Wordless Wednesday – Fun in the Sun Dogs

Pierson likes to roll in the grass.

Pierson enjoying the sunshine.

Maya & Pierson relaxing in the shade.

WordPress won’t let me link to the Wordless Wednesday blog hop so to see more great pet photos from other pet bloggers, visit our Pet Auto Safety Blog and follow the links there.

Dog Breed Feature Part II – History of the Pug Dog Breed

The Pug dog breed has had a very interesting history. He may have had connections with William the Silent, the king and queen of England William and Mary, as well as with Napoleon Bonaparte. He may also be responsible for the flat nose of the modern Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Possible History of the Pug with Prince William the Silent
A dog which many believe was a Pug dog breed named Pompey is credited with saving the life of the Prince of Orange known as William the Silent. Apparently, the dog barked and alerted Prince William of Orange when assassins approached his tent to kill him. This happened in France during William the Silent’s campaign against Spain during the Eighty Years’ War. There is some doubt about whether Pompey was a Pug or Kooikerhondje because some describe the dog as light colored while others say he was light colored with orange markings. It is also disputed whether the dog had a flat face.

Historical Connection with William and Mary
It is said that William the Silent’s grandson William III of Orange went to claim the English throne with Mary Stuart of England and their Pug dog breed. William and Mary, as they are commonly known, ruled as King and Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1689 – 1702. From there, the Pug dog breed slowly began to gain popularity across Europe.

Connection with the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel?
According to Wiki, it is likely that the Pug dog breed was bred with an older version of the King Charles Spaniel. The flat face of the modern Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is likely due to its European heritage with the Pug.

History of the Pug with Napoleon Bonaparte
During the French Reign of Terror (1793-4) Joséphine de Beauharnais was imprisoned in the Carmes prison while her husband was executed. It is said that Joséphine’s only visitor allowed was her Pug Fortune. Therefore, Fortune was used to conceal messages to and from her family. Later Joséphine de Beauharnais married Napoleon Bonaparte and became the first Empress of the French. This is the account given by Wiki. However, the account given in the Barron’s “Pugs: A Complete Pet Owner’s Manual”, Fortune was used to conceal love letters to and from Napoleon and Joséphine. This book also claims that Fortune had bitten Napoleon in the leg on his and Joséphine’s wedding night.

The Pug Dog Breed in America
According to the Barron’s “Pugs: A Complete Pet Owner’s Manual”, the first Pug did not come to the United States until after the Civil War. Even though it was one of the first 15 dog breeds to be recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC), it declined in popularity. The Pug has slowly risen back into American hearts and is now the 26th out of 173 most popular dog in the US (it was 13th out of 155 in 2006).

There is a lot more interesting history on the Pug dog breed in the Barron’s “Pugs: A Complete Pet Owner’s Manual” and on Wiki. Check them both out then visit us again in a couple of days regarding the Pug’s characteristics.

If you didn’t have a chance to check out our most recent article regarding the history of the Pug dog breed’s name, please check it out. You can also find out more information on the Pug’s characteristics next week.

Wordless Wednesday – In Memory of My Beloved Dog Sephi

It has been 6 1/2 months since I lost my beloved dog Sephi. Here are some photos I recently found – photos which brought a memory of both joy and sadness. (Point of interest, Sephi is also featured in the blog heading image, top right.)

If you want to know more about Sephi, just put her name in the search field of this blog.

•❤•.✿.•❤•

Please visit our other blog, the Pet Auto Safety Blog, for more Wordless Wednesday photos.

Dog Breed Feature Part I – History of the Pug Dog Breed’s Name

The Pug dog breed has a very interesting history. They are first noted in the Shang Dynasty in ancient China and were bred as lapdogs. They made their way to Tibet and Japan and eventually to Europe via the Dutch East India Company. The Pug dog breed has an interesting European history with William the Silent, William and Mary, and Napoleon Bonaparte. And there is also an interesting history regarding the word pug.

History of the Word Pug
According to the Barron’s “Pugs: A Complete Pet Owner’s Manual“, the first record of the word pug being used in the English language was in 1566. And it wasn’t used to refer to a dog. It was used as a term of endearment for a person. Later it came to refer to a courtesan or a bargeman. Later still (1600s) it came to mean demon, monkey, or sprite. It is possible that when monkeys were first referred to as pugs, it later came to describe the Pug dog breed as pugs because of the similar flat face. Others claim that the word pug comes from the latin word pugnus which means fist and the Pug dog breed’s face when viewed from the side resembles a closed fist. There is even a theory that the word pug is derived from the mischievous character Puck in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The wrinkle on the Pug dog breed’s forehead is called a Prince Mark because the wrinkle resembles the Chinese character for prince.

Visit us next week for the history of the Pug dog breed with William of Orange, Napoleon, and the Pug’s history in the United States.

Wordless Wednesday – Rocky

If you read the most recent post, you know that my mom wasn’t doing well so I missed my regular Saturday post. I also said that I probably wouldn’t be able to post this Tuesday or Wednesday. But good news… my mom is doing much better! So today, I thought I would post a photo of her dog for Wordless Wednesday. This is Rocky and he is spoiled rotten but the sweetest boy in the world.

Wordless Wednesday is a blog hop but our free WordPress version won’t let us put the code in to visit other dog blogs in the blog hop. So visit our other blog at http://www.petautosafetyblog.com.

Why You Are Not Seeing Any New Posts…

Due to a family emergency, I will be out of town and focused on family for at least another week. My mother is in the hospital with several complications. For a while we weren’t sure she would make it. Even now when she is awake and wanting out of bed, we are still not sure how severe the issues are with her heart and lung cancer.

While I may not be posting much on my Facebook or Twitter, there is a pet travel safety giveaway on All Things Dog Blog. The pet travel safety supplies being given away is from our Pet Auto Safety Blog.

Thank you for your patience. Please check out some of our older posts and visit us again soon.

Nearly Wordless Wednesday – You Know it’s Spring When…

… Your dog’s feet turn green from the fresh mowed grass,

Maya’s Green Feet

… The summer toys take over your yard,

This and Lots of Other Kids & Dog Toys in the Yard

… Your dogs get the crazies and dash about the yard like mad,

Pierson Loves to Chase & Maya Loves to be Chased

… You suddenly feel the urge to make sure you keep up with scooping the poop from your yard.

(No Photo)

This is part of the Wordless Wednesday blog hop. But because my wordpress does not allow me to use html I am unable to link to the blog hop. Please visit PetAutoSafetyBlog.com to visit all the Wordless Wednesday dog blogs.

My Stray Dog’s 4th Month Anniversary of Having a Home

 

Pierson is wishing it would stop raining so he can go outside and play.

 

I read an article recently about how some people stay away from shelter dogs because they believed that shelter dogs come with issues. True, some may. But don’t store-bought puppies come with issues too? I find it difficult to understand how people could think that a puppy is going to be easier to handle than a shelter dog. Any new pet could present a challenge. Whether you buy or adopt, it will take effort to overcome those challenges.

But this article isn’t just about shelter dogs. It is about my dog Pierson’s 4th month anniversary in his new home. Pierson never made it to a shelter. He had lived as a stray dog for nearly a month, possibly more, before I caught him and took him home. Read his story by clicking HERE.

But Pierson is a good example because he came with a lot of issues and yet has turned into a fantastic dog. (Type pierson in the search field to read about some of his issues.) His issues included separation anxiety, chewing, hated the crate, severe shyness, fear, aggression with male dogs, scared of the leash, digging, eating my other dog’s poop, going into parts of the house which were off limits, putting his paws on the counter, and jumping.

A lot, right? But after just 4 months, most of these issues have been resolved or are being managed. Plus, he is very smart, super-sweet, and funny. Here is an update of his issues:

– Separation Anxiety – Resolved
– Chewing – Resolved.
– Crate Training – Resolved in a way. On the 2nd night in the crate Pierson fought so hard to get out that he actually escaped. The next day, he had a severe bloody nose and cost me $850 at the emergency hospital. So since he has never had an accident in the house and we were able to manage the chewing issue until it was resolved, I decided it wasn’t necessary to crate train him.
– Severe Shyness and Fear – Resolved. Pierson’s breed tends to make him wary of strangers, noises, and objects. But he completely trusts me now so he is nowhere near as shy or afraid as he used to be.
– Aggression with Male Dogs – Managed. I don’t take Pierson to the dog park and keep him away from other dogs. I will be working with a trainer to help him get these issues resolved.
– Scared of the Leash – Resolved. It took less than a week of practice to leash-train Pierson.
– Digging – Managed. I buried the holes he dug with rocks and watch him closely when he is outside.
– Eating Poop – Managed. Instead of picking up the yard once a week, I watch the dogs closely when they are outside and pick up their poo immediately.
– Going into Off-Limit Areas – Resolved.
– Getting on the Counter – Resolved.
– Jumping – Managing. Ever since Pierson got more comfortable, he has picked up the habit of jumping on us excitedly when we get home. Training is in progress and he is getting better.

It seems as though my stray dog came an overwhelming number of issues. Why would anyone want a stray dog if they have to deal with all of this? But as you can see, most of Pierson’s issues were resolved or managed within a very short time. I can promise you that a puppy would take a lot longer.

In conclusion, any new pet is likely to present some challenges. How long it takes to overcome them depends on both the dog and YOU. If you want a dog without issues, then be sure you take the time and make the effort to help your new dog overcome those issues. Don’t blame it on the shelter. Pierson may have taken a lot of time and patience, but he’s worth it. If I had the negative attitude about shelters and strays, I would have missed out on having the perfect dog.

Wordless Wednesday – Pierson’s New Toy

Pierson Loves the Nobbly Wobbly Dog Toy

Our free WordPress site doesn’t let us link to other Wordless Wednesday dog blogs but you can find them by visiting our other blog at http://www.PetAutoSafetyBlog.com.

Tuesdays Moved to Wednesdays

Due to an overwhelming workload, we are moving our usual Tuesday blog posts to Wordless Wednesdays. Visit us again tomorrow for cute dog pictures, and sometimes even videos.