A Post That Ended Up Being Totally About My Pugs

(Since after an hour outside in the cold we only got ONE useable photo, yes, I’m going to use this shot at least 30 times..enjoy!)

Happy Howlidays!!

I must seriously be out of good ideas for the blog during the busy holiday season, but since I’ve been sternly told by several people that I need more personal posts on the blog, here we go!  When I started editing photos for this post, I didn’t intend for it to be nothing but pug photos, but since I’m attempting to get more serious about photography, they seem to be my furry muses as of late.

On our trip to St. Louis for Thanksgiving, after I was done bugging the family to “SMILE AND HOLD THAT SPATULA!!!”  during Thanksgiving dinner prep, the pugs were also the focus of my photography/punishment  (As you’ll see below, tinsel bondage is a thing… I don’t know how photographers manage to get cute holiday photos of dogs in costume without a full-on rebellion… I failed miserably making them do anything except look annoyed.)

The fianceé and I are delving into the world of pug-parenthood and this is our first Christmas as a furry-family-foursome.  I adopted Ralph almost three years ago (he’s now estimated to be 11) and we adopted Max (estimated to be around 5) together this past spring.  This is our first holiday season in the same zipcode, and our first holiday traveling with pugs in tow for long car rides through the snow, so needless to say, it’s been interesting!

For the first 20 minutes of any car ride, the dogs freak out. Then they settle down and take a nap.  If we come to a complete stop or traffic doesn’t pick up quick enough, Max goes into what we call the “Death Howl.”

If Max thinks it’s time to leave the car, he goes into dramatic panic mode- full blown howls like someone put hot pokers up his bunky- torture howls.  After a few hilarious episodes of pug-screams,  he realizes he’s not being abandoned in the vehicle and gets excited venture outside and pee on new bushes.  If you have dogs, you know they love to pee on new things. Who knew?

One thing we didn’t realize is that when you have two boy dogs, they sometimes develop a rivalry.  It’s taken months, but Ralph and Max finally have bonded.  They still having “pissing contests” when we go outside (one will pee, the other will pee over it, then again and again until they can pee no longer, it’s ridiculous) but they’re finally showing signs of being a twosome.  It may be the fact that we took them to boarding a few weeks ago or that it’s getting cold, but they cuddle now and it’s cute.  Previously they would separate as far from one another as possible- but now for either security or warmth, they are snug as a pug in a rug.

As pug-parents, we’re happy the dogs can stand to be in the same room as one another.  Either Ralph is too old to care about longstanding grudges or forcing them on long car rides has worked- but they are now pug brothers.  It only took half a year ….  😉

Lessons learned- Pet photography is hard and the boys don’t love tinsel as much as mom does.

(Outtakes from our attempted holiday card photo session…(sigh) which was mainly outtakes.)

When it comes to tinsel, Ralph could not possibly care any less than he already does.  

…And when it comes to family photos, Max could not possibly care any less than he already does.

The holidays and a few side projects have left me so tired lately.  When I get home from work, we usually throw dinner together and I catch up on emails, get some laundry done and then it’s bedtime.  Anyone else feel totally worn down when it starts getting darker earlier?  In the summer, I’d easily get up at 4:30am to go bike and run, but now, dragging myself out of bed at 6:30 is a chore.   My normal energy to blog, work & workout seems to be gone.  I’m thinking I need one of those aptly named SADD lamps.  If my home office wasn’t painted Tiffany Blue I might have sunk into hibernation by now- it’s cold, dark and icy outside. Blech!

I look over at my triathlon bike which hasn’t seen the light of day since October and miss the early morning rides.  I’m attempting to join a gym in Chicago so I don’t completely turn into a lump of dough in the next 3 months, but feel like a deer in headlights and secretly worry that I’ll get locked into a contract I may not want.  Soon though, I shall have a gym since running on the ice is not worth a broken bone or a bruised up bottom.

If you have any advice for getting through winter without going into hibernation mode, I’d love it!  I’m a bit more lethargic this time of year and want to get my zest back!