This is the final chapter in the scrapbook I’ve been doing of Sadie’s life.   My last steps will be to go through the rest of the pictures to make sure I have all the ones I want in the album and to have my dh go through the book to add any memories I haven’t collected.  Then it’ll be off to the printer.  Building the album and documenting my memories has been so healing for me.   I’m ready to love a new pug now.   I’m already planning the next dog bed.  I saw some really cute dog fabric that I think I’m going to have to get.   I’m also ready to start quilting again.   I’m going to start on a quilt for me this weekend  and I’ve got a few in progress that I’ll start sharing now that Sadie’s album is done.

So without further ado,  here’s the final chapter.

Chapter 3 – The Grown-Up Years

In the fall of 2004, Charlie and I started dating.   Over the next few years, Sadie definitely decided that Charlie was “Dad.”  She seemed to really like it when we moved to the surburbs, a big yard, and two people to sleep between.   A pug’s life doesn’t get any better than that.

Sadie had so many fun quirks.   She snored with her eyes open.  She had poots that were deadly.  At night when she got cold, she’d nudge my shoulder to get me to lift up the covers so she could crawl underneath.  She loved to sleep curled up against my stomach.   She’d spend the first part of the night curled up next to me, then she’d move over to cuddle with Charlie.

Once we went to Myrtle Beach with some friends.   Of course, Sadie went with us.  We’d been at the beach for most of the day.    We took Ike (my friend’s dog) to the pool to swim later in the afternoon.   I was missing my Sadie, so Jim brought her back from the condo with him.   I was on the far side of the pool from the entrance and I called out “Sadie” when I saw her.    She made a beeline for me – the problem was that there was a pool in the way and she couldn’t swim.  She just walked right off the edge into the deep end of the pool.   I stood up and yelled, “she can’t swim!!”  Charlie was closer to her, so he jumped in the pool, she was bobbing up and down and he grabbed her out of the water and saved her.    I held her so close for the next few hours and she never tried to walk on water again.

In 2007, Sadie got her new brother Jake.  Jake is a Sheltie Shepherd mix and at 10 weeks old he was the same size as Sadie.  She was less than thrilled with the new addition, but she did her best to teach him how to be a princess.

It wasn’t long before Sadie had just about had it with Jake.  He was such a puppy and she was a grumpy old spinster who just wanted to lay around like  the princess she was.  She did not want to play with him all the time or have to work to keep him in line.   We also realized that everything Jake knew about being a dog, he was learning from a spoiled princess pug.

So, in 2008, we decided that he needed someone different to play with and Sadie needed a break from the puppy torment. In February, Pete joined our family.   Pete’s a mutt, the rescue group claimed he was a pug-labrador mix, but no one really knows what he is.  He’s a wonderful snuggler and in the end, he restored peace to the house.   I think that’s when Sadie decided he was okay.

In the evening, we’d be on the couch watching T.V.    She could be sound asleep, but when she heard the T.V. click off, she’d jump up and start barking her head off.  She’d jump off the couch and run around herding everyone to the bedroom.   I don’t think she thought we could make it to bed without her help.  She’d do the same thing when the doorbell rang.   It was really funny if we were watching “House Hunters” because she didn’t understand that the doorbell ring was on the T.V.

In the last year or so of her life, when she would get to barking, she’d poot at the same time.   She couldn’t help it, but it was the funniest thing to watch.   She’d be barking away, eye’s bugging out, to a symphony of poots.

If I went into a room without her and closed the door on her, she’d push the door open with her face and come on in.  This was always nice when you were on the toilet and wanted a little privacy.   She’d come right on in and sit between your feet until you were done.   It wasn’t that she meant to be invasive, but in her mind, you were her person, and she was supposed to be with you always.  Sometimes she was unladylike, underfoot, or demanding to be picked up and placed on your lap, which she always regarded as her spot.   If you sat down on the floor, she’d get up, walk over to you and crawl into your lap and lay down.  She snored. She pooted when she barked too enthusiastically. She was my shadow and followed me everywhere.  Mostly though, she was my princess companion.

Rest in Peace my dear Sadie.   You were loved and will be missed.   We’ll never forget you

Thanks for sharing these memories of a very special pug.

Special Note:    If you have a pug, please be aware that because they are so small, their condition can deteriorate very rapidly if they get sick.  Please don’t hesitate to take them to the vet.  Sadie seemed absolutely fine on Saturday.   She started acting like she was dry heaving Saturday evening and over the course of the night, it moved to difficulty breathing.  I had her to the vet at 8 am on Sunday morning.  It turned out that she had pneumonia, but the initial diagnosis was suspected heart failure.   We lost her early afternoon on Monday.   I still wish I had taken her in on Saturday evening, although it might not have made any difference.