Our Remo is an excellent little gentleman. His skin and coat are fantastic. He got a little muddy one day while walking so I bathed him in warm water with Dawn and he came out soft and shiny. He has learned the routinee of the house and I continue with his "up" and "down" demands and the "careful" command. He is a little love who loves playing with his fur-brother and sister and of course the children. When all is quiet in the house, he jumps up on the couch and cuddles with me while I knit or watch a little TV. I have kept up with the feeding instructions of 1/2 c food in the morning and in the evening. He is doing his washroom routine outside and prefers to be discrete as possible (funny little man). We just love him to pieces. Remo continues to sit before he gets his food bowl, he has very good manners as his foster parents did a very good job.

Remo is blind but once he is comfortable with his surroundings you would never know it.

Remo has been eating Core Wellness with occasional all natural treats and bull bones and marrow bones. He gets really excited, when it is time to eat and he has a great appetite.

When Remo first arrived he did not like his head or face touched at all (including putting on his harness for walks), even for the vet during his initial exam this was a big struggle. He is getting better with getting his ears and teeth cleaned. He barks at noises outside, particularly other barking dogs. When this is encountered, on walks, it prevents him from focusing and walking on a leash. He has a lot of puppy in him and when he is happy and excited, he nibbles on hands and other items such as pillows blankets and clothing (he is getting better at stopping, when corrected). The adopter will need to block stairs until he learns/memorizes the house. He will need a family that is patient and gentle in order to teach him the steps, stairs and safe jumping/landing areas for the up/down of the sofa.

Remo is great with all dogs at the dog park, but does his own thing, smelling and marking. As long as dogs are calm, that he meets on walks, he is as well. If they bark, he will bark and try to get at them just to smell them, but not aggressive at all. He has been exposed to a 5 year old and infant baby. He was curious in that he wanted to smell them, but no aggression issues at all.

Remo will need a family with another dog that can help lead him with walks and being a good role model to help him with his confidence. He needs a house with fenced yard as he barks at unfamiliar sounds and barks back at the neighbours barking dog. He is also now used to going in front of a glass sliding door that leads to a backyard whenever he needs to do his business.

Remo showed signs of aggression (growling and lock jaw) when he was first given a marrow bone, but in working with him (taking it away/giving it back in a loving way, repeat), that issue is no longer there now.

He wakes up in the middle of the night whining and clawing at the crate to be let out. Then, he needs to be encouraged to go to the bathroom. You need to walk, with him, to the grass and tell him to go. Sometimes, this can take several minutes. His lack of sight makes him a little afraid, when it is very dark outside. Remo wakes up every day at 6am, wanting out of his crate and is excited to start the day. He wants to eat and play, but he is not fed until 8am.

He jumps around, when he is excited and his feet move faster than his body, so this can potentially scratch hardwood floors. You need to take a lot of care when walking him, as he cannot see and walks back and forth, leading you to trip on him, if not careful.

Also, in the house, he is literally a shadow and will follow you EVERYWHERE, always at your feet and you can easily trip on him. He needs a lot of attention and he always wants to be touching you or right by your side. It's only at night, when he is VERY tired, that he will fall asleep on the sofa and not get up, whenever you leave the room, to follow you.

Remo is great on car rides. He is strapped into the back seat, with harness, and usually falls asleep. I can't believe that he is 3 years old. He has way too many young puppy traits. He acts more like he is 1 or 1.5 years old.

Remo is the sweetest pug that just wants to please. He needs someone with a lot of time, patience and love to give.

Remo's neuter went well and his blood work was normal, a good steady diet helped with the anemia and low white blood cells on the first round of blood work. He can easily jump on and off the couch and he has learned to go down stairs, as he has memorized the house and specific jumping spots.

He has even learned to use the ottoman to get on the big bed to take a nap with his foster sister.

He has had no accidents in the house since the last few weeks. He still sleeps in is crate at night but no longer barks in it. He whines a little once or twice a night to go to the bathroom, then settles right back down. He has started to play with toys and LOVES chewing bones. We are starting to work on cleaning/brushing his teeth. He is such a good little boy that just wants to please and be loved.

He has an appointment with an opthamologist next week.

Remo's first visit to the vet went well although his bloodwork showed him as a little anemic and his white blood cells are not replenishing fast enough. Anemia is not uncommon in either puppy mill or shelter dogs and is really common in dogs that have had a long parasite infestation. Another analysis will be done when he gets neutered to see if the results improve with a good diet. Remo is now a good weight at 7 kg.

The vet was unable to convince Remo to open his mouth wide enough to see why he has such bad breath; he did notice a couple of retained baby teeth but will have a better look when Remo is under anaesthetic during his neuter surgery. This will allow him to determine what dental work needs to be done and also to better assess his age. In the meantime, his breath is improving with the chewing of a bullwinkle.

Remo's shrivelled right eye appears to have developed a callus from his eye lashes rubbing the cornea. The vet will do a tear test during surgery to assess how much vision he has in the other eye. He thinks Remo must have suffered considerable poking around his face which would explain his reactions during the wellness exam. It might also explain his dislike of putting on his harness. Amazing progress is being made, however, as he is learning to trust. He no longer braces himself every time he is picked up. He has virtually memorized the house so he is not bumping into things as often. He has learned to go upstairs, sit, give paw and is still perfecting "lie down". He is still unsure of jumping down from the couch but he can jump up no problem. Remo has pretty much stopped marking in the house and barks in the middle of the night to signal he needs to go outside to potty. His canine foster sister has been a definite asset in helping to train him.

Unfortunately his newfound confidence also translates into barking when crated or when startled by some sounds (e.g the TV, other dogs barking outside or when on walks). He calms down fairly quickly and we anticipate improvement with time. Remo is getting along well with the resident female pug cross and is great with other dogs and children. He is foster mom's shadow, almost literally attached to her legs when not in his crate sleeping.

Remo is a great little guy that just wants love. He needs someone that can give him a lot of attention and hopefully someone that has another dog.

Meet Remo, a sweet male pug who came to us from a shelter in southwestern Ontario. He was so small (9 lb) when picked up as a stray, they thought he was a puppy but this was revised upwards to about 3 years old by the shelter's vet. He gained over 4 lbs in his short time at the shelter and needs to beef up some more. The shelter suspects Remo is a puppy mill dog that was 'cleaned out' - no longer wanted and let loose to fend for himself. His poor coat, slight sway back and starfish paws characteristic of spending time on a wire-bottomed cage support this. He has a 'dead' eye that is shrivelled, either from an untreated injury or a birth defect. The shelter's vet said it's not causing him pain and is not a health issue, although at some point someone might want it removed. His other eye is healthy but may not have much vision either. Since arriving at his foster home, he has been bumping into things which leads his us to believe he is significantly sight impaired, possibly completely blind.

Despite his sad condition, Remo seems happy and content. In the shelter he started to learn how to use feeding bowls and is now eating and drinking well. Within a few hours of being named "the strong one" (in Greek), he is responding well and has learned to go up a step or two to go in and out of the house. His foster mom has put a bell on his foster-sibling's harness to help guide him on walkies. At night he is sleeping in a comfie crate in the bedroom where he is safe and close to his new foster family.

Over the next few weeks, Remo will be taken to the vet for a full wellness checkup and will be vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. He may need dental surgery and will probably have to have an assessment/treatment by an ophthalmologist. Initial impressions indicate he will take this all in stride and flourish with the love and care he is receiving for the first time in his life.

Please consider helping Remo by contributing to his vet bills. Donations payable to Pugalug Pug Rescue can be made online or by cheque and are income tax deductible over $25.