Watch

The Pug Life

Creator:
Published:
March 28, 2024
February 20, 2023
Watch these cute pugs have a meetup with their owners.

Fun Fact: a group of pugs is called a "grumble."

Since she was young, pugs have held a special place in Sarah's heart. They bring her joy — and she's learned that they bring a lot of other people joy too. That's why every month, she and a group of fellow pug owners gather together for "pug meet-up."

"At pug meet-up we don't try to bring all of our trials and tribulations from life. It's just meant to be a happy, fun place for people to have an hour or an hour and a half to enjoy other people and enjoy other dogs."

Video Transcript

Sarah Malecki: We have a saying that, "I didn't choose the pug life. The pug life chose me." And I think that's very real for me. Anytime you go anywhere with a pug or especially a group of pugs — and a group of pugs is called a grumble — so anytime you go anywhere with a grumble, you basically get people like fanning out over the grumble. They come, they want to meet them, they want to take pictures with them. They're very excited about it.

Okay, so when I was either nine or 10, I think I was nine. My older sister and I really wanted a dog, and so my parents finally gave in. And they had a few parameters for what kind we got. That's where pugs came from, and it just kind of stuck because pugs are a little bit addictive. Once you have one, you want them all.

Good, Bernard. This is Bernard. He came in with only one eye, he does just fine. Occasionally he runs into things, but he bounces back really quick.

Producer Ronald: Hold on, hold on. Look at me, get your angle. Perfect.

Sarah: It started because I had moved to Austin, and there are several people in Austin who have adopted pugs from Pug Hearts of Houston. We decided to host a little group get-together, and it went well and we enjoyed it. So we decided to just kind of keep it going. And this year is our 10th anniversary year, and so we've decided to do a tour of Austin.

(Pugs run around a park)

I think we're a pretty welcoming group of people. That's really our only rule, is that the people be kind. At pug meet-up, we don't try to bring all of our trials and tribulations from life. It's just meant to be a happy, fun place for people to have an hour or an hour and a half to just enjoy other people and enjoy other dogs.

I'm partial to pugs, but I love all dogs. And so I just feel like dogs are still living beings with feelings. And so anytime we can help them live their lives in a healthy, happy way, that's a positive thing. But with the pug meet-up, we get to join that together with humans and trying to just help people have a little bit of happiness in their lives. We're not going to solve all their problems, but we can give them a little bit of reprieve from the rest of the world once a month. And that's our goal.

Creators:
Grotto
Published:
March 28, 2024
February 20, 2023
On a related note...
Good & Decent: Love & Ice Cream

Good & Decent: Love & Ice Cream

Grotto

A World Within a World: Explore the Mysterious Lives of Tiny Shrimp

A World Within a World: Explore the Mysterious Lives of Tiny Shrimp

Grotto

God is Love

God is Love

Grotto

Two Truths and a Lie: St. Bibiana

Two Truths and a Lie: St. Bibiana

Grotto

I Just Moved to Chicago — Now What?

I Just Moved to Chicago — Now What?

Sarah Morris

Food is a Lot Like Love — Here’s Why

Food is a Lot Like Love — Here’s Why

Grace Spiewak

Jesus' Favorite Podcast EP 7: Fighting For A Cause With Alexia Dukes

Jesus' Favorite Podcast EP 7: Fighting For A Cause With Alexia Dukes

Grotto, Ebony Moxey, Javi Zubizarreta

How an Amazing Concert Became a Spiritual Experience

How an Amazing Concert Became a Spiritual Experience

Isaac Huss

Gardening: A Practice of Patience, a Place of Connection

Gardening: A Practice of Patience, a Place of Connection

Christina Baker

A reflective narrative by Christina Baker.

What I Miss About Slow-Motion Communication

What I Miss About Slow-Motion Communication

Brett Robinson

The Nonprofit That is Rewilding America’s Prairie

The Nonprofit That is Rewilding America’s Prairie

Grace Spiewak

Choosing Adventure to Reconnect to the Big Picture

Choosing Adventure to Reconnect to the Big Picture

Grotto Shares

Need a Dose of Joy? Try This Cookie Recipe From a Medieval Saint

Need a Dose of Joy? Try This Cookie Recipe From a Medieval Saint

Maureen O'Brien

“Finding a Home in the Church”

“Finding a Home in the Church”

Sage Webb

Teaching Music to People with Special Needs

Teaching Music to People with Special Needs

Grotto

The Real Impact a Blood Drive Can Make | Little Ways: Donate

The Real Impact a Blood Drive Can Make | Little Ways: Donate

Grotto

How Getting Out of My Comfort Zone Changed My Faith

How Getting Out of My Comfort Zone Changed My Faith

Josh Flynt

Children's Author Teaches Kids How to Draw

Children's Author Teaches Kids How to Draw

Grotto

John Lewis and the Genius of Nonviolence

John Lewis and the Genius of Nonviolence

Eric Clayton

Honoring the Life-Giving Mission of L'Arche

Honoring the Life-Giving Mission of L'Arche

Grotto Shares

newsletter

We’d love to be pals.

Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll meet you in your inbox each week.