Thirteen Things About My Pug, 18th

1. He loves Twizzlers. He has been known to climb onto furniture that Pugs are not allowed on secret Pug missions to acquire bags of Twizzlers. I have caught him silently devouring half a bag with the other half strewn across the floor. Naughty.
2. He will eat anything — buttons, leftovers, salad, litterbox crunchies (naughty) — except cranberries. It’s the only thing I’ve found that he won’t eat. I don’t know why. I guess they’re too bitter.
3. He goes to Doggy Daycare two days a week to socialize with other dogs and more importantly to exercise so he doesn’t become a plump Pug.
4. When we get home from a long day of playing at Daycare, the first thing he does is run from room to room, his little nails clicking on the wood floors. I’m not sure if he’s checking to see if there are intruders or to make sure the cats have left all of his toys and bones where he put them.
5. Now that it’s getting colder, he has taken to sleeping under the covers next to me with his little head poking out just as if he were a people. I guess that heating blanket has won him over.
6. He likes to go everywhere I go so when I ask him if he wants to go for a ride in the car, he always wants to go. However, he doesn’t actually like riding in the car. Half the time he either looks like he’s got motion sickness or he’s afraid of my driving.
7. When we go for a walk in the neighborhood, he always has a plan. It’s not the same route every time, but he always seems to know exactly what he wants to do and sets about getting straight to work visiting all the places and houses he wants to see on that particular walk. He’ll even ignore anything I say to him because he’s so focused.
8. After we’ve gone for a walk, he runs to the top of the stoop so he can turn around and stand on the back of his legs to give me a kiss — as if to say, “Thank you for taking me on that walk, Mama! I love you!”
9. He is a lady’s Pug and tends to make girlfriends, all Pugs, everywhere. First he had a girlfriend in Puppy Playgroup, then at Pug Meetups, now he has one next door and one at Daycare. He is definitely not a Pug to settle down with just one Pug girl. I admit that I’ve considered getting him a sister to play with at home, but it’s hard enough traveling with the one Pug.
10. Someone at Pug Meetup calls him “The Mayor of Pugville” because he greets everyone like “Hi, how are you? Welcome. Excuse me, I must go talk with more constituents.” He circulates. He does seem quite interested in making sure everyone has been said hello to and checked out.
11. He thinks that if he can’t see me, I can’t see him.
12. He thinks that I should always share whatever I’m eating with him. He will look at me pitifully with eyes that say, “Aren’t you going to share that with me?” even as he chews on a bone.
13. He does not like to have his nails trimmed. He’s quite the drama queen about it. He acts like you are murdering him. He reminds me of an over-the-top method actor. It’s so bad that daycare will no longer even try to do it and one of the grooming places is very reluctant. As soon as they let him go, he’s fine. Naughty.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

• Dane Bramage, Vixen, Wacky Mommy, mcangeli, pussreboots, David, SJ Reidhead, amanda, damozel (you could be next!)