Don’t Forget…

By Karen Smith

1. Don’t be upset when I jump for joy when you come through the door.

jumping pug sky

 

2. Give me time to understand what you want from me.

funny face pug

3. Give me your trust.

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4. Don’t be angry with me for too long.

thinking pug sofa funny

5. Take me inside when the weather gets bad.

face pug snow closeup

6. Talk to me.

black pug eyes curious

7. Comfort me when I’m scared.

funny pug mask pics man

8. Remember that I’ll never forget how you treat me.

happy pug girl hug

9. Come outside with me.

going to walk pug

10. Let me make new friends.

pug german shepherd play

11. Give me a treat ever once in a while.

face closeup pug eyes begging

12. Please don’t hit me.

two pugs amazing

13. Understand when I need my alone time.

pug water thinking pics

14. Show me your world.

pugs cars pics

15. Teach me new things.

pugs listening dogs

16. Let me get dirty once in a while.

dirty pug face photo

17. Touch me.

curious pug face pics

18. Pay attention if I don’t seem like myself.

sad pug photo

19. Love me when I’m old just as much as you did when I was young.

sad pug looking photo

Good Day Sunshine

Five Ways to Have a Great Morning With Your Dog

A handful of people love the morning, the rest of us manage to stumble our way through breakfast. If you have a dog it’s important to always make time for them, especially if you’re going to be at work all day. Dogs don’t necessarily understand a working day, and so it’s vital that you make them feel special in the brief amount of time you have with them before work. Here are our five top tips for sharing a great morning:

1. Always Say Good Morning05048c199278e113be3bdf00445c39b9

It seems like such a simple thing, but if you’re rushed off your feet with the morning routine, a dog can feel lonely, or even an inconvenience. Make sure your dog feels loved in the morning by speaking to them. A quick ‘good morning’ and some fuss goes a long way if that’s their only contact with you until the evening. If you think that you’re too busy to spend a few minutes with you dog in the morning, then a great tip is to not look at your phone until you leave the house. It’s far too easy to get distracted by Facebook, Instagram, and other social media, and lose 15 minutes of valuable time. You’ll feel much more relaxed if you spend that short amount of time playing with your best friend!

2. Spend Time With Each Other After Breakfast

It can sometimes feel like the mornings follow a set routine: bathroom, breakfast, and then leave the house. Instead, it’s a great idea to subtly rearrange your time and spend 15 minutes with your dog after breakfast. This is additional time in which you can relax, and forget about work, and so you’ll leave the house with a clearer head. There are a few things you can do with this extra time. Maybe just sit on the sofa in your pyjamas and give your dog a quick cuddle, or more practically make a to-do list for the day while playing with your dog – you don’t need to write anything down, just do it in your head!

3. Go For a Morning RunPugWithLeash_480x300_2

Going to a run in the morning has numerous health benefits, and will leave you feeling like you can conquer the world. If you go on the run with your dog, then you can combine two tasks, as you’ll also be spending quality time with your dog. Dogs need exercise as much as people do, and so you’ll both be getting so much fitter than if you just went for a quick walk. Getting outside in your running gear is a great way to see your neighbourhood in a totally new perspective, and your dog will appreciate it so much more than just being let out into the garden for a quick wee.

4. Have a Healthy Breakfast7f4ab7feb06b0ff7a035c94b60dbb533

Much like exercise, dogs and humans both need a balanced diet. Breakfast is an essential component of any diet, and so it’s important to make sure that you both start off the day correctly. There are loads of recipes online for healthy dog breakfasts (and for you!), and it can be a great bonding experience if you both eat at the same time.

5. Teach Something New Every Morning

Depending on your breed of dog, teaching tricks can be varying levels of effort. Even if you have the most uncooperative dog in the world, spending five minutes on a trick every morning can be a great way for your dog to learn new things. Not everyone has the time to commit a few hours to teaching a rtrick, but spending just five minutes a day will allow your dog to learn a new trick every couple of weeks!

From Topfido.com

Perfect Bedfellows

Five Great Reasons to Share a Bed With Your Dog

Pug_lying_in_bed_with_its_head_on_the_pillowDogs are the best companions, although it’s probably a good idea to not tell your other half that! They’re also great to share a bed with, as they provide comfort, warmth, and many other benefits. It’s great for your dog to have its own bed for when you don’t want something heavy lay on your feet, but sometimes you just need that extra cuddle. These are our top five reasons for sharing your bed with your dog:

1. Anxiety Relief. Dogs are extensively used to treat severe anxiety disorders, and there’s a reason for that. They’re gentle, and help to relax people, meaning they are as effective as many pharmacological interventions. Being relaxed when you are trying to drift off is essential for good quality sleep, and having a dog to help you forget about the world is a great first step. That is until you’re woken up at 6am because your dog needs to let you know that it still loves you, by licking your face – it’s a small price to pay!POLICE DOG

2. Safety. It doesn’t matter how old you get, when it’s dark and you hear a noise in the kitchen you have an internal freak out. Burglar or bogeyman, having a dog in your bed will provide that extra sense of protection. Even if you have a Chihuahua, just knowing something else is there will make you feel safer. The extra sense of security, if nothing else, will help you accept your fate and fall back to sleep. After all, what is someone going to steal from the kitchen, the Breville blender?

3. Happier Dog. Dogs absolutely love spending time with their owners. The only thing that they love more is sleeping. Combining the two, and letting your dog sleep on your bed, will relax them and make them feel unbelievably loved. Dogs are much like people, and need to feel safe and loved. There are few better ways to reassure your dog than with a 7am cuddle before you both have to face the day (although admittedly, your dog probably has it easier as it never has to meet your boss!).

p184. Warmth. There’s nothing more comforting on a cold Sunday morning in December than cuddling up to your dog, knowing that you don’t have to get out of bed for another few hours. It only gets better when your other half offers to make breakfast, but most of us have to settle for the dog at the end of the bed! Dogs are built for providing warmth, with their thick coats and love of cuddles, and so really it just makes sense to let them share your bed.

5. Treat Depression. A dog will love its owner no matter what. If you don’t let a dog on your bed, it isn’t going to care too much, but bring surrounded by that lover when you fall asleep can help to treat a range of conditions, including anxiety and depression. If you’re feeling down, and need something to lift you out of a cycle of depression then there are few better things than the unconditional love of a little bundle of fluff. Feeling down, and then fighting off a dog while it insists on licking your face in the morning is a great way put a smile on your face, and give you the strength required to face the day!

From Topfido.com

Get Out…and Play

Cute article from PugSpot.com

Alternative Exercises for Pugs

Is there more to life than the daily walk? Yes, of course there is. Though the traditional walk is the most common form of exercise it’s not always possible. Sometimes your Pug may not be able to go for his walk or outdoor romp due to inclement weather. What if your Pug just wants to add some variety to his exercise routine? Why not try some of these exercise alternatives to bring the spring back in his step?

Everybody who loves a Pug knows they are apt to have fun with anything. Why not use this to your advantage? Bring the fun back to exercise. Get a Pug safe ball and play fetch. Why not tie one of his favorite toys to a stick? You can play keep away while letting him chase after the object. Keep encouraging him to “get it”. They love any activity they can do with you.

Why not teach your Pug a new trick? This will exercise both his mind and body. It doesn’t have to be anything super hero-ish, just fun. Teach him to dance, roll over or crawl. Kids love to teach dogs tricks. This can be a good bonding activity for your children to do. Learning tricks can give your Pug the mental and the physical stimulus he needs. It will also make him happy and proud.

Are you are going to be away from home for the day? If you don’t want your Pug to be a couch potato, then why not invest in some activity toys for him to use while you are away? We all know Pugs love to eat and what better exercise than to play for his food. There are a myriad of “food” related toys on the market today. Some toys to choose from are Stuffed Kongs, Buster Cubes and Activity Balls. These will give your Pug both a mental and physical challenge. Your Pug will also get the added bonus of a treat. What Pug wouldn’t love that?

Do you and your dog spend a lot of time at home? Then why not set him up with an agility course? You can get ready to use combo sets. These “agility in a bag” sets are handy and inexpensive. They are easy to set up and put away when not in use. They are fully adjustable to suit his ability. Most dogs love the challenge and fun these agility courses bring. In addition to giving him his exercise, it will strengthen your bond with him as well.

Does your Pug long to play with some doggie friends? Then why not take him to a doggie day care? These centers focus on fun. They have everything your Pug could dream of to play with and others to play with him. Or, if there is no doggie day care in your area, how about visiting your local kennel club? There you can socialize with other dog owners while your Pug plays with his friends. You might even decide to take a course in obedience. This will not only provide your Pug with exercise, it will teach him good manners.

There is no set exercise for your Pug. You just need to experiment to see what he prefers. The only rule is to make it Pug safe and Pug fun.

Getting Tricky

Cute article from PugSpot.com

Once your Pug knows a few basic obedience commands, such as Sit and Down, then he can begin doing some tricks.

Play Dead

One popular trick to teach your Pug is to play dead. This is a simple trick to teach. Give your dog the command to lie down. Once he’s lying down you will need to hold a treat where your dog can see and smell it. Then move it in circles toward the floor and tell your dog to “play dead.” This will encourage your dog to roll over and he should eventually be lying on his back if you keep moving the treat. Once your dog is in position you can give him the treat and give him lots of praise. It may take a few tries before your Pug puts it all together, but it’s a very cute trick once he learns it.

Rollover

Many Pugs learn how to rollover, which is taught the same way as playing dead. You simply keep the dog rolling from one side to the other so he can get his treat. Use treats to lure your dog into position.

Shake Hands

You can also teach your Pug to shake hands. This is also easy to teach with some treats. Ask your Pug to sit, then tell him to “shake.” Reach out and pick up his paw to shake hands. Give him his treat and offer lots of praise. You will need to do this several times until your Pug figures things out. While your Pug is learning, be sure to praise and reward him for any attempts he makes to shake even if they don’t quite work. If he lifts his paw or scratches at you those are steps in the right direction. It won’t take long for your Pug to start shaking your hand when you ask.

High Five

Once your dog learns to shake hands it’s easy to teach him to give you a “high five.” Simply hold out your hand for a shake and when your dog starts to shake your hand move your hand to an upward position. Say, “High Five!” and let your dog touch your hand with his paw. Give him lots of praise and treats for touching your hand with his paw.

Bow

It’s also fun to teach your Pug to bow. Pugs are such clowns and performers that this trick will come in handy. Ask your dog to sit. Then, with a treat in your hand hold it in front of his nose and say “bow.” Move the treat toward your Pug’s chest. He should move his head to try to follow the treat. This will put him in the bowing position. When he does this little bow you can reward him and give him lots of praise. With practice the bow can become more elaborate.

Speak

You can teach your Pug to speak on command. This is an easy trick. Simply wait until your Pug barks and say, “Good bark!” Praise your dog for barking and give him a treat. You can teach your dog to wait until you ask for the bark (this is great for dogs who bark too much!). Your dog will be silent because he’s waiting for the bark command — and the treats that go with it.

You can make up your own tricks for your Pug to learn. Maybe he’s good at finding your husband? Give that trick a name and reward him when he does it. Can he fetch the remote? Give it a name and reward him so you can ask him to do it for you. Does your Pug like to dance? Many Pugs love to entertain so let them show off and give them praise and treats when they have something they want to show you. There’s no limit to what you and your Pug can come up with together. Have fun with it!

Why We Love Pugs

Cute article from Pugspot.com

Why People Love Pugs

Why are Pugs so popular? Could it be their good looks or unmistakable charm? What is so darn irresistible about those Pugs? Ask anyone who has ever known a Pug and they will tell you there is no other dog that compares. But why?

Pugs are different. They possess all the qualities of a big dog in a little dog body. They are big enough to not be annoying and small enough for any size house. Perhaps their motto best describes them. Multum in Parvo – “a lot of dog in a small space.”

Pugs are affectionate. If you want a constant companion, he’s your man. They are happy to follow you around, lending you a helping paw. They make great couch potato buddies. Just bring enough snacks for you both. They are great bed-warmers. They will cuddle with you on the cold winter nights.

Pugs are fun and they are funny. If given an audience, they are sure to entertain. They are playful but not overly demanding. They are natural-born show offs. Nothing can make a Pug happier than being the life of the party.

Pugs have the grace and elegance sought after by royalty. Indeed, several notable nobles have owned Pugs. Just look at the list of royals they have possessed.

Pugs are friendly. They love everyone, from the mailman to the dog next door. They have never met a stranger. Pugs are excellent all around people dogs and animal dogs.

Pugs are sensitive. They do not like harsh tones. It hurts their feelings. They also are much attuned to your feelings. They can sense your distress and provide you with a comforting nuzzle.
Pugs are loyal. Unlike people, they do not know dishonor. They will be your friend to the end.

Pugs love kids. Well, most kids. If you want your child to have a perfect playmate they are “Pug”itively the best.

Pugs simply pop with personality. Never let it be said that a Pug is a boring dog. They are simply clowns in a dog’s body.

Pugs are cute. Who can resist their smooshie, squishy faces? Who could resist their snorts and grunts? Aren’t they the most precious little things you have ever seen?

Does anything else need to be said!?