I have lived with pugs now for over 16 years and cannot imagine life without a pug by my side, schnuffling along, smiling up at me with that goofy frog dog grin, big brown eyes bulging with joie de vivre.

A happy healthy pug is a most amusing companion, filled with opinions and observations. When out walking they tell you where they want to go and can be very bossy if you decide to go in a different direction.

Henry stops in his tracks and glares at me, as if to say “How dare you? I was headed that way!” If I insist and try to be the alpha sometimes he will just give in like “Oh well”. Other times, he will dig in and refuse to come with me so that I either have to drag him, pick him up or I give in. Louie was even worse in his bossy behaviors because he was a chest thumping alpha male with attitude up the ying yang.

I am actually shocked at how bossy and controlling Henry has become over the years. But its also hilarious because the little dude only weighs 15 pounds for crying out loud. I mean…he honestly thinks he rules the world! And he knows he rules mine.

I have never been able to dominate my pugs. I give into them because I am a giant and they are small. Or is that I give into them because they are giants and I am small? Yes that must be it. They are forces of nature. Because they are animals and much closer to pure being, they are very powerful.

Add to that natural power those astonishing human faces and cobby little fat bodies reminiscent of the cherubim, and I am just a puddle of powerlessness. I do what they say. Which is usually: FEED ME. It really is a wonder I have not overfed Henry and made him fat. The other thing they say is: LAP TIME! I have spent a huge chunk of my life trapped underneath pugs.

And that is as it should be. If you are going to bring a pug into your life you owe them the best of everything because they are breathtakingly precious and fierce little beings. Like all dogs they are superior to us lousy human beings.