Talula

Talula is our five year old pug. We adopted her when she was about seven months old from a family who bought her as a puppy but couldn't keep her. She is an exceptional dog. She has her frustrating moments, but overall she's a great addition to our family. I totally recommend the pug breed for anyone - especially families with young kids.  The pros totally outweigh the cons:


Cons:
- the shedding. Oh the shedding. Our house (and clothes) are perpetually covered in dog hair, but twice a year she sheds so much there are literally PILES of fur laying around even when we sweep daily.
- accident prone. She is housebroken but will have an "accident" if she's feeling neglected. This was not a welcome character trait when we first brought Leo home.
- not the brightest. She's eager to please, but possibly the dumbest dog I've ever had. Mostly endearing, especially when she tilts her head to one side.
- can get really excited/clingy. She seems to always be under our feet or right behind us. Sweet, but makes it hard to walk sometimes. When company comes over it takes her a good 20 mins to calm down from all the excitement.

Pros:
- sweet, kind and gentle. Leo is getting to that stage where he grabs and pulls and - well, frankly, tackles the dog. She is so patient and just licks him. She isnt agressive or territorial. You can take food right out of her mouth without worry. She has never growled at anyone. Ever.
- quiet. She rarely barks and occasionally will howl with excitement, but mostly all we hear from her is the click click click of her nails on the floor.
- laid-back. Ok, I know I said she can be excitable, but overall she's really chill. She loves to lay around all day and doesn't need a ton of exercise. She's happy to join me on a long walk, but wouldn't be interested in a run - which suits me just fine.
- small but solid. I feel like she's the best of both worlds as far as big and small dogs go. She is a great apartment dog, but isn't fragile or yippy. She can wrestle with Leo without breaking him or getting broken.
- perpetual puppy. People always think she is still a puppy because she's so playful.
- cute. I love pug faces. They aren't for everyone, but I think they are so freakin' adorable.

And of course Leo adores her. He calls for her when he wakes up from his naps and slips her food from his highchair on the sly. I'm looking forward to watching them together over the years.