Happy 14th birthday to my “little brother” and favorite curmudgeon, Ringo! My mother adopted Ringo from a local shelter in July of 2010. He had been brought up from the south and surrendered to a shelter in Springfield, MA. At the time, Ringo weighed just 12 lbs. We could practically count his ribs. He was anxious and barking in the crate at the shelter, and to this day crates give him extreme anxiety. Half of his teeth were missing due to poor health and malnutrition, but that didn’t stop him from trying to jump up on the counter to grab a snack! Yes, from the beginning, Ringo kept us on our toes! People often ask us about Ringo, so here’s his Gotcha Story in honor of his special birthday.

That summer we were thinking of adopting a pug to keep JD company, but hadn’t heard any news from the rescues that we sent applications to. That’s when we discovered Ringo on an online pet finder website. When I saw that his name was Ringo, I had to click on the photo (after all, I loved the Beatles)! Ringo looked too thin to be a pug and was already quite grey in the muzzle. I saved his profile and waited. I kept thinking about Ringo after seeing his photo, but I was already busy finishing college and running All You Need is Pug in its early days. I wasn’t sure if I had enough time to take care of a second dog. Nonetheless, Ringo stayed on my mind. I worried that a dog who was just about to turn 8 years old may not necessarily quickly find a home. I told my mother about Ringo. After seeing him, she also believed that he seemed to belong with our family. Since I wasn’t certain about adopting a second dog, my mum decided to give Ringo his forever home. We drove out to Springfield, MA on June 10 (just 3 days after Ringo’s 8th birthday) and adopted him on the spot!

During Ringo’s time with us he has had many joys and, unfortunately, many struggles as well. We managed to get him to a healthy weight, but then he went blind a few years later and began to overeat as a comfort and compensation for his lost sight, causing him to go from underweight to overweight. He endured a leg injury slipping on ice one winter that left him stroller-bound for a year. He has chronic bronchitis and lung disease that continue to grow worse as he ages. But don’t feel badly for the little guy! None of this stops him! He has his good days and his bad, like anyone, but at 14 he is still one of the most sprightly, spunky dogs I know. He remains full of mischief, trying to steal cat food or sneak into the litter box if given the opportunity. He enjoys running around the house (yes, despite his blindness) now that his leg has healed. He is at a healthy weight again, so he makes running look effortless, even with arthritis. His favorite thing to do is bark his head off as an alarm to remind us that it is time for dinner or a snack. And above all, he loves to snuggle with his mama. Occasionally he will snuggle with yours truly, but that’s only if our mum has gone out and I am the sole warm body left to curl up against!

Ringo truly is a gift, as is every senior dog. Yes, seniors take extra time and care. Yes, they rack up astronomical veterinary care bills for the health problems that arise with aging. But would we trade Ringo for anything? No, not for the world!

Happy 14th birthday, sweet boy! We hope that with us you have found the beautiful life that you deserve.

The post Happy 14th Birthday, Ringo! appeared first on All You Need Is Pug.

Don’t forget to celebrate all of the special moms in your life this Mother’s Day!

The post Celebrate Dog Moms this Mother’s Day appeared first on All You Need Is Pug.

In the past I had made a panda dog hat, but it wasn’t a design that I loved, so I eventually retired it. I recently decided to revise the old hat pattern and create a new cozy creation with bigger, bolder ears. The result is a Playful Panda Dog Hat that animal lovers will not be able to resist!

The panda-love didn’t stop there! I also wanted to play with making mini knitted and crocheted animal faces. I worked up a cute bear face that I have since used to create ornaments and dog neck warmers. The panda ornaments are the perfect whimsical decor options for holiday trees, or even for hanging around the home year-round, and the panda dog neck warmers are so comfy and adorable that I just know out customers are going to be paw-sitively thrilled about them! It has been a lot of fun playing with the panda image for recent projects, and I am excited to share the other new ideas I have in the works. From foxes to sugar skulls, there are a lot of exciting new designs that will be making their way into our Etsy shop over the next few weeks. By fall, I hope to have at least a dozen new knitwear options available for our dog-loving clients, so stay tuned for the cuteness overload that lies ahead!

The post Panda Pug Love appeared first on All You Need Is Pug.

And don’t think that I’ve forgotten about our pets! For many of us, our pets are our sweethearts. They are our best friends, secret keepers, and snuggle buddies. They are forever there to console us on tough days and kick our confidence up even higher on good days. Perhaps what makes our pets most worthy of our love is that they are some of the few individuals in this world who will love us unconditionally and wholeheartedly, without expecting anything in return. So if you think that you are spending this Valentine’s Day alone, think again! It’s perfectly acceptable to make your pet your valentine. Whether you’re single and plan to snuggle up alone with your favorite dog, or you’re in a happy relationship and want to include your dog in this year’s romantic festivities, here are some fun ideas for pet-friendly ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day:

1 . Snuggle up and have a cuddle-fest or Netflix bingeathon.

2. Bundle up and plan a scenic walk in your local park.3. Grab something sweet with your sweethearts at a local ice cream stand. Many ice cream venues are still open in the winter off-season, and several offer doggie sundaes that consist of vanilla ice cream and a small dog cookie. Remember to stick to vanilla, as many other flavors have ingredients that could be toxic to pets.

4. Hop in your car and drive aimlessly while listening to your favorite music. See something scenic? Stop for an impromptu photo shoot!

5. Visit a photo booth and make some memories.

6. Spoil your furry valentine with something cozy! Visit our Etsy shop for plenty of cute, custom-made pet clothes that will keep your sweetheart warm all winter long. We also have a selection of romantic dog-themed greeting cards and gifts for the humans that you love!

No matter how you decide to spend your Valentine’s Day, know that we have a special place in our hearts for you, our customers and friends, and we’ll be sending some love out into the universe for you on Valentine’s Day & everyday!

The post Your Furry Valentine appeared first on All You Need Is Pug.

It is hard to believe that Christmas is almost here! I have been knitting around the clock to get holiday orders out to cozy, happy customers, and I am happy to say that I completed my final custom knit Christmas order this morning. While typing is still keeping my hands busy, it is nice to pry my fingers away from the knitting needles for a few hours, though I will be picking them up again soon to get started on the dozens of 2016 orders that have already been placed. That being said, I would like to thank everyone who supported All You Need is Pug this year, whether by shopping in our Etsy shop, stopping at our booth at local events, or sharing our adventures with us on social media, your involvement means so much! This was an incredible year for the business. I quit my day job to pursue this unique, fulfilling dream full-time, and thanks to family, friends, loyal customers, and social media followers, All You Need is Pug is thriving and I hope to see it continue to grow in 2016. You are all so wonderful, and this small business would not exist without you!

Before I head off to get some of my own shopping and wrapping done, I do want to note that there is still time to do some of your holiday shopping with us! While you may have missed out on ordering custom knits for the dog lovers in your life this holiday season, never fear! We have you covered with several Ready to Ship gifts still available. Visit our Etsy shop to place orders for pug mugs, totes, t-shirts, and greeting cards. Place US orders with Priority Shipping by midnight on December 18 to receive them in time for Christmas Eve. Be sure to select the shipping upgrade at checkout, because standard shipping likely won’t arrive in time now that we are so close to the holiday.

And with that, I leave you to enjoy all of the holiday traditions and festivities that await you! From the All You Need is Pug family to yours, happy holidays and a beautiful, blissful new year!

The post Last Minute Pug Christmas Gift Ideas appeared first on All You Need Is Pug.