Our Latest Foster

So here's our latest foster, a sweet black pug boy I named Salem. He was picked up by animal control running loose in a nearby town, and nobody came to claim him. I'm estimating his age at 5 or 6. He's very thin and needs to gain about 3 pounds, but aside from that and kennel cough, he seems to be in good shape.

EXCEPT ... he's intact. Ugh. Which means he's been trying to mark inside my office (belly band time!) and has a really gigantic penis that reveals itself if you so much as tell him he's a good boy. Blech. And of course he's VERY interested in Marlee, and is attempting a major pug seduction. He's got the moves, baby. He starts by licking Marlee's face and ears (which she allows), moves to licking her shoulders (still OK), then one front leg starts to go up onto her back -- not OK with Marlee, who jumps up on the chair to get away from him.

To my surprise, Marlee was play-bowing at Salem earlier, and doing little puppy yips and encouraging him to chase her. She never does that. So I'm hopeful that the next few weeks won't consist of Marlee pouting non-stop until he's adopted.

Anyway, he's very sweet and quite calm (although that might be the kennel cough -- there could be a hellion underneath) and loves belly and ear rubs. Finding a good home for him once he's fattened up shouldn't be hard at all.

Smiley Guy:



Loverboy makes his move. Boys are yucky, says Marlee.



I gave him a good bath this afternoon (he was unbelievably filthy) and he was perfect, never even tried to get out of the tub. He doesn't seem to have had any training at all, but he's smart and loves food (duh) and should be easy to teach.

Better pictures to come in the next week or two -- he's too busy exploring right now to get much more than a black blur.

Oh he's cute! And good for your girl to be sweet and playful with him. Hope it lasts--these girls can be change-able....

He's adorable! Hopefully he'll calm down when he's neutered. LOL

Interesting that Marlee will play with him. Maybe he will become the second pug your home needs. (evil grin)

Oh my god - Loverboy!! Hahahhahaa. DeeDee, this is the best post I've seen in a long time! Salem looks just like an adorable little stinker!!

Maybe Marlee will decide she likes him. :)

Maryjo wrote:Interesting that Marlee will play with him. Maybe he will become the second pug your home needs. (evil grin)

Hold your tongue, Maryjo! That is so totally NOT the plan!

Wow what a cutie pie, and I am sure there is a rebel boy in there once he feels even more comfy.

I'm sure he will get snatched up in a second. Good luck keeping him away from Marlee, she just might fall for him.

SacramentoPugs wrote:

Maryjo wrote:Interesting that Marlee will play with him. Maybe he will become the second pug your home needs. (evil grin)

Hold your tongue, Maryjo! That is so totally NOT the plan!

Hah, plans!! He's adorable. Although yeah...no fun when they're not fixed! LoL

Oh, such a sweet face!

Oh wow is he a cutie!! He looks a lot like this black pug girl that was found last week in Sacto...the fellow who found him has her right now but we will likely get her in, unless he can't part with her.

He is so cute...can't imagine someone not scooping up a pug...there you go, he's yours :) (even if for awhile)!

What a face!! He's adorable!!

Looking at this smiling face and the glint in his eyes I cannot believe that this is a calm pug. Maybe the kennel cough has slowed him down in which case you can look forward to something like the cartoon Tassie Devil when he is better.

The picture of them both is a little blurry but does Harlee have a slight skin infection around her lips at the moment?

Puggered wrote:The picture of them both is a little blurry but does Harlee have a slight skin infection around her lips at the moment?

Marlee had horrible generalized demodex when I adopted her in 2006, and was a red, swollen, infected mess. Her lips were so puffy that everyone at work called her "Hot Lips."

That area on the front of her muzzle just never did turn black after she recovered. It's not infected, though. Just healthy pink. And now she has two vertical grey stripes on either side of it, which kind of highlight it. We call it her "blusher."

First night with Salem went very very well. He tried to mark in the house a few times but responded well to a big "Uh-uh!" He paced for a while (I think he was confined to a small space long-term at some point in his past -- he paces and does a little spinning and sometimes figure-8s, nothing that seems neurological or especially worth noting, but he reminds me a little of the poor bears at the zoo).

Anyway, he settled right in for some TV-watching in the big chair and slept through the whole night in bed with Marlee and me, snuggled up with his chin resting on me. He's a sweet boy.

Poor Marlee, I love the expression on her face.

He sure has a great smile, it's sort of hard to believe he's so calm.

Very handsome boy! And once the cough settles, I predict that he will be Mr. Busy Pants. Poor Marlee!

I had the amazing blessing of getting to meet the beautiful Mr. Salem yesterday. He is the cutest little thing...even in his pitiful skinny state. I'm in love....

Pugsavers wrote:I had the amazing blessing of getting to meet the beautiful Mr. Salem yesterday. He is the cutest little thing...even in his pitiful skinny state. I'm in love....

Oh, I am JEALOUS!! He looks so cute!

You'd love him, Renee -- he's truly a little doll. He was feeling pretty sick yesterday when Roxane visited (he had been vomiting and was pretty lethargic), but he perked up 1,000% after being given some sub-q fluids by our shelter vet. His kennel cough has virtually disappeared, too (it was a mild case to begin with). Now our goal becomes weight gain (which, with an enthusiastic and hungry pug, is actually pretty fun). The last time I fostered a skinny minnie (Fletcher, last year), MARLEE gained a pound along with him -- it's impossible to give extra treats or yogurt or cheese to one and not the other!

And in other good news, he's not the incurable marker I thought he'd be -- totally gave up after two attempts in the house, and nothing since. No more amorous advances at Marlee, either. He's really a very very good boy. And after sniffing the kitty once or twice, he now ignores her utterly.

Hard at work being totally charming:

OH MY DOG is he cute our what! He looks like he could be Bello's brother from another mother with those little teeth on the bottom!!!

I would love him!