Colorado Pug Rescue

A Tribute to My Pugs
by Ruth Mary Lyons

Betty Boop (black) and Henry (fawn) were friends for life.

Booper came to us as a 12 week old puppy, no bigger than a minute. She was in charge from the moment we saw her. What a little dynamo! Her life long friend came to us a couple of weeks later.

Henry was her long suffering companion. Boop controlled his life as well as ours. If she was mad at us, she took it out on Henry; if she was being teased and didn’t like it, she took it out on Henry. He soon learned to hide when she was on a tear, although that didn’t help because she waited until he appeared. They thought all people would love them and appreciate their attention. Even though that wasn’t true, they never gave up trying to convince the offender.

Henry, Mr. Hotshot himself, took affront at birds or thunder. Birds in the trees in his yard were trespassing and he circled and barked at them in the trees. If one landed in the yard, the chase was on, even though it was short lived. Thunder sent him out the doggie door, doing a figure eight in the yard all the while barking at the sky. He was always very pleased with himself and convinced he had chased it away. I could go on and on with all of their antics.

They were part of our lives for 13 years. Thirteen wonderful years. Even though a divorce parted the humans in their life, they still both loved us. We had shared custody of them, not court ordered, but ordered by them. They loved coming to visit the new house, but really didn’t like the hard wood floors. They still had their old house and yard to live in full time.

I have been fortunate to share my life with six pugs: Poudre, during my teen years; Charlie, he helped raise the kids and keep them in their place; Betty Boop and Henry filled the empty house after the kids left and brought new life to it; and, finally still with me is AliceAnn, the rescue pug.

I can’t imagine my life without a pug. So this is a tribute to those who are no longer with me – I will always miss each and every one.