Here Come the Findlay's!
Continued from last week...
“Bill, thanks for coming,” Nash exclaimed, “But if you’ll excuse me, Nellie and I are about to become parents!”
That was the last thing Bill heard from Nash as he ran to the back of the house where Nellie had been working. Knowing that this was a special and private time for the pugs, Bill put his coat back on and quietly made his way out the front door and onto the front walk. He half-turned toward the homey house with its cozy fire and warmly lit windows, and thought, “it’s about to get a lot busier and a lot noisier in there!” With a smile at that last thought, he made his way back to his car, whistling softly as he made his way.
Meanwhile, back in the house, Nash was beside himself, running around, trying to think of something he could do.
“Should I boil some water?” he asked Nell, “they always seem to do that in the movies. How about pillows - you want some pillows? Maybe I should call a doctor. Do you want me to make you something to eat?”
The more he asked the more agitated he got, panting and running around in circles. His tail was curling and uncurling in anticipation and worry.
“Just come sit beside me, Nash”, Nellie said, “I’m feeling fine, and no, I don’t need anything other than my big strong pug to lie beside me while we wait for the babies to arrive.”
It was unbelievable how calm Nellie was, and she lay on her side on the kitchen floor. Nash brought her some blankets and pillows and tried to make her as comfortable as he could. She looked at him with her big brown eyes and didn’t say anything, but he knew that she was grateful for his attentions.
With that done, Pugnacious lay down to give Nellie his warmth, and they waited together for her to be ready to have her babies. Neither of them knew how many babies there would be, although both Nellie and Pugnacious’s families tended toward small litters of one or two pups. Small litters were not always the case - Nellie’s Aunt Nan (all the women in Nellie’s family had names that began with “N”) had a litter of 8! However many there would be, Nash and Nellie knew that they would love them all, and they were looking forward to having the sounds of little pugs fill the house with squeals and laughter in the coming years.
Around midnight, Nash felt Nellie give a stir, and he felt the smallest of nudges of her back legs against his back. Another nudge and he was fully awake. He turned over and gave Nell a lick. She said softly, “They’re coming, Nash.” And as quick as that, a little baby pug face appeared, eyes squished shut. Nell gave another push and the pup popped out like a cork from a bottle and landed on the blanket. Nash gave the pup a nudge and a lick, and she mewled softly and wiggled her nose and paws at the same time.
Nash carefully picked her up in his teeth by the fat little rolls of her neck and put her next to Nell, who started to lick her all over. The little pup was light fawn colored with a pretty black face and muzzle, and a black tip on a curly tail. “Why she looks just like my mother!” Nellie said. The little pup continued to wiggle and mewl and Nellie said “I think her pup name is going to have to be Pugwiggly!”
(Pugs always give their pups puppy names that start with “Pug”, a name that they keep until they are old enough for their adult names. But sometimes the puppy names stick for life.)
Just then Nellie gave another little push with her hind leg, and Nash thought, “Well here comes the second one, we’re going to have a pair of puppies after all!”
And sure enough, another little pug with squinty little black eyes in a pure black face appeared. And then popped out. This one had a very short straight tail, with a white tip. Pugs generally have curly tails that pile up on their backs like a little tornado, and sometimes they needed to be trained to curl properly. Nash didn’t care one whit that the pup’s tail wasn’t regulation just yet. He gave this one a nudge and a lick and noticed that the reason that his tail looked short was because he was a great deal fatter than his sister. In fact, now that he was looking Nash noticed that the pup was so chubby that he could hardly see his pug paws. He couldn’t get his balance so he just rolled over and over when he was licked. Although he didn’t make a sound, Nash could tell he was hungry, because he was already making sucking motions with his puppy lips and wanted to get to Nellie’s nipple. Unfortunately with no usable legs just yet he couldn’t move, so Nash nuzzled him to the nearest nipple and he began to feed.
“I think we’re going to need to call him Pugwaddly,” he said, and so the name stuck.
Nell sighed contentedly, happy that they had two healthy pups, and her work done, she put her head back down on the pillow to rest.
“How lucky we are,” she said, “to have a happy and healthy family, all together and in one place!”
This was not to be the last time she had such a sentiment!
It was now three o’clock in the morning, and the Findlay family was resting comfortably- Nellie on her side, Nash next to her, and the two pups, Pugwiggly and Pugwaddly happy and contented and full of mother’s milk all snuggled up between their parents.
Suddenly Nellie’s foot gave a twitch and then a jump. Nash started and his eyes popped open.
“What’s the matter Nellie?” he asked.
“I don’t know, Nash, but I think maybe…”
Just then a little pug face appeared and POP! a little tiny pug, half the size of his brother and sister suddenly appeared. He was fawn, like his brother and sister, with a cute little miniature shiny black muzzle, but his ears- one was black and the other was fawn! And his tail! His tail was striped, just like a raccoon, and straight as an arrow. The little pup’s eyes were wide open, and he was looking right at his dad and mom, and he hopped right up onto his legs and started turning round and around, faster and faster. When he was done with this, he ran right up to Nash and Nellie’s faces and licked them all over.
Then if all of this behavior wasn’t a surprise enough, Nash and Nellie both heard him say, “Hi, mom and dad!” before he disappeared and wiggled between his brother and sister and started to nurse lustily away.
Nash and Nellie just looked at each other, too shocked by what had just happened for words. Then they both burst out laughing at this delightful surprise. Not only was their last and tiniest pug a big surprise, he also was talking a full 4 weeks before pugs normally start to talk.
Although he looked a little like Nash, and a little like Nell - at least he had one of each of their ears - that tail was unmistakable. It was exactly like Nash’s uncle Chester, who was one of the most popular and craziest pugs in all of Hancock county. He was mostly famous for his madcap antics that landed him in the pages of the Ellsworth American, the Blue Hill Packet, and sometimes even in the Bangor Daily News when he was only a pup. Eventually he launched a stage career and was currently on tour somewhere in the Far East with a circus troupe. Uncle Chester was an altogether zany, fun and crazy pug who was loved by everyone.
“Well I guess there is no doubt what this little fellow’s puppy name will be,” said Pugnacious, “He’ll have his great-uncle Chester’s puppy name. Welcome to the family, Pugnuts!”
“Bill, thanks for coming,” Nash exclaimed, “But if you’ll excuse me, Nellie and I are about to become parents!”
That was the last thing Bill heard from Nash as he ran to the back of the house where Nellie had been working. Knowing that this was a special and private time for the pugs, Bill put his coat back on and quietly made his way out the front door and onto the front walk. He half-turned toward the homey house with its cozy fire and warmly lit windows, and thought, “it’s about to get a lot busier and a lot noisier in there!” With a smile at that last thought, he made his way back to his car, whistling softly as he made his way.
Meanwhile, back in the house, Nash was beside himself, running around, trying to think of something he could do.
“Should I boil some water?” he asked Nell, “they always seem to do that in the movies. How about pillows - you want some pillows? Maybe I should call a doctor. Do you want me to make you something to eat?”
The more he asked the more agitated he got, panting and running around in circles. His tail was curling and uncurling in anticipation and worry.
“Just come sit beside me, Nash”, Nellie said, “I’m feeling fine, and no, I don’t need anything other than my big strong pug to lie beside me while we wait for the babies to arrive.”
It was unbelievable how calm Nellie was, and she lay on her side on the kitchen floor. Nash brought her some blankets and pillows and tried to make her as comfortable as he could. She looked at him with her big brown eyes and didn’t say anything, but he knew that she was grateful for his attentions.
With that done, Pugnacious lay down to give Nellie his warmth, and they waited together for her to be ready to have her babies. Neither of them knew how many babies there would be, although both Nellie and Pugnacious’s families tended toward small litters of one or two pups. Small litters were not always the case - Nellie’s Aunt Nan (all the women in Nellie’s family had names that began with “N”) had a litter of 8! However many there would be, Nash and Nellie knew that they would love them all, and they were looking forward to having the sounds of little pugs fill the house with squeals and laughter in the coming years.
Around midnight, Nash felt Nellie give a stir, and he felt the smallest of nudges of her back legs against his back. Another nudge and he was fully awake. He turned over and gave Nell a lick. She said softly, “They’re coming, Nash.” And as quick as that, a little baby pug face appeared, eyes squished shut. Nell gave another push and the pup popped out like a cork from a bottle and landed on the blanket. Nash gave the pup a nudge and a lick, and she mewled softly and wiggled her nose and paws at the same time.
Nash carefully picked her up in his teeth by the fat little rolls of her neck and put her next to Nell, who started to lick her all over. The little pup was light fawn colored with a pretty black face and muzzle, and a black tip on a curly tail. “Why she looks just like my mother!” Nellie said. The little pup continued to wiggle and mewl and Nellie said “I think her pup name is going to have to be Pugwiggly!”
(Pugs always give their pups puppy names that start with “Pug”, a name that they keep until they are old enough for their adult names. But sometimes the puppy names stick for life.)
Just then Nellie gave another little push with her hind leg, and Nash thought, “Well here comes the second one, we’re going to have a pair of puppies after all!”
And sure enough, another little pug with squinty little black eyes in a pure black face appeared. And then popped out. This one had a very short straight tail, with a white tip. Pugs generally have curly tails that pile up on their backs like a little tornado, and sometimes they needed to be trained to curl properly. Nash didn’t care one whit that the pup’s tail wasn’t regulation just yet. He gave this one a nudge and a lick and noticed that the reason that his tail looked short was because he was a great deal fatter than his sister. In fact, now that he was looking Nash noticed that the pup was so chubby that he could hardly see his pug paws. He couldn’t get his balance so he just rolled over and over when he was licked. Although he didn’t make a sound, Nash could tell he was hungry, because he was already making sucking motions with his puppy lips and wanted to get to Nellie’s nipple. Unfortunately with no usable legs just yet he couldn’t move, so Nash nuzzled him to the nearest nipple and he began to feed.
“I think we’re going to need to call him Pugwaddly,” he said, and so the name stuck.
Nell sighed contentedly, happy that they had two healthy pups, and her work done, she put her head back down on the pillow to rest.
“How lucky we are,” she said, “to have a happy and healthy family, all together and in one place!”
This was not to be the last time she had such a sentiment!
It was now three o’clock in the morning, and the Findlay family was resting comfortably- Nellie on her side, Nash next to her, and the two pups, Pugwiggly and Pugwaddly happy and contented and full of mother’s milk all snuggled up between their parents.
Suddenly Nellie’s foot gave a twitch and then a jump. Nash started and his eyes popped open.
“What’s the matter Nellie?” he asked.
“I don’t know, Nash, but I think maybe…”
Just then a little pug face appeared and POP! a little tiny pug, half the size of his brother and sister suddenly appeared. He was fawn, like his brother and sister, with a cute little miniature shiny black muzzle, but his ears- one was black and the other was fawn! And his tail! His tail was striped, just like a raccoon, and straight as an arrow. The little pup’s eyes were wide open, and he was looking right at his dad and mom, and he hopped right up onto his legs and started turning round and around, faster and faster. When he was done with this, he ran right up to Nash and Nellie’s faces and licked them all over.
Then if all of this behavior wasn’t a surprise enough, Nash and Nellie both heard him say, “Hi, mom and dad!” before he disappeared and wiggled between his brother and sister and started to nurse lustily away.
Nash and Nellie just looked at each other, too shocked by what had just happened for words. Then they both burst out laughing at this delightful surprise. Not only was their last and tiniest pug a big surprise, he also was talking a full 4 weeks before pugs normally start to talk.
Although he looked a little like Nash, and a little like Nell - at least he had one of each of their ears - that tail was unmistakable. It was exactly like Nash’s uncle Chester, who was one of the most popular and craziest pugs in all of Hancock county. He was mostly famous for his madcap antics that landed him in the pages of the Ellsworth American, the Blue Hill Packet, and sometimes even in the Bangor Daily News when he was only a pup. Eventually he launched a stage career and was currently on tour somewhere in the Far East with a circus troupe. Uncle Chester was an altogether zany, fun and crazy pug who was loved by everyone.
“Well I guess there is no doubt what this little fellow’s puppy name will be,” said Pugnacious, “He’ll have his great-uncle Chester’s puppy name. Welcome to the family, Pugnuts!”