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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!

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Here at All You Need is Pug, we are known for all of our pugly accessories. From pug totes to our line of pug greeting cards, there is a whole lot of pug to be found in our Etsy shop! While my focus as an artist and crafter has been largely influenced by this one dog breed, I love dogs of all shapes and sizes, and in 2016 it is my goal to begin reflecting that in All You Need is Pug’s product lines.

When I began brainstorming ideas for new illustrations to print, I knew that the French Bulldog was the first new breed that I wanted to add to the collection. As many of our customers and followers know, we welcomed a French Bulldog mix named Murph into our family last summer. I have long loved those wonderful bat ears that Frenchies are known for, and Murph’s ears are particularly large and glorious! While some of Murph’s features differ from a traditional Frenchie, as he is a wonderful muttly little mix, he inspired me to bring Frenchies on board.

One of my personal favorite pieces is our Floral Pug design, which we currently offer on cards, totes, mugs, and t-shirts, so when I started the Frenchie illustration I knew that I wanted to bring the floral aspect into this piece as well. I sat down to draw, and after a few hours of toying with watercolor pencils, blendable pencils, and markers, I arrived at a bright little design that I adore (and I hope that you will love it, too)!

The Floral Frenchie design is now available on customizable greeting cards. Each card features one of our sample quotes, or can be printed with custom text of your choice. I hope to feature this Frenchie print on tote bags and mugs in the near future as well, so if you are a Frenchie fan, keep your eyes peeled for the arrival of those items in the coming weeks.

Now that I’ve completed this French Bulldog piece, I am already brainstorming the next illustrations that I would like to work on. I have a few more Frenchie pieces in mind, but I am also hoping to bring Boston Terriers, Pit Bulls, English Bulldogs, Chihuahuas, and Jack Russell Terriers to the shop’s greeting card line within the next few months. I hope that you are all as excited as I am to see All You Need is Pug expanding to offer sweet products of other dog breeds!

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Jeremy and I spent hours taking photos for the feature, and I spent days trying to perfect every last word in the short article before sending it off to Etsy’s staff (who are all quite wonderful, supportive, and kind, by the way).  And now here it is, the editorial that I have waited years to be featured in is finally in print for the world to see. To get a behind-the-scenes peek into my work space, my process, and the wild and whimsical world of All You Need is Pug, visit our Featured Shop editorial on the official Etsy Blog.

Yes, this is indeed a lovely way to end 2015. This has been a successful year for All You Need is Pug, and I feel that it all began when I quit my day job back in May. I was so nervous to take the leap, and I would never have done it if my fiancé hadn’t encouraged and supported me. It also helped that I have exceptional customers and followers who make my job worthwhile and so much fun to do. I look forward to waking up each day to see what adventures wait for me as I work on custom orders and brainstorm new ideas. I am overwhelmed by the kind words and wishes that I have received from customers and fellow artists just in the past 24 hours since the editorial has gone live. People can be so extraordinary and surprising, and I can’t thank you enough for making me smile and pushing me to be a better person, artist, and small businesswoman. 2015 is ending on a high note, and I hope that 2016 will prove to be even better. Here’s to you, here’s to 2016, and here’s to the future of All You Need is Pug!

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Today the All You Need is Pug family celebrates a very special occasion: JD’s 8th birthday! It is so hard for me to believe that he is already 8 years old. I rescued JD from the Pug Rescue of New England when he was just 7 months old. This rambunctious little puppy was surrendered because he was too high energy for his former family, but I knew that his fun spirit and wild ways would be the perfect addition to my days. I was fresh out of high school, planning for college, and nervous about the future. I had always wanted a pug and had been begging my parents to adopt one since I was in grade school. When I was just becoming an adult myself, I made the decision to spend the money I had received through graduation gifts toward the adoption fee for a little pug named Reggie. I changed his name to James Dean, because I could tell right away when he playfully nipped at my hand that he would be a little rebel.

JD has taught me more than I ever imagined he could in our 7+ years together. He has made me a more compassionate, selfless, honest, and creative human being, and I cannot thank him enough for helping me to become the person that I am. Today, and everyday, I celebrate JD for his happy heart, freely given love, and a loyalty that I never knew existed until he snuggled into my arms. Without JD, All You Need is Pug would not exist. He is the muse and inspiration behind every stitch that I knit and every new piece of art that I create. I have always known that JD would give me a happier, more fulfilled existence, but I never could have dreamed that he would touch the hearts of thousands all over the world by making them smile with his funny photos and sloppy kisses. Everyone that he meets marvels at his personality and says “I’ve never met a dog like him!” And it’s true. I have never met another dog like JD, and I am so thankful for the little man who has made my life the extraordinary adventure that it is. JD, for today and all of the days that we will have in our shared life together, for all of our moments nestled on the couch, for all of our walks trampling through leaves, for all of the silly songs that I sing to you, and for all of the funny little habits that you have, I give you the happiest of wishes, the warmest embraces, and the best life that I know how to give you. Happy 8th birthday, my heart.

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• We love costumes (I mean, just look at the business we’re in!), but it’s important to remember that some pets simply do not like to dress up. If your pets appear at all upset or anxious when you put on their creepy new costumes, you should not force them to join the fun. Like humans, all dogs have different comfort levels, and it is important to respect your pet’s response to wearing clothing.
• One of the biggest threats to pets on Halloween is candy! Chocolate is toxic to dogs and many artificial colors and sweeteners are also harmful. Keep candy and other Halloween treats away from pets at all times. If your pet is mischievous and will find a way to snatch food from counter tops and tables, then be sure to store it out of reach in high cabinets. Still want to give your furry friend a treat? Consider making some homemade dog-safe snacks using one of our recipes.

• Trick-or-Treating is the most exciting part of this ghoulish holiday for humans, but it can be nerve racking for pets. Even dogs who tend to enjoy meeting new people can get anxious or even aggressive with large crowds of strangely dressed people swarming them. It’s fine to let your pets come out to say a quick  “hello” to familiar neighbors, but you may want to consider leaving furry family members safe at home while you go out on your quest for candy. Also, be sure to keep pets in a separate room when greeting trick-or-treaters to avoid your beloved family member accidentally bolting out the door.
• Jack-o-lanterns are a beautiful part of the day’s devilish decor, but be sure to keep them at a safe distance from pets, who may risk accidentally burning themselves while investigating their illuminated pumpkin pals.
• Lastly, HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME! Planning your holiday with your dog’s safety in mind will help you to feel a bit more relaxed when the day arrives so that you can enjoy all of the fabulously freaky fun that will ensue.

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We are currently working around the clock to finish Halloween orders for custom knits! We are accepting orders for the holiday season, and recommend placing your dog hat orders early, as our cut-off date for Christmas orders will likely be in mid-November this year. We will soon be introducing two new greeting cards to our collection, including a new Santa Pugs card and our first ever Happy New Year card, so stay tuned for those. In the meantime, grab your fall paper goods from our Etsy shop and start saving our items to your “favorites” list to prepare for holiday shopping!

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It’s been a tough few weeks for JD. After visiting the vet half a dozen times he was finally diagnosed with an indolent corneal ulcer in his right eye and underwent surgery on Wednesday. While his eye looks painful and is sutured half-closed for the next two weeks, JD is being one tough little dude and isn’t letting his recovery phase him too much. He still does his little pug dance when he sees me cooking dinner for him and Murph and he loves snuggling and resting his cone comfortably on my lap. This pampered pug even has a cozy soft cone that he wears to bed! All in all, JD is doing quite well, and we know that the kind wishes sent by our friends and customers certainly helped us feel better as we spent the past few weeks worrying about what would happen to JD’s eye. JD will be seeing the vet for his post-op follow up toward the end of October. He will get his sutures out and hopefully we will find that his eye is fully healed and feeling better. In the meantime, we may have to plan for JD to be Popeye for Halloween this year!

I cannot thank you all enough for being so concerned about my little man. While he is my business mascot and muse, he is, above all, my furry son and soul mate, and I have been one nervous mama watching my baby boy struggle over the past few weeks. It makes my heart happy to know that he is on the road to recovery, and to know that he has touched the hearts of people all over the world just as much as he has touched mine.

I will keep you updated about your favorite fashionable pug and his progress!

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Usually these types of ulcers clear up within about 5 days and we thought that JD’s was healed when we went to the vet a week ago and the ophthalmologist cleared him. A day or two later we noticed that he was still squinting and his eye was running. Another trip to the vet revealed that the ulcer either was never healed or had resurfaced. JD was put on another round of eye drops to encourage the ulcer to heal itself, but it has been resistant to treatment. What is odd is that his injury is not behaving like a usual non-healing ulcer, so the several doctors who have looked at him are a bit stumped by his case. JD and I met with his regular vet two days ago, and we learned that JD will likely need a small procedure in order to correct his eye. His vet believes she may have located a small cilia inside the eye that could be agitating the ulcer and preventing it from healing. A specialist will look at this today and determine the best course of action for JD. If he does need a procedure, it will happen this afternoon immediately after the specialist looks at his case. We will keep you updated about his progress. We thank all of you who have shared your love and concern with us. The kindness and care of our customers and friends never ceases to amaze us!

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The Pug Rescue of New England’s Pug Social is always our favorite event of the year! Hundreds of pugs come out to Spencer, MA to celebrate their pugliness and compete for fabulous titles such as Most Wrinkles, Best Kisser, and Best Trick. PRoNE holds a special place in my heart because they are the rescue that brought JD into my life. All You Need is Pug would not exist without JD, and my life would have been completely different if JD had never burst upon it with his inspiring energy and spunky spirit. I am so grateful to PRoNE for introducing me to my little soul mate!

The Glamorous Pugdashians

This year’s Pug Social was particularly exciting because so may pug loving families were present! I don’t think I have ever seen the social so packed with pets and their people. It was a beautiful day is Spencer, and families made the trek from all over the east coast to come out to share in the pug fun.

King & Maddrox

There were even famous dogs in attendance including Bitt Dog of Love, Spanky & Darla, Woof Wellington, The Pugdashians, and Maddrox & King, all of whom are well known on Instrgram, Twitter, and other social media platforms. How lucky are we to have seen so many of these extraordinary dogs in a single day?

A happy customer in a Candy Corn Hat

It was such a great experience to talk with all of the customers who stopped by our table. Many were repeat customers who had bought items from us during socials past, and others had purchased from our Etsy shop or followed our adventures on Facebook. It’s always nice to be able to put names with faces and learn a little more about the individuals who support my small business and allow me to do what I love for a living!

A cutie pie in her Little Monster Hat

What struck me most about this particular group of pug lovers is how concerned and caring they are about one another’s dogs. Several people inquired about JD’s continued battle with his corneal ulcer and offered helpful advice from their own similar experiences with their pets. I can’t express how thankful I am to have customers who are so genuine and kind!

Bitt looking ferocious in his Lion Hat

I wish I had had time to wander about the fairgrounds to meet more families and peek at some of the contests, but our table was busy throughout the entirety of the event! I did manage to sneak a few moments to snuggle with Bitt whenever he and his pug siblings stopped by my table. Bitt was made an honorary pug for the day and even dressed up in one of our Lion Hats to keep warm.

A cozy customer in a Frog Hat

It’s hard to believe that another Pug Social has come and gone! This will  likely be our last event for 2015. We will be spending the rest of the season preparing holiday orders and will look forward to seeing you all at next year’s festivities!

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