A Love Letter to Pugs: How Two Wrinkly Faces Changed My Life

Growing up, my life was filled with big dogs and even bigger personalities. I was a large-dog girl through and through.

There was Bandit, my Rottweiler/Ridgeback mix, strong, loyal, and protective.

Lula Mae, the Basset Hound, with her long ears and soulful eyes.

Bear, my German Shepherd, steady and watchful.

Dawson, my black lab, pure heart and endless love.

And Nanook, my Border Collie/Black Lab mix, smart, energetic, and very skittish.

I’ve always loved animals. Dogs, especially, have been constant companions in my life. But even with all those incredible dogs, I never imagined the kind of love I’d someday have for a pug.

Then came Frank the Pug.

I still remember the first time I saw a pug, it was Frank in Men in Black II. That little wrinkly face, the attitude, the humor packed into such a small body. Something clicked. After that, I started seeing pugs everywhere, and each time my heart tugged a little harder.

After I graduated college, fate stepped in.

I met a baby pug named Max, and that was it. One look, and I was completely, hopelessly in love. He came home with me, and from that moment on, we were bonded. Max wasn’t just my dog, he was my constant, my comfort, my shadow.

For 15½ wonderful years, Max walked through life with me. He helped me through some of my lowest moments, including the loss of my Papa, one of the hardest chapters of my life. He was there during the uncertainty and isolation of the pandemic, offering comfort without ever needing words. He knew when I was hurting. He knew when I needed him. And he never left my side. He was also there for so many highs! Like getting married!

I will be forever thankful that he chose me.

And now, my heart belongs to another pug.

Loki is my two-year-old pugtato with a personality larger than life. Loki is chaos, comedy, and pure love wrapped into one snorting, wiggly body. He’s hyper, dramatic, and absolutely convinced the world revolves around him, and honestly, he might be right.

One of his favorite things is marching proudly around the ottoman with his stuffed duck. And you must acknowledge him. Not just casually, properly.

“This is a mighty fine duck.”

“We love your duck.”

Once praised, his little tail starts wagging like crazy. He lives for the reinforcement.

Loki also loves:

Chewing on his sticks from Polkadog Bakery

Going to the park

Snuggling on our chests

Sleeping face to face at night

Curling up with me while I read

He is affectionate, silly, and endlessly loving. Every day with him feels like a gift.

When I look back, it amazes me how life shifted, from big dogs to wrinkly faces, from powerful builds to compact bundles of joy. Pugs have a way of burrowing into your heart and setting up camp forever.

I am one lucky pug mama.

A true Mother of Pugs. 🐾💛