Hannah Banana, Foster Puggy Queen and Diva in Training

Hannah Banana and Mama

This here is Hannah

I'm the official foster puggy queen at the Medina Foster Home For Wayward Pugs, where I like to bark at leafs and trees and let everypuggy know I am the boss. I like to kick the grass after I bark the perimeter, and sometimes I burst outta the doggy door just to make sure no lurkers are out and about in my yard. Mama says I am the best guard puggy she has ever met, and I can tell Howie admires me. I taught Java Cheesy how to kick the grass too, so he has been working on that new skill, in addition to his current cheese production duties. I am 7 years old and look like a little froggy when I am sitting down. I love people, and when they come to visit I like to sit on their feets so they are sure to notice me. Mama says that I sound like a froggy when I bark, since I have a paralyzed larynx, but that just adds to my overall froggy charm. I was shy when I first came to Howie's house, but not anymore! Now I crawl right into the middle of the pile at bed time and go right to sleep. My snug buddy Howie makes a great pillow, but Annie will do in a pinch. This will be my first Christmas at Howie's house. He has been braggin' about all the food he gets, but so far all I see is his special panty-cree-att-itis menu getting served to him. I can't wait to see what Santa is going to bring me! What are you getting for Christmas? Enquiring puggy minds wants to know!

DFW Pug Rescue's Annual Video Tribute, No Pug Left Behind

No Pug Left Behind - DFW Pug Rescue from Nancy Medina on Vimeo.

Dallas Fort Worth Pug Rescue celebrates 12 years and 4800 pugs rescued in our annual video tribute.

You can learn more about DFW Pug Rescue at www.dfwpugs.com

Ony the Pug - One Step at a time

Ony and Melissa, his foster mom

From Melissa, Ony's Foster Mom:

"Ony grows stronger every day and makes me realize that

hope is always there and to never give up.

I'm not giving up on him no matter what

because he has not given up on me."

Ony the Pug is 7 years old and has a hard time walking and standing up. Ony's family said they were moving and could not take him with them. He came to Dallas Fort Worth Pug Rescue about a week ago and was taken to our neurologist's office for a myelogram and a CT scan Wednesday. This will tell us if surgery will help him.

Dr. Ducote and her staff were encouraged with the progress Ony has made under his foster mom Melissa's care. He is now standing and walking - or trying to walk. Previously, he was incontinent and now is letting Melissa know when he needs to go out. She carries him out to the grass and he will relieve himself and walk over to the edge of her patio to be let back in. Melissa says he can maneuver on grass better than floors or concrete.

Ony is another little soul who gives those around him courage. We are going to do everything we can to help him get back his quality of life and find a loving home. We are so thankful to Melissa for the love she is giving him in his foster home.

Oscar The Pug, VIP

A day without Oscar is

like a day without sunshine!

We have the addition of a fourth little soul visiting this week - Oscar the Pug. Oscar first came to stay at the Medina Foster Home for Wayward Pugs three years ago after his family could no longer care for him. He was 11 years old when he first stepped paw inside my door.

As you can see, Oscar went on to great fame and fortune after his adoption by his furever family. Last year, he was selected as Mister January for the Dallas Fort Worth Pug Rescue Calendar. He is, undeniably, a hunky, good looking fellow, and his new family has him absolutely spoiled, as it should be.

If I had three wishes, one of them would be that every little creature, every cat and every dog, would have a safe home and loving family to care for them. Please remember animal rescue when you make out your gift lists at the end of this year. Every rescue organization is in greater need now than we have ever been before. And while you're at it, give your critters big hugs for me!

Oscar was Mister January for the Pug Rescue

Calendar last year. He is, after all,

a rather hunky, good looking fellow!

Me giving Oscar goodbye smoochies as he

prepared to leave on his adoption day 3 years ago.

To my right is my sweet velcro pug, Winnie Wiggles.

Joshua the Pug - A Miracle Rescue Story

Joshua -- May 2009

Joshua -- June 2009

Dallas Fort Worth Pug Rescue takes in all pugs regardless of age or medical condition. DFW Pug Rescue volunteers work tirelessly to save every little pug we can. Here is the story of Joshua in the words of his foster mom, Joann. Joshua won her heart and Joann eventually adopted Joshua into her own family.

From Joann

In May I received a call to foster a pug in need. He had demodectic mange, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms ~ the poor little guy. His name was Joshua and he looked awful. He had no hair, he had scabs everywhere, and he smelled really bad.

When I went to Westcreek and they brought him out, he was so sad looking. All I really saw was the most amazing, beautiful amber eyes asking for love! I took Joshua home and started making him welcome there. He was just a little shy at first, I think he knew how bad he looked and smelled. We did not not care, we started him on his meds and then baths.

He was not making a whole lot of improvement at first and then I thought, because he had developed some secondary infections on his skin, maybe I should just scrub him like a burn patient, so I did. After several scrubbings, the yeast and staph were gone. It left his skin really dry, so we started to bathe him with baby shampoo mixed with olive oil scalp treatment. We were amazed that after two shampoos his hair just started sprouting in so fast that in less than a week he was solid black again. He now has the softest skin and the shiniest coat.

Joshua has turned out to be the most beautiful black boy we had ever seen. He never once fussed about any treatment. He was always laid back and I think almost enjoying the baths and being showered with constant love. Of course, during all this treatment, we fell in love with little Joshua and chose to adopt him and make him a huge part of our family. He will be loved and taken care of like he deserves and will never have to go through all that again.

After many trips to the vet he is the best pug ever! We want to thank DFW Pug Rescue for saving Joshua and so many other poor pugs. If it were not for them many, many pugs would not be saved.

Larry & Joann Meriwether

Little Missy - Blind and Fearless

Missy, Age 1

Blind and Fearless!

I work with the Dallas pug rescue group, and we have been getting in so many pugs lately due to the economy. Here is the story of one little gal with courage and charisma who is looking for a furever home....

Missy

This my fellow Pug Lovers is Missy. She is all of a year old and has been dealt a real hard blow in life. When Missy was brought in to rescue recently, she had a severe eye injury that required her eye to be removed.Missy had not yet gotten her sutures out when she injured her other eye. As feared, she lost that eye as well. Missy is only a year old and now totally blind with no eyes at all but this has not dampened her Pug spirit.

Missy is a very happy little girl and her little donut tail waggles so hard, we fear she is going to lift off the ground soon. Dallas pug rescue has placed a lot of blind Pugs over the years into loving homes, and, as long as you are not a furniture mover, she will do fine.

The family that is fostering Missy owns a blind Pug that they have had since 1998, and you cannot tell she is blind. Blind Pugs do great if their humans can learn how to work with them. Please consider giving this Little Missy the home she deserves. You can find an application for her on the Dallas Fort Worth Pug Rescue web site at http://www.dfwpugs.com/.

For a Good Cause

Looking for Someone to Adore Me

8X10

Oil on Linen Board

Dallas Fort Worth

Pug Rescue Series

I've started a series of pug portraits for a new project that will be announced soon for Dallas Fort Worth Pug Rescue. Keep a googley eye on the pug blog for more details to come! This little guy was completed this morning, in appropriate fashion, to the tune of three pugs snoring at my feet in the studio.

Pug Family Photos - Making a Collage in Photoshop Elements

Dallas Fort Worth Pug Rescue

Family Photos

Check out this cool montage - I made it tonight using Photoshop Elements. It was a little tricky to get the photos the right size, rotated correctly, and to get them to fill up the blank spaces. I wasn't able to figure out how to add additional photos "ad libitum" to a template, but I bet there is a way.

What a fun project.

This photo montage will appear on the Dallas Fort Worth Pug Rescue Blog in just a few days, but I'm posting it here first to give you a sneak preview!

The Story of Bambi, the "Pug With A Boston Accent"

Bambi, Adopted and Loved by Pug Rescuers

In the Arms of the Angels

November 2008

Bambi: Update November 19, 2008
From Dallas Fort Worth Pug Rescuers in Houston

Bambi crossed Rainbow Bridge this morning peacefully in a special garden surrounded by flowers and love. Her cause of death was congestive heart failure due to her previous owners not administering heartworm prevention.

Bambi left us this morning after dealing with a bad heart that was so damaged by heartworm disease there was no predicting how long she would be with DFW Pug Rescue. She became one of our hospice cases and lived in a home with Pugs. She was sent to us via "Theresa and Charly" who thought she was a Pug and we headed out to pick her up. We thank both of them. Upon arrival to pick up this Pug, out came an elderly Boston Terrier, skinny, shaky but immediately kissed me on the face. We would never leave her behind. We put her on the website as our "Pug with a Boston accent."

Her prognosis was grim but DFW Pug Rescue never turns its head away. She lived over a year. It was such a privilege to be able to care for this little girl and actually watch her bounce back for a period of time. We knew her time was short. Bambi is now at peace with her Maker and playing with all of those who have crossed Rainbow Bridge before her. Her bed is empty tonight and there was one less bowl to fill and it hurts but in time it will lessen. God just made room for another one to come our way. We wait patiently.

Best of Pugoween 2008

Liberace with Sparkley Piano

The King and Priscilla Puggy

Couch Pug-tatoes With Supporting Cast

Morticia Puggy and Haunted House

Dallas Fort Worth Pug Rescue had a pawsome turnout on October 26, with over 200 puggies in costume. Each year people travel from hundreds of miles away and from all across the US to try to win one of the sparkley trophies at Pugoween.

I was in Chicago for business and MISSED THE SHOW!!! Fortunately, the pug dad attended and took pictures of the event. Here are some of the best photos from Pugoween 2008, the most important fund raiser for our rescue group here in Dallas. And here is a BIG shout out for pug rescuers all across the country who hosted pugoweens to raise funds for these precious babies. It is our hope and prayer that every homeless pug finds a loving furever home.