-03T07:34:00.006-04:00

This is just me chillin' out on a fabulous sunny day

Good morning everyone! I apologize for recent strange layouts on my blogs but things have been a little screwy on the home computer. I don't know what's up with Mommy but I told her she needs to get on the ball about stuff like that -- how can I possibly type my entries when I am encountering technical difficulties?

I was reminded by my cousin that I was negligent in announcing his new blog, www.beagscorner.com. Now, my cousin is an inferior breed -- a beagle -- but I don't hold that against him. The blog is quite awesome because 1) he is related to me, and 2) Beag's owner is quite a fantastic veterinarian. Mommy has asked her advice many times (I don't know why since I am always an angel!), and she has been quite the lifesaver. So, go check out the cool blog!

At the zoo

2011-04-24T09:37:00.004-04:00

Hoping everyone had a great weekend. We just lounged around and enjoyed the yummy Florida sunshine. Only two bad things happened this weekend:

1. My Mommy decided to put me in the pool to see if I could swim. I can't.

2. My family decided to go to the zoo without me. Granted dogs aren't allowed at the zoo, but I don't take that into consideration.

Mommy started posting pictures of me nearly drowning in the swimming pool, but I quickly deleted those. I am not stupid enough to allow my embarrassing situation be made public record. So all of you will have just the pictures of the Palm Beach Zoo to enjoy.

My little sis was enamored with the Butterfly Garden where tons of butterflies were freely flittering about.

The Butterfly Garden was paved with stones that had inscriptions on them. Mommy liked this one the best.

This bird had an artificial leg

The bionic bird!

Littermates

2011-04-13T06:04:00.003-04:00

Now you guys all know how much my life has changed since my little sister arrived (and certainly not for the better). I have tried all I can to get my parents to return her to the breeder they bought her from . . . I even tried giving her away at one of those little sister rescue organizations (note my last blog), but no one would take her. Still, I have to admit, sometimes she is okay, especially when she provides a warm body for me to cuddle up against.

One of the only times where we coexist peacefully

Daddy says this is the only time there is calm in the house

Happy Birthday to ME!

2011-04-04T07:18:00.003-04:00

Hello everyone in bloggyland . . . long time no blogging, eh? I blame everything on my silly family (trust me we have had arguments about this). But even Mommy couldn't refuse my insistence on today's blog because . . . it is my birthday! Yup, that's right -- yours truly is now 5 years old! My parents kind of cheated and celebrated yesterday. I got a rib bone to chew on and a slice of ice cream cake (heavenly!).

This is me looking as gorgeous as ever

My family and I went to the Pet Expo last weekend. Thank goodness it was indoors as it is starting to get muggy hot again in South Florida. We met dogs of all kinds -- sniffing galore. We saw some pet rescue organizations: one shar-pei rescue, one golden retriever rescue, one greyhound rescue, and four dauschaund rescues. FOUR?!? Mommy couldn't believe it -- what, does nobody want those hot dogs out there that they have so many rescues? We met up with the lady that runs the pug rescue of South Florida and asked her why we didn't see any pug resuces; she said the convention people wanted $350/table and they could rescue 2 pugs with that amount, so she was just circulating amongst the crowd. Wow, I though that was a pretty good reason. I tried to find the Little Sister Rescue so I could give up my little sis for adoption, but wouldn't you know it, they didn't show up . . .

This is my little sis, Daddy, me and a handsome fella in the background at the front of the Expo

Pillow Pug

2011-02-18T08:26:00.000-05:00

It's been a hard week for me: my little sis has been having nightmares almost daily, which means she gets to sleep with my parents and me. And let me tell you a secret: toddlers don't lie still when they are sleeping! I have been punched and kicked in the head incessantly at night. Since I haven't been able to get much sleep at night, I tend to make up for it during the daytime.

I managed to squeeze in between several pillows, hoping to hide myself from my possessed sibling

Look at me! Look at the bags around my eyes! Look at the dark circles under my eyes! How can I go out looking like this?!

Eating Poop

2011-02-14T06:02:00.002-05:00

I apologize for the rather disgusting title of my blog, but Mommy made me write it in. She was rather angry at me this weekend because of my nasty habit. I don't like to tell too many people because you humans get all weirded up about it, but I LOVE to eat cat poop. Well there it is, out there in the open. Mommy didn't actually find out about my ilicit habit until we moved to a house with a huge backyard and with a neighbor that has 2 outdoor cats. I don't know who Mommy is mad at more: the cats for pooping in our yard, or me for eating it. Mommy will let me out in the backyard and my super-sensitive pug nose leads me right to various areas where the cats have left their, ahem, presents, and before Mommy can run over to smack me in the butt, I have consumed the entire poop in one gulp. Mommy wants to know if there is any way 1) I can be cured of this, or 2) to prevent the cats from pooping in our yard (short of a well-aimed BB gun).

I am being punished because of my latest "treasure hunting"

I don't think I have a problem . . . Mommy says I need to go into "Cat-poop eating rehab"

Sick

2011-01-25T07:47:00.002-05:00

Hi guys! I really feel for all my puggy friends out there: my parents and I watch the news every evening and it seems like the rest of the country is getting slammed with supercold weather. It is currently 71 degrees outside now, and it is not even 8 o'clock AM! But no worries -- my grandmother decided to share her cold weather experience by giving the entire Wild Floridian Swamp Pug family a nasty bug. She came down last week and promptly got sick, and now my parents and little sis have fever, chills, and some kind of cough. I haven't been blogging because someone has to take care of them, cook, clean the house, take care of the bills, etc! It is a good thing puggies are immune to human viruses . . .

The beach in January

2011-01-17T08:23:00.000-05:00

This is what winter in Florida is supposed to be -- warm and cozy enough for the beach! We had several cold days this winter but now the weather has been spectacular.

I am watching little sis try to put dirt into her bucket. I told her she would get better results by tossing the dirt in with her paws instead of using that silly shovel.

Keeping an eye out for crabs to dine on

Life is good

Helping out

2011-01-12T08:28:00.000-05:00

We are having a run of guests which means it is time to clean up the house. We all have to play our part in getting the house in order . . .

This is my little sis trying to clean the toilet. That is, after she threw in Mommy's birthday card into the toilet (before Mommy had a chance to read it!)

I did my part by taking my little sis out on a walk with me so my parents can clean the house without interference. I am such a good sister!

Happy Belated New Year

2011-01-09T08:00:00.006-05:00

Ok, ok, I know we are two weeks deep into the New Year but I want to wish everyone out there a safe and successful 2011! The Alaskan-Mountain-Pug-turned-Florida-Swamp-Pug family has been supremely busy these past several months; no excuse for not blogging, but there it is. To sum up the 2010 holidays: my parents had a horrendous experience traveling to Michigan for Thanksgiving (no thanks to Delta airlines). I was very smart and stayed in the warm climates of West Palm Beach courtesy of my friends Jennifer and her dogs Ruby and Frankie; I did drive up with my family to central New Jersey for Christmas and we got caught in that blizzard (my grandparents got 2.5 feet of snow in one day!); New Year's spent at home (finally) without my Mom who was working.

Well, that's the summary. I would have blogged sooner, but my parents laptop went crazy, something about not finding the RAM memory and "fatal error in the hard drive", etc. I personally think it was because my Daddy dropped the laptop few times, but he gives me the evil eye when I mention that, so I don't bring that up. So I am just posting a few pictures of moi during Christmas while the computer is having a good day . . .

This is me with the ladies (actually my sister-in-laws and my baby cousin). NOBODY could keep there hands off me at Christmas. I was the star of the show!

I don't even know why Mommy bothered to snap this picture when I was cropped out of it. Anyway this is me (cut off in the bottom), Daddy, and little sis in her Christmas PJs.

A puggy needs to rest after all that attention

My brilliant Mommy thought I wanted to go romp and play in 2.5 feet of snow. I obviously thought she was insane

Caught Again

2010-11-22T00:48:00.002-05:00

Something mortifying happened to me this weekend. I thought I got away with something but then my parents found out about it in quite an embarrassing way. I am the first to admit that I love chocolate; I know it is dangerous for me and my parents never let me have any. But that doesn't stop me from trying to obtain it whenever I can (live life on the edge, that's what I say). So, my Mom had some leftover small Snickers bars in her bookbag that she forgot about. My parents and sis left me alone on Thursday afternoon and my keen sense of smell brought me to Mom's bag and I was able to help myself to a few of those bars. Since I didn't know how long my family would be out, I had to scarf them down quickly.

When my parents came back, Dad saw one Snickers wrapper on the floor. Mom was horrified and confused: she didn't see any more Snickers bars in her bag, but couldn't find any more wrappers. She thought she had at least 4 of those bars left. My parents watched me closely overnight, but I felt fine (and proud of myself for getting away with such a steal!). I felt fine, that is, until this weekend. On Saturday I had a weird-colored poop; Mom was wondering why my poop was white and blue. She looked closer (she had to pick up after me, of course) and saw the letters S-N-I-C-K-E-R-S on the white part. Boy was she steaming mad! And then I got really sick yesterday and started dry-heaving for an hour, until finally, 3 more wrappers came up. My parents were both furious and very concerned about me at the same time. Once they realized I was ok, they started lecturing me about eating chocolate, especially with the wrapper still on. I tried to tell them that the wrapper was no impediment to my enjoying the chocolate itself, but I think that got me in more trouble. Suffice it to say I didn't get very much to eat last night; Mom said it was to make sure my stomach was recovered, but I know when I am being punished! Can't say it wasn't worth it, though . . .

Puggy Meet Up

2010-11-18T08:30:00.007-05:00

This time I can't blame anyone but myself for the late post. I am still recuperating from the Pug Meet up I went to this weekend. The Pug Rescue of Florida held a meet on Saturday in Maitland, Florida. My family and I went and had a fun time, especially since this was our first pug event. Mommy and Daddy were in heaven -- pugs EVERYWHERE. Mommy had wanted to enter me in the "Biggest Pug" contest, thinking I was so chunky (I call it voluptuous) I would easily win. What a surprise to find that there are pugs bigger than me-- whew! I felt better after that. My parents wanted to bring home a rescue pug, but my sister said, "noooo way"; apparently, she can't stand the further lack of attention she would receive if another pug came home.

We met this brother and sister pair at the meet-up. These were the biggest black pugs we have seen! Normally, I find that black pugs are smaller than the fawn colored ones.

Doesn't he look dapper?

Mommy was very impressed -- she has never seen a brindle pug before.

My parents left me AGAIN!

2010-11-11T07:20:00.004-05:00

I should win the award for most neglected pug of the year. My parents left me again for one week -- this is becoming a very annoying habit. Mommy said they were leaving for a very good reason: my uncle was getting married. So what? Why couldn't he have the darn wedding at our house? Florida's lovely this time of year! Nooo, instead, everyone has to fly to another country (Daddy says it is in some place called Rivera Maya in Mexico) and inconvenience me with this activity. And why does my little sis get to go? So what if she is the flower girl? And why did my uncle not pick me to be the flower girl -- I think he likes my little sis more than me (Mommy assures me that is not the case but you be the judge).

Luckily, my parents brought me to stay with Peanut and his mom, Monika, for the week. I don't know why I have this thing with dauschaunds -- they seem to be following me around. I actually had loads of fun chasing him and the other dogs around (but don't tell my parents that -- I told them I had a miserable time)

This is a picture of the resort my parents stayed in. Mommy said they didn't allow pets at the place. What kind of joint doesn't allow pugs?

Looks like Florida, only a tad bit warmer

So this is what my idiot sis does during the wedding -- play with the sand. Mommy said she walked down the aisle like a trooper and then kept on walking (it was a beach wedding) to play in the sand. What a pro, eh? I'm telling you, my uncle picked the wrong niece as a flower girl -- I would have been a hundred times better behaved (and much prettier also)!

Something's Up

2010-11-11T07:16:00.002-05:00

Something's up with my parents: they keep talking to themselves in low voices and then they look at me and smile. My parents won't tell me what is going on, but they have dropped hints like, "Frances, you are going to love this" and "Can't wait till Saturday". C'mon, why do parents have to be so sneaky!? Tell me already -- everyone knows pugs aren't patient dogs.

Guests in the house

2010-11-08T05:55:00.000-05:00

We had two special houseguests with us while I was trying to overcome my writer's block -- Frankie and Ruby. Their Mommy was away for a week and she wanted to make sure her kids were at the best place possible away from home, so she picked my house! I was actually bigger than both of them so I had to play nice. My Mom said they are better behaved than I am, especially during our walks. Humph! I am just more independent than those two silly dogs.

This is Frankie. Notice how he is begging to be loved? I don't need to beg -- people flock to me all the time of their own accord.

This is Ruby. She is trying to steal my snack away from my Dad. It's a good thing I don't believe in hitting women!

I have been delinquent

2010-11-04T14:08:00.003-04:00

Hi out there. It is yours truly -- the Wild Alaskan Mountain Pug-turned-Wild Floridian Swamp Pug -- here making a delayed appearance. I know it has been over 5 months since I last posted but it wasn't all my fault, truly. Allright, I did get into a writer's funk for a while and then my parents got all busy with a new house and some renovations (don't get my Mom started about contractors and their "estimates"). But things have settled down and I am back in the game!

Just a quick update on me, I did have a mast-cell tumor removed from my abdomen 3 weeks ago. Doc said it looked like she removed all of it as the margins were clear -- way-to-go doc!

This is my Dad trying to make me look cool . . . I don't need sunglasses for that!

Whew!

2010-06-15T23:35:00.000-04:00

It has been hot and muggy here -- typical south Florida weather for summer. At this point in the year I am happy simply lounging at home.

Bed, pillow, blanket . . . what more do you need?

OK, paparazzi, you can leave now.

Sheesh! Can't a pug get some sleep?

This is how you do it . . .

2010-06-02T11:19:00.001-04:00

My sister and I went for a walk yesterday with Mom. I got hot walking around in the blazing sun so I volunteered my little sis to do the driving . . .

But my sis got cranky and tired, so I had to move to the back seat . . .

Mommy made me move below so my little sis can sit in her carriage.

What an indignity!!!

Working on the boat

2010-05-26T23:30:00.003-04:00

Hi all! I have been working hard these past few weeks, along with Daddy. He leads people on diving trips (you humans are CRAZY to want to spend any time underwater . . . I mean you get wet doing that. Yuck!). They hop on board a speedy boat to somewhere in the open ocean, and plop! plop! plop! these people jump off a perfectly fine boat and into the water . . . weird!

I am supervising, of course. You can't get me in the water because I am SANE!

I am patrolling the boat, making sure all the workers are pulling their weight . . .

Sniffing

2010-05-11T01:48:00.000-04:00

Guess what I am doing behind the mini-shrub?

Actually, nothing much . . . just sniffing. Daddy gets exasperated because I stop and sniff things every few steps during our walks.

Mother's Day

2010-05-10T07:16:00.002-04:00

I know Mothers are VERY important, so I hope every Mom out there had a day of proper pampering yesterday. Mommy spent the whole day with us (Daddy had to work), which she says was a treat in itself . . . except she rolled up eyes when she used the word "treat". I am thinking she didn't think it was that much fun, but I don't understand why:

Look at this face (yes I was trying to sneak a drink from my sister's water cup)

My sis and I chipped in to get Mom the balloon. Nice gesture, I think.

Guests

2010-04-19T07:32:00.000-04:00

My parents have learned that living in Florida automatically means lots of guests. I don't mind because that means more petting and more treats for me! Unfortunately, some of our guests aren't the human kind:

This little creature peeked out at us from under a shrub. I tried to be friendly and say 'hi' but this guy is very shy.

My parents have taught me to be polite and courteous to our guests. I have taken that lesson to heart . . . here I am snuggling with Mommy's best friend. I am keeping a watchful eye and making sure his slumber doesn't get interrupted.

I Have A Chauffeur!

2010-04-07T14:00:00.000-04:00

For all you puggies out there -- be very, very jealous! I have trained my little sis to chauffeur me around when I am tired of walking:

Ahhhhh, living the good life!

The trick is to start teaching them when they are young. My sister began pushing me as soon as she learned to walk!

Lake Park Art Fair

2010-04-03T21:46:00.003-04:00

Hi guys -- I am back! My parents tried to stymie my creative nature by taking away the computer (something about me making my little sister cry), but I have done my penance and now I am back in the game!!

I have been one busy puggy while I was gone. First, my family and I went to the Lake Park Art Fair last weekend (it seems like every little town here has an art fair). Burt Reynolds was the judge . . . I don't know who this Burt Reynolds is, but Daddy was impressed. The fair itself was small but fun as I got to meet some of my neighbors and their humans.

Daddy and me at the art fair. I was a hit with the local police; apparently, they are big fans of Men in Black II as they kept on calling me "Frank"

It's a good thing I made friendly with the police. Otherwise, my little sis might have been arrested for walking on a road sign!

What? Snow?

2010-03-04T07:32:00.004-05:00

It has happened again . . . my family and I took a roadtrip to visit the grandparents in New Jersey, and guess what we got hit with: 16 inches of snow!!!! My parents have really pathetic timing -- we left 70 degree sunny weather in Florida for this?!?!

Here I am surveying the white scenery with despair

Frances, the intrepid pug, is attempting to climb her way back to civilization

Aha! I see the porch lights in the distance . . .

Eat my dust, you snowpile . . .

Payback Time

2010-02-25T00:02:00.000-05:00

Now I am usually a sweet and good-natured pug, but sometimes you just have to show your sibling who's the boss. My sister and I had a little wrestling match and guess who emerged victorious:

My little sis has submitted to my superior fighting skills . . . but you ask why did I even get so vengeful?

This was several minutes earlier: SOMEBODY thought it was funny to put spaghetti on my back . . .

Milo the Pug

2010-02-09T12:05:00.000-05:00

I am not sure how many of you have seen the heartwarming tale of Milo and Otis. It was part of family movie night and we all loved it. I was a bit confused, though, when I met Milo in the dog park this weekend.

Milo is the silly cat and Otis is the handsome pug

This is Milo the pug. He doesn't look like a cat, does he? I tried to tell Milo that he had a cat's name . . .

"Duh?"

Pugs Can Read Too

2010-02-03T10:38:00.000-05:00

Daddy was in the library with my baby sister, looking for a book to read to her when he found this:

I believe this should be in the running for a Pulitzer Prize -- it is obviously a great literary work!

Suki and Saki

2010-02-01T06:51:00.002-05:00

Hope everyone had a good weekend. The weather was great here in Florida, ranging from 60-80 degrees. Saturday was so nice that all sorts of dogs were out that day; I wanted to introduce you to two of the nicest ones:

This is Suki and Saki, two Pekingese

I think Pekingese must have some pug in them -- I mean, just look at that smushed-in nose!

My parents just love these two dogs . . . I think they offered to swap me for them. The nerve!

Pug Food

2010-01-25T07:26:00.000-05:00

My parents and I went to the Pet Supermarket last month to buy me some more dog food. Daddy saw these kibblets made especially for pugs, so he wanted Mommy to buy it. Mommy wasn't happy - she thought it was just a gimmick -- but bought it anyway because Daddy was giving her the sad puppy eyes. I tried it that night and guess what -- I loved it! It is super yummy, and even Mommy admits it smells a bit like beef teriyaki and not at all like dog food (if you know what I mean). Now I'm not sure it is actually better for me, but it sure tastes good.

Daddy is showing off our new discovery . . . actual yummy dog crunchies!

Pelican Cafe

2010-01-21T11:48:00.002-05:00

Hi all! I know I haven't posted in several weeks -- things have been a bit busy in the Wild Alaskan Mountain Pug household. Essentially my little sis has started walking and boy is she a terror on two feet! The only good thing about it is that she will carry food with her while she is walking about, which allows me ample opportunity to sneak some bites!

Mommy had the day off so we all went to have breakfast at a local eatery:

I haven't had my morning coffee yet.

My parents think I am too old for the car seat, but I say you can't be too safe . . .

We have arrived at the Pelican Cafe!

This is a cool restaurant: dogs are allowed to sit on the patio, and I even get my own water bowl!

I didn't get my own menu, though. Mommy had to order for me . . .

The Things I Put Up With

2009-12-30T22:53:00.002-05:00

Hi All! Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Mine was a very peaceful one as my parents and sister flew to cold New Jersey while I remained in warm Florida. I stayed with my friend Jennifer and had a rockin' time. But my sister came home with my family (drats! I was hoping she would have stayed up north) and has been torturing me since. Witness the punishment I have to endure:

Don't let the cuteness fool you -- she is hatching a diabolical plot

Little sis thinks the entire couch is hers -- she is obviously trying to push me off!

Uh, Mommy, are you going to help me or what?

Pug Take-Over

2009-12-15T07:58:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the long interval between posts, my friends out there. My parents seem to be running around doing very little which leaves me to fend for myself. It's a good thing my survival skills have been honed to perfection in the wilderness of Alaska!

First, I would like to thank Chewie for his award! I love awards and prizes -- keep them coming! I will try to get to it with the next post.

Second, several residents of the complex we live in have been mentioning that there are quite a number of pugs here. I think they are just jealous that they chose to own an inferior breed of dog, but you know not everyone can be a pug owner. For example, this was a recent day at the dog park:

This intelligent canine is bowing to my great pugness.

This is Fred and me. Separated at birth?

Here I am instructing my loyal subject

Fred and Bandit. Bandit is a 13yo pug that was rescued by Fred's Mom. Kudos to Fred's Mom!

Thanksgiving with Friends

2009-11-30T11:05:00.003-05:00

Hope everyone out there had a good Thanksgiving. My inconsiderate family decided to leave sunny, warm Florida and head up to Michigan to visit Daddy's family. And of course, they left me behind again. I actually didn't mind because 1) it was chilly up in northern Michigan (Mommy said they even had snow!) and 2) I got to stay with some friends! Our very nice neighbor had the privilege of pug-sitting me during the Thanksgiving weekend. She had two dachshunds whom were cute enough, but I stole the show that weekend.

Whom in the picture does not belong . . . that's right, the two hot dogs! This was obviously my couch -- I just let them lie on it for a little while because that's just how nice I am.

Vega the Jumping Boxer

2009-11-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

Have you guys ever seen a jumping boxer? Well, let me introduce you to Vega -- she is a one year old boxer who has springs for legs. She can jump as high as the fence . . . I am waiting for the day she jumps over it!

This is Vega taking advantage of my short stature. Don't you guys fear, I was able to hold my own!

Daddy was trying to prevent Vega from licking my sister to death . . . Vega loves to lick dogs, people, and especially babies!

Daddy's Birthday

2009-11-15T23:44:00.003-05:00

It was Daddy's birthday today, and the weather was perfect! Just about 80 degrees and we went to the beach where we frolicked in the sand while Daddy bodysurfed in the water.

I am just chillin' on the beach

Happy Birthday Daddy!

This is what I got Daddy -- two pug pillows! Daddy loves anything pug-related . . .

Victoria and Lightning

2009-11-11T16:32:00.001-05:00

Talk about interesting dog breeds: we have two whippets that live in our complex, named Victoria and Lightning. Boy are they fast! Lightning escaped from the dog park one day and was across the yard before Daddy could even blink.

This is me trying to get dieting tips. Notice how sleek they look . . . of course it is probably genetic, but heck! a pug can try, right?

I had challenged Lightning to a race, but he just laughed at me . . .

Winner!

2009-11-09T11:51:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Punchy, I won our housing complex's Halloween pet costume contest. Woo-hoo!

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T23:56:00.003-04:00

Whew! What a hectic Halloween. Hope you guys all scored big with your snack stash. My parents brought me to a store called Woof Gang Bakery -- a store that sells dog/cat items. The store was having a special Halloween party, with free snacks and goodies. I came home with bags of home-made treats, yummy!

This Navy Seal made a stealthy entrance

The devil in the guise of a chihuahua

Yours truly looking splendiferous in a Punchy creation

I received tons of compliments in my outfit . . . thanks Punchy!

Baily and Ruby

2009-10-29T05:34:00.000-04:00

There was tons of action at the dog park this week (I think it is because we have had such splendid weather and the snowbirds are coming down south). Let me introduce you to a few:

This is Ruby the dauschaund (there are actually quite a number of little hot dogs around here. They sure are popular)

And this is Baily, the half Shar-Pei- half something else dog

Baily has the head of a shar-pei, but not with so many wrinkles. She does have their blue-black tongue -- it is pretty neat to see

October at the Beach

2009-10-26T06:51:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone -- Happy Monday! We had a terrific weekend at the Wild Alaskan Mountain Pug (hmmm, maybe I should change that to Florida Swamp Pug)family. Guess what the weather was over the past three days . . 86-89 degrees and sunny! Don't be jealous, my friends in Alaska -- with the hot weather comes the insects and fleas.

Daddy was marveling at how it is nearly Halloween, and yet we find ourselves strolling along the beach. And guess who I met:

This fine looking pug is Molly

Molly was a bit camera-shy at first, but I gave her pointers

Two gorgeous pugs on the beach

Jailed in the Park

2009-10-12T10:45:00.001-04:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends out there! Hoping you guys will be eating lots of delicious food tonight.

As I mentioned before, we have a small dog park in the apartment complex, and it is quite the meeting place. I have been able to socialize with breeds I didn't even know existed. So, every once in a while, I am going to put up pictures of my new friends on my blog.

This is me in the dog park. Mommy has been known to keep me locked in here while she is talking to the neighbors

Ok Mommy . . . not funny. You can let me out now.

Trip to Grandfather's

2009-10-05T23:08:00.003-04:00

We went to visit my Grandfather and Grandmother this weekend. They live on the other side of the state so the drive was not too bad for Daddy (hey, he is used to driving cross-country so across the state is not so bad). Both me and my sister had great fun: I was able to run around and meet new friends while my little sis was able to play in the water.

We visited Daddy's childhood friend and my sister got to romp around in his parents' pool. I had to make sure this picture was not too pornographic . . . there are weirdos out there

This is me with Moose, one of the friends I met

Moose doesn't look like a moose, he looks more like a bear! He was actually

terrified of me . . . as well he should be!

Another neighbor's dog came over and we all had a butt-sniffing celebration

Tagged

2009-09-28T22:36:00.003-04:00

I was tagged by Harry Pugalicious several weeks ago and I am finally getting around to it (sorry Harry!). First, Harry wanted to know how I acquired my name. Unfortunately, it is not as interesting a story as Harry's naming is; I am named after my paternal great-grandmother. Daddy named practically everything he owned Frances Louise (including his bicycle) because he loved his grandmother so much.

So, to accept the "Oops I ate it award", you have to blog about the food you have stolen when your humans were not watching. Where do I begin? My humans are not so smart: I have surreptitiously eaten everything from a whole bag of beef jerkys to a box of chocolate chip cookies. Usually the only evidence I leave behind is the empty container! My latest conquest was half a box of chocolate-covered Oreo cookies just last week. Yummmmm! Mommy freaked out because she said I am not supposed to eat chocolate, but I did fine afterwards (stomach of steel, I always say).

First chihuahuas, now this?

2009-09-24T05:18:00.000-04:00

As you all know, we have recently returned from our adventure up north to visit the grandparents. You may or may not recall that Grandmother also has a white rat (aka chihuahua) that hangs around. I thought that was all I would have to deal with when I stepped into Grandmother's house, but nooooo! I was in for a surprise when I first saw the cages, and then the creatures that lived in them:

I am attempting to guess what creatures live in those cages (hint, hint -- you can see one of them lurking in the background)

There it is again on the step . . .

Bingo! They are ferrets!

Mommy says that my uncle got tired of raising them so he "gave" them to my Grandmother. I think Grandma must have an obsession with rat-like creatures . . .

Traveling Pug

2009-09-22T15:16:00.002-04:00

Sorry again for the lack of posts, but the Wild Alaskan Mountain Pug family has been on the road again, this time venturing along the I-95 corridor of the Eastern seaboard. Yup, we drove to Grandmother's house in NJ and back. I do love being in the car, but I think I am the only one in the family that likes it so much.

This is my fair self entering South Carolina. I was watching the car while my parents and sister took a bathroom break.

Daddy didn't feel too welcome in Virginia because of all the traffic we hit

It was a bit nippy at night in the Northeast -- quite a change from hot Florida. I didn't care because I spent the nights well-fed (don't tell my parents that my grandparents gave me quite a number of treats) and very well snuggled (I had my pick of warm bodies to sleep with).

Who Wore It Better?

2009-09-07T23:16:00.000-04:00

Well, hope everyone had a great Labor Day! Mommy had to stay home and take care of us while Daddy went diving, so she treated herself to one of those weekly periodicals that detail the latest goings-on of popular actors, actresses, models, musicians, and reality-TV stars. In it, there is a section that show two starlets wearing the exact same outfit to different functions, and the editors or readers decide which actress looked better in that particular outfit. We have something similar to that in the Alaskan Mountain Pug household -- my sister and I were photographed wearing the same skirt to two different events:

This is my baby sister wearing the outrageously frilly skirt for a photo-op. Notice how the pastel colors wash out her complexion?

And this is me wearing the same skirt on my way to the dog park.

I think the pink color frames my dark mug quite well. Tres chic, no?! I can impartially say that I pulled off this outfit better than my little sister.

Sleeping Babies

2009-09-02T05:31:00.000-04:00

Being a pug means that you always have to sleep firmly plastered against a warm body. Luckily, my little sister likes to take as many naps as I do:

As you can see, my sister is a space hog

Heellooo!! Girls trying to get some beauty sleep here . . .

I am also a very protective older sister.

That's right, mister, just keep moving away from the baby . . .

TV Dogs

2009-08-31T05:26:00.000-04:00

Sometimes when my parents and I go for a walk, we will see a big dog and Mommy would say, "Maybe our next dog will be a better guard dog." I was quite insulted about this -- I mean just because I love to snuggle doesn't mean I can't be mean and intimidating as well.

Here I am defending my loved ones against the vicious dog I see in front of me . . .

What do you mean that it doesn't count if he's on TV?

Groceries

2009-08-25T05:28:00.000-04:00

My parents went to the supermarket this weekend and guess what they bought . . .

Two very cute girls . . . on sale!

Mommy, I think you left the groceries in the shopping cart!

Um, can you get us out of here now?

Popular Demand

2009-08-12T10:44:00.000-04:00

By popular demand (mainly from the grandmothers), I am putting up more pictures of my baby sister -- from her best side (HA!HA!) . . .

I find this her best angle

Aww, don't be mad sis! It's just a joke!

Gimme that leash

2009-08-10T02:39:00.000-04:00

Wow, I can't believe it has been several weeks since I have blogged. For some reason, life for me is not as exciting here in Florida as it was in Alaska. One of the reasons is that I can't go on long, extended hikes here because I become a hot and toasted puggy after a few minutes in this weather. On those quick walks, however, I am not all get-my-business-done-and-go-back-into-the-air-conditioning dog . . . sometimes I do like to play:

One of my favorites is playing "Gimme that leash". Pretty self-explanatory . . .

Here I am playing that game with Daddy. I am, of course, winning as you can see (most of the leash is on my side!!)

Another victim of the Florida heat

Playing is hard work

At the Beach

2009-07-18T12:08:00.003-04:00

Hi all! Yours truly here, back again and now bladder-infection free! Wow, that stuff really takes a toll on you. In celebration of me being nursed back to health (Mommy says I am being over dramatic, that I just had a bladder infection and not brain surgery. Hmmph, what does she know!?!), we went to the beach last weekend. There were tons of dogs there, playing frisbee and jumping into the water.

I was quite embarrassed to still be led around by my leash in front of all the other dogs; Mommy said that she was afraid I would run away or bother those families having picnics on the beach. Come on -- a little begging for food never hurt anyone . . .

Bladder Infection

2009-06-30T23:34:00.002-04:00

This past weekend, I was having problems peeing; I had to go constantly. Mommy noticed this and then noticed that my urine was slightly pinkish. We went to the vet today and she suspected I had a bladder infection, but wanted a urine sample to confirm it. So the veternary assistants walked me around their office carrying a ladle to catch my urine -- I thought this was so weird that I didn't pee for them. Mommy had to collect my urine when we got home. The funny thing was that Daddy was totally squeamish about it -- you would think that a man who picks up my poop would have no problems collecting my urine. Noooo! He was totally grossed out by the whole thing -- MEN!

So the vet said I had bacteria in my urine and started me on antibiotics. And I have to start on heartworm medication as well, not to mention continue with my flea medication (I only did my heartworm thing once-a-year in Ketchikan, and we didn't even bother with flea/tick medicine up there). I think I need some compensation for having to take so much medication . . . like a cookie!

Super Squeaker Cow

2009-06-22T06:25:00.000-04:00

Hello all! It reached 100 degrees here today, so needless to say I stayed in . . . again. To make up for the indoor imprisonment, my parents bought me this awesome toy -- it's a cow that has 16 squeaker-things inside. I thought I died and went to puggy heaven; I LOVE attacking those squeaker-things. In fact, other than eating, sleeping, and snuggling, trying to get those plastic squeaker-things is my purpose in life!

The cow tried to escape, but I have it firmly by its neck. One shake of my head and the cow will die a quick death via transected cervical vertebra (Mommy makes me watch CSI with her; thus, the professional jargon)

Once the cow is subdued, I can begin the relentless disembowelment to de-squeakify the bovine . . .

At the Pier

2009-06-12T12:42:00.001-04:00

Boy is it hot here! I normally like taking my time with my walks, but lately the heat and humidity has gotten the best of me; lounging around in an air-conditioned room has become my routine. Not to say I don't enjoy the outdoors: notice my recent excursion to the local marina . . .

There are way more boats here than in the harbors in Ketchikan, and they seem a bit more, um, expensive also. I don't think many of them are used primarily for sustenance fishing . . .

Ok, Daddy, that's enough. How about we go home for some cold lemonade!

Not Lookalikes

2009-06-01T04:41:00.006-04:00

I know you guys are all marveling about how much my sister and I look alike (see my last blog if you think likewise). Here in Florida, I have noticed a distinct difference in the birds that congregate outside our abode. The birds here are much skinnier and smaller:

FLORIDA

We don't see such fragile birds in Alaska

You are too skinny bird . . . you need to eat more meat!

ALASKA

Now, this is the type of bird I am used to seeing. This handsome creature obviously eats very well!

Lookalike

2009-05-28T02:25:00.000-04:00

I was looking at this picture the other day and thought we looked quite similar:

Notice the big, round eyes and the robust jowls? Do you see our double chin -- this is a family that LOVES food!

Getting used to the weather

2009-05-21T16:16:00.008-04:00

This is a crazy state: yesterday we had tornado warnings and today severe thunderstorm warnings. What?!? We never had any thunderstorms in Ketchikan while I was there; sure it rained 5 out of 6 days, but we had no lightning and thunder. It was so frightening, I ran from the living room to the bedroom when the thunder began. And then tornados?!?! All you puggies that live in the middle of the country are sure brave -- I would rather weather blizzards over tornados any day!

This picture wasn't to show you what a good-looking family we are; look at the sky in the background -- it is turning black! Thunder clouds approaching . . .

My favorite position after a hot and muggy day

Hot!Hot!Hot!

2009-05-18T22:04:00.004-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posts, but it's been super hot here. Makes me just want to sleep in my air-conditioned room all day . . . Even my sister has taken to wearing nothing (except her diaper):

Where's her fur?

FLORIDA!!

2009-05-06T22:55:00.005-04:00

Wow! You guys are pretty good at this -- almost everyone guessed Florida. Here we are in West Palm Beach, enjoying the sun and the heat . . . a far cry from Alaska. The palm trees and flat land make for a drastic change of pace from the pines and the mountains. Mommy says it is really flat here -- we can practically see the west coast of Florida from this side; she misses the spectacular scenery of Alaska. She also has gotten bitten three times by fire ants and several times by mosquitos, so she is not loving the state so far. I am still trying to get this heat figured out -- I am definitely emptying my water bowl more frequently!

What is this sand stuff?

This is the little dog park in our rental complex

Instead of mountains in the background, we have tall condo buildings

Guess where . . . Part II

2009-05-03T15:55:00.003-04:00

Allright guys -- where am I? Hint, hint: we drove 4,000 miles from Prince Rupert, Canada.

Guess where . . Part I

2009-04-28T18:55:00.005-04:00

Well, Daddy and I made it! We are starting to settle in; I have successfully sniffed all the corners of the house and am starting to scope the property. Mommy has finally uploaded some pictures of my trip:

Daddy and I enjoying the brisk air of Jasper, Canada

It was near 70 degrees with still snow on the ground -- isn't that impossible?

Montana -- blue skies and grassy fields

Stay tuned for the final destination . . .

Progress Update

2009-04-23T10:50:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to update you from the road. Thank you for the many suggestions about where to live next. Unfortunately, my parents don't listen to me at all, so where we end up is a mystery to me. So far, we have taken the ferry from Alaska to Prince Rupert, and have driven through British Columbia, Montana, Wyoming, and Nebraska. We overnighted in Colorado (I asked Daddy if we could go visit Emmitt and Melissa, but he said we had to make time), and are on our way to Kansas . . .

What?!?

2009-04-20T23:23:00.004-04:00

I am recovering quite nicely from my operation. The vet was very pleased I lost 1.5 lbs; my staples are even out! Look at my new svelte self in the picture below:

I cut quite a figure, don't I?

So, now for the shocking news. Mommy and my little sister left on the airplane for someplace back in the lower 48 states; Daddy and I are going to follow in the car. My parents wouldn't tell me where we are going, but they said we are moving out of Alaska. What?!? But I love this place -- where else can I go crabbing on the beach? I will try to keep you all posted as we hit the road . . .

Happy Easter

2009-04-11T21:16:00.009-04:00

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I am coming along quite nicely (although I could do with a bit more treats). Mommy calls me the fastest three-legged dog in Alaska. She was mad at me yesterday as she found me climbing up and down our stairs; she threatened to

snitch me out to the vet, but then I told her I would tell the vet she took off my lampshade before she was supposed to. Mommy is totally busted!

The krill much be coming back -- we have had a plethora of seabirds feasting in the water and whales feeding:

The whale is coming towards us -- see the spout?

Oh no! Don't ram the house!

Side view

The fluke of the humpback

Post-Op Day 1

2009-04-08T16:17:00.003-04:00

Greetings blogging world! Thank you for all the well wishes and thoughts and prayers -- I believe it really helped. I am home now (I actually came home last night -- Mommy says it is because the vet couldn't stand to see my mug anymore) and enjoying some cuddling from the whole family. I tried to avoid the camera (who wants to have pictures taken of them when they are not feeling or looking their best?), but Mommy believes in blackmail:

This is actually a good shot of me -- I think the little bandage on my front leg is quite attractive. That is where they placed the IV and drew blood

Notice the staples on my hind leg? Poor me!

What I dislike most is the stupid lampshade around my neck -- what's up with that? Mommy says it is to prevent me from licking my wound, but it certainly is interfering with my begging for food!

So the vet says I cannot jump or climb stairs. And he said I needed to lose weight -- way to get a girl when she is down!

Surgery Day

2009-04-07T14:02:00.001-04:00

Hi guys! By the time you read this, I will probably be in surgery -- I had to type it in before I left for the vet and asked Mommy to upload it when she got back home.

First of all, thank you to all you bloggers out there for keeping me in your thoughts and thinking of me! It has made me and my family realize how lucky we are to have blogging friends out there for us. I look forward to having new knees to run around on. My family promised to update you guys as the day progresses.

Secondly, Grandma arrived yesterday so she can take care of my sister while Mommy devotes all her attention on ME! Yay for Grandmas!

Finally, to leave on an uplifting note, we were happy to see all the animals returning to Alaska (a sure sign of spring!). We saw dolphins, whales, and a multitude of birds over the weekend . . .

Hello robin!

Good afternoon everyone! This is Frances' little sister here to update everyone on her condition. The vet's assistant just called Mommy to let her know that Frances is out of surgery and is recovering. Apparently, everything went "very well". Mommy said the vet will call later to let us know on Frances' progress, but she might need to stay overnight at the clinic (yay -- more attention for me!)

Leg Update

2009-04-01T21:55:00.002-04:00

Ok, I am back from the vet and I was diagnosed with a subluxing patella, actually bilateral subluxing patellas. In pug language, my kneecaps are moving out of their sockets -- ouch! The vet says either I tore or stretched some ligament-thingy in the past or the grooves that hold the kneecap in place are too shallow. Either way, I have it bad (I am a grade 3 out of 4) and I will need surgery. Holy cow! I thought I was too young to start having knee problems (Daddy has knee problems but he is way old!) . . .

So now I am on an anti-inflammatory and taking chondroitin-glucosamine. Daddy has to take that too for his joints, but the vet said that Daddy can't share my medicine.

Thank you to all the bloggers out there who were wishing me well. You guys are the bomb! My surgery is scheduled for Tuesday.

2009-03-30T17:19:00.000-04:00

It's been a rough week for me. My parents noticed me limping early last week -- I told them my right hind leg was bothering me. It had happened sporadically in the past, but usually when the temperature was sub-freezing so my parents thought it might be triggered by the cold. But it has been happening now even inside the house, especially when I first get up or move around. I just can't seem to move that leg. It doesn't hurt me, it is more of an inconvenience when I want to jump onto the bed or the sofa. But Daddy made an appointment for me with the vet on Wednesday, so we'll see what she says . . .

In the meantime, I find solace cuddling up with my bunny

Life is much better with a bunny friend

Outside the Window

2009-03-23T04:55:00.001-04:00

Guess what we saw outside our window yesterday . . .

Is it the Loch Ness Monster?

Is it a submarine?

It's a pod of killer whales! Cool, eh?!

Bringing Home the Bacon II

2009-03-16T04:58:00.003-04:00

So things didn't quite work out at my first job. Hats off to all you administrative assistants -- I don't know how you put up with the stress and the yelling by the bosses. Apparently I couldn't type fast enough so I was let go . . . discrimination against pugs if you ask me.

Anyway, I am still determined to live my lavish lifestyle, so I applied for another job, this time as a tour guide. I think I am uniquely qualified as I am knowledgeable, personable, and I like kids.

Welcome to Ketchikan! Let me show you around . . .

Bringing Home the Bacon

2009-03-11T04:48:00.004-04:00

I have decided that I need to have more treats, toys, and weekly pug massages. I told my parents this and Mommy asked me where I was going to get the money to pay for all that; Daddy said I had four good paws and that I should go out and find a job to support my lavish habits. So, I applied for a desk job at Mommy's workplace, and voila!

Here I am hard at work (cluttered desks are a sign of a genius mind!)

Leftover

2009-03-09T07:16:00.001-04:00

Hope everyone had a good weekend. My parents hosted an afternoon get together last weekend for her co-workers and our neighbors. There was a ton of food, and while nobody at the party was supposed to feed me, I was stealthy enough to abscond with this rib bone!

Mommy was so impressed at my thievery she let me keep the bone

Sunshine

2009-02-23T14:06:00.000-05:00

It has been an unusually sunny week (we don't get much sun in Southeast Alaska), although it has been a bit brisk, with temps in the high 20s to low 30s.

Sunshine reflecting off the water

I am taking advantage of the sunny day

Getting drowsy . . .

Windstorm

2009-02-19T19:01:00.000-05:00

We had a bit of a windstorm last week. The winds can get to 50mph here, with gusts that go higher! It is quite a site to see the ocean waves getting whipped up by the wind.

This is our neighbor's tree getting pummeled by the wind.

After the storm was over, you can see the wind had snapped the top branch of the tree.

Weekend at Sarah's

2009-02-16T14:04:00.006-05:00

Sorry about not posting for awhile, but my "sorry to do this to you again" parents decided to leave me yet one more time while they jet-set to some place called Palm Springs. And they had the audacity to bring my little sister while leaving me behind! Of course they made the excuse that she couldn't take care of herself while I am a big girl and am responsible enough to be left with a neighbor. I wasn't buying that for a minute! I knew I was being left behind because I was obviously the gorgeous child in this family, and they didn't want my sister to feel bad when strangers would compliment me and not her.

But this time, I got to stay with Sarah and her posse of five dogs. Yup that's right, five of them (one lab, one golden retriever, one spaniel, one jack russell terrier, and one pug)! Sarah has a heart of gold because they are all rescue dogs and she adopted them into her family. I had a great time running around with the pack and bossing them around. By the time I left, I figured out which dog to steal food from when they weren't looking!

This is Paisley. Mommy wanted to take her home with us because she is obviously of superior genetic stock.

Although she is quite good-looking, she felt a bit inferior to my stunning looks while I was visiting. I thought I was quite gracious about it by not drawing too much attention to myself.

Landslide

2009-02-10T17:39:00.002-05:00

Exciting news in our little town. We had a landslide on our main highway which blocked off traffic the entire day. The wall that came down is about 30 feet high; luckily, no pug (or human) was hurt.

Hijacked

2009-01-29T01:56:00.005-05:00

Yay! I received an award from both Harry Pugalicious and Pearl and Daisy, all because I love my sister. She is awfully cute, even though she can be a brat sometimes . . .

BRAT! BRAT?! This is Frances' little sister and I have just hijacked her blog. I understand she has said some dastardly things about me, and I just want to warn her and all of you out there that I am not to be belittled!

Don't mess with me!

I am not to be trifled with -- as you can see I have been learning martial arts fighting techniques from my father

Power to the little people!

Teaching the baby

2009-01-26T13:29:00.000-05:00

I want to let you guys know that my parents are doing a pretty dismal job at teaching my baby sister, well, practically anything. You would think it would be a simple thing to teach a 3 month old how to ask for food, how to let us know her diaper needs to be changed, etc. Why, I could beg for food when I was only 8 weeks old, and while it took me a little longer to be housebroken, at least I showed progress every day. Since my parent have been lousy at this teaching thing, I have taken over the baby instruction:

Lesson 1: the piercing stare

Lesson 2: the I-am-disappointed-at-you frown. She is a fast learner!

Lesson 3: the stick-your-tongue-out-at-the-camera-to-ruin-the-picture-just-to-make-the-parents-exasperated. It took sis a while to get this trick

Almost there!

BINGO!

More daylight

2009-01-21T19:49:00.004-05:00

The days are getting longer here, finally! This picture was taken from our deck at about 2:30pm -- notice the sun is already low in the sky. Just two weeks ago, the sun would have set already. It gets kind of crazy in the summer when the sun rises at about 3am!

Comfy by the Fire

2009-01-19T04:25:00.000-05:00

My parents have been reading about the frigid weather in the Midwest and the East Coast. Whew! Glad we moved to Alaska; for the past week we have been in the mid- to high 40s and relatively sunny. Daddy invites all our puggy friends living in Minnesota, Illinois, New York, New England, etc. to come up to Alaska to warm up!

Even though it has been mild during the day, the temperatures can drop to around freezing in the evenings. That is why you will find my lounging in front of the fireplace on most nights:

I am very comfortable and toasty

Just wake me up for dinner . . .

Snow in Petersburg

2009-01-15T02:30:00.005-05:00

We are back from our travel to Petersburg, Alaska again. Mommy dragged the whole family with her saying how she would miss us and how she wanted us to be with her, blah, blah, blah. I don't recall her saying that before my little sister came along . . . But since I am a traveling pug, I didn't complain too much (except for that ferry ride of course) .

Since it has been so snowy here, I thought the conditions might be better up north. Stupid me! What was I thinking --- this is Alaska! The conditions were worse in Petersburg.

Geez! I can't believe my parents dragged me north into more snow

Why can't my parents find employment in Hawaii?

No thanks, Daddy, I don't need to go out until springtime

Silly sis

2009-01-08T13:46:00.002-05:00

Daddy thinks I should have more pictures of my sister on my blog. My initial thought was: What?!?! This is MY blog -- she can get her own gosh-darn blog. But after several successful attempts at bribery with food, I have grudgingly included two pictures:

This is my silly sister imitating the Easter Bunny. Easter Bunnies aren't pink silly sister!

And this is her making a political statement (her onesie says "Peas on Earth"). A regular political pundit she is. You can see my paw at the bottom -- my adorable sibling is lying on my stuffed ostrich and I was trying to get it back.

Hope you are satisfied, oh parents of mine. Now back to ME!

Happy 2009! and crabs!

2009-01-06T04:33:00.000-05:00

Hello all, and Happy 2009! I just want to jump right into my favorite topic -- FOOD! And one of my favorite foods to play with and eat are crabs. Since my grandmother is here, Mommy decided to treat her to an Alaskan specialty -- crabs! No, not the king crabs that was made popular on The Deadliest Catch (several of whose captains were here in Ketchikan last year doing a promotional pub crawl), but the more delectable dungeness crabs.

About once every other week, some local fisherman will go crabbing in the Pacific and sell the crabs off his boat . . . super fresh and super cheap! Mommy bought two, which fed Mommy, Grandma, the rat, and me, AND we had leftovers for the next day.

Are you alive or dead? Yipes, he was alive . . . I just managed to get away from those pincers.

This crab was as big as the rat -- er, chihuahua -- and certainly weighed more! Actually, I think there is more meat in the crab than in the chihuahua

What an ugly mug. No wonder no one keeps them as pets.

Now this is more like it: cooked and ready to be eaten. Mommy put the ruler there so you can see how big it is (about 10 inches across)

Santa Pug

2008-12-31T02:41:00.004-05:00

Three feet and counting . . . that is the amount of snowfall we have received since Saturday, and the weathermen are projecting a few inches more every day until the weekend. Sheesh! We are having a white Christmas and a white New Year's!

On a more cheerful note, my parents received a holiday gift from our neighbors -- a Santa Pug! My Mommy thought it was sooo cute! She threatened to kick me out of their bed at night and let the stuffed pug sleep in my place. Can you imagine the nerve of her! Doesn't she realize that it isn't even a real animal? My Mommy can be so silly sometimes . . .

Mommy is trying to coax me outside to poop and pee. Those snow piles you see were made from snow sliding off our metal roof

Ok, Mommy. I pooped and peed -- can we go inside now?

So, what's with the hat and scarf, buddy?

Hey, is that hat edible?

Snow . . . and injustice

2008-12-28T23:43:00.000-05:00

Snow! Snow! Snow! Just when I though we had escaped any of the white stuff, bam! We end up with two feet today . . . and more on the way. I was tired just watching my parents shovel that stuff. Luckily, we have very nice neighbors: one of them cleared our driveway with his quad runner (Daddy said he had a blade attached to the front), and then later two other neighbors helped my parents shovel again when the snow accumulated.

At the beginning of the snowstorm. Do you know how hard it is to pee and poop in the snow?

Now for my other gripe: what happened to me being the star of the show? I used to be the center of my parents' attention: getting cuddled whenever I wanted it, enticing my Mommy to play tug-of-war with me with my stuffed toys, and getting to sit on Daddy's lap whenever I desired. Now, I find my little sister getting cuddled and in my Daddy's lap. What gives?

This is me and Daddy in happier times. I used to be his only little girl

Now look where I am now . . . between Daddy's legs on the floor. And look who gets cuddled -- the little brat. Hey, I was here first!

I can't believe my parents would choose to cuddle this creature over me. I mean, look at her -- she doesn't even have any neck muscles to speak of!

For Crying Out Loud . . .

2008-12-23T11:30:00.000-05:00

Thanks for the support out there as I try to deal with my newest sibling. On a lighter note, so my grandmother is here with us to help out with my sister; unfortunately, she brought her rat, er, chihuahua here with her. As if that wasn't enough, that little creature has an outfit as well:

Isn't this just the most ridiculous thing you have ever seen? Who would want to dress up a rat?

I am trying to see if this getup is for real . . .

I can't help it!

2008-12-21T23:37:00.007-05:00

Sorry about the long interval between posting, but things have been a bit busy here. We arrived safely in Ketchikan after a long ferry ride. My sister has taken to Alaskan life pretty well (I say that with a wry smile as she has only left the house twice since we returned almost two weeks ago).

My parents told about the awful snow/ice storms alot of my blogging friends have been having this past week. I feel for all you guys. It sounds funny to say, but I am glad I am back in Alaska; our temperatures have been in the mid to upper 20s, but clear and beautiful!

I have also been trying to get adjusted to life with a new sibling, you know, testing my limits and so forth. One of my absolute favorite things to do is lick my Daddy's head, face, hands, feet, you name it! I thought I would welcome my new sis into the family by doing the same thing . . .

Well, it all started fine. Here I am licking away while she gets her diapers changed (hey, I thought I was doing my parents a favor by distracting the little brat)

Hmmm, I think I may have carried this too far. Mommy was not happy.

Wha?! What did I do?

Donuts in Bellingham

2008-12-05T16:30:00.003-05:00

We are here in Bellingham, WA -- finally! We will be taking the ferry back home tonight to Alaska . . . whew! Daddy did an awesome job driving the family cross country, we even had time to tool around Bellingham today. We had breakfast at the Rocket Express, or actually Mommy and Daddy did . . . I just had bits of donut crumbs.

Mommy, my sis, and me in front of the rocket ship. Since I love car rides, I figured I would enjoy a ride aboard a rocket as well. Unfortunately, Mommy said it wasn't a real rockets . . . rats!

Midway point

2008-12-03T01:00:00.004-05:00

Just checking in with all my blogging friends out there. I tried to update my blog yesterday, but the stupid motel we stayed in did not have wireless internet availability . . . what establishment nowadays does NOT have wireless internet? And it wasn't as if we were in a rinky-dink midwestern town -- we were in Rapid City, South Dakota, for goodness sake! My parents actually thought Rapid City was a pretty cool place with lots of activities for families (Mt. Rushmore, archeological digs, fossils, etc).

Yours truly during a bathroom break in Chamberlain, South Dakota. The scenery is quite majestic, and the air was fresh and crisp

What the *&@%! I was quite perturbed by this sign . . . no running through the tall grass for me

You can't beat the midwestern sunset

We are currently battling our way through some Montana snowstorms . . . stay tuned!

Family Portrait

2008-11-30T22:36:00.005-05:00

Hope you all had a good Thanksgiving! We are heading back to Alaska via car/ferry, so my blogging might be sporadic this week. It will take us a while to drive back because my little sis needs to be fed every 2-4 hours (what a pain in the neck she is!). Luckily, she doesn't need to be walked that often!

Me and my sis

Take that litte sis!

2008-11-25T23:17:00.005-05:00

There has been alot of fuss over my little sister in the Wild Alaskan Mountain Pug household recently. My parents haven't been ignoring me, but I feel sort of like the fifth paw at this point. My parents do tell me that I have been a very good sister; however, sometimes I feel a bit mischievous . . .

Don't tell my little sis that I just stole one of her slippers!

Aww, come on! It's not as if she is walking around right now and needs these slippers!

I will return them . . . that is, if there is anything left of them (hee hee!)

Leaves, leaves everywhere!

2008-11-20T14:11:00.004-05:00

I thought I would be bored on the East Coast, but surprisingly, I have found a new pleasure -- leaves. Where we live in Alaska, we have conifer-type trees; in New Jersey, my grandparents live in a development where most of the trees are deciduous. Ergo, everytime I go outside, I see piles and piles of leaves on the street and sidewalk. I must say, walking through these piles of leaves are a newfound fun!

Did I mention I also like peeing in the piles of leaves?

I am an intrepid explorer, blazing my way through uncharted leaf piles

I hope these leaves don't get raked up anytime soon!

Super Pet Expo

2008-11-16T20:52:00.003-05:00

My parents finally were able to get away from my little sister (these little humans require ALOT of attention) yesterday. They brought me to the Super Pet Expo that comes to NJ twice a year. It is a convention center that is filled with vendors, horse rides, canine jumping contests, and other entertainment of both animal and human varieties. I got to meet tons of other dogs at the Expo, and came away with a few treats. Daddy was happy because he bought a ShamWow chamois towel there (he loves that infomercial and can recite it word for word).

This is moi eagerly waiting to go inside

It took me a while to figure out that it was just a picture of a dog and not an acutal dog . . . duh!

Me (with the red harness) enjoying a game of chase in the indoor dog run. The shiba inu and I were chasing two pug puppies

I was way too fast for the shiba inu to catch me . . . notice the gazelle-like movements as I leap off the slide to outrun my pursuer

Truce

2008-11-11T20:39:00.005-05:00

Since my parents have decided to stay with my grandmother for a few weeks, I have had to put up with my grandmother's rat -- I mean chihuahua. I find this situation somewhat distasteful as I normally do not associate with rodents. However, since it looks like I will be on the East Coast for several weeks, I have sucked it up and declared a truce with the rat-chihuahua creature. The picture shows us peacefully cohabitating the same space . . . but I warn you rat-chihuahua creature, don't get too used to this!

Introducing . . .

2008-11-05T22:06:00.003-05:00

I owe all you guys an apology as I have not updated my blog in quite some time. I have been immensely busy in the past week and a half -- why? you ask. Well, it should be clear as I introduce . . . TA-DA! My new baby sister!

That is right, my crazy parents drove over 3000 miles so Mommy could give birth in her old hospital. And we made it with just one day to spare before Mommy went unto labor. I was wondering if Mommy had swallowed a basketball -- her tummy got so big!

She doesn't look like a pug; I wonder what breed of dog this is?

I am keeping a watchful eye on her . . . she is still just a defenseless puppy

I fancy I take after my Mommy; people say my sister looks like my Daddy