#MongoThePug

Years ago while in Las Vegas, Dave and I had a bartender friend, Mongo. Mongo was such a great guy. He was always pleasant, polite, fun, and had a big smile that could light up a room. You have to love a guy like that. So, I told Mongo that if I ever got a black Pug, I’m naming him Mongo. He laughed at me and said, “You’re so funny!” But, that is exactly what I did.

Oh my! That’s what I thought when Mongo first came into our lives. Dave, Smokey, and I traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina to meet Alisha (from Alabama) to pick up Mongo. He was a fluffy ball of cuteness, and SO TINY! One point three (1.3) pounds to be exact. I wasn’t sure what to do with such a tiny puppy. I have never had a puppy that small. Well, maybe a newborn German Shepherd puppy just out of the womb.

Mongo got to spend a few months with his older brother, Smokey, before Smokey crossed the rainbow bridge. Smokey taught Mongo how to go out of the doggie door. He taught him all about the “giant carrot box,” and where all of the crunchy treats are stored. Although, Smokey did not always tolerate having a puppy brother, they loved to snuggle up for naptime.

For about the first 5-6 months of Mongo’s puppyhood, he went to work with his Daddy everyday. Talk about a great stress relief in the office. Who could be stressed with this face around the office? Dave’s co-workers would stop by to play with Mongo, or steal him for a few moments. Mongo was such an asset to the team. We dubbed him, “ClaraPug.”

Once Mongo was big enough, he started going to doggie day camp at Olde Towne Pet Resort in Dulles. Mongo absolutely LOVED going there to play with his new buddies, and the staff are so great with the animals. Being the only puppy child, Mongo needed the playtime and exercise with other dogs. Mongo knew when he was going to doggie day camp and would get super-excited. …and that’s putting it mildly. He would recognized the buildings as you got closer to the resort and go absolutely NUTS! That was THE BEST thing for Mongo. He learned to play others and release all that puppy energy throughout the day. That way Mommy and Daddy could relax at night after a long day at work.

Mongo does have quite the personality. He loves…

• Playing with his baby
• Playing “knuckle sandwiches”
• Eating crunchies and munchies
• Help Mommy workout
• Treat puzzle toys
• Bartering leaves, sticks, mulch, and rocks for treats
• Walks around the neighborhood
• Going to doggie day camp
• Romping through the raised beds in the garden
• Watching puppy YouTube videos
• …and the list goes on.

Mongo has been the only puppy child for most of his life, and with Dave continually showing me Pug puppy videos, you know that all I could think about was getting Mongo a puppy brother. And then, on February 28, 2020, along came Baxter.