Pogi: My Alebrije

Do you remember Dante from the Disney Pixar movie, Coco? He was Miguel’s Xoloitzcuintli dog that also served as his alebrije or “spirit guide”, helping him navigate through the Land of the Dead. I recently started calling my pug, Pogi, my little alebrije. While he does get into way more mischief than any other dog I know, I am constantly comforted by his watchful eye & presence around me.

When I met his litter last Summer, I was pretty convinced that I wanted a girl pug. There were six pugs in his litter total. Two boys had already been claimed, & three girls remained when I arrived to meet the litter of pug puppies. I had met & held all three girl pugs & was trying to make my final decision between them. My Pogi was sleeping in the corner of the puppy pen, & since I thought that I didn’t want a boy, I was fine with ignoring him & not even trying to meet or get to know him.

My sister, Danielle, was the one to really push me to make sure that I met all the available puppies. Even though I wanted a girl, what was the harm in at least meeting him before making my final decision. She thought it’d be best to know for sure before leaving him alone in the corner, & I’m so thankful that she did. I knew he was the one for me from the moment I picked him up. He truly was & still is my soulmate, & there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted any other pug! 

How do I know that Pogi’s my soulmate & alebrije?

• I happily wake up to his snoring, wrinkly face every morning.
• After a long day, the way he always wants to cuddle with me on the couch is so comforting.
• He knows all of my deepest & darkest secrets & still loves me.
• Just being around him makes me happy.
• No matter where I go, he’s never far behind & watching over me, ensuring I’m safe. 
• I can recognize his flaws (like the way he’s overly intrusive, loves to steal toys that are not his, runs away with papers, & tries to eat/chew on anything left on the floor when no one’s looking), but I still love him anyway.
• When I’m feeling silly & playful, he immediately joins in on the fun.

Pogi’s love for me is unconditional as is my love for him. I may need to discipline him on occasion for getting into mischief, but at the end of the day, he’ll learn his lesson & know that I’m still his person. When I’m feeling down & having trouble getting out of bed, Pogi gives me kisses on my forehead & gently strokes my hair & face until I’m ready to wake up & start my day.

I can’t even believe that I almost missed my opportunity to meet him, because of my preconceived expectations of what I thought I wanted. If my sister hadn’t been there to put sense into me, I could have ended up with one of Pogi’s sisters. While I’m sure they’d be just as adorable & fun, I seriously doubt we’d have the same connection. Pogi & I were destined to meet. If I had been too stubborn to listen to my sister, I would have lost him to another person.

I truly believe that Pogi is my soulmate, my alebrije, & my spirit guide all in one. He was given to me as a gift from God to help me on my journey through life, & I’m so blessed & grateful to have him by my side. 

Do you have any pets? Would you consider them your soulmate, alebrije, or spirit guide? Let me know in a comment below.

XO Denise