The horse won! The horse won! This is me in my Halloween costume. Happy Halloween! Daddy played a trick on me this morning. I thought he was going downstairs to get his laundry, but as soon as he closed the cellar door i saw fingers poking out below it. "Gus...oh, Gus!" I hear coming from the door. He scratched and knocked and tried to scare me, but I knew it was him all along. After all, I did watch him go down there. Silly daddy...you can't fool me! Mommy and daddy both have to work tonight. It is halloween...what are they going to do about the trick-or-treaters? Maybe I could hand out the candy! Yeah! Oh, but I want to go bark-or-treating. I want to show off my costume. Maybe daddy will take me before he goes to work...

Howl-oween

Last night I was so scared! I went up to the bed, and this is what I saw!!! It was my brother Skippy (a kitty) with a scary mask on! I barked at him and he kept growling back. SCARY!!!! Then, mommy kept putting it on and growling...all I could do was bark at her. It was fun after awhile because I knew it was her and not a really scary monster! Happy Halloween! Tommorrow I will reveal my costume.

Big weekend

I taught myself a new trick!!! Usually mommy and daddy just ask me if I have to go outside every few hours and I go. But I am a smart pup...Since it is cold out, I tell THEM! They hang my "going out in public" harness(the one with all my tags) on the doorknob of the front door. So I go to the door, hop up on my hind legs and jingle the harness. They usually look at me and say "Gus, do you have to go outside?". So I run around all excited to let them know I do and they take me out! I figured this out all by myself! I am so smart.

Saturday morning mommy and daddy had an appointment to meet a photographer for the wedding so they took me along. Now I know why...it was like a 1 1/2 hour car ride, and they know how much I love car rides! They had to leave me in the car while they went inside for a little bit, but as soon as I heard them use the remote car door unlocker, I popped my head up and saw them coming back. I was so happy! They were smiling, so I think they liked what they heard while inside. "Yey! I know where we are going now. I get to see my cousins, Ally and Abby! I get to go bark or treating at their house. I choose to wear the horse to see them because it is the easiest to play in." We soon arrived at their house and I stood at the front door. Ally opened it "woof!" I told her. "Gus!" she yelled, with her happy voice. I ran inside and, well, kept running around because I was so happy. Ally and Abby showed me their costumes. Ally had cool princess shoes that lit up. Abby's gorilla costume scared me a bit, though. (me being a small dog and all). The girls opened the treat bags I brought them (with the help of mommy and daddy I put together treats for my favorite cousins), and they shared some with me. I don't think they were suppose to, but they did. A Teddy-grahm hit the floor and I scarfed it up. I think I just gave myself away...I forgot mommy and daddy read my blog. Oh well. One teddy-grahm won't hurt.

Sunday...Big game! Daddy re-arranged his work schedule so he could be home to watch the game with me. Well, maybe he did it to be with mommy, but I like to think he did it for me. Daddy in his Papelbon shirt, mommy in her Beckett shirt, me in my 2004 champions shirt. See us in the picture? It could be clearer, but it was taken by us, with daddy's camera phone. I wish they had counted to 3 or something, I am not even facing the right way!!! We were so happy the Red Sox won! Daddy was dancing around in his usual Sox-winning fashion, mommy kept falling asleep on the couch (she said something about turning into her mother), so I kept jumping on her to wake her up! "They won! They won!" My first year alive and they won! Of course, I know no different. I was just born in 2006. Daddy got up early Monday morning to go to a store and get a shirt that says the Red Sox are the champions. I hope he gets me one too!

Banter between Boys

A conversation between two boys...

Gus:"Hey daddy! what is that thing in the bag you brought home from the store?"

Daddy: "I don't know, Gus, what do you think it is?"

Gus: "Well, I suppose it could be toilet paper. But, maybe it is a treat for your favorite pug in the whole wide world"

Daddy: "Gus, you are the only pug in my world."

Gus: "Details, details, daddy. Tell me what is in the bag!"

Daddy: "Well, Gus, what would you do if it was a Bark Bar?"

Gus: "I would totally stop chasing cats for, like, half a day. And I promise to stop putting my tongue in your ear."

Daddy: "And I think mommy would like it if you stopped trying to eat her hair"

Gus: "Don't push it, daddy, I already promised to stop chasing the cats"

Daddy: "Alright, Gus, I will give you a little bit, just a taste."

Gus: " Thanks daddy! it is ooooooooooooooooh soooooo tasty! Oh so nice! So good!"

"Calliing Dr. Gus"

"Wow! Look at me! Don't I look professional!" My daddy is a child and adolescent mental health counselor (and soon-to-be nurse), and my mommy is a surgical technologist. I think this is what they look like when they go to work. They were busy doing stuff around the house and I found these and decided to play dress-up. I feel so important! I wish I could go to work with them. They could sterilize me and I could accompany mommy to surgery, right? I could just sit there on her table and look cute. A pup can dream, can't he? As for daddy, he talks all the time about me coming for a visit to see the little kids at his hospital. Maybe I can dress up in my cool Halloween costume and say "bark or treat!" Speaking of Halloween costumes...only a couple more days until I reveal what I will dress up as. Remember...you were the ones that made the decision for me, and I am excited to see what you picked.

Mommy's guard dog

It was really early in the morning and daddy got up to go to class (or so I thought). I run around for a bit and then snuggle back in bed with mommy. We go back to sleep. I awaken to the noise of someone coming in the front door...I take my stance at the foot of the bed to protect mommy. Someone is in the house! I growl. I growl loud! They are coming up the stairs "WOOF! AARF! BARK BARK! WOOF!" I have to protect my mommy. I am the guard dog. "WOOF WOOF!!! AAARF! GGRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!" I jump off the bed to go to the top of the stairs. If there is an intruder I need to step up and be the big dog I think I am. I see someone! As they get closer I calm down and I realize it is daddy!!! Turns out he did not leave for class, he went for a run. Mommy is awake by now and praises me "good boy! you are such a good guard dog for mommy!". I know. I am Gus, the Iron Dog!

One pooped puppy

What a day! Mommy had the day off and we were so busy. Since it was nice out and not too hot, she took me with her on all her errands. After a bunch of running around, we stopped at a familiar place. The same place we went to last week (the bookstore and petco). I was SUPER excited when the car came to a stop and I saw someone walking over to mommy's car...IT'S DADDY!!!!! I jump and sneeze and wag my tail non-stop. "Hey buddy!" I hear daddy say as once again sneeze in his face. They go into the bookstore again (what do they do in there, anyways? I am never allowed to go inside). A couple minutes later they come back with cups of something that is steaming. Smells similar to what they make every morning in the house. Whatever it is...it sure makes them hyper! I think they call it coffee, but I am just a pup, so I could be wrong. I sit on their laps in the car as they chat before daddy has to go to work. They said they looked up the weather for their wedding day in an almanac and looks like maybe rain. How accurate is a book, anyways? I don't want my tux to get wet. I guess I could always hide under mommy's dress if it is raining. Her dress is big and poufy and hot pink (that's what she tells daddy). I know what it really looks like because when daddy is at work she wears it around the house. She told me not to write about her dress on here because daddy might read it, so I am sticking with the "hot pink" description. Ok...back to my busy day...after leaving the bookstore mommy took me to the Holyoke resevoir to go for a walk. It was so nice out! Mommy needs to learn how to slow down, though. She is a fast walker. Got a good workout, though, and now I am pooped! I love to go for long walks with mommy and daddy. Actually I love going for walks with anyone. I am excited for when mommy and daddy go on their honeymoon in Italy because I get to stay with grandma and grandpa, and they have a house by a state park with lots of hiking trails. I hope grandpa takes me on lots of walks in the woods. That would be super fun!

A trip to see great-grandma

Sunday daddy took me for a LONG ride in the car. We went out to Rhode Island to visit my great grandma LM at her nursing home. I love visiting her! As I walk down the halls with daddy, I get lots of smiles and people stop to pet me. Not only does great grandma love it when I come for a visit, but the other patients love it too! I think I have a career coming as a therepy dog. I could totally snuggle up with patients if it makes them happy. What I really love is when great grandma (I call her LM, for "Lydia's Mom") smiles a real big smile at me, like in the photo up above.

I wore my red sox harness all day in hopes of a good game that night, and guess what?!?! It worked! They won and are on to the world series. Daddy was very happy! In the middle of the night when they won the game, daddy wanted to run down the street he was so happy, and I got to go with him. We ran all the way down to the end of the road cheering. Mommy came home from work and daddy picked her up and hugged her and kept cheering with a big grin. Maybe I was the good luck charm...after all...my middle name is Yastremski!

Oh no! Not the nails!!!

"Gus...wanna go for a ride in the car?" Daddy asked me with enthusiasm. "of course I do, dad. I LOVE going for rides in the car." So off we went. Daddy took me to my alltime favorite place...Petco. I was so excited. Until I saw where we were headed once in the store. I tried to stop him, but my paws were too slippery on the floor. He picked me up and there we were, at the counter to the grooming shop in the store. "Can Gus get his nails clipped?" I heard daddy ask. "Sure," a lady answered. So here I am. Do I look lovely in my lampshade? It is the newest style, don't you know? I should start a trend. They have finally figured out the easiest way to clip my nails when there is only one person to do it. I feel so silly in this photo. I saw daddy come in and take the picture so I stuck my tongue out at him. Can you see? When I was all done the lady brought me into the store to find daddy. "There he is!" I shout. He comes over and we head home. Here is the best part...while I was getting my nails done, daddy got me some new treats and chew bones! He sure knows the way to a pug's heart!

Breakfast...YUM!

Friday at last! Daddy got up and fed the kittys and when he hopped in the shower I snuck downstairs...to steal their food! This is how you do it...1) sneak up on the cat. 2) Get nice and close to their tail. 3) When they start to growl at you because you are too close to their food, you give a little bark and they run! "Yum!" I love to steal the kitty food when mommy and daddy are not around. they will never know." Once I finished my secret breakfast, I went back upstairs to bed where mommy was still sleeping. She sees my head pop up by the bed and she picks me up. I give her a kiss. "Gus! Were you eating the cat food???" I look at her with those innocent eyes. I realize I have been caught. The kiss did it. She could smell the cat food on my breath!

sneak peek

I thought I would give you a sneak peek into my halloween costume. This is the horse. If you have not voted on what I should be for halloween, please vote! I am just a pup and cannot make that big decision on my own. I want the input of all my friends. Thank you so much if you have voted already.

Boo! Ha! Did I scare you? Don't worry...it's just me, Gus! I am wearing my Franken-pup hat. I don't like it very much (can you tell from my expression?). Mommy always puts it on me and laughs. I guess I do look funny, huh? The last two costumes (the chicken and the ghost) I am keeping a secret. I can't show you everything...gotta leave some to the imagination!

Just watching TV

I was watching Animal Planet and they had the Ugliest dog competition. I am so glad I was born a pug, and not a chinese crusted. Talk about an ugly dog! They all won first place!

Monday morning once again. I love the weekends because my mommy and daddy do not have to work (or one of them does not have to work), so I have someone to play with all day. Weekends go by way to quick. Mommy came home on Saturday from the half marathon with a shiny medal around her neck. She was walking funny, though. I guess I would walk funny too if I ran 13.1 miles. I napped with her in the afternoon for a bit while daddy went to work. Then it seemed to swap...mommy went to work and then daddy came home. He took me for a walk and I saw a bunny! I made a dash for it but it was too quick for me.

Sunday morning I heard mommy's car in the driveway. She is home from work!!! I hop off the bed and greet her at the top of the stairs. "Hi Gus!" she happily says. "Where's daddy?" So I run into the bedroom and sit by the bed. She climbs in and wakes daddy up saying she brought him a coffee.

"hey guys...guys it's me, Gus, PICK ME UP and put me on the bed with you!!!!!! Hey! Can I get some help here???? The bed it too high for me to jump up on. Hey!!"

They both peer down at me and smile. Here come the arms and up I go. I run around the bed and lick their faces. My tail is wagging sooooooo fast! I sneeze in each of their faces and lay down. Daddy gets up and I soon follow. I can't let anyone walk around the house without being right at their feet. I want to know what they are up to.

Later in the day we take a ride in the car. Mommy puts the window down and I put my face into the wind. It is a beautiful fall day. They left me in the car for a couple minutes while they ran into a book store to get something. I look around the parking lot...I see something familiar......the sign is red and blue and I see dogs go in and out sometimes...it's Petco! Maybe they will take me! They get back to the car and I was right..."Gus...wanna go to Petco?" I get excited and we all walk over. Of course, we look super snazy, because daddy and I wore matching shirts. Blue red sox shirts. We are so cool. I get some treats and a new tennis ball and we head home for a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

Kisses

This is my cousin, Ally. She is 3. Whenever she sees me she lets out a scream and yells "Gus!!! I love Gus!!!". This is usually followed by a HUGE hug and kiss. You guessed it...right on the lips! It's ok, I love it. She plays and plays and plays with me. We chase eachother around the backyard, and when she falls down I run over and lick her face and try to chew her hair. It makes her laugh.

Ally loves to walk me, too. Whenever she is with me she always asks my mommy and daddy "can I walk Gus?" although sometimes it turns into a foot-stomping "I wanna walk Gus!!!". She is so cute she always gets her way with me. My mommy and daddy are getting married in May, and Ally is walking me down the aisle. I think I am the ring bearer, but I am not sure. I even have a tux! I must say...I do look spiffy in it.

"Oh, she is soooooo sweet!" I love hugs!

Weekend plans

I hear everyone tell mommy and daddy they need to have a baby. A real baby. They especially say it when I am held like this. I can't help it-this is so comfy! I love it when I get my belly rubbed. I am Spoiled! And notice that was with a capital S.
This weekend is going to be a busy one. Mommy is running the Hartford half marathon on Saturday. I am sure she will come home with a medal like I did last weekend. Daddy has a big test to study for, so I will have to behave for him. Maybe if I just curl up next to him and give him kisses that will bring him good luck. I overheard mommy (many times) say she is determined to find an apple orchard to go apple picking. Maybe this weekend will be the weekend she finds one. I hope I can go. I would love to help pick apples! Are the trees very high?
Today is my grampa's birthday! Happy birthday grampa! "woof!" I would come over and snuggle with you, but mommy and daddy have to work and that leaves me with no car. Plus...I cannot reach the pedals if I did have a car.

rainy morning

"Oh I don't wanna get out of bed!!!!!! It is cold and rainy and all I want to do is stay in bed with mommy and daddy!"

Brothers and Sisters

I slept like a wee baby last night. I fell asleep on the couch with mommy and daddy. They were watching a halloween movie. I was comfy laying on mommy's legs and she kept jumping because the movie was scary!

The picture on the left is of me in what mommy calls my "comfy coat". It is this yellow one I got at Petco the other day. It is fleece and fuzzy and soooooooooo warm!(plus I look cute in it).

I had such a great time yesterday at the pug social. I am excited for next year. I overheard mommy telling daddy maybe someday they will get me a brother or sister. I would LOVE that! A playmate! Yipee! I will just have to play with my other brothers and sister for now. They are Bailey (a siamese kitty), Skippy (A white kitty that is bigger than me), and Lucy (the little calico girl). I guess you could say she is the queen of the house because she is the only girl (besides mommy). The picture below is of my brothers, Bailey and Skippy. They are playing on the bed. They chase eachother around the house and sometimes I join in

and chase them too!

Pug social

I was a winner! I was a winner! I knew I was adopted by the right family. I got a medal like my mommy and daddy! Yipee!!! We got up this morning and drove out to Spencer,MA for the pug-social. I was super excited. When we pulled in and walked up to the registration tent I met another pug with my same name. He was all black. We sniffed and snorted for a bit and then mommy took me into the fairgrounds to mingle with more dogs that looked alot like me. I met soooooo many pugs! So many I cannot remember all of their names. I remember mocha and delila because we hung out alot. Ok...now to my medal. I did not win fastest puppy like my parents had hoped. I was in with 6 month olds and they can sure run fast! It was fun to try, though. I won the pug-o-war. I competed in many heats because I kept winning (I knew running with mommy would pay off...I pull her down the road, so winning tug of war against another pup was easy). To clarify more...it was tug-of-war, with a pug on each end of the rope. Our harnesses were attached to the rope and when they said "go" we each ran in opposite directions towards our owners. Mommy was jumping all around and yelling in a high pitched voice I couldn't help but run fast towards her. I also competed in the 'curliest tail' contest. I got into the top group of finalists, but did not win. Let me tell you...if you thought my tail was curly...you should have seen my competition!

A dog and his stick

Hi! Whenever I go outside my mommy and daddy love to take me to the end of the street for a walk. Actually, I walk them. They may think they walk me, but it is really the other way around. Anyways...to make a long story short, I love sticks! Every time I go to the end of the street I come home with another stick, each one bigger than the last. This is a photo of me over the summer with one of my big sticks. Can you believe it...I carried this home all by myself. Sometimes I even impress myself!

boys and baseball

Red Sox Won!!! I was watching the game with daddy, when all of a sudden he started jumping up and down cheering and yelling. What's a dog to do but join in?!?! So I ran in circles and barked at daddy. He seemed to like it because he kept yelling and jumping too! He grabbed me and kissed me and kept saying "The red sox won!!!"

Two days and counting...

Two more days until the Pug Social in Spencer, MA! I overheard mommy and daddy talking about it recently. There will be all kinds of contests for me to compete in. They seemed very excited. Not as excited as me, though!!! I will totally take first place as "fastest puppy" and "curliest tail". Ask all my friends...I have the curliest tail of all the pugs I have met! I sometimes chase my tail for fun. Makes me dizzy. I am excited to meet all my new friends on Sunday. I looooooooove playing with other dogs!

Summer gone too quick

good morning! I was thinkiing about the summer and how I miss it. This is me in my bike trailer. I told you my mommy and daddy were athletic. Lucky for me they let me tag along! Daddy got up early today. It was still dark outside. I wanted to get up and play. I even stepped all over mommy's hair and licked her face, but no luck. So I settled myself down next to her and went back to bed. Later on she kept her word and took me for a ride in the car. "yipee! we are going to Petco!!!". Wait a second...we are going in the wrong direction. I assumed my position (front paws on center console so I could see out the windshield) to see what she was up to. The car stopped and we got out. It was a big building. We went inside. I can smell sooooo many dogs. I explored a little in a waiting room, and then it hit me... V-E-T. "Oh no I have to get out!" I started looking for a way out, but mommy picked me up so I couldn't go anywhere. She put me down on a big metal thing. I kept running off but she continued to put me back on. There was a thing on top that kept displaying a number. It said 18.5. That was it, though. Mommy went to the counter and spoke to a lady and the lady gave her stuff for me. I think it is the stuff that keeps the bugs off me. We soon left and guess what??? We went to Petco!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got my new yellow fleece vest and some special treats from the treat bar. No nail clipping. All that worry for nothing.

counting down the days

Good morning! (or rather, "woof!"). I am counting the days until Sunday. I am meeting up with other pugs in MA and am sooooo excited! Mommy is taking me shopping at my favorite store (Petco) on Thursday to pick out a new outfit. I personally like the fleece vest we saw there last time. Maybe if I park my butt right in front of it and refuse to move, she will buy it for me. Even though I love Petco, I get a little nervous when we go there. I avoid getting my nails clipped by mommy and daddy by wiggling around so they cannot hold onto me (a little crying doesn't hurt either), so they give up. However, they discovered Petco clips nails. The ladies there are so nice to me, but they gang up and clip my nails. My tactics do not work with them. I always end up walking out with shorter nails than when I came in. It is usually not as bad as I make it out to be, but I still put up a fight when we walk towards that grooming door at the store. I hope we are really going to Petco to get a new outfit, and it is not a trick...

in the begining...

Well, here I am. Gus the pug(now 8 months old). I was adopted by my mom as a birthday gift for my dad. He loved me! I have come a long way since that day. I have graduated from sleeping in my crate at night to sleeping in bed with mommy and daddy. I think it is because i learned how to poop and pee outside, so they no longer worry about me doing it in the house. I love to curl up in between them. It is "oh so cozy!". Just a bit more to catch you up...I have gone to many triathlons and road races to cheer on my mommy and daddy. One of them competes, while the other I get all to myself. There are so many people that recognize me from race to race. I am so popular. I love it. My mommy and daddy got this crazy idea one day to attach a trailer to their bikes and take me for a ride. I had the wind in my face, it was great! And the camping...let me tell you about the camping...I am Gus-the adventure dog-. I love to hop in and out of the tent. It is a game I love to play.