by Developer | 21 Oct, 2020 | Blog, Rescue Stories
Pugs have been part of my life all my life- my parents had a pug before they had me! But until Arlo and Nora came along, I had never adopted a pug.
I first heard of PDWRA a few years ago. I saw an appeal to save stamps and ink cartridges. I decided that I would try to help and friends and family were roped in. Aside from that I also make cards and illustrations as Onelittlepug, and I began fundraising by donating a portion of my sales to PDWRA.
Our beloved Pug, Henry, was not a rescue pug, but by the time he passed away in October 2023 at the grand old age of 15, I was convinced that if I was to have another pug it would be a rescue. I’d read so much from PDWRA about their work and was shocked at the number of pugs being surrendered.
So, I registered and indicated that I was prepared to consider a bonded pair or an older pug as I know that these are harder to re-home. After a home check and a chat with Jane, one of the Area Coordinators, it wasn’t long before I got a call. It was from Jackie, another Area Coordinator, and she said ‘I may have found you a pug……or two, I’ll send you a photo’- of course as soon as I saw the photo that was it!
Arlo and Nori (as she was then) were 8 years old, a brother and sister in foster care. My family were a bit concerned that 8 was quite old for a pug, but to me, our job was to make the rest of their lives happy, for however long that may be. Jackie put me in touch with Louise, their foster carer, who quite clearly adored them. We had a good chat and Louise was able to answer all my questions. It was agreed that they would join our family, and in January 2024 I met a lovely volunteer transporter, Kevin, who delivered two bundles of fun!
They slept soundly through the night from day one, though we soon learnt they had to sleep together, and modifications had to be made to Henry’s custom-made Pug box to accommodate two pugs! Initially they were very reactive to loud noises but they soon calmed down, and fortunately we live in a very rural area so there is little to disturb them.
Louise had written us a letter explaining their routine and traits. I was told Nori was the more outgoing of the two. Compared to our other pugs she is tiny (and often gets mistaken for a puppy). However, she makes up with it in personality and she is absolutely fearless. Arlo was a bit more hesitant at first but loves nothing more than being tickled. If you stop, he will kiss you until you continue! He also loves having his teeth cleaned!
They both love food- show me a pug who doesn’t, but they are very active. We were told that before going into foster care they hadn’t really been walked much. Oh how different things are now. They love their walks and are ready to go every morning. In cooler weather they often go twice a day, but this is of course limited in summer. Arlo can run like the wind, and Nora does her very best to keep up. They have adventures all over, have visited the seaside, and also had an adventure in Oxford.
Last Autumn Jackie contacted me to say PDWRA had been approached by a film production company who wondered if they knew of a pug close to Oxford who would be able to do some filming for a documentary about dogs. We said that if it helped to raise the profile of PDWRA we would be more than happy, and I thought it would be a great social experience for the pugs. Arlo loved the bus ride and Nora was the star of the show, playing the role of Josephine’s pug during the French Revolution. Their adventure was documented by PDWRA in a previous newsletter.
We have had a wonderful time with Arlo and Nora (Nora the snorer seemed far more of an apt name for her). The love and fun they give us is immeasurable. Recently they celebrated their 10th birthday, but although they have a few more grey hairs they are still living life to the full.
I don’t regret taking on two pugs, PDWRA did a brilliant job ensuring that they were in the best possible condition when we adopted them. I also believe senior pugs are wrongly overlooked. All puppies are cute, but they are not always the right fit. It may be that you get less time with older Pugs, and we all dread saying goodbye, but knowing they are going to have the best possible life really does make it all worthwhile.
Pugs are great companions. In my experience they are good with children, and ideal for many different lifestyles, but what they all crave is companionship, so you really do need to be able to devote time to them. I would wholeheartedly recommend adopting, but it is a huge commitment. I am so grateful to all the volunteers at PDWRA who cared for Arlo and Nora, helped us with the adoption process, and continue to help pugs who need support to find their forever homes.
We will continue to support PDWRA as much as we can – their costs are so high and every penny raised really does make a difference. We are planning more pug themed Christmas cards this year, and hope that it will go some way to help. I would say to anyone if you can help in any way, please do. I know two pugs that very much appreciate it!
Best wishes
Jayne
by Developer | 21 Oct, 2020 | Blog
Let me introduce Buster and Bentley, two Pugs that we adopted from PDWRA back in March 2023. They came to join me (Alan), Andrew and Mabel, who is our 11-year-old Puggle. For those who might not know, a Puggle is a cross between a Pug and a Beagle. Mabel has epilepsy and is a bundle of excitement and anxiety, although not a rescue dog, she is integral to the Buster and Bentley experience. So, let me introduce Buster, Bentley and Mabel (I know, they sound like a trio of gangsters!)
Andrew and I first came across the PDWRA when looking for a companion for Mabel following the death of her surrogate mother, Molly, in 2017. Mabel did not cope well after Molly’s death, and we didn’t want her to be a lone dog, so we started to look for a dog to rescue (note the careful use of the phrase ‘a dog’ in that sentence). An internet search led us to the PDWRA, and we conducted some research on Pug dogs as a breed. Eventually, we decided to apply and were told there might be a six-month wait. Two or three days after applying, we were sent this photo: –
I’ll leave you to guess our reply, but needless to say, the ‘a dog’ became ‘dogs’ and we became a three-dog home. This was Teddy and Winnie. They were our first experience of Pug adoption. Sadly, we only had them for 5 years as they both succumbed to different forms of cancer. Their story is perhaps for another occasion, but for now, on with the Buster, Bentley and Mabel story.
Of course, you can’t ever replace one of your Pugs, but you can give a loving home to another Pug. We decided it was time to provide Mabel with another companion. We applied to PDWRA to adopt again, and as we were at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, PDWRA had introduced online or virtual home inspections. This process was very straightforward and was more of a discussion to ensure we understood what we were taking on and what sort of help and support might be available. We met with a PDWRA volunteer home assessor, and I gave her a virtual tour of our bungalow and garden using my iPhone camera. All was well, and a short while later, we were asked if we would consider taking in two pugs who had been rescued from an unfortunate situation. They were bonded pugs who had jointly experienced neglect and poor treatment (we are not passing judgment, as we don’t know what led to the situation they were in; not all neglect is purposeful). Buster and Bentley had essentially been kept outside without adequate shelter and were not fed regularly. They were underweight and in poor nutritional condition. Buster had had fits, possibly due to being exposed to strong sunlight and unable to shelter. He was almost blind from a condition called pigmentary keratitis, requiring twice-daily Optimune gel to be instilled. Buster also had signs of arthritis in his forelegs and had muscle wasting in his back legs. Both of them had poor dental health and had to have extensive dental clearance work.
Buster and Bentley were, at this point, being fostered by the wonderful fosterer, Sophie. It just so happened that I was due to be in the area where Sophie lived, so I had the opportunity to go and meet Buster and Bentley before we gave a definite yes to them joining us. Here are a couple of photographs of their foster experience.
Sophie continued to foster Buster and Bentley for a few more weeks while they completed their various veterinary treatments. At last, the day came to collect them from Sophie. I was sad for Sophie, as it can’t be easy to let your foster Pugs go, but pleased for us as we started a new phase of life back home, back to being a three-dog home again.
On arrival home, Mabel, Buster and Bentley all introduced each other in the usual dog fashion, extensive sniffing of areas most of us would rather not sniff! They got on well right from the word go. Buster is remarkably confident. He soon discovered the kitchen bin and realised he could easily tip it over and explore its contents. Bentley is more polite and reserved. Since he has been with us, we have come to the conclusion that Bentley is either going or is deaf.
Walking was a favourite pastime as it often led to lots of adoration from passersby. Recently, Buster’s arthritis, combined with a neurological deficit in his lower spine, has left him struggling to get back from walks, but he still tries and still enjoys the smells in the park. The photograph below is in our local park. The statue of the bear is called Bentley Bear. Bentley Pug is expressing his artistic opinion of the statue.
One of the favourite occupations of all three is sleeping, and they often sleep together.
So, what have we learned from adopting Pugs? Well, firstly, if you want a source of unquestioning love and companionship, you couldn’t choose a more apt breed of dog. They are with you always, and I mean that in every sense. You cannot shake off a pug even if you wish to (but why would you?). They are around your feet wherever you are. You can’t move without them springing up, even from the deepest sleep, to follow you. If you go to the bathroom, they come with you. If you are lucky, they will sit outside and wait for you rather than going in with you, but if they stay outside, you will have to endure snorting noises under the bathroom door. It can be disconcerting at first, but you grow to love it. When there is no Pug in the house, it is too quiet. There is a reason the collective noun for a group of Pugs, grumble, exists. It describes the background noise that you will have in your house at all times – though I think it’s more of a rumble than a grumble.
There is a cost to all this love and companionship, and that cost is both emotional and financial. Buster and Bentley came with a range of illnesses that are long-term and need continuing care. Many of these conditions are common in pugs, especially as they age. Vet bills can be expensive. Bentley has an underactive thyroid and has to have daily medication. Buster, as mentioned earlier, has arthritis and eyesight problems that require daily medication. This, in addition to all the usual flea and worming treatments, as well as vaccinations. Our advice is to obtain insurance if possible, or else develop a strong savings habit to cover veterinary bills. As soon as surgery is called for, you are often likely to be into the thousands of pounds territory. Thanks to the wonderful PDWRA, the cost of Buster’s eye ointment, at about £40 a tube, is covered by them as it was an existing condition and wouldn’t be covered by insurance.
To end on a more positive note, despite the healthcare issues and the constant trips to the vet, the rewards of caring for a pug far outweigh the costs. We wouldn’t be without pugs in our lives and are eternally grateful to the PDWRA for allowing us to experience their devotion, companionship and entertaining characteristics. What’s more, please consider adopting older Pugs. They have so much love to give. It can be tempting to go for the sweet little youngsters, but we have found the oldies to be goodies and can’t recommend them enough.
