Fun Puggle Gear

An online entrepreneur has developed a great line of puggle merchandise through CafePress.com. I wish I was getting a cut for referring potential buyers here, because I'm about to give a rave and unsolicited recommendation to puggle fans to check out PUGGLE: Obey the pure breed!

It's kitschy stuff with a real sense of humor--a great deviation from the folksy artsy craftsy kind of stuff that dominates most dog-related fashion and knick-knackery. There's a bit of propaganda poster in the whole affair and the material was designed by someone who clearly has no problem keeping his or her tongue firmly embedded in cheek.

If you're looking for some cooler than cool puggle gear, this joint should probably be on your list of places to stop and take a gander.

Now, I've been known to accept some of the good ol' filthy lucre in exchange for my blog posts (see the Disclosure Statement), but in this case my pimpin' is free. This is a completely unsolicited observation about some really great stuff. Check it out.

Sleepy Puggle Video

Puggles can be pretty sound sleepers. They're not the kind to wake up at the drop of a pin, especially when they're puppies. They also tend to rank high in the lethargy department by the time they decide to do some napping.

That combines for an interesting video opportunity. Playing with a tired puggle can be at least mildly entertaining...



Okay, some commenters on this video have taken exception to bugging the poor little puggle when he'd rather be sleeping. They don't think that's great behavior. Others don't seem to mind. As one YouTuber noted:

"Wow people are such idiots... I am pretty sure playing with a Puggle for 4 WHOLE MINUTES is really going to affect it's wellbeing."

I don't think I fall toward either extreme. It's probably nicer to let the poor little fella sleep, but a few minutes of sleepy-time play certainly isn't the end of the world.

Article Disses Puppy Fashion

I love puggles and (since you're here), I'm willing to guess that you feel that same affinity for the little super-pups, too. However, there is a certain segment of the puggle-owning population that's more interested in looking hip than being a good pet owner.

Sheri Whitley, from Boise State's student independent paper, The Arbiter, discussed these yahoos recently in an interesting article critical of the fashionistas who are driving demand for designer dogs like puggles.

I can't claim that I share her perspective 100%, but I do think her article is valid. It's also a good reminder to those who may be thinking about purchasing a puggle not to do so if the underlying desire is based on the hope of looking like your favorite celeb.

Here's an excerpt from the piece:

"Mini pups have been added into the world of everything hot and trendy, creating a new must-have accessory: the couture canine. I blame the high-profile celebs that carry these pups around with them, resulting in endless amounts of photos in seemingly more endless amounts of gossip magazines for creating this caste system in the canine world and instituting Burkin-worthy price tags for dogs."

Free Fitness and Diet Site Delivers

MyFitnessPal.com is an absolutely free diet and fitness website that combines a high degree usability with some more-than-handy free tools. The web might be teeming with "health sites" that promise a great deal, take your money and then fail to deliver, but MyFitnessPal avoids being part of that group. They don't even take your credit card number, yet they'll provide you with some premium information.

Case in point: The free calorie counter at MyFitnessPal. This tool does just what you'd expect it to do--it provides caloric information about the food you're eating. But it goes the extra mile by offering up some great free nutritional information and guidance. You can also use their free bmi calculator to establish health goals and/or check your personal progress. They also have a free bmr calculator available.

If you're interested in improving your health and the overall quality of your life, it makes sense to visit MyFitnessPal. This is one free site that outperforms many paid options.

Amish Puggles...And a little irony, too...

Buying a puggle can be tough. Not every breeder does an A+ job. Some of them are downright evil. You certainly don't want to support the evil mills. You don't want a sick dog. You don't want a dog who has been victimized. Wouldn't it be nice if you could find a puppy bred by a loving group of folks who seem millions and millions of miles away from even being remotely likely to engage in unsavory behavior?

I found a breeder (or, more accurately, a marketing arm tied to a breeder) that would seem to fit the bill. Amish Puggle Puppies. Here's an example of what their site has to say:

"We only sell Amish raised puppies. The Amish are known for their wholesome life style. They use no cars, computers and electricity and do not pollute the environment. They are also well known for their integrity and honesty. They keep their word because they have deep spiritual beliefs, and know that "God Is Watching."

Please note: This isn't an ad for this outfit. It's not an endorsement. It's just a few of my observations. It certainly sounds good, but you have to wonder about one thing... The Amish and the idea of websites don't really mix. The notion of folks who don't even like the idea of zippers backing a website to sell dogs seems a bit incongruous to me.

Now, as noted, the site isn't actually operated by anyone proclaiming to be Amish. They just get the pups from Amish folk and sell them themselves. I don't know if that cuts against the "God is Watching" claims or not. This could be the best thing since sliced bread.

Just an interesting find in Puggle Land!