My Sarah
I found my best friend, Queen Sarah Rala, a female Chinese Pug, through a newspaper advertisement in January 2000. They listed a price of $250.Β After making the phone call and getting directions, I went to the house where she lived. After entering, I talked with the woman who placed the ad and watched the three little boys of the family drag the little dog all over the house. She was just a puppy, not yet a year old. They also had a male pug, but didnβt drag him around. The little pug was puffing and panting, and looking at me pleadingly with those big eyes. Basically, she seemed to be a loving little dog, but she was exhausted. These little dogs, because of their short snout, have problems getting enough air. I couldnβt wait to get her out of there. I didn’t even haggle the price, I just promptly wrote them a check and took her home.
βWhomever said you canβt buy happiness
obviously never bought a pug!β ~ Author UnknownΒ
Howβd She Get Her Name?
Queen Sarah Rala was the name she was given by her breeder, reflecting her parentage. We did not want to call her Queenie and the family I got her from said they had called her Sarah. We continued the name because she was already almost a year old, and we felt the transition would be easier on her. She would be learning a new environment and way of life, she shouldnβt have to learn a new name too.
She Was Exhausted When We Got Home
In the car drive across town to home, she panted and struggled to breathe all the way. Then for two days after we were home, she only woke up to eat and go out to potty. But even at that, she wasnβt so exhausted that when it was bedtime, she didnβt know where her rightful place was in my bedroom! Of course, it was right on the foot of my bed! She jumped up, quickly found her “sweet spot” and began to snore before I could even get under the covers. It took me a while to get used to the sound she made, but after so many years hearing it, I can hardly sleep without it.
Sarah’s “Perch”
Sarahβs favorite spot when she was young was right beside me on the arm of my recliner. Whenever I was sitting there, so was she. She would even go sound asleep on that chair arm with her left front and hind legs hanging over. It was her βperch;β her βplace,β until she got old and no longer wanted to jump up to get there. Even if I picked her up and placed her there, it now felt insecure for her, and she would jump down.
She Quickly Learned A Clever Trick
She soon fell into my routine, learned not to get tied up in my oxygen line, and would stay right with me no matter where I went in the house. As for my going to the bathroom alone, that was a thing of the past! Sarah had to go wherever I went.Β After a time, I noticed she had this habit of laying on my 50-foot oxygen line that runs from my concentrater to me. I thought at first it was just accidental, but then I noticed when I got up to move, she immediately felt the tug on the line and was up with me like a shot. βAha!β she seemed to be saying, βyouβre not getting away from me, I know a good thing when I see it.β She had learned a clever trick without being taught! Smart little dog, that!!
Fickle Little Girl!
But she does have her fickle moments! When visitors arrive, she pays concentrated attention to winning them over, and totally ignores me. But once they know sheβs lovable, and the center of attention, sheβll return to me and lay at my feet once more, satisfied she proved she’s the Queen of the house. She’s a little character, and brings so much laughter to my days.
βIβve noticed if youβre a pug owner, youβre pug-crazy.β
~ Crystal Key
My pug has me trained pretty well…
I throw a toy, Sarah runs and gets it, brings it back. This works a few times, until she’s had enough, then she just lays down away from me and chews the toy, letting me know she’s quitting, it’s all over! She has little “hidey-holes” in corners of the house that she will go to sometimes, like the little nook where the couch doesn’t quite touch the wall. She loves that little spot, or under the dining room table, or in the bedroom next to the bathroom where there’s again a little spot she squeezes into. That’s her “alone” time I guess, where she sleeps blissfully unaware of the world. But I know her hiding spots, so I CAN find her, although she ignores me if I call her. So if I don’t want to go look, all I have to do is go get a treat out of the jar and POOF! she magically appears, looking all alert and bright-eyed, ready for the treat. She’s a funny little clown!
“The pug is living proof that God has a sense of humor.”
~Margo Kaufman
Pug Therapy? Oh Yeah! There Is Such A Thing!
I don’t think any of the psychiatrists would actually call it “Pug Therapy,” but that’s what it was for me. My Sarah kept me from being lonely. I am retired and have health issues that prevent me from going out alone. Once you’re retired, the friends who all said they’d come visit, well….they don’t. You no longer have anything in common with them. I can blame them, but without friends it became very lonely. Until I began writing on a site known as eHow back in the 90s, my activities were reading and crocheting. But Sarah made all the difference in my life. She was right with me, no matter where I was or what I did. She commiserated with me and comforted me if I was sad, and we played if I was up to it. She gave me daily companionship and I never felt alone. I always felt loved, because her adoring big eyes were on me the minute I stood up, and the moment I moved, she moved with me. I talked to her like I was talking to a little child. She would wiggle that curly tail and be all happy, which made me happy. Yes, she was Pug Therapy for me, no doubt.
Β “Pugs love to play so there are toys everywhere….”
Sarah loves soft, plush squeaky toys and gets all excited when I bring one home for her. I’ve never figured out how she knows what I have in the bag. She only dances around at my feet when it’s for her and until I give it to her. If I don’t have a toy in the bag, she’s quite disinterested in the whole thing.Β Once she has the toy, it will only be a couple of days until she has stopped the squeaker by biting through it, but then she loves the toy and will clean it like she’s cleaning a puppy. She has a basket full of toys that most of the time are scattered around as though there were children living in my house, and in a way, she is just that. Her favorite at the moment, though the squeaker is already broken, is the plush pumpkin jack-o-lantern shown in the photo. But she still loves the other ones too.
“What I love most about my Sarah is her sweetness and patience, even when we’re doing something for her she doesn’t like, sheΒ puts up with it.”
~ Nancy Hardin
Pug Owners Should Know The Problems To Watch For
I feel everyone should know as much as possible about their dog’s breed, so that they know the best way to raise and train them. They should also know what health problems to look for such as hip dysplasia, ear infections, bladder stones, eye problems, hypothyroid, hyperthyroid, etc. If you are aware of the possibility of these in your dog, you can keep your dog healthier longer with preventive care. Currently there is a canine flu making the rounds of our dog population. If you see signs of coughing, wheezing, or listlessness, and suspect the dog has a temperature, get them to a veterinarian quickly for life-saving medications. Diabetes is another ailment dogs can readily develop, especially if their diet contains too much starch. Pugs are particularly prone to diabetes and I did not know this until too late for my Sarah.
Pugs Breathing Problems
Pugs do have some inherent health problems due to their snout conformation, known as brachycephalic, which also affects bulldogs, boxers, pekingese, and other short snout dogs. The condition causes problems with breathing. It is advisory to use a harness on aΒ dog with this condition, rather than a collar, due to their inability to breathe well.
Want A Pug? Rescue One…Please!
There are rescue pugs who need a good forever home. If you’re looking for a little pug to adopt, try some of these sites .Some of these little guys have been left without a home due to the foreclosure of their homes or the death of a caretaker. If possible, take one of these sweet pugs into your home. They’ll reward you with tons of pug love. You might also look into fostering pugs in your community, if you can’t take them full time. Check your local listing for “PUG RESCUES,” chances are good there will be one near you.
A Word About Puppy Mills and Shopping Mall Stores
Please do NOT buy a puppy from a pet shop in a shopping mall. Most of these puppies are from puppy mills where the mother dog is bred endlessly, with any other dog they have at the time. You have no way of knowing this puppy’s parentage, or whether genetic defects and diseases are lurking in that sweet little dog. Buying from a puppy mill just encourages them to continue to breed more of these poor dogs who have health problems, genetic problems and disease. Buy only from a reputable breeder who allows you to see where the dogs live and the conditions in which they are kept. If possible, meet the parents. This may help you avoid heartbreak and financial hardship in the long run.
Update: February 2013: Sarah is now 14 years old, and diabetic. Her diet is strictly regulated and she receives insulin shots twice a day. She is in no pain, and seems to feel much better since the diagnosis. She is going blind with cataracts, but as long as she is not suffering, I will help her. I guide her to her bed at night, and often have to go out into the yard to get her when she becomes lost. She doesn’t play anymore, hasn’t since her sight began to leave her. Most of her day is spent sleeping. Occasionally, she will realize I’ve gone into another room and come searching for me, but even now, she finds that oxygen line and trails it to where I am.
NOTE:Β My baby, Queen Sarah Rala Hardin went across the Rainbow Bridge on March 29, 2014. She was 15 years old, much loved and greatly missed, even now.
A lovely tribute to Sarah. Our pets become such a part of the family that losing them is always hard. I’m glad you & Sarah had such a long time together.
Thanks Pat, she was truly a dear little girl and I loved her so. I was devastated to lose her, because I knew I was getting to the point of not being able to take care of another dog. So when she got so bad she had to be put down, it broke my heart to let her go. But it was the last loving thing I could do for her. Thank you for reading my work, you have no idea how much it means to me. π <3
A very nice tribute to Sarah, and the breed in general. Our Pug ‘bear’ is our furry kid. and we love him to pieces. Thanks for sharing Nancy.
John, thank you so much. Yes I really miss her. I’m so glad you still have your sweet Bear. Pugs are such precious babies. π <3
I’m glad you had Sarah for so long. What great memories you have.
Angela, thanks so much! Yes it was a long time, and we enjoyed her so much. It was sad when she became so sick at the end, but we comfort ourselves with the good memories. Thanks my friend, for the visit! π <3
She is adorable!!!
Linda, thank you so much for the visit. She was an adorable little thing, and I loved her dearly. Miss her so much! π
Sweet Sarah lives on in all your beautiful stories that feature her – your best friend til the end of time, and time never ends
Barbara, thanks so much for your visit! There’s a story involved here that I didn’t tell; when I first began writing on Squidoo, I told Virginia Allain I didn’t know what to write about, that I didn’t want to just do recipes. She said “write about something you care about.” Well, that was my pug…so the first story I wrote on Squidoo was the story of my Sarah, this same one that’s here (with modifications.) When I moved to HP, the first story I edited and made “fit” for HP was my story about Sarah, and now the story is in its own home with me, where it belongs. And you’re the first one I’ve related that story to. π
Sarah is a beauty and just the fact that she learned to roam around with you without getting tangled in your oxygen line AND utilized it to track you shows how smart this pug pup was. How wonderful that you had fifteen years with Sarah. I know you miss her more than your words can say.
Ruth, dear lady, because I know your heart when it comes to our furry friends, your comment means the world to me. She WAS a smart little dog and you’re right, anything I can say doesn’t come close to expressing my feelings of loss, without her. Thanks my friend!