In memoriam Fien

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Fien was my first pug, and also my first dog, so everything was new to me. I had known for quite some time that I wanted a pug, but I had waited until I would have more time to spend with her. In 2007, we were ready for our first pug, and Fien was born. Fien is the abbreviated name of Josephine (it’s the last syllable) and she’s named after Josephine Bonaparte, who had a pug too. We really liked the breeder, all their pugs were really part of the family, so Fien was used to receive lots of cuddles and love before she came to us.

 

Fien was a cute little puppy with the cutest round belly, and of course, like any other puppy, she was quite playful. At the same time, she had a relaxed temperament. I could carry her for hours. I remember one time that I took her with me to a get-together with some friends. She was only with us for a week and I didn’t want to leave her at the house all by herself. So she came along, and I had her in my arms for a couple of hours. I was wearing a black shirt and of course, little Fien was black, and she had been so calm in my arms that some friends hadn’t even noticed her there.

 

Fien had a very laid-back character and was content with everything. When 8 years later Rosie came, she still showed her kind and sweet temperament. Puppy Rosie had a lot of energy and an extremely strong will, but Fien didn’t let her get under her skin. There were only a few times, that she put Rosie in her place, in a very serious way, but other than that, she let Rosie have her way. Sometimes, when Rosie was pushing her, or when she was trying to get Fien’s blanket, or pulling at Fien’s bed, Fien would look at me and we would exchange glances, like “oh no, here’s rowdy Rosie again!”

 

When Fien got older, she became even more relaxed than she already was. In 2015 I started an Instagramaccount @thedutchpugsisters. Everyone loved Fien because of the pictures of her beautiful grey face and the accompanying captions. Fien was the old, wise, thoughtful, and positive lady, while Rosie took the role of the young impatient funny sister.

 

When Fien passed away in August 2021, shortly after her 14th birthday, it was like Instagram exploded. I received ten thousands of private messages from people I didn’t even know, who all expressed their condolences and wrote the sweetest words to comfort me. And even after this time, messages are still written of how Fien is missed.

 

Fien left a footprint in uncountable hearts, and we will never forget her.

 

Susanne

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