Meet the Boys

For the past couple years 3 boys have been an important part of my life. The pugs: Fitzy, Archie, and Doug. All three dogs belong to my sister but now all five of us are roommates in a 3 bedroom apartment.

This story starts 10 years ago. At the time my sister Sara was living in her first home as a newlywed. Wes, her ex-husband, had just become a Waterbury policeman and was consistently working the night shift. Understandably, she wanted a dog to keep her company as well as make her feel safe. So she did a lot of research into which small dog bread would be best for her lifestyle. In the end, it came down to either a pug or a shih tzu. She opted for the pug because Wes didn't want a total girly dog. That's when Fitzy came into our lives. He was a tiny little pug puppy brought home in the middle of winter. My sister couldn't bear to bring this small helpless pooch out in the freezing cold to go to the bathroom. That's why all three dogs are littler box trained. As time went on she felt guilty about leaving Fitzy home alone. He needed a friend. One year later Archie arrived. Both dogs bonded quickly and it stayed that way for several years. As they got older though, Sara started to worry about what would happen when they die. "If I get a third dog, I'll still have a companion if something should happen to the first two." Doug was brought home from the breeder 4 years ago to fill the void. Now we're living happily ever after in West Hartford.

Ok, so happily ever after may be an over statement. Living with three dogs is a chore. Two dogs are perfect, three is one to many. Trust me on this, three is too much. Sara would tell you the same thing. We love them anyway though and they keep life interesting. It's never a dull moment around here. Your heart melts when the look up at you with their big bug eyes and scrunched up little faces.

Daily Life

Fitzy- Each dog has a distinct personality. Fitzy is the oldest with a touch of anxiety and nervousness. The poor thing can never relax. He's also the best trained. (best being a relative term) From the beginning Fitzy and I  have had a natural bond. I'm not sure what it is, but he's always liked me best. We're generally inseparable at home. I'll be cleaning and doing chores and he'll still follow every step I take like a shadow. If I stop for a moment he's instantly sitting on the top on my feet. When I'm sitting on the couch he's either on my lap or snuggled next to me.

Archie- Archie can be described in one word: Tongue. His tongue doesn't really fit in his mouth. Even when he's sleeping, it hangs out onto the pillow. This also is the reason why he's most people's favorite. Archie was the runt of his liter and therefore has a small head, big paws, and an over abundance of thick fluffy fur.  His nickname is "Piggy" or "the Pigman." Unlike Fitzy, Archie is the most relaxed and easy going of all the dogs. You can almost imagine him like a stoner. The Seth Rogan of pugs. The only thing he wants is a soft pillow to lay on and a belly rub. He'll sit for hours on end if you rub and scratch him. His other quirk is his nightly routine. Every night he walk about 4 laps around our apartment with a stuffed toy in his mouth whimpering and crying. It's hysterical to watch.

Doug- Doug is the youngest and just coming out of his puppy phase. He still wants to be chased and play catch. Doug annoys the hell out of me sometimes. With Sara or anyone else, he'll sit down and relax on the couch and behave. With me it's a different story. He can never relax because he's so excited to sit on my lap. He'll literally stand on all fours and try to attach my face with his tongue. And he never gets tired of it...ever. Like Fitzy and I, Doug has grown to love my mother. When Sara brings them over for a visit, it's usually a struggle to get him to leave.

I love all the pugs and the unconditional love is something that everyone needs. However, if I ever lived on my own I'm not sure I would get a dog. There is a tremendous amount of  money and responsibility that comes along with a dog. They take over your life and your home but they also fill it with love.

Random Facts:

Pugs shed. I can't begin to describe the epic amount of hair in our apartment. We vacuum, we swiffer, we dust and it's still not enough. It's a loosing battle.

They have their own doggy dermatologist. Yes that's correct. Fitzy and Archie go to a dermatologist for allergies. They're also on allergy medication.

They love to sleep under a blanket. If you are sitting on the couch, one of them will come over and start to scratch at you thigh or waist. This is their way of telling you that they want you to put a blanket on your lap so they can sleep underneath it. No kidding.

We have to feed them specific amounts at specific times of day. (and they know when it's dinner time...they have an amazing internal clock) If we left the food out all day, they would truly eat themselves to death.

Pugs like to be around people. Like most dogs, pugs like it when everyone is home.