Meet the Kids – Rampage

Rampage was quite a surprise for us. 

We knew someone that works at a local shelter that was keeping an eye out for any pugs that needed a home.  A horrible puppy mill had been broken up and there were pugs involved, but we were told it could be months before the dogs would be healthy enough or legally released to adopt.  It was in the following week we met and adopted The Lovely Lola.  

About 6 weeks later, I got a phone call that a pug had been rescued from a back yard.  If we were interested, we needed to come see him fairly quickly before he got put up for adoption.  My husband was working, but he told me I should go meet him.  I packed up the girls and we were off.

Rampage in motion - our first picture

Rampage was a bundle of energy from the second they brought him out.  He was friendly, approachable and just a delightful dog.  He ran from person to person wanting to be hugged.  I laughed and laughed and fell in love almost immediately.  The girls met him and although they were a little leery, there was no snipping, growling or biting, so I called my husband and said that maybe we should help the little guy out.  About 45 minutes later, all the paperwork had been signed and he was off to the vet in the morning to be neutered.

Rampage’s story is a heartbreaking one.  This pug that was so sweet and loving had been severely abused.  The normal weight of a pug is between 20-25 pounds.  Males can be 25-30 pounds and still be in the “healthy” category.  Rampage weighed 17.8 pounds.  His ribs were so prominent that the first time I hugged him I thought he had a growth or broken bone.  He was just that thin.

Also, if you remember from Nefi’s post, pugs are really susceptible to extreme temperatures.  Rampage’s former owner decided that he needed to live outside… all the time… in the middle of one of the coldest winters on record.  Animal control found him starving, in the cold, sleeping on a pile of beer cans.

He was only a year old.

As I was filling out the paperwork from the vet to pick him up, the vet tech told me that I was going to have to keep him calm for at least 10 days... especially today.  No jumping, running, stair climbing… especially today.  I asked her if today was actually going to be a problem since he had been under anesthetic not 6 hours before.  She looked at me and snickered. 

She brought Rampage out and handed me the leash.  Before I knew it, he was spinning in circles and leapt up into a chair.  The last thing she said to me was, “like I said… keep him calm.”

Coming home!
I can help you drive... I'm a really great driver.

We went to the car and he refused to sit in the doggy booster seat or even the seat next to me.  No, he insisted on sitting in my lap while I was driving.  It isn’t like he was lying down either.  He kept spinning so he could check out all that was around him.  His butt was constantly beeping the horn.  I got more than my share of glares from drivers that wanted to know why the hell I was honking at them.  I was laughing too hard to even care.  I just waved, pointed at the giddy, goofy pug in my lap, and mouthed “sorry” before driving away.

The girls HATED him at first.  I felt it actually brought them closer together since they would huddle together and growl at him when he would come near.  I was a little afraid at first that things weren’t going to work out.  After about 3-4 days he was getting used to everything and they started warming up to him.

Nefi? Lola?
Can I please get on the couch now?

Nefi realized she was still top dog and occasionally throws him a bone by having a wrestling match with him.  Lola, although one-fifth his size, decided she was the alpha dog in the relationship.  Rampage really didn’t care.  He loves the attention.  She nips him, barks at him, chases him around, and the least lady-like thing – hump him.  He doesn’t care.

See mommy!  I can even help with laundry!

As for me, Rampage is my constant shadow.  Wherever I am, he has to be as well.  I have “Rampage Stations” setup in all the main areas of the house so he can nap while I cook, get ready, clean, etc…  He is a master snuggler and will go dead-weight if he doesn’t want to move when you need him to.  He also is one of the best sleepers in the house.  Nefi will wake you up when she’s hungry.  Lola when she needs to go outside.  Rampage?  He’ll sleep until noon if you want to.  To him, there’s no reason to be out of bed if you don’t want to be.

It's just a little twig.  Nothing to see here.

Rampage and my husband are best buddies.  He waits for him to come home at night and then sits in his lap while he reads e-mail on the laptop.  He’s happiest when he’s tucked under his arm as while they sleep at night.  I don’t know if there’s anyone that hasn’t met Rampage that hasn’t loved him.  In fact, about 75% of the people we know want to take him home with them.  Seriously, he’s one of the best dogs on the planet.

I truly admire Rampage.  He has every right to dislike and fear people, but he doesn’t.  He trusts when he probably shouldn’t, but he’s not going to let his past hold him back from love and affection.  I wish I could be more like him.  I feel like I learn something new from him every day.

His favorite place to be.

Rampage is my therapy.  When I’m feeling sad, I just have to lean over and give him a kiss above his pug wrinkle.  When I need a laugh, he’ll do something goofy.  When I need to feel protected, he’ll put his head in my lap and keep a look out for anyone that will do me harm.

Rampage is one of the best surprises I’ve ever gotten.  He truly is one of the best dogs I’ve ever had and he inspires me to be a better person.

I think I need to give him a pug-hug in return for all he’s given me.  And for him, that will be enough.  It just makes me love him even more.