Merry Christmas!

 We are ready for Christmas morning breakfast-

 Wake me when Santa comes.........

Cold weather makes for some strange bedfellows......(the heating vent is right next to the
dog crate!)   Poor Max is too big to squeeze in!

 

Merry Christmas from the Swamp!

Happy Birthday Max!

Since we really don't know Max's official birthday, we decided that since he needed a new halter we would make it July 24th! Here he is modeling his new halter!

And here is why he needed a new halter! He is a swimming fool! We did not take his old halter off when he got in the pool and it was always wet! He would stay in the pool as long as he could every day.....

This is his favorite toy to fetch in the pool or at least the remaining half of it!

We decided to get a new toy for his birthday as well...

But he remained loyal to his old piece of toy...

We hid the old toy and replaced it with a new red bone, same size, same shape but not as "squishy"... He would play with it but it just was not the same....

So I went back to the store and got 2 more like the original bone- one blue and one green- maybe they will last through the rest of the summer!

Lazy!

I have been a lazy blogger. Things have not been very exciting around the swamp. The dogs sleep 85% of the day. Max has moved into the big bed at night and is hard to pry him out of the bed in the morning. He will get up for breakfast and if I don't make the bed ASAP he will sneak back under the covers. I was going to wash the sheets this morning so he got back under the sheets and refused to get up!

Even when I tried to pull the sheets out from under him!

I'm going to try to blog a couple of times this week to update a few things- crafting, thrifting ,life changes.....

Posing in the Sun

We had a little cold snap so the Pugs had to put on T shirts. Max likes to sit in a chair by the window so he can keep a watch on the neighborhood. He had a big barking fit yesterday so I came to check on it. We were under an invasion of butterflies and he did not like it at all!

Chug hopped up in Max's chair when he wasn't looking! They both like my bathrobe - so I have just given up............

Adjusting...........

There have only been a few peaceful moments like this since the arrival of Max. He is all DOG!
So things have been lively- he does not back down when Bitsey goes Alpha on him- he plays like a puppy with Chug- and he wants to go outside constantly. If I had five cents for every time I have said "Stop before someone gets hurt!" I would be rich! Normally he does not sleep on a dog bed with the others. He prefers a laundry basket or a kitchen chair as his bed! Eli was always neutral in arguments, he was a peacemaker or a buffer. Max will make an alliance with Chug or Bitsey and team up against the man out. We have to be careful when feeding them or war will break out. Chug loses his mind if Max cozies up to me. Things do seem to be getting better - a little bit at a time!

When One Door Closes....

Thank you for your sweet words about Eli! We are truly heartbroken, he was a special dog. For sure the most even tempered and gentle of our dogs. He was mischievous as a puppy but outgrew that to be the best behaved of the herd. There is not a room in our house that does not have a pillow or picture of a pug on it. Everywhere we look is a reminder! I told my Hubby at first I did not want another pug yet, I needed time to grieve, but I was sure that we would have one some day. For one thing we still have a pug- Bitsey -who was also grieving and a chug -Chug- who is still high maintenance. Bitsey has taken it harder because they had always been together. She has had some temper issues with Chug and even bit me trying to attack Chug!
I told "The Boy" that we just could not trust Bitsey with a puppy right now. Things needed to settle down for a while.


But, you can not always plan your life and you have to take a leap of faith sometimes......

And when one door closes another one opens.....

So when these "circumstances" happened, we just had to believe it was meant to be,,,,,


When my Hubby had to call our original vet to tell her the sad news, she hesitated to tell him of a Pug who had to be "rescued" - His owners divorced and one could not have pets- the other did not want him. He was living outside - in the South-in the heat. They were going by each day to feed him. He is six years old and 17 pounds (bigger than Bitsey). Good with other dog, cats, children.....You can see that he fit our family...... it was meant to be. He will not replace our Eli, but he will make his own place in our hearts!

So here is our MAX!




He has been the first of our herd to go right into the pool. When he lays down he has "frog" legs sticking out behind him. He has a big tongue, but does not give kisses -yet. He can sit for a treat. He has a big personality - the other dogs are a little bit in shock- he barks and runs and chases balls. They all missed their afternoon nap today trying to keep up with him!

Eli Earned His Angel Wings

Walter Elias Carter 2002-2011









It is another sad day here at the Swamp as we said good-bye to our beloved Eli. He responded to the meds for a few days and we were confident that he would get better. Then things began to go downhill again. We got a second opinion and then were referred to a neurologist at the AU Vet School. Before his appointment he began to suffer more, the pain meds were just not working. My Hubby took him to the Emergency Room at the Vet School and they got him more comfortable. He had the best diagnosis team and equipment available. They found that he had prostrate cancer which is rare in dogs and very fast growing. It had already spread. They offered us some treatment options that would only buy him 2 months at most and would not give him a good quality of life. He had to make the hard decision to let him go over the Rainbow Bridge. My Hubby said he was at peace at the end and licked his face as if to let him know it was OK. Oh! How we loved that dog! Our hearts are broken but we could not let him suffer. Bitsey and Chug are sad, they remained at his side while he was sleeping for 2 weeks and you can tell they are grieving as well. I hope they serve carrots and chicken over the Rainbow Bridge!

Eli, The Patient

He may look grouchy here....but believe me...he is feeling much better today than he has been. Eli has had "stiff" legs from time to time. The vets have checked him and he has never acted like he had any pain. He has been better in the last year. Then suddenly about 2 weeks ago he could hardly walk. So a trip to the vet was in order. His bloodwork came back normal and he did not get any worse. He just was not happy. He walked in baby steps, head down, did not play with toys. He did not miss any meals. But we were worried! Then Sunday night he began to whine, turned down food, and his ears and tail were down. I spent most of the night on the kitchen floor with him. Monday morning it was back to the vet. X-rays and meds and 2 days at the vet. He probably has a bruised disc and will require bed rest and meds for 2 weeks. He feels 100% better.

He is playing with his "babies" and walking so much better!

Our pockets are empty but the curl in this wagging tail is priceless!

Wordless Wednesday

In the Christmas Kitchen

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care.....

Let's get a closer look! Garland made of Bingo cards, thrift store Santa mugs, collected elves and thrift store metal plates....

And even closer....

Flat Eli- wearing the bandanna the Fat Eli turned down....

The pugs were all nestled snug in their bed....

While visions of bones danced in their heads....

Dressed in holiday Tshirts...

Eli comes out of the pile to show off his new shirt....

Can you guess why Daddy picked this shirt out?

Tug of War

Every night before bedtime we have "Tug of War" or "Pug of War"??!!! These two seem to enjoy the competition immensely! Which ever toy one picks the other HAS to have! It sometimes ends with me breaking it up before we have bloodshed! Usually one gives in and picks another toy!

Tonight Bitsey was defeated.....

The victor with the spoils of war! Chug brings out the inner puppy in Bitsey. Eli ignores them most of the time!

Meet Chug

Here is the second surprise of the day! The first is SNOW- more about that later. Could you resist this face? I couldn't. Chug was the featured pet yesterday on WTVM from the Lee County Humane Society. He is half pug, half chihuahua- so the name Chug. I briefly thought "I need to rescue him" briefly..... then I took the Pugs out for a walk and noticed the piles of pug fur all over the kitchen floor and I came to my senses.



Then this morning as the snow started coming down I asked my Hubby to just check to make sure Chug got adopted. He works with the father of the director of the Humane Society. You know, just to set my mind at ease and all.



Hubby came home for lunch with Chug. He needed a home now....he was at the end of his time and the shelter is full.....he found that home!



I always said my next pug would be a rescue... I guess this counts...he tilts his head when you talk to him and then there's the tail....


He is asleep in my arms as I type.

Seven (in the Snuggie) is not amused.

Lulu found the hand towels I was getting ready to wash in the sink. Eli and Bitsey has sniffed out the newcomer and are only concerned that we will be snowed in and run out of dog food.

It has been snowing for 4 hours! I should not have complained about the rain!