tranquilosophy: happy 8th birthday le pug

yesterday was louis' 8th birthday. a bit of back story: after months of searching and applying for puppy pug rescues to no avail in 2004, we found him in tim's hometown paper. on december 12 we choose him over the pick of the litter after he sneezed on me. after all, books tell you to watch for signs of respiratory issues when picking a companion animal and, of course, i chose the one with the runny nose over "winston."

winston is the name we've lovingly given the pick of the litter in moments of shock over louis' less than intellectual ways. we joke that his brother winston is probably busily working on a cure for cancer while louis is, well, busily stealing food from unsuspecting victims. oh, and my apologies if you've ever been on the receiving end of his thievery. he's quite gifted in that way. we all have our strengths!

our tiny family is truly blessed to have him in it. we've traveled with him to france, montreal, whistler, oklahoma, san francisco, seattle, and new york city to name a few. he adapts beautifully to his environment and simply wants love, love, love (oh, and a belly full o' food). 

over the years i've shared pictures and many tales of this little being (see a tribute at year one). the beauty of companion animals is that they teach us many important lessons: louis doesn't worry about his weight (we monitor it for him); he isn't concerned about his graying fur (although we joke that he needs "just for pugs"); he listens to his body and naps often; he doesn't feel the need to engage in banal small talk and can be found roaming the periphery at the dog park; he finds such pleasure in small things such as carrots, his beloved teddy bear, and my lip gloss (note 4th photo from left on top row); he uses his odd looks to his advantage; he wears his heart on his paws; he doesn't like to get his paws wet when it's damp outside so he waits until the storm has passed; and he's been fired from playgroups (due to his shrieking noises) but has moved on as if it never happened. watch for the many lessons these 4-legged beings have to teach us. they are gifts from up above.

as we move into his 9th year, i wish him health, exotic experiences, and a continued connection to his teddy bear (and parents)! bon anniversaire my love and many more. bisous. x