NW Pugs: One Pug Parent Builds a Community



Toni, NW Pug Organizer
Photo by Mike Reyna



NW Pugs began in 2005 as a meet-up event for pugs, pug mixes and their parents. The current organizer, Toni, inherited NW Pugs in 2006, and started adding her own twist to the events.



First, she started hosting meet-ups twice a month so more members could attend. Then, she paid for a private dog corral an outdoor park for the group to use out of her own pocket. One member got wind of it and announced it to the group – next thing she knew she had a total of $68 donated from members which covered her costs and paid for the following month of rental. When the weather began to turn, she looked for an indoor space and came across canine training facility called Riverdog. According to Toni, the owner, Denise Stringfellow, was thrilled at the idea of the space being used for a bunch of pugs to mingle. She rents the main training room out to the group for a very low cost.  The meet-ups have been at Riverdog for 5 years and the members couldn’t feel luckier to have a dry, enclosed space for the events. In the summer months, the events are still held outdoors at various parks around the area. To date, 96 meet-ups have been held at the various locations.

There are 147 members on the meet-up page that Toni uses to organize the events and manage attendees. Members become friends at the events through their bond with the breed. Pugs are unique dogs and have distinct characteristics that all pug parents can relate to.

Often, Toni hosts themed parties like the annual Birthday bash, Pugs N Treats, and St. Pugtrick’s day events. At the Easter event, the small plush chicken and pastels represented theme to a ‘t’. At Christmas, a Santa Claus is brought in and each pug has the opportunity to get their picture taken. Today’s event is the 5^th annual Pug-N-Treats party – the first party Toni ever hosted for the group

There is a small fee to participate in the events; the money is used for supplies and donations. Toni concludes each event with general announcements about upcoming events, pugs available for adoption and fundraising activities. A group picture is taken and posted to the website along with other candid photographs from the day. Slowly, the room begins to empty as each pug parent carts off their blissed out pug.