The Boys are here!!

Surfer-dude pugs are in Alaska!

July 11, 2001

A Pugs' Fairy Tale

By my friend: Jeanne

Once upon a time, way way back in the 20th century, there lived two little fawn colored pugs named Dino and Butch.

Theirs was a tranquil life, much loved as they were by their humans. (Like all little puggies should be.) They had not a care in their pudgy little world! But their human was of, as humans put it, advancing years and ill health. One day she slipped away over the Rainbow Bridge, well known for its peacefulness and tranquility. (A place Dino and Butch would soon learn issued no return tickets.) They were alone on the Earth save for a much younger human male who had 'inherited' them. (This is another human term something known as 'passed along'.) Dino and Butch had had a wonderful life full of kibble, nylabones and pigs’ ears; (I know, it sounds nasty, but pugs love 'em!) and warm, cozy place to do the things pugs love most - sleep, eat and play. Now their lives were about to change dramatically. (That’s the term humans use for very good or very bad). For, you see, their human's nephew (the iterate, in lawyer talk), though having good intentions, didn't have the patience or space to look after two rambunctious pugs. Soon Dino and Butch began a long hard journey, passed along from one human to the next. Sometimes they would be living in a spacious house, sometimes an apartment but, finally, a goat barn.
Have you ever lived in a goat barn? Well, neither have I not being a goat or even a mouse hunting pussy cat. But I have visited them and petted a goat or two in my day. Though most goats are sweet friendly creatures, they can't help their errr... ‘ordorificiness’. (That means they smell funky.)  Goats can't use Irish Spring Soap and they can't roll on Arrid Exxtra Dry. Heck they can't even dab on a bit of Eau de Cologne behind their flicky little ears!) In other words, Dino and Butch lived in stink. They ate stinky, meager food (not fit for a goat, let alone a regal animal such as a pug!), slept in dirty, filthy, stinky straw and got very dirty, filthy and stinky themselves.  Gone were the days of cushions and comforters, of Mighty Dog canned pooch chow and bits of chicken and buttered dinner rolls after making sad puppy eyes at the table.

Dino (in back) & Butchie before they moved to Alaska
On January 16th, 2003, my sweet Dino passed on and is now waiting for me at the Bridge.

It was very sudden, and we are still stunned. Butchie is confused, but Thelma & Louisie seem to realize this and help as much as they can.

Good-bye for now my sweet boy, and we will see you when we pass on.

 On August 31st, 2004, my wonderful Butchie joined his partner, Dino at the Bridge.. He had complications from Diabetes.

 

The only consoling factor is now Butchie and Dino are happy and pain-free and playing together in soft green grass.

Good-bye my sweet Butchie, We will meet again someday.

Until--Until--

One day, after what seemed like forever and a half, a lady came and peeked in the goat barn door.

"Hello?" she called in, then quickly backed away.

Butch and Dino pricked up their triangular little ears. A human? A human not yelling at them to get away as they slopped rancid scraps and goat pellets into their dirty trough? They didn't believe it and settled back into their crusty straw covered corner of the barn.

Outside the door, the friendly lady covered her nose with a carefully folded tissue, took a deep breath and peeked inside the door once more.

"Hello? Dino? Butch?" she called out, trying not to inhale the goaty stench.

Dino and Butch sat up looked around, their puggy eyes searching for the owner of the friendly voice. They saw the lady standing in the barn door, squinting into the barn's dimness.

They looked at each other. “Could it be?” Dino and Butch bumped their broad puggy shoulders in disbelief. A human to see them?

“Could it be?” Thought the lady, opening the door a bit more. “Those dirty lumps in the back of the barn were pugs?”

 

 

 

Dino and Butch scurried over to greet the visitor with the best woofs they could muster for their time with the goats had made them suspicious. And months without friendly faces and soothing voices can make anyone, pug or person, lose their voice.

"Well, hello there!" The lady knelt down and let Dino and Butch give her a sniff. "I've heard all about you guys and have come to take you to a much better place!"

Dino and Butch had heard that line before. Every time they were moved to another 'much better place'. But they protested little and soon found themselves in a carrier large enough for two driving along palm-lined streets. Oh, did I mention that Dino and Butch were surfer dude pugs? Born and raised right there in California . Home of palm trees, sunshine, movies stars and two very confused pugs?

The next thing they saw was the inside of a vet's examining room. They remembered a similar place from the early days when they were with their human. It wasn't always pleasant what with toenail clippings and hypodermic needles in the haunches. But it was MUCH better than the goat barn!

They were poked, they were prodded. But the vet and his assistants were all gentle. They spoke soft, kind, encouraging words as they went about their business. Soon Dino and Butch found themselves back in the carrier on the road again. But it wasn't long until the car stopped, and the carrier was set down on soft grass.

Fresh air! Green grass! It was starting to feel like puggy heaven. But it still stunk!

Or rather, Dino and Butch stunk! Stinky icky goat funk clung to them like a well fed flea.

"Open the door! Run the bath!" The lady called as she unlatched the carrier door and scooped Butch up in her arms. The back door of the house opened and the lady dashed inside, straight through the house and into a bathroom where the tub was filling with clean warm water. She plopped Butch into the water and began soaping him down.

”Oooh, you are one stinky pug!" She laughed as she massaged the shampoo down Butch's back.

She cleaned Butch's ears, under his curly donut of a tail and his nose wrinkle. Most pugs HATE having their nose wrinkles cleaned. Buts it’s a must! Pugs have slightly schmooshed faces. Okay, they have REALLY schmooshed faces! Their nose goes up between their eyes and is nearly hidden under a ledge of skin-also known as the nose wrinkle. Because their faces are so flat the entire thing tends to get into whatever THEY get into- food, grass, each other, dirty stinky goat straw....

After a brisk drying with a fluffy towel Butch was sent off to explore the house while Dino got 'the treatment'.

Then BOTH sat down to a hearty meal- REAL dog food! Clean FRESH cool water!

Oh wow! Oh Geez! Eesh! Butch and Dino KNEW they were in puggy heaven. But for how long? That was the question that raged through their minds. They clung to each other, enjoying what they had for the moment, but knew it could and mostly probably would, be taken away at any moment.

It continues for much longer than Butch or Dino or the lady and her family expected. Over 6 months! Butch and Dino were beginning to think that had finally found a home.

 

Until--Until--

Meanwhile, up in Alaska , which is NOT up in the air, though some people equate it to heaven, two other pugs were also confused. Thelma and Louise, named after two independent women in a movie, were wondering what all the fuss was about. The house trailer they lived in had been scrubbed and polished from top to bottom. They kept being told by their human that their brothers were coming.

Brothers? No, they didn't need any brothers! Thelma and Louise were sister pugs and were happy as they were! They didn't need any boys around.  UGH!

The day had arrived. Their human, known as MJ to her people, patted the girls on their puggy noggins. "I'm off to pick up the boys!" she told them as she headed out the door.

The plane landed and Butch and Dino were lead back through another noisy airport.
"Hey!" Butch told Dino, "Maybe we're going back! They decided to keep us!"                
"Humph!" Dino sniffed, "I'll believe that when I see the palm trees!"

Waiting outside the airline concourse was a lady with red hair. This was Thelma and Louise's human. She is the one who had been spoken to them so often over the past months. She has the two pug ladies the surfer dude pugs were going to be brothers to.

The red haired lady was excited waiting for the new arrivals. But apprehensive about whether the surfer dude boys would get along with her Alaskan lady pugs. Could she handle four pugs in one tiny trailer home?

"Only time will tell," she told herself as she waited.

The wait wasn't long. Butch and Dino, bouncing along in their carrier bags came down the  long noisy walk way. The two ladies smiled and waved as they approached each other. The time had arrived. Making their way quickly outside to a grassy area Butch and Dino were clipped onto leashes and given a much needed potty break.

"I don't see any palm trees." Dino points out to Butch as they scuffed grass behind them. (That is the pug version of flushing the toilet.)

"How about a ride in the car?" The red haired lady announces, as Dino and Butch are led over the asphalt to the parking garage. This time the boys are free to scamper around in the car as the red haired lady drives through the not so busy highway and streets.

 

"I don't see palm trees," Butch says, peeking out the window on the passenger's side. "I see lots of OTHER  trees! Look!!"

Dino reluctantly joins Butch as they watch the Alaskan landscape whiz past. The red haired lady chatters away, telling them how glad she is they are here and how long she has waited for them. The names Thelma and Louise come up often. But Butch and Dino are too caught up in the passing scenery to listen. This is nothing like they've ever seen before. So much space! So much grass! So many trees! Even the air smells different.

The ride ended at a house trailer with a neatly trimmed yard surrounded by a wooden fence. No pens, no cages, no barbed wire and NO goat shed!

"Here we are!" the red haired lady announced, opening the car door and leading the boys to the front door of the trailer.

At the sound of the keys in the lock, Thelma and Louise bound off their place on the large plaid pillow and run for the door. They greet the red haired lady and the two surfer dudes with woofs of welcome.

I miss you both very much. Love, Mom
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