We hope you had a good Valentine’s Day weekend. As you can see above, Sid got spoiled on Valentine’s Day with an enormous new split antler.
Most of his other antlers have been chewed down to little stubs so I figured it was about time he got a new one. Luckily this one is like four times longer than the previous ones so I’m hoping it will last longer.
His favorite time to chew is right before bed. I guess it’s how he winds down before going to sleep since he can’t read a book or do yoga or something. Do any of your dogs also like antlers? When is their favorite time to chew?
If you’re ever in need of someone to lead an expedition to uncharted territories in search of exotic scents and treats, I’m your man.
I am Siddhartha Lamont, Polar Explorer. At your service.
I don’t come cheap. My reward is the awesome thrill that comes only from conquering harsh conditions and surviving adventures in exotic locales.* Don’t settle with sub-par explorers, hire the best: Siddartha Lamont, Polar Explorer Par Excellence!
(* I do also accept payment in the form of baby carrots.)
I know we’ve been talking a lot about pug maintenance lately. I guess it’s just a side effect of being stuck indoors – you start nit-picking. When I run out of things to clean or organize around the house, I start analyzing my pug (that’s normal, right?). The long walks, which had kept Sid’s nails at an adequate length all summer and fall, had been abandoned due to thigh-high snow drifts and arctic temperatures. Sid’s nails were rapidly becoming curled macaroni noodles.
My fear of using the nail-clippers incorrectly and potentially hurting the little dude meant I needed some help. Someone to “get the job done”, “take care of business”, and all that good stuff. My prayers were answered in the form of a slender, grey-clothed new man in town: Doctor Alberto Emel or “Dr. Emel” for short.
The Doctor actually arrived to Pug Slope HQ a couple weeks ago from the Amazon. Based on the Doc’s reputation in the Amazon, I kept the two lads apart at first as I didn’t want to force this new relationship. Some dogs don’t take kindly to new strangers, especially those of the buzzing and shaking variety, so I wanted to make sure both Sid and Dr. Emel felt totally comfortable around each other before anything physical took place. After some initial restraint, Sid soon welcomed the Doc just like he would a fellow pug (although without any humping).
Sid was intrigued by Dr. Emel’s rough 5-o’clock shadow. This was not your typical clean-cut doctor. This guy was more like Gregory House M.D. I explained to Sid that although the Doc’s exterior might appear rough and tumble, he is actually a super nice guy and absolutely loves a good pat on the head – especially on his rough face. He absolutely would LOVE a good scratch with YOUR NAILS on his stubbly beard.
Sid obliged and was soon hanging out with Doc daily, patting him on the head, and scratching his beard. As a side effect to this new relationship, Sid’s nails have been reduced to a much more ideal length. To steal a line from Casablanca:
“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”.
I’m not sure how many other people brush their dog’s teeth, but I try to do it daily. Of course I go through times when I’m pretty lazy about it and other times when I’m very diligent. I usually become most serious about it after receiving a bill for a teeth-cleaning. Anything I can do to possibly reduce the frequency of those bank-breaking teeth cleanings is a good thing. Sid said that just removing all his teeth is not an option. He’s so vain!
As Sid can be quite a curmudgeon, I thought he’d hate getting his teeth brushed. However, he gets super excited for the nightly ritual and reminds me to do it when I go to brush my own teeth. While I give my pearly whites a once-over, he hovers at the base of the bathroom sink and either stares unblinkingly at me or slumps his head down and bats his eyes like a 1930’s Hollywood starlet. Ok, dude, signal received.
Sid’s excitement isn’t due to the promise of fresh breath or control of his tartar, but rather because the dog toothpaste falls into the “treat” category and he literally gulps it off the brush. He has a weakness for Vanilla-Mint.
Unfortunately this gulping action conflicts with my ability to get in there and brush so the whole process ends up being comically awkward. The hardest part is finding where a pug’s teeth are actually located. I try to make a mental note whenever he does a big yawn but it’s still a bit of guesswork. It certainly is crowded in there! Anyone else brush their pup’s teeth?
We hope everyone is staying warm. I considered renting a car and just driving south but it’s frigid all the way to Florida. Seems like our friends on the West Coast are the only ones that can go outside with just one layer of pants. Sid and I are faring pretty well – although that sometimes entails us wearing jackets and scarves INDOORS.
I was flipping through some old photos from the adventures we had this past summer: Running around at Winnemac Park, swimming in Lake Michigan at the Foster Ave. Dog Beach, and taking walks that lasted more than 6 minutes.
Here’s a pic of Sid enjoying the nice summer weather at Winnemac Park with one of his favorite plush potatoes.
My Dad got me some new bandanas which, while they are pretty cool, are not really get-out-of-bed worthy. Yet he insisted on doing a photo shoot.
I put in about 8% effort – I mean, at least my eyes were open.
I don’t know if was due to the fact that there were no treats on deck or due to the news that we are due for another pummeling by the Polar Vortex but the super-model juices were just not flowing today.
Ever feel this way, my friends?
P.S. My Pops wants to know which bandana you like better – the yellow one or the black one? I think the black one makes me look tough – which I am, obviously. Just because one of my favorite toys is a mini purse doesn’t mean…well…um, oh forget it.
I know it’s not blueberry-picking season or anything (I am doubtful that any vegetation survived the “Polar Vortex” that whipped through Pug Slope last week) but Sid told me he’s been honing his blueberry harvesting technique and wanted to present a demonstration video for curious pugs out there that may want to study the ancient pug art of snatching tiny berries mid-air.
PUG SLOPE chronicles the adventures of a pug named Sid as he navigates his way through the world. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, started the blog in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and is currently calling Chicago, Illinois his home.
