Hello from the Bridge

I see that it has been very hot the last few days. I used to really dislike the hot weather; that is when I would get sick sometimes because it was so hard for me to breathe. I would want to go outside, but mom wouldn't let me. You see, I was always so busy that I would forget to rest and then I would get overheated!

Thank pugness Guy Noir learned something from his poodle sister! He makes sure to rest and drink lots of water when it's hot, and he doesn't mind going inside to get cool. Mom sometimes would have to pick me up and carry me inside because I just liked being out! I would sniff, and pee, and sniff, and pee, and take little walks around the yard. I would get so busy I would forget to drink! And I never, ever liked hoses or pools! I hated to get my paws wet; the best time for me to be inside was when it rained!

I miss everypuggy, but I'm having a wonderful time with all my Dogster Pals...Odie, and Onry, and Pugsident Irving, and Winnie Wigglepants, and Miles the Bat Pug just to name a few. A big guy named Mikey stopped by too! There are so many good friends up here, and we are always sending loving thoughts to our people we had to leave behind.

Remember that we are having a wonderful time here; we don't hurt anymore, and we can play and run and enjoy our food again!

Pug Hugs, Your Friend Ascii the Wonderpug Furever

Gone to the Bridge to see my sister Whizzy

Dear Dogster Friends,

I had to leave and go be with my sister, Whizzy. My mom was with me at the end. It was peaceful, and I did not suffer. It was wonderful being your friend. I am going to see Pugsident Irving, Miles, Onry Onyx and all my other pals.

Your Friend,
Ascii the Wonder Pug

We were gone too long, but we are okay!

Well, mom had some hooman troubles, and we didn't come to Dogster to visit with everypuggy. Me and Guy Noir and Chelu were good therapists, though. We did the cuddle-pug and the lap-lounge and the doggie facial spa wash every day. Sometimes hoomans have problems we puggies just don't get, but we do the best we can for our two-legged friends.

I am doing pretty good for an old gal. I am slowing down, not just because of the last birthday, but the heat is hard on me. That bout with pneumonia was tough on these old lungs. The vet says I have a bit of scarring and have to take it easy. Well, that's okay by me.

I do miss going outside a lot. It is so hot and muggy my mom says I would get sick all over again. So when she takes the puppies out I sit on my little bed by the door with my head in my paws and look very sad. It doesn't work, though. That mom can be one tough cookie! I can go out in the very early morning, and sometimes in the evening if it cools off enough. Well, it's August, so the hottest times are almost over. Maybe we will have a nice fall and I can play in the leaves.

Your friend,

Ascii the Wonder Pug

I am much better!

Well, I scared the mom half to death!

I had a regular old vet visit...I needed by thyroid level checked, I had a little infection in my fold, the same old same old! Nothing special. Well, I love going to the vet, and I get super excited seeing all the vets and techs. And it was HOT outside (my mom is always careful...we have air conditioning everywhere, and I stay inside mostly during the hot days) so I overheated coming home. Mom tried putting cool water on me, rubbing my tummy, and being real calm, but I could not catch my breath, and I had to go to the emergency vet!

They gave me a light sedative, and put me on oxygen, and I started to breathe better after awhile. Mom thought I could go home the next day, but then the xray still showed a spot on my lung! It turns out I got aspiration pneumonia from all the bad breathing. So I had to stay ANOTHER day and get IV antibiotics and some nebulizer treatments.

I wouldn't eat at the vet's! Mom feeds me Carl Buddig (I have to take lots of pills, plus I don't have too many teeth left, so that is the only food I will always eat AND take my pill...I will steal the puppies food if I want, but only sometimes). I like my mommy and my Guy Noir and even Chelu the poodle is better than the vet's office!

So I'm home now! I feel better. Except for some raspy breathing when I am sleeping, and a bit more panting than usual, I feel pretty good. I go outside (it has been much cooler...in the 60s and 70s, and not too sunny) and do my p-mail and sniffing. I even played a little bit the other night. My mom says I need to chill out, and rest, but I say a girl just has to have fun!

I want to thank everybody who said a prayer, or lit a candle, or sent good healing thoughts...they obviously did the trick, because I feel almost as good as new! Now all I have to do is figure out how to spit out the Clavamox for good (mom keeps putting it back in...)

Your Friend,

Ascii the Wonder Pug

Cold Stuff!

Mom was curious...we didn't get a lot of snow this year. So she was looking up where the snowiest cities in the U.S. are. Here is what she found:

Top 10 Snowiest Cities over 100,000 in the US and Canada
130.0 Québec City 169,000
113.4 Sherbrooke 141,000
111.9 Syracuse, NY 147,000
110.0 Ville du Saguenay 146,000
108.0 Sudbury 155,000
107.0 Halifax 119,000
100.3 Rochester, NY 219,000 *****THAT'S US!
97.0 Buffalo, NY 292,000
95.7 Montréal 1,039,000
90.0 Erie, PA 102,000

Why? Because it's almost 80 outside and she misses winter already...snow girls, mom and Chelu. And my brother, Guy Noir, was raised by the poodle, so he likes snow too. Me, I prefer to stay inside if it is over 80 or under 30...I am a piddle pad girl in the bad weather! But mom says the snow is good, and she seems to like it, so here we stay. Anyone wanna move to Hawaii with me?

Your Friend,
Ascii the Wonder Pug

Getting old is hard

Well, I went to the vet the other day. I did pretty good, all things considered. We have a new vet. She is a very pretty lady! Our old vet got a new job and isn't doing house calls anymore, so Mom is taking us to the vets next door to my chiropractor.

Anyhow, I might have to take a new medicine. I might have CDS (Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome) which some older dogs get. My mom was worried because sometimes I seem to forget where I'm going, and I look all confused. And sometimes she hears me late at night, walking around in the dark house. So she had the blood tests run to make sure my old kidneys and such are working good, and we will try a new medicine to see if I can perk up a little more.

I also have ear gunk again, so me and Guy Noir are both getting medicine and extra ear cleanings (which we HATE).

But I still eat good, and like to be near my people, and I can snuggle with my puppies and people, and if it ever warms up, I'm ready to take a little walk, maybe a block or so.

Life is good!

Pug Snuffles & Snorts,

Ascii the Wonder Pug

Hello everypuggy

Well, I haven't been keeping up on my diary. I am just a busy puggy. What with my active social life (Elliot Jay keeps me so busy daydreaming, I have a hard time doing anything else) and my duties as Senior Pug, I just am worn to a frazzle!

I have been stuck inside for a couple of months now. It has been cold, or snowy, or snowy and cold. My old hips and bones just can't do it anymore. So I've been using the old piddle pads, and I wait by the door when Mom takes the kids out. Oh, I did go out once to the groomer, but Dad carried me so I wouldn't get cold or wet.

My life is pretty good, otherwise. Lots of snackies and you can see we got a nice new super-duper xlarge bolster bed that is great for cuddling with the babies (I do like 'em when they are sleeping; it's the rest of the time they bug me).

And my Aunt Cyndie came to visit me, so I followed her around all day while Momma was working and got lots of belly rubs! It was cool cos the babies were in their beds, so it was just ME!

Thanks for listening! Pug snortles, snuffles and sneezes to all!

Ascii, the Wonder Pug

Long Time No Diary

Hi, everypuggy! It has been a long time since I wrote in my diary. I've been spending time with my friends on FLOP (especially that HANDSOME Elliot Jay!) and Pugapalooza, so I just haven't written here lately.

Did you see the picture of my room? The screen is so I can have some privacy when I do my business. I mostly stay inside in the winter; my arthritis is pretty bad, and I can't go up and down the stairs so good. So I have my very own facility.

The puppies are doing good; check them out! Guy Noir weighs 23 pounds...he is not fat, he is BIG. Chelu still weighs about 12 lbs, but keeps him in line pretty well. Of course, she is a GIRL. And because she is so busy with Guy, we don't fight anymore. We have agreed that I am the Queen, she is a Princess, and Guy Noir is...well, a guy.

Ascii, the Wonder Pug

Ascii Comes Back

Boy, did I ever miss my Dogster friends! My Dad's dad got very ill, and Mommy and Daddy were super busy 'cos Dad had to take a lot of trips to NC to visit, while Mom stayed home with me and Chelu and Buddy Cat and went to work and all that home stuff.

Then we got our newest puppy, Guy Noir! He is a handful! When we got him, though, he got very, very sick because of worms (ooh...ick) which I guess lots of puppies have, but then he caught a nasty cold and started to cough and lose weight and Mommy and Daddy were frantic and went to the vet a lot and all that scary stuff. As you can see, Guy Noir pulled through and is just fine now.

Then I caught the darn cold and the vet came to see me and I had the cold and an ear infection and Mommy was very worried because I am a tad elderly (but not real old) and she worries about me all the time. But no silly puppy cold is gonna knock me out for long! I am all better except my ears keep getting all icky and mom has to clean them all the time and I DON'T LIKE STUFF IN MY EARS!

Guy is cool because he keeps Chelu busy. I love to watch them run and play and fight. I had to teach 'em that I am still top dog...I can roll a puppy over and pin 'em down in a second. HA! They thought I was just an old, tired puggy put I am, as always, Ascii the Wonder Pug!

Pug kisses to everyone. I gotta go take a nap!

Busy busy busy

My mom finally got around to putting up more pictures. As you can see, I love to make nests for naps! I'll use blankets, bags, beds, pillows...you name it, I nest it.

Oh, and my new kitty, Buddy (or The Big Kahuna) and me, we get along pretty good now. Buddy now sleeps next to me sometimes.

Me and Buddy aren't to sure about that puppy, Chelu. She's okay when she calms down, but boy is she peppy! Always wanting to go somewhere, do something, play with somebody!

Well, I'm ready for another little beauty rest.

Love, Ascii