Today, Brian and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary. Three years and one day ago today, we both first learned of the Puggle. Now, Bruschi is camped out on my lap, while Kodi is sleeping in sync on Brian's.

I always intended to have a dog, and Brian proudly proclaimed that "Learch men are dog people." The bigger question for us was which breed. I love Labs and Beagles. Brian wanted a Pug. We both have deep feelings for Corgi's but were intimidated by shedding. Undecided, Brian staved off my relentless demands for a puppy-- promising we would revisit after the honeymoon.

The day before we got married, we were in separate states, both watching the Today Show featuring Puggles. Like many Americans, we fell in love, and our next phone call wasn't about floral mishaps, missing pianists, disappearing aisle runners, or bad manicures... it was how we just saw the cutest dog that would be the perfect addition to our lives. The Puggle was to be our wedding gift.

I thought of this today when I got an email from the rescue we volunteer with, letting volunteers know that a hound mama and her 7 little four week old pups were found alone in the woods of Virginia.

Three years ago, we didn't consider a rescue pup, largely, because we didn't have the faintest idea that such a thing as rescue puppies existed. We thought that only older dogs were abandoned, and we really wanted a puppy. In our minds-- who on earth abandons a mama dog with little ones? Well, three years later, we learned this happens as frequently as Bruschi steals food off our plate.

If you couldn't tell by now, we love our breeder-bred designer dog from nose to tail, and have no regrets about how we came to have him in our lives. We just didn't know what we do now about rescue. And perhaps, it was Bruschi who brought us to be exposed to others with rescue dogs.

Brian and I still say things like "what human abandons a dog?," but now we know just how much of a reality it is. And, having seen some of those pups grow, we know just how special a rescue puppy is, just how much joy they bring, and just how wonderful a life they can lead.

I did pause for more than a minute to think about bringing the litter home to foster, as an anniversary present for Brian, but then figured I'd save Husband of the Year material until our five year :)

Mookie, our new foster pup

Brian and my fifth foster arrived yesterday. Mookie, a two year old small Pug will be with us until we can find him a forever home. He has an eye condition that will probably require surgery, and we will learn more about what that entails later this week.

In the meantime, he is showing us just how pug-like Bruschi is. So much of what he does reminds us of Bruschi when he was a younger pup.

Just an hour ago, he hopped up onto Brian's lap, assuming Bruschi's standard sleeping position (cradled on leg, head on thigh), and began to snore. I would photo it, only that Bruschi is in the same position, on my lap, under my laptop computer.

That's a 'wuff' for now!

Foster Family Birthday Party Reunion

Close to a year ago, Brian and I took our first venture into dog fostering, volunteering to help one of the area rescue organizations with an influx of puppies from West Virginia. This was the complete reverse of pre-meditated... I got an email asking for help, called Brian and a few days later, we had two little 10 week old coonhound/lab puppies that just oozed cuteness.

Both found great homes, continued to grow and develop into two beautifully handsome dogs. The two had not seen each other since late September, but met up today for a little reunion. We weren't sure how the two would behave, and I think it is safe to say that all six adults were speechless when they almost immediately started to play... like brothers, like when they were puppies...completely inseparable. Brian and I were perhaps the most stunned, because we remember well just how much of a pair these two were, and to see them doing the same thing, only 30-40 pounds larger, was a happily emotional sight.

Casey had always been the smaller of the two, and a bit of a clown. Beetle (now Sam) was and still is the larger, and was somewhat protective of his brother. They both loved to play tug, to run and to chase, to roll each other over, and to lay ontop of one another. I remember one instance where Casey dragged his brother across the kitchen floor--- by the ear!

Both dogs were very malnourished when they came to us, and were so young and impressionable. To look at them now, with their beautifully shiny coats, and sleak body figures, it is hard to remember that they were just skin and bones at 10 weeks, and that their future was grim before they were rescued from the shelter in West Virginia. And, to see how important they are to their families is just completely moving.

I don't know if these dogs actually remembered that they spent the first 13 weeks of their life together, but dogs do smile, and these two wore grins from ear to ear for two straight hours.

We didn't know what to expect when we started fostering, and I don't think we could have scripted it any better than how it actually turned out.

That's a 'wuff' for now!

Top- Then: (Photo 1: first few hours after getting them, Photo 2: 1 weeks later, Photo 2: 2 weeks later

Bottom- Now (today)

Happy Homecoming Pinky!

Brian and my fifth foster found a home today. We had been helping out Pinky the Puppy for about two months, getting her socialized and building her confidence. Her momma came to the rescue organization with 9 puppies in her belly, and the training center where I apprentice birthed the pups.

Pinky was a little bitty fluffball when she was born, but in her first four months, grew to be close to 30 pounds of energy!

She is a beautiful dog, a great pet, and will become a fabulous companion for her new family.

We were truly lucky to have been able to have her in our home for the past two months (and she didn't even chew any furniture!)

That's a 'wuff' for now!