0
0
This adorable pug, with a fondness for broasted chicken, is a cherished companion of Amanda Opiola and Bill Slawson of Glendale, Arizona.
Amanda and Bill adopted Ziggy from the Arizona Pug Life Rescue. Amanda is a board member and
volunteers for this rescue. Ziggy, now 4 years old, makes Amanda and Bill laugh by “hanging
out” under her bed. She said sometimes she just sees his little face sticking out so he can keep a watchful eye on what’s going on. Amanda said he’ll come busting outfrom under the bed, and he’ll run down the hallway, into the living room running just as fast as he can. She says he snorts the whole time he is running. Ziggy sleeps with Amanda and Bill, mostly on the left side of the bed with his own pillow, but she said he moves during the night to lay on their legs. Ziggy snores, but not too loud and he is a bed
hog. Amanda said she has not taken Ziggy on a vacation, but her and Bill are considering a
road trip to California for a vacation. Ziggy does not really like car rides- Amanda thinks this is from when he was rescued from Tucson and had to travel in a car to the Phoenix area. She feels like taking Ziggy on a plane would be too stressful for both of them.
Ziggy has never had professional photos taken, other than with Santa or the Easter Bunny. Amanda said he is getting better at staying still for photos but she can’t really tell whether or not he enjoys it.
Loves to walk, but not fond of his kennel.
Ziggy is not kennel trained. Amanda said he hated it immensely so she caved in and would leave him out. Ziggy was potty-trained when Amanda and Bill adopted him at the age of 1 1/2 years old. She said the secret to potty training is to take them outside immediately after feeding and always reward with a treat after they go potty.
Ziggy loves kids and is a little shy at first with adults, but will quickly warm up to them. He likes for everyone to pet him. Amanda said she has never seen Ziggy nip at any dog or person. She thinks he has a preference toward other pugs since he seems to want to interact with other pugs more frequently than other breeds of dogs. Ziggy likes to look out the window and bark at anyone who is walking by their house. Amanda said they cannot seem to break him of this. Amanda and Bill talk to Ziggy everyday. They think he is the smartest pug they have ever had when it comes to knowing language. Ziggy knows tons of words and phrases- Amanda thinks maybe 30 or more words. Ziggy tilts his head when he recognizes a word and acts appropriately when understanding a command. Amanda said sometimes they have to spell out words so Ziggy does not understand what they are saying. Ziggy loves to go for walks and gets walked several times a day. Amanda said he loves to mark everything in his path and kick up grass and dirt when he is finished. Ziggy is rarely home alone because his dad works from home. Amanda said when they do leave, they give him a treat as they walk out the door- it seems to help him settle in. Ziggy can only handle being alone for about 3 hours, according to Amanda, and then he will start to cry and howl periodically. She said he is a good boy as he does not chew anything up or go to the bathroom in the house. Amanda has a nanny cam, so they watch him on camera when their not home.
Loves Chicken, but not a bath
Ziggy eats Wellness Grain Free Small Bites dog food. Amanda also buys a broasted chicken once a week from Sam’s Club to add to his dry kibble. She feeds him twice a day, morning and evening and he eats 1/2 cup of kibble with some chicken added in. Ziggy is not too picky on treats as long as they are soft, but his favorite is chicken. Ziggy is not overweight- he currently weighs 20 pounds and Amanda said he is small compared to other pugs she has had. Ziggy does not like his teeth brushed and Amanda has tried dental wipes, different brushes and toothpastes, but nothing has worked well. She brushes Ziggy’s teeth about once a week and gives him a special dental raw hide she gets from her vet. To control tartar, she adds dental liquid drops in his water and also feeds him denta bones daily. Ziggy is not a fan of swimming or taking a bath. Amanda says her pugs ONLY wear harnesses as a collar would be too restrictive and easy to slip out of. She looks for quality over price when choosing a harness and she is not tied to any one brand.
Flea Baby is favorite toy
Overall, Ziggy is really healthy. He recently developed a limp and Amanda and Bill had him tested for Valley Fever, which came back negative. He is being treated with Rimadyl (an anti-inflammatory), which he is responding well too. Amanda said sometimes he spits up or vomits his food when he eats it too fast. Ziggy’s favorite toy is called a “flea baby.” It’s a white toy that resembles a flea. Ziggy likes it because it has lots of legs for him to play tug-of-war with. Amanda said they purchased it at a pet store and he currently has 3 of them because he chews them up and tears them often. Amanda said when she eats certain types of cereals, Ziggy likes to pop his head through her arm to get a better look and get just as close as he can to her cereal bowl.
Amanda and Bill try to extend the life of their pugs by giving them supplements (natural or prescription). She said she thinks it is important to start pugs on doggie flax seed oil when they are 5 or 6 years old to help lubricate their joints. They also use vitamins and Glucosamine with Chondroitin and MSM for healthy joints. They are very particular about the type of treats they buy and always checks the ingredients to make sure they have no chemicals or bad fillers. And, Amanda said they never feeds their pugs large or cheap raw hides or chew bones as they can get stuck in their throats or damage their intestines.
Amanda’s Advice for Those Considering a Pug as a Pet:
She said people considering a pug need to realize they are not outside dogs and are very susceptible to hot and cold weather. Realize that pugs snore before purchasing one because some people cannot handle that. Amanda said pugs are great companion dogs and will be your shadow, but they need lots of love and affection from you. She advises not to overfeed them and that’s difficult sometimes because pugs love to eat. Pugs need lots of exercise and healthy food and snacks to maintain good health and they do shed!!
Amanda said she wanted a pug as a child, but they were not allowed to have pets. When she was 23 years old, she got her first pug and has had pugs ever since then.
“To say I am obsessed would be an understatement. I love their little cute, smoochy faces, their snorting and snoring and their personalities,” said Amanda.
A huge “thank you” to Amanda, Bill and their beloved pug, “Ziggy,” for letting us feature you on our blog. If you are interested in us featuring you and your pug in the future, please send me (Candy Johansen) a message on messenger or e-mail me at: candysphotos@gmail.com.
Photos provided by Amanda Opiola.
Until next time,
Hugs and Pug Kisses,
Candy
What a sweetie. I am so happy Ziggy is with his Mommy and Daddy. ❤❤