Why you should microchip your pet

Losing your pet can be one of the most heart-
breaking exper-
iences. One Brooklyn man recently went through the ordeal firsthand, but luckily with a positive outcome:

A dog that went missing from Sunset Park on Monday afternoon was found 60 miles away on Long Island the next day.

The Long Island woman who found the chihuahua took him to a vet, who found a microchip between Boy's shoulders identifying him and his owner.

[Owner] Liu said his dog went missing when he visited a friend's fenced-in backyard and suspects someone picked up the dog "and went the wrong way." As for Boy's health, Pierce said he seems good, "except his feet on the underside seem to be cut up.

In January, a Colorado trucker was reunited with his dog that had run away at a Hudson Valley rest stop. And microchip your pet!

Thanks, Gothamist.

Rainbow pug

We actually have our bookshelf organized like this thanks to Nat the artist, but I bet Olive would be just as disinterested in the color as the excited pug in the photo.

"bookshelf spectrum, revisited" image by chotda.

Comic pug

One of my regular go-to bloggers, Cully, has started a new feature based on CraigsList Missed Connections on A Child of Atom. If you're unfamiliar with Missed Connections, it's an area on the CL site that allows strangers to post a description of a random encounter, in hopes that the stranger can find the person they are seeking in real life. Master illustrator Cully (have you seen his Subway Sketches?!) is taking choice posts and illustrating them, and I couldn't help but love his pug in this one:


Update: Cully agrees that his rendering looks just like Olive!

Dog Pedal Parade takes Manhattan

Over the weekend, a unique sight was seen in Manhattan's Greenwich Village: a parade of bikes, with dogs riding along in spiffy little seats and baskets or running alongside. The event was held to raise awareness of bicycles that can ferry pets as well as the need for more widespread adoption of homeless animals. The Dog Pedal Parade was put on by Time's Up!, a self-described "direct action environmental organization."

Check out the video, which includes some pug cameos and a true jam as its soundtrack:

Thanks, Gothamist!

Because I loved you

By Sam Brown of explodingdog.

Milkbones beat gourmet concoctions

New York magazine published an in-
teresting taste test this week that offered some of the city's most decadent treats to some of its most discerning palates. The jury was made up of Gordie, a French Bulldog; Bear, a Saint Bernard; and Chopper, a Boston Terrier (right). The treats included Birdbath’s peanut-butter dog biscuit (two for $1), Batch’s foie gras–flavored biscuit ($2.75 each), Bouchon Bakery’s foie gras–flavored dog biscuit ($2.70 each), and Milk-Bone’s Bacon Chip ’n Cheese Flavor Bakery Bites (~$4.19 for a 14-oz. pack).

Luckily, at least for all us budget-minded folks, is that the Milk-Bone was the overwhelming champion:

• Gordy--"The little guy surprised us by coolly sniffing at it for a few seconds and then shuffling over to the Milk-Bone Bakery Bite. He made quick work of it, licking his chops and, with a spirited woof, giving his compliments to the chef. When Gordy declined to eat anything else, we redid the test from scratch, breaking up the biscuits into smaller, Gordy-size bites. But the results were nearly the same. . . "
• Bear--ate pretty much all of the treats
  
• Chopper--"Right away it became clear that in Chopper, we had another Milk-Bone-Bakery-Bite fanatic. She immediately took the Cheetos-colored snack and ran away with it."

No, I am in no way affiliated with Milk-Bone!

Image by Stewert Isbell in New York magazine.

Olive chews on an olive

And cracks us up:

My pet, my child

From Over-
heard:

Woman: How dare you?! How dare you?! How can you say that? How can you tell my child I don't love him? Apologize! Apologize!
Man: It's a dog.
Woman: How dare you?! Apologize right now!

--Tower Records, E 4th & Lafayette

"New dog stroller" image by iTripped.

Happy Birthday, Olive!

On this date one year ago, our little Olive was born some-
where in Missouri. Less than two months later, we would pick her out from a group of three puppies. Olive was not too big, and not too "sooty," as Nat describes the grey-black markings on the top of another pug puppy's head. She had just the right personality, too--friendly and curious, but submissive to humans. Just a few short days later, we brought her home to our apartment in Brooklyn. We spent that first three-day weekend playing and snuggling. She was small enough to sleep on top of me--about 5 lbs.


Olive has grown into a rambunctious, social pug who has bad manners but a great, people-loving personality. She has mastered the 8-hour car trip, house training, and off-leash hours at the park. Not to mention navigating down the Cacapon River.


We've had a great time so far with you, wrinkle face. Happy Birthday! Besitas!

(In case you're curious, this is among the most recent photos of the beast, taken at Thanksgiving this year--she's now 22 lbs.!)


"Happy Birthday" image by Will Pate.
All images of Olive by Nat or me.

Cross-posted to She's Leaving Home.

Besitas!

Thanks, Clover!

Pug-o-ween!

Hi everydoggy!

Hope you had a fantastic Pug-o-ween...or, Halloween, for all you non-pugs. I dressed up as a beeeeeeautiful Peacock Princess.

Look at my colorful tail.

We did not do much for the holiday, my mommies just dressed me up in this costume and took pictures. I did not like the head piece so I wore the costume with my own creative interpretation...voila! Hoodie-dress! Pug-o-ween = treats

I wonder if peacocks can fly??? This one can!

The costume was also a little, ahem, snug around my tummy. My mothers explained that this was the biggest size and we would have to make do. I am filling out to be quite a voluptuous woman since I will be 1 year old in December!See ya!

My alternate identities

Winston and Zelda's mom, LMizzle, had a fun meme up recently. Maybe I can convince Mom and jess-nutt to call me by one of these rockin' nicknames:

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car): Piggie Feet

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie): Salmon Salmon Snap

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name): O-Sau

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal): Pink Crocodile

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born): Beso Brooklyn

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first): Sauol

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink): The Green Chicken Stock

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers): Bill Tim

9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy): Meat Jerky

10. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ): Margaret Lynn

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): ?

12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Spring Black-eyed Susan

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”): Banana Collar

14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Kibble Oak

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”): The Chewing Sunshine Tour

"Nicknames" image by Mohsan.

Olive the model

Olive is quickly becoming an international modeling sensation.


Check out her shot for Lexie Lew!

Olive's new cravings

...may soon include this fancy new fro-yo for canines. Via Yum
Sugar:

Developed by The Barking Dog Ltd., Yöghund is a frozen treat made from organic yogurt, bananas, peanuts and spring water. It's currently only available in a few markets, but you can also purchase a pack of four containers online for $5.99.

Apparently I missed the blog's post on the dog ice cream truck.

"On being mean to dogs #1" image by chicken widget.

first day of school

OH MY DOG! There has just been so much going on in Casa de las Besitas, I can hardly wrap my little wrinkly head around it. These last few weeks have been filled with so many exciting things, and a couple of not so great ones...

Firstly, Aunt Bri gave birth to Beckett Ace, my new cousin and my mommy's new baby nephew! He is pretty cute, I must admit, not as cute as myself, but he seems like a cool guy so far, not that I can judge since I can't play with him yet....but, we'll see! I just know that I am so excited for my Aunt Bri and Uncle Wes and Beckett is making my mommy very happy to be an Auntie. My consolation prize for not being the baby of the building anymore was this really cool new red keyboard squeaky. I love this stuffie and I make beeeeutiful music with it! I must admit, I am pretty talented with the squeaker.

I got my stitches out of my tummy and nose, thank dog, and I am back to my normal self. I went the park last weekend and played with 5 OTHER fawn PUGS (well, one was 1/2 puggle, but I'll let it slide) and although I had such a blast rockin' and rollin' in the dirt with them, I got a little roughed up and needless to say there are some scrapes and nips on my little wrinkle-face...oh well, I'm a tough doggie, and I'll be okay soon...that just means more treats!

The Jess-ter went away on a "busy-ness trip" for a whole 7 days during the week of the birth and left me her whole side of the bed! It was nice to get all of my mom's attention, but I guess I'm pretty happy she is home, too.

Sadly, as of last night, my mommy has started school again. This makes me very sad because I won't get to see her right after work anymore. It is only 2 evenings a week, they tell me, but I am going to miss seeing her right at 6 after my hard day of napping in my crate. She is taking classes so she can eventually apply to nursing school. Whatever that is! Well, hopefully there will be more time for a new routine of blogging in this schedule, but we will all adjust just fine, I hear I get to go to the park this weekend a lot....

What have they done?!?!

So here I am, chillin' being my usual happy-pug self...

I had no idea what was coming...

until then...

THE VET. Something about an "ovariohysterectomy," and "nasal wedge resection." WHAAAA?!?!!!!

(above: before nose)

(after, post-op nose with stitches.)

(Hi everydoggy! Olive's Mom here. Olive had to get spayed and had nose surgery to help her breathe better. We are all in recovery mode here and will post more when things are back to normal later.)

This stinks, and that's all I can say about the whole thing! I know I get extra attention and I get to be carried a lot (up the stairs) but I have NO IDEA why I had to go through this!!

I have to wear this stoopid cone all the time and I have to take cheese-medicine (Olive, it is good for you and you like the medicine wrapped in the cheese.) Ugggh! I HATE THIS. The good thing is, I also get a syringe of pain medicine...then I feel all sleepy and woozy, and oh boy I can't feel my feet...must, lie, down....goodnight!
(How Olive's cruel Mommies make fun of "cone-head" with a stuffed pug and a lamp shade. HAHA! They were nestled coincidentally.)

How we're paying for Nat's nursing school

From Overheard:

Little boy: Hey, can I pet your dog?
Man with puppy: You got a dollar?

--Washington Square Park

sleeepy smoooooshy

sleeepy smoooooshy, originally uploaded by Olive the pug.

I entered this photo into the flickr group Smooshy Faced Dogs, but we didn't get chosen. Hurumph!

The theme was "Best Friends." I love my Jess-ter and loooove sleeping in her tum. Okay, gotta get back to my morning nap.

busy busy bee!

Hi everydoggy!

Things around here have been so jam-packed busy, I haven't had a chance to blog ONCE since I have been home from my trip to the mountains.

Guess what?!? I'm a TRUE mountain doggy now. I learned how to swim and hike off-leash and generally learn new non-New York dog ways from my other dog cousins, Sophie and Apollo. (Their Dad is my Mom Jess-ter's twin brother.)

My mommies took me on a car trip to West Virgina for the 4th of July, so we were away for quite some time, but now we are back to normal life in Brooklyn...still settling into the "new" apartment.

I tell you, I loooooove the vacation life. I was so into relaxing at the cabin, I didn't want to leave and go back home. Many naps and float trips down the river....ahhhhh....what a life!

I don't know if you doggies know this, but my Aunt Bri is going to have a baby boy in August and I am helping Mommy plan the par-tee to celebrate, which is actually this weekend...Planning the
"shower" has been hard, but fun. I don't know why they need to bathe to celebrate the new baby, or even why they can't take a bath instead, but it is quite the big deal for some hoomans. I get to help Mommy pick out things that look like toys for me for "party favors." Whatever those are. I don't know if I will be able to go to see all my hard work, but I'm sure Mom will take lots of pictures in case I'm not allowed in the bar where it is being held. Yeah, I said bar. Mom's cool like that. I'm getting to be such a grown up doggy, maybe soon she'll let me have some of her beer that tastes so good and cold....oops! Don't tell her I've tried it!

And now, for the PICTURES!!!! Yay, my favorite part!

Here I am with Mommy in the car. I think she was bored. It took us 7 hours to get there, but I was a good sport and only made grimacing faces like this one a couple times during the many, many photoshoots.

Look how happy I am in the mountains! (Mom messed with the colors, what do you guys think?)

Waiting to get the inner tubes ready for the float trip.

Apollo, my dog cousin and the Jess-nutt with the inner tubes.

On the float.

The Cacapon river!


Navigating.

Floating.

Going over a really big rapid!

(Mom's note: It really wasn't that big, Olive. A gentle ride, really. We just had to hold onto you tight.)

Thinking about swimming.

I think the outdoors do me well, don't you?

Family float portrait.

Take 2.

Wearing my lifejacket like a good girl while I swim.

Keep that head up!

Just call me Captain Olive.

On one of our day trips to Harpers Ferry.

Ahhh, how I miss vacation...

I'd be a Golden Retriever

From Overheard:

Boyfriend: I wish I had a dog.
Girlfriend: I wish I were a dog.

--Union Square

"Union Square" image by Das Bobby 2000.