The Pups

I know it's been a while since Fitness Friday,  but I think it's time for a revamp on that. No, I didn't quit working out, I just feel like it was getting a little stale. Perhaps I'll pick it up again soon? We shall see.


In any case, I'm linking up with Mrs. Monologues again for Fur Baby Friday. 

As I was rushing around to get ready for work this morning, I stopped to look at my darling pups. 

Must be a nice life. Get up in the morning, take a peepee, eat some kibble and snuggle up back in bed. 


Peanut doesn't even usually take the time to eat in the morning. She goes outside and then dashes upstairs to snuggle up close with hubs. Every.day. Without fail. 


Wiggles, well, he's too chubby to make it in the bed by himself, so you can usually find him in his very own bed. 


Do they sleep with us? No way. They used to, but then we realized that we weren't getting any sleep from because A. They both stretch out and take up the ENTIRE bed, leaving little room for us humans, and B. It's like a snoring symphony in there. I don't have an issue with it (mostly because I contribute to the snore chorus) but hubs was having some serious insomnia because of it. 


Now? Peanut sleeps in her crate at night, downstairs in the living room. And Wiggles sleeps on the living room couch. They know when it's bed time. And Wiggles wakes me up at 6:10 on the dot, every morning, by clawing at the door. He's a cute little alarm clock. 

Christmas Pups

Hubs and I started a tradition long ago, when Wiggles was a wee Pug puppy, to take a photo of him and send it as the Christmas card for that year. 


That first year, he was in a Santa hat. Cute, simple, easy. 


Then we added Peanut to the mix and things got a bit more complicated. We dressed them up in silly Christmas costumes and somehow got them to sit still for a few minutes while we snapped their photo. 


This year was no different. My mom and sister were here this weekend, and my sister was kind enough to help me distract the dogs while I took their photo. Therefore, leaving hubs out of the frustrating process. 


I had many ideas for this year's card. None of which required the silly costumes we've used in the past. The first involved Christmas lights. Fail. Here's an outtake. 

Failed idea. Neither would stay still. And it looked like I was torturing them. 

Here's the winning idea...cropped. I don't want to reveal the card before they're out! I just wanted to show you all that I caught Peanut mid-yawn. Hysterical.

Talk about unflattering photos. If she could talk, she'd make me take that down. And untag it on Facebook.

I'll be working on placing an order with Shutterfly today! Which I'm especially excited for because I won 25 free cards from Cole! 

I Baked...For the Dogs

Who makes their dogs homemade treats? Seriously? 


Oh yeah, that's right, I do. Ha! 


Now, this isn't something I typically do. I don't bake for humans a whole lot, so why would I bake for my dogs? Well, of course, it was inspired from a variation of a recipe found on Pinterest and the half can of pumpkin I had in my fridge. 

Pumpkin Puppy Treats

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup pumpkin
2 eggs
2 tbsp peanut butter
1/2 tsp salt


Heat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients until it forms a dough. Roll out as you would sugar cookies.

Cut with cookie cutters. I just so happened to have a dog bone.

Place on a greased baking sheet in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Until crispy.

Cool. You don't want burned puppy tongues.

Try to get your dogs to do something good. Like sit. Demonstrated nicely here by Wiggles.

Then "sit" goes out the window when he's rendered impatient. NOMS!

"More please!" I'd say they were a hit. 

A Walk Down Wiggle Memory Lane

You know how sometimes you just come across a bunch of old photos that you completely forgot existed? Tonight, while updating my iPod with the new Muppets album (obviously...what, you didn't download it yet? Liar.), I came across a slew of photos of Wiggles. From baby to present. And I thought I would share a few of my faves. Because, darn it if he wasn't a cute puppy. He was a BAD puppy, but he was cute. Therefore he got away with way too much. Because really, look at that face. Hard to resist.

 First night home. Proud new puppy mama. Terrified Wiggle face.

Another one of terrified Wiggles. This was after his first bath. 

  One of many puppy naps. We caught him with his tongue out. 

Puppy's first Christmas - 2005. The same year his mom and dad made things official and got engaged. 

 He got a hold of this watering can and pranced around the house with it for days. Yes, pranced. Yes, he might have effeminate tendencies. 

 Hide and seek. 

 First snowfall. 

Happy pug. 

 One of my all time fave pics. Just chillin' on the couch. No big thing. 

Adorable raincoat from Auntie Katy that we got him to wear for all of 5 minutes. 

A Refreshing Dip in the Pool

This weekend, the temperature dropped to a brisk 96 degrees here in the great state of Maryland. High humidity and a 100 percent chance of me sitting my rear in the AC. I'm not made for outdoor activities, unless there's something to significantly cool me down. Like, say, a pool.


Hubs and I made the executive decision this weekend that it was high time we got one of our very own. So we did. 

See! Our pool! Do you love the rainbow and ladybug as much as I do? This cost us a whole $10 at our local Walmart. We thought for some reason it was smaller. But turns out, it was big enough to fit the whole family. Hubs, me, Peanut and a reluctant Wiggles. We all hung out on the deck, sitting in our pool. What do you suppose the neighbors thought?

It was just a warm up to the real pools we'll be lounging next to in Costa Rica in t-minus 3 days! 

Our Invisible Fence

When hubs and I moved into our new house, there was one thing I knew we were going to be missing. A fence for the dogs. Not because we necessarily like the looks of a fence, or the maintenance, or the weedwhacking, but because we have an OCD pug who takes about an hour to find the perfect place to poop. And quite frankly I don't have that kind of patience...or time to piss around in the morning. 


So we went and got ourselves an Invisible Fence. Now, before you go reporting me to PETA for animal cruelty, hear me out. Our dogs like their freedom. I like their freedom. It's nice that they can run around the yard without worrying about them getting hit by a car or humping the neighbor's leg. I read the reviews. The good, the bad. And as of a week ago, we were the proud owners of this fence. 


We started the training exactly like we were told. And Saturday was their first day of freedom in the yard. Sure, there were some shocks...literally. Both dogs attempted to go out of the yard to chase birds, but they learned quickly. And the statement, "this hurts me than it hurts you" is so true. Hubs and I cringed every time they got close to the boundary. 


And as good pet parents, hubs and I decided we needed to see exactly what we were doing to our pets. So we strapped the collars onto our arms and ran through the fence ourselves. It only seemed fair. And honestly? It wasn't too terrible. More surprising than anything. Kind of like when you put a 9 volt battery on your tongue. 


So, two thumbs up for the new fence. The pups have a new found sense of freedom, as do hubs and I.

Random Wednesday

I'd like to share with you a random recap of my day.


First, I woke up and knew I had a UTI. Awesome. You know, that pressure you get? No idea how I got it, but I did. 


So after a failed attempt to get an appointment with my doc, I persuaded them to call in a script for me. They told me the doctor (not my normal one) would be calling me to talk about my symptoms. And he sure did. The first question out of his mouth was, "Do you have any new sexual partners?" Ha! I laughed. No, I'm not having an affair. There's no harem of lovers for me while hubs is gone.


But the next question was my favorite. 


"You know to wipe front to back, right?" Um, yes, Doc. My momma taught me good hygiene. 


I picked up my script and after one dose am feeling no relief. Le sigh. 


Then, I came home to start a frenzy of chores. Weedwhacking ::gag:: Taking out the trash ::heave:: Pulling weeds ::barf:: I'm trying to get this place in shape for the new tenant, because it's the right thing to do. 


And while I'm doing this, my dear, sweet Peanut decided to have playtime in the mud. Full on mudslides for this dog. So in the bath we went. And for good measure, I got Wiggles in on the action. Because, why not? 


Then I decided to try and trim his nails. Which I usually don't do because he literally requires a sedative before he gets them done. But I was feeling brave. Let's just say I got two nails and had to stop for fear the neighbors would call the cops. He sounds like a small child being beaten to death. Seriously. It's unbelievable.


And now, here I am. Blogging instead of packing. Because I'm only left with oddly shaped, random objects that don't fit right in my remaining boxes. 


But, hey...I'm almost done!

Puppy Bowl!

This past weekend, my friends brought their new puppies to my house for a puppy play date. While the adults enjoyed some adult beverages, the puppies played their little hearts out. Except for Wiggles. Since he's the grumpy old man, he spent most of the night watching from the couch. 

First, we made a special message for hubs:

And after some get-acquainted time (aka, butt sniffing), the puppies played:

Then Wiggles and Peanut played with Uncle Chris:

Photo op with the daddies and their new puppies:

And finally, snuggle time on the couch:

This was all a lot of activity for my two pups, so Sunday was super ultimate nap day. 

I Have A Crazy Dog

Fact. I have a crazy dog. 


Peanut watches TV and barks at any kind of animal that comes across the screen. At first, it was cute and funny. But now, it's out-of-control-annoying. I don't know how to get her to stop. Hubs is the only one that can help for some reason. Pay attention to the insanity around 30 seconds in.


Here's video evidence:





Any advice for taming a crazy pup? I'm losing it here!

Jail Break!

Today, I had yet another close call with Peanut. I definitely almost lost her...and I thought it was for real this time.


The lock on the gate to our fence keeps breaking. This is the fourth time, and we've even had it replaced (thank goodness we're almost outta here.) 


So, I'm standing in my kitchen, making myself some lunch, when I look outside and see a Boston Terrier that looks strikingly like Peanut. Then, I see a pug. Uh oh.


I ran outside and saw the gate was wide open, and now I have 2 doggies running around the streets of my neighborhood.


Since Wiggles tends to be the lazier of the two, he came back when called, but not Peanut. She wanted to play a game of "chase me" all the way down the street. I realized that she's way too fast for me, so I ran back to the house, grabbed my keys and hopped in my car.


I see her little black and white butt running all the way out of our neighborhood and onto the main road. Shit. 


Luckily, she decided to stay on the sidewalk. I see a white pickup truck pull up beside her and a sweet lady gets out and calls her, just as I throw myself out of my car, wet from the rain and exhausted from running all over the neighborhood. She grabs a very happy Peanut and hands her over. I thank her breathlessly as I grab my bad dog. Thank goodness Peanut's a social little pup, or else it could have been a bad situation. 


Phew! Crisis averted. Remind me to check the dang gate every.single.day.

Puppy Teefs

I posted last week that a few of my closest friends got themselves some adorable puppies. Today, I had the pleasure of meeting Lily, the 9 week old French Bulldog. 


One look and I was in love. She kind of looks like Peanut, but with bigger ears and a pudgier belly. 

She's an energetic little girl. She was on puppy play mode for most of the visit. But she did have a little nap right in my arms (awwww!). A few things I don't miss about having a puppy:

1. Puppy needle teeth...they HURT! The puppy nipping phase is probably one of the most annoying stages. Toes, fingers, hair...nothing is off limits.

2. Puppy bladders. Yeah...they're little. Which means they only hold liquid for about an hour at a time. That's a lot of time outside. And a lot of accidents when you don't make it out in time. 

3. Chewing. Along with the puppy teething comes puppy chewing. Lily enjoying nomming on some grass, carpet, shoes, tables...pretty much whatever she could get her teeth on. But when you look at her little face, how do you yell!? 

4. Puppy energy. They are go, go, go and get into EVERYTHING. You can't leave them alone. They're a lot like infants. 

Luckily, I now have two lazy dogs (for the most part). But seeing a little puppy tonight definitely makes me miss that stage. 

Here's the happy family all together.

Get a Puppy! All the Cool Kids Are Doing It!

It looks like all the cool kids are taking the plunge and getting puppies!


First it was my friend (and surrogate husband), Funk, who got himself this adorable Shitzu named Scout:

And just today, Christopher and Julie announced the arrival of their little French Bulldog girl puppy coming into their lives this Friday (name TBA):

And if she isn't just the cutest damn thing you've ever seen, I don't know what is. I love, L.O.V.E. French Bulldogs. Someday, hubs and I have dreams of owning one, but for right now, these two keep us pretty busy with their antics.

So, happy potty-training, puppy teeth nipping, shoe chewing fun to you guys! :) Don't worry, we've all been there...it gets better. And their cute little faces make your heart melt. That's probably why I have bad dogs. I'm a pushover.

How Much Is That Puggy in the Window....FREE!

Normally, I love my dear, sweet puppies. However, this evening, I'm thinking about opening the front door and letting Wiggles out. 

Pug Thug

Not really. He's too dumb to survive on his own.


They've been staying with my parents for the past 2 weeks, while I took care of stuff here and there. Now they're back, and I'm very happy they are. However, Wiggles is getting on my last nerve. 


He's been irritating me with the following behaviors:

1. Barking at every stink bug he can find in my house. Which right now, is more than I'd care to admit.
2. He then proceeds to kill and then eat said stink bug. 
3. No pillow in my house is safe. He's going from couch to couch removing all the throw pillows and attacking them like they're demons.
4. Whenever Peanut comes near him, he snaps and goes nuts, grabbing the nearest thing in sight with his little mouth. Usually, it's my slipper. I like to call this "Wiggle Fury". 
5. He's also coming up to where I'm sitting, and looking at me with his most pissed off pug look, and barking as loud as he can. If he was human, it would be equivalent to a teenage temper tantrum. 
6. Since Purina One has so graciously changed the formula of their food to include moist little meaty bits, he's been eating only those pieces of kibble and spitting the crunchy ones out on my floor. 

I know what you're thinking. I did this to myself. I know. I carried him around when he was a puppy. Catered to his every puppy whim. Spoiled him rotten. I regret my actions. But at least I screwed up on a dog, right? It better prepares me to raise a human. 

Dog Beach!

Nile and I decided that today was a perfect day to try out the Dog Beach that's near us. 


Now, Pugs and Boston Terriers aren't exactly known to be swimmers, but we tried to make them. Here's a few photos:

Wiggles getting in the ocean

And there he is trying to do a very uncoordinated doggy paddle.

There's Peanut trying her hand at swimming.

And the whole family. The pups obviously weren't paying attention. 

We might try to take them back, however, Peanut terrorized every dog in the park, big and small. She's a very dominant little female. She is also very embarrassing. I think we got a taste of what it would feel like when your kid is throwing a tantrum in the super market. 

Perhaps next time, we'll go alone.

Snowpacolypse 2010

The snow came and went, and left the Baltimore area with 30+ inches. Nile and I aren't sure if we're ever going to be able to dig our way out. 


Here's some pictures of our snowy neighborhood:

Here's our back deck. As you can see, it's definitely more covered than the December storm.

Here's Wiggles with his new pee pee cavern, dug out by yours truly at 8:30 AM.

Nile digging us a path to our cars...only so we can shovel nearly 3 feet of snow from them.

Wiggles successfully making yellow snow out front.

View from the neighbor's house.

Seriously...there's cars under there somewhere.

We had a jailbreak with Peanut. She found a path that was shoveled out to the street and took off. She bounded through 3 feet of snow, and Nile and I ran after her. Here's Nile, victorious and bringing her back to the house.

There you have it, folks. A historic snowstorm for the Mid-Atlantic region. It's literally paralyzed the state. Tomorrow...it's operation dig out the cars.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, we got 2.5 Peanuts worth of snow.