Photo by Sneaky Elbow on Unsplash

Are pugs truly lucky? I thought so. I came across an older pug that needed a home. I was excited and couldn’t wait for the day when her kind and wonderful owners would deliver her to me. When she arrived, with quite a bit of equipment and belongings, I was surprised. She was a funny little creature with an energy that was sweet and loving. She was round and strong and moved with purpose. Her step was jaunty and happy. I almost laughed out loud when I saw her and had to restrain myself, because I didn’t want to offend anyone.

I soon found out why Marie Antoinette collected pugs and had at least three and most of her ladies in waiting followed her suit and carried pugs with them. Pugs may be the most loving breed of dog in existence. I’m sure that this can be debated, but this is what I found. Pugs make you the center of their life and watch you raptly as if you are the most wonderful thing they had ever seen in their life. They are the best companions, because they love what you love and wait anxiously for you to include them. They also have thick luxurious coats that were meant for sinking your fingers into. Their fur is like thick velvet and wonderful for sinking nervous hands into. As you pet them, their breath deepens, becomes rhythmic and sedating. Instant stress relief is received from petting a pug.

My pug was 10 when she arrived. She inserted herself quickly into the household routine and established her dominance. Her eyes were huge and bottomless and she followed me everywhere and stared at everything I did. She was the living definition of companionship. She quickly overcame her transition and became an integral part of our life. She was funny. Whirling and twirling when it was mealtime and running to the kitchen whenever I headed in that direction. She loved all food and I had to be careful not to overfeed her. She had transients episodes of thickening due to her tendency to eat, eat, eat.

In ancient china there was a legend that the wrinkles on the forhead of pug signified the triad. The number of energy-birth, life and death, the past present and future, and the trinity. Stroking the wrinkles on a pug’s forehead, would bring good luck and manifest abundance. So, everyday, time is set aside to spend time with the pug and have a love fest for the betterment of my world and everyone else.