Did you know that pugs can melt? Yep, it’s true. See for yourself:

It’s not really about a certain ambient temperature that does it but rather the perfect combination of an extra-comfy bed and having just wolfed down one’s dinner.

Greetings and salutations, my friends. Sid here with you today.

It’s been just super lovely outside here in Chicago so my dad and I took a stroll down to the lake.

If you can believe it, it is our FIRST TIME visiting the lake this year. I know. We live less than two miles away, so why we are not there EVERY SINGLE DAY is beyond me! I’m gonna look into getting a bus pass so I can just go by myself when my dad’s at work.

The waves were pretty out of control so we didn’t go in the water or spend too much time on the beach, but we go for a nice long stroll along the walkway that flanks the water. You get a great view of the city skyline from here when it’s clear out.

And it looks even BETTER with a pug, such as yours truly, in the foreground.

My dad even got a Margarita at the snack shack on the beach. But can you believe he didn’t share it with me?! I mean, I even did my best begging face…

Oh well, I still had a great time! I can’t wait to go again!

It’s a Flat-pug Friday today here at Pug Slope HQ. I don’t know if anyone can get down flatter than Sid. He’s definitely a master at melting into the floor. How low can you go?

Sid’s 10-step guide to successfully battling a watermelon:

1. Size up your opponent.

2. When striking the first blow, make it a good one.

3. Keep moving and work the angles.

4. Mix in some tiny attacks.

5. Extend yourself for maximum reach.

6. Use all the tools you have available to you.

7. Yes, every tool. Even that one.

8. Keep close to your opponent.

9. Don’t quit until the enemy has been licked!

10. Hold your head high in victory.

Have you battled any watermelons lately? Let us know if you came out the victor!

Thank you for sending good pug juju over to Sid. His eyelid healed up perfectly and the dental extractions have healed as well. It’s now been two weeks since his dental cleaning and eyelid surgery so it’s finally time to ditch the cone. Although I couldn’t resist just a few more pics of him in his cone, especially this one where he is sunbathing in his home-made “short cone”.

See, the standard cone is great when Sid’s at home but when we go on walks the extreme length of it gets in the way of his sniffing abilities – especially when he’s attempting to sniff the ground to do his business. I had immediately sensed his frustration and with a quick modification of a plastic salad container, came up with a solution. I guess when the cone manufacturers were creating the standard cone sizes, they didn’t take into account the inverse relation between the pug’s nick girth (huge) and snout length (practically zero).

His short cone even caused him to become a local celebrity when the staff at our local pet store couldn’t resist sharing a pic of him in this admittedly-hilarious contraption.

Well, rest assured, after his follow up appointment at the vet yesterday Sid is now comfortably cone-free and back to his usual shenanigans.

Hey all you lovely Pug Slopers!

Sid here with you today. My voice may seem louder today because it is being amplified by the enormous cone surrounding my head.

Worry not, though, my friends. All is well with this pug. I am just recovering from a long vet visit on Monday. I went in for a dental cleaning and surgery to remove a small mass that was growing on my eyelid. Luckily I was knocked out for the whole thing so I didn’t feel a thing. The talented Dr. Delia and the awesome staff at Duke Animal Hospital took excellent care of me the whole day.

Although I had a few teeth extracted, got my eyebrow fur shaved off, and went without food for 24 hours prior to the surgery (yep, it was the worst), I’m loving the soft dog food I get to eat for the next two weeks! I like to make a real mess of it, too. My dad can’t stand the smell of the wet food. Let’s just call it payback. Ha ha!

While everything appears to be healing well, if you could send some positive pug juju my way I would be ever grateful! THANK YOU!

xo Sid

This past weekend, Sid and I hopped the train out to the suburbs to hang with my family.

First up on our checklist of activities was the La Grange Pet Parade which has been going on for over 70 years and is a big event in my hometown.

Growing up, my sister and I would march in the parade with our various childhood pets (dogs, rabbits, turtles, and even parakeets) in home-made “floats” which were usually constructed out of cardboard atop a wagon. The parade is also full of other things, like marching bands, town officials, veterans, fire-fighters, the Shriners, and many others. Here are a few shots from the parade, although somehow I managed to miss most of the pets!

The sun was shining brightly so Sid kept cool in the shade under our folding chairs.

The paraders were handing out free candy to the kids and treats to the pets, so Sid was a happy camper. I think he got enough free treats to last the rest of the month!

The next day we drove over to Katherine Legge Park, and to our good fortune, there was an event being held in the park for the Hinsdale Humane Society. So, once again, Sid got loaded up with free treats from all the vendors. He also got to explore the creek that winds through the park and cool off his toes.

And of course we spent lots of time relaxing in my parents’ lovely backyard garden.

All in all, we had a good time taking a break from the city!