Photo by sarandy westfall on Unsplash

The pug ran towards me, flying through the air like a flying dragon. Her eyes wide with excitement and her little body wriggling in excitement. She looked amazing. She had just completed a three day stay at her favorite resort; the local vet. Her eyes were big and glossy, her fur shone. Her features were animated. I realized that the staff must have had quite a time with her and played with her often. When I made my payment to pick her up, the girl appeared a bit let down and said with a sigh, “Oh, you’re picking up the pug!”

I crouched to pet her and secure the leash to her collar. She wriggled in delight that it was time to go home. She dashed out the open door and sprinted to the bushes. The excitement had overwhelmed her and her bladder kicked in to relief mode. She finished her business and then off to the car. She was too short to get in, so I lifted her up. She was supposed to jump over to the passenger seat, but she set her round bottom right into the middle of my seat. She faced the steering wheel and panted, ready to go.

“No, you can’t sit there”, I instructed her. I tried to push her over, but she sprung to life and jumped down into the pedal area beneath the steering wheel. That definitely would not work and I picked her up again and placed her into the passenger seat. She spun around, sniffed and snorted and looked for any crumb she could find. I could see this was not going to be a peaceful ride home.

Finally, after a few calming strokes to her wrinkled brow and guarantees that she would be home soon; she settled into a rhythmic pant, pug breath perfuming the car cabin. I wistfully thought of the McDonalds on the corner and wondered if a small order of french fries would cut through the fog of pug steam in the car. She would be delighted to have a snack and the fresh fries would temporarily replace the smell of dog sinus. I pulled into the drive thru in search of a cure for smelly dog.

Photo by JC Gellidon on Unsplash

We soon had the fries. I had to divvy them out, so she didn’t consume them within seconds. I wanted the fries to last at least fifteen minutes; the time it took to drive home. I placed a fry in front of her nose and within half a second it disappeared. She licked her lips and panted for more. Except now her breath smelled like french fries, mission accomplished!

So we sped down the interstate and I managed to hand feed the pug french fries in a timed fashion until we reached home. We pulled up in front of the house and there were still at least half the fries left and I hadn’t gotten one. I opened the car door, anticipating she would jump out, but she sat and waited. Her eyes locked on the bag of french fries I had left on the car console, her nose hopefully sniffing the air for just one more.

 

 

Reluctantly she decided to get out of the car and jumped to the grass. Once on ground, she sped into the house and to the kitchen to her favorite spot; her dish. She never gave up that hope, that there might be more food-the meaning of a pug’s life.  When the food didn’t come, she proceeded to find me and follow me around.  I was the best show in town.  Everywhere I went in the house, she was there.  Her eyes lovingly fixed on my person and anything I was doing. She watch rapt with attention and followed my every move.  I wondered what she knew and if she had retained the how to of the many goings on of everyday life.  Did she know how to cook, do laundry, take a shower, do yard work, do the bills or organize household items? She had watched me do these things so many times, I wondered how much she remembered. She definitely knew the location of things in the house and she was prescient about my moods.  The minute my mood went up or down she rushed over to see what was up.

 

Pug parents know the attentiveness, the love, adoration, devotion and infallible companionship that pugs  give to their owners.  And like icing on the cake, they are playful and love to perform tricks to make you smile  and laugh.    Pugs can become a whirling dervish at the site of loved ones and treats.  Twirling and twirling with joy with the anticipation of going on an outing to the dog park or shopping.

It was wonderful to have her home again and she seemed to love it too.  It was hello again to this loving little pug.