Screech!

I'd heard that pug fanatics are unlike any other breed lover, and that more often then you'd think, a fellow pug owner (or pug lover) will slam on his brakes and hold up traffic just to see your puggy and talk to you about it.

Well yesterday we were walking to our car and a big sport-ute went by and stopped suddenly in the parking lot. I just knew. The lady rolls down the window and says "Where did you get your pug?" (A common question.) She got out and just loved Riley up and asked if she could get the name of my breeder. She didn't want to buy from a pet store (thank god)* and couldn't find a good breeder anywhere. I'm so thankful that she knows not to buy from a pet store. So many people just don't know. Heck, even back in August I didn't even know.

But it was just so funny. It's true, pug lovers really are fanatical. I've never seen any other breed illicit such a response from people.

Every time somebody stops me, it's:
How old is he?
What's his name?
Is it a boy or a girl?
Where did you get him?

I wasn't expecting all the questions about where I got him. That took me by surprise. I'm not sure why everyone asks that. But hey, if it gives me the opportunity to say "at a breeder I found over in whatever-town, because, you know, you should never buy from pet stores", then that's a good thing. (Most people never ask for specifics like the breeders name or anything, it's just a general question.)

Anyway, I just thought that was funny re. the lady stopping in the parking lot to see Riley.

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* You DO know never to buy from a pet store, right? All pet stores buy from puppy mills of one sort or another. A responsible breeder NEVER sells to pet stores. Never let a pet store employee tell you otherwise. A responsible breeder will keep her dogs until she finds a suitable home for them and will ask a million questions before agreeing to sell to you. Most responsible breeders have a waiting list. Any breeder that sells to a pet store is either a puppy mill breeder or a 'backyard breeder' (a well-intentioned pug lover who breeds for all the wrong reasons and does not do any research into the medical history of the bloodline to ensure the health of your pug). Responsible breeders research the medical history of the bloodline, do genetic testing to determine how this litter would affect typical hereditary ailments of pugs, and have very specific ideas about why she is breeding THIS litter (to enhance certain qualities, etc.). "Backyard breeders" simply take two pugs and without any testing or genetic research say "wouldn't it be fun to have pug puppies? I'm sure we could probably find them all good homes, everyone loves pugs!" Please never buy an animal from a pet store. Please read http://www.prairienet.org/bark/PuppyMills.html