Pug Addiction- A Family Tradition

The girls' homework over the past week was to create a poster on our family's heritage, including traditions, customs, culture, etc.

We were trying to think about what our family traditions were. On Jeff's side, his Irish Grandma Mary always made Corned Beef and Cabbage for Saint Patrick's Day. My Italian Grandma Irene makes great spaghetti. Grandma Otti's side of the family opened presents on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas, and to this day we still open Grandma Otti's presents on Christmas Eve. We eat quiche every Christmas morning because someone in the family did that long ago.

Then we realized that the MAIN thing that's been passed down through generations in our family is THE PUG. Yes...the little dog with the curly tail, squished nose, and velvety ears has been a major part of our family since the early 1900's. I always tell people that my family had pugs before we had cars, and it's true. My mom and I scanned a bunch of very old pictures for the girls to use on their posters, including the infamous "pugs in a wagon with our relatives" picture.

The night after doing the project, I snuggled a bit closer to little Olivia, thinking about how my great, great grandfather heard the same soft snoring sound, looked into those big brown puggy eyes, and fell in love, which started a tradition our family would carry into the 21st century. FYI...I'm convinced that the girls will carry on this puggy addiction, a family tradition, for years to come.

2008- Olivia

2008- Sophie


2001- Jeff asleep with a pug stack (Peggy Sue and Noel -mom's pugs- and Bug and Ace- ours)


1988-ish- Cocoa, Tiffany, Emily, some pugs from my childhood



1985- Cocoa as a puppy


1970's- Felice and Querida, my first pugs, and my mom's first pugs as a married lady on her own. The story goes that my grandma Otti bought my mom Querida as a gift and my dad grumbled and grumbled, but a year later my dad bought Felice. He's been addicted ever since.

1970(ish)- My mom with Felice

Photo on the Left- My mom, 1949 Photo on the Right- My Uncle Tom and Mom with pug

1940-ish- A young Grandma Otti with her pugs

1930- Grandma Otti's Grandpa (my great, great grandpa) with his pug

1900's- My Great-Great Grandpa and family- they are holding a pug in their WAGON...(look on the lap of the boy in the front seat. The boy is Grandma Otti's dad, my great-grandpa Justin Helland.)

I leave you with one final message...

Pugs, not drugs.