Eunuch in the Harem

Help me out guys…I am really at a loss trying to figure out females. I live with one, and now two more. Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but sometimes a fella’ just needs a little time out from all the drama. Maisie can be a really annoying little half sister and while I know she loves me to the moon and back, she never stops sniffing, licking, or chewing me. I am a pretty patient guy but there comes a point where I snap – not in a mean or nasty way – I just turn and give it back to her. And here’s the kicker, she loves this the most! So what do I do? All I really want to do for the day, and evening too, is nap – napping is good and I need a lot of it. Let’s face it, I am a lover and cuddler, not a fighter or athlete. If left on my own, I could cuddle and sleep away my life. At any rate, now that there are three females, I am beginning to feel sleep deprived.

Cecily really doesn’t interfere because she is deaf and blind, but what she does do a lot  is bark. I think I heard that Mason did that when he became challenged. She is a good cuddle partner though. Daphne, like I think I mentioned before, is a whole different class of dog. She doesn’t want to share space with anyone, prefers sleeping alone, and only plays with you when she is in the mood. We learned very quickly not to “poke the bear.” She is alpha dog with a capital A. We respect her and never overstep our boundaries. So you can see there are three very different personalities working on me.

Now, the most fun for Maisie and me is when Daphne decides she is ready to play, and believe me, she plays hard! She has this disgusting old deflated, ripped, and shredded football that she loves to chase and chew on. When she runs after it we run for her, barking with all our might and nipping at her since we know nothing can keep her from that ball. We feel so brave and strong doing this since we are safe from any retaliation. I know, we are wimpy pugs but it does so much for our self confidence and allows us to have some interaction with our boss. Sometimes, though, she will get so fed up that she drops the ball and comes for us, giving that growl that comes from deep in her chest. Let me tell you, when we hear that sound and see her muscles bulging, we scatter like roaches. I know I sound like a sissy but really I am just protecting myself from harm. Daphne’s jaws are really terrifying.

I’m not complaining because our days are actually pretty stimulating (probably more than I need) but we are a pack now, and as most of you know, pugs like big families. Grandma runs a fairly tight ship and she always has my back when there is ever an issue…probably because I am the only boy. She calls me “Philly Lou” or “Philly Gumbo” and I love it when she does.

I’ve attached a small film showing the football game…

Til’ next time,

Philly Gumbo

My Name is Phillip

Hi Folks,

I’ve been reading my predecessor’s blog, A Pug’s Voice, and I am blown away by all of the stuff Mason could write about…I mean I can’t even think about that much stuff, let alone write about it. He seems like he must have been some kind of a giant in the pug world. I think he probably would have scared me by all the opinions he had and how he was so smart. Well, anyway, I am no Mason, that is for sure, and I don’t know much about life. I do know I am darn lucky to have landed where I am and to finally be living with my half sister, Maisie. Now she probably has a lot to say because she is  always so busy. Me, I just love curling up with my Mama, sleeping in her lap while she watches tv. I really love being held, rocked, and cuddled with, anytime and all the time. Here’s the other thing…I really love women. Like right now I am spending the summer at Grandma and Grandpa’s with their two dogs, Daphne the Frenchie and Cecily the black pug, and I wait all day for the minute when Grandma sits in her chair and I can leap up into her lap. Oh boy, is that the best. I just completely relax and let my eyes roll back in my head and wait for “Calgon to take me away.”

Oh, my name is Phillip, by the way…named after Phillip Lauer of Pupstarsonoma. He was the one who connected me to Mama after Mason died. I flew up to NYC from Arkansas and have never looked back. Thank you, Phillip, for putting Mom in touch with Barbara Lair, who breeds the most beautiful pugs in the world, if I do say so myself! At any rate, here are Maisie and I, the next generation of pugs, living a summer on Cape Cod…not too shabby! The downside is the sleeping situation. Grandma and Grandpa cannot and will not share their bed with pugs (something about not liking dogs sleeping on their heads or wrapped around their necks…weird, right?) So, we sleep in the “dormitory” with Daphne and Cecily (Grandpa’s office). Here is the real kicker…just because Maisie and I have had a few accidents up there, we have been put into diapers at bedtime. I am not embarrassed but Maisie is freaked out, hiding her head, looking away, and asking me to help her escape from them, the diapers that is. I help her and she helps me so that every morning when Grandpa comes for us, we are both without the diapers. I overhead Grandma talking about getting us onesies to hold them on us…oh well, the price we must pay, I guess.

Well, I am going to try this writing thing so I can share a little bit of our summer with you. I know I can’t write like Mason but I will try to find some interesting stuff to share. Next time I will tell you about meeting our neighbor, Jimmy, the Greek fisherman, and the treats he gave us…and how much I miss Mama who is in Hawaii for work…oh, and how crazy Daphne is – not like Maisie crazy, but crazy in a different way.’Til then,

Relax and enjoy the journey,

Phillip

P.S. That is me sleeping while Maisie stays awake and alert…