Tojo in East Rock Park

There has been some controversy over whether or not Tojo would be a good "trail dog" (for example, on the Appalachian Trail). Today Tojo took a hike to the top of East Rock and did an admirable job going up; however, on the way down, his trademark "pug flop" was in evidence after a mere mile of walking. The final verdict is that Tojo is not a trail dog, after all. He's still very adorable, though.

Tojo the model

Tojo's version of Derek Zoolander's Blue Steel.

The cats in Tojo's life

Tojo does not understand cats.

He understands dogs, who, while unpredictable in some ways, tend to share in Tojo's interests, such as butt-sniffing, peeing on things, and running around.

Cats, on the other hand, mystify Tojo. He can't seem to grasp, fundamentally, that cats are not dogs. I have had cats and dogs simultaneously throughout my life, and there were several expected outcomes: some cat/dog dyads reached an uneasy truce, some dogs chased the cats mercilessly, and in a recent example, my mom's dog and one of the cats are best friends. Tojo has chosen to adhere to none of these patterns and instead treats the cats as if they were his canine peers.

Here, one of the local orange cats fails to take Tojo up on his offer to chase him around. This is obviously a still photo so you can't see how Tojo tried this same stance about two dozen times before giving up and just barking at the poor feline.

Tojo will try to sniff the cats' hindquarters, and, I believe, tries to mark over their urine markings. None of these actions have yielded what appears to be Tojo's goal of a dog-like friendship.

However, it should be noted that the local cats have some peculiar habits, so perhaps Tojo would have better luck with cats who do not pretend to be petunias.

This pillow suits my needs

Tojo likes our new decorative pillows because they provide extra soft resting space. You may not know this but pugs must be utterly comfortable at all times, as if they were royalty.

Outside studying time

Tojo enjoys the spring weather because he can take his laptop out to the backyard and do some reading. Also, he's ashamed to say it, but he spends a lot of time on Facebook when he should be studying.

Tojo the accountant

"I'm much better at balancing your checkbook than you are."

Tojo loves spring

Tojo loves spring, especially since winter in New Haven was very terrible for him. Here, Tojo is enjoying a warm spring day on our front porch.

Sad Tojo

Tojo is sad.

He's sad because his owner's camera has finally, truly, madly, deeply gone to the great camera store in the sky. He's also sad that this means that his adorableness can now only be captured by a crummy old camera phone.

Tojo is most sad about the fact that he hasn't been able to share his stories with his new blog friends. Tojo promises to make his owner's life a living hell (e.g., biting her, not letting her sleep, stealing her breakfast) until she gets a new camera and resumes a more regular Tojoblog posting schedule.

Only then will Tojo be less sad.

Even a pug needs a break

As you can see here, Tojo has been hard at work finishing up papers and studying for school. He's tired out, though, and ready for some time off. Luckily, it's Spring Break! Too bad his owners are taking a vacation without him. They're really not very nice.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Tojo!!!

It's Tojo's special day! It's been a quiet, rainy, restful day, but he did get a big bone to chew on. Tojo hopes that the weather is better tomorrow so that he can go to the dog park and celebrate with his friends.

The jailhouse life

Tojo has learned to enjoy sleeping much of the day, especially when he's in his crate.

TojoBooth

Tojo has been having fun with someone's new Mac!

Tojo recently began a new program of study in Being Less Dominant-Aggressive (BLD-A). It's been a challenge for him, but one that I believe he will ultimately succeed in. Tojo has been spending a lot more time in his crate, but he seems calmer and more relaxed. He also managed to impress a recent visitor who used to very much dislike him.

Tojo's BLD-A was created by MaryEllen. The authors of this blog owe her many, many thanks for her help in saving our dog (and our sanity).

Tojo has proven himself to be not a "winter pug" yet again. His staunch refusal to use the bathroom outdoors in the snow, rain, and snowrain has caused this author to question her choice of a New England graduate school. Perhaps the University of Aruba will let her transfer her courses if she begs ...

Pug on the road

Tojo has been spending a decent amount of time in the car since moving to New Haven. His favorite thing to do is to sit on the driver's lap and steer. His second favorite thing to do is to lick the windshield. He is a smart and talented dog.

Studying Saturday

Tojo likes to sleep on my lap while I study, but sometimes I have too many papers to juggle for him to stay there. I decided to bring his dog bed into my studyroom so that Tojo could rest while I labor. His little snorts and cute head keep me motivated. After all, who wouldn't want to keep such an adorable pug in kibble?

A lucky pug

Tojo was given a Hawaiian costume by his uncle PST! Here, Tojo is escaping the drudgery of office life by dreaming of a wonderful vacation on a black sand beach.

New dog park

Tojo has found a new dog park in New Haven. It's actually in Hamden, but it's pretty close to our apartment. Tojo has played with many new dogs and eaten a lot of poop. Here, he's making friends with another pug.

Connectipug

Tojo has moved successfully to New Haven with his owners. So far, he has enjoyed the larger living space and greater access to grass. Tojo enjoys spending time near the Quinnipiac river, sniffing shells and dead fish. He has also had the pleasure of meeting new dogs, including two pugs - Gucci and Josie.

Hopefully Tojo will get a dogwalker soon, as school starts tomorrow and Tojo will no longer have all-day human companionship.

Pug on the move

This week, Tojo will move from New York City to New Haven with his humans. Tojo will definitely miss his dog friends, but he will have a fenced-in yard in his new home, which is pretty nice!

Not much else is new with Tojo. Here, he's taking a well-deserved rest.

paint-only edition

Camera continues to be on the fritz. Recently Tojo began licking and chewing on a glass table that we own (it's attached to a lamp ... a wonderful piece). Because it's glass, his tongue is visible through the glass. Since I cannot get my camera to take a picture, here is a Microsoft Paint version of Tojo's glass-table-licking.