Pug Dog Information: What You Must Know About The Pug Dog Breed

Anyone looking for a small dog with a big personality will surely fall in love with the pug dog breed. The pug is a fine pet in many ways, however, there is some pug dog information that any prospective or new pug owner must be aware of.

Pug Personality

The pug is very social and will want to be the center of attention. You’ll want to be sure to spend time with your Pug, but that won’t be too hard because they are so cute, you’ll want to cuddle and play with him as much as possible. While there are always exceptions to the rule, Pugs usually get along great with kids and other pets.

Pug Dog Care

There are some special care considerations that are specific to the pug dog breed. One of these is the folds in their faces. While this excess skin is what gives them their cute and quizzical appearance, it can also be a health hazard because dirt and bacteria can hide in the folds. Therefore, you need to make it part of your regimen to clean under the folds of skin. You can find out more about exactly how you should do this on page 12 of  the The Pug Guide.

Believe it or not, pugs actually shed quite a bit so you will want to be sure to brush your dog daily. In addition, you will need to clean the area around the eyes, the ears and of course be sure to brush your pugs teeth every day!

Exercise

One of the most important pieces of pug dog information here is about exercise. You see, exercise is critical for any dog, but pugs can be kind of lazy so you have to make sure that YOU make the effort to get your pug out for a walk every day. That being said, you don’t have to go for a marathon walk, just a 20 minute walk will do but, of course, if your Pug wants to go for longer then you should comply.

Health Issues

Like many pure breed dogs, the Pug dog breed is prone to certain health problems. Anyone thinking of adopting a Pug should read up on these and you can find a comprehensive list of health issues, how to recognize them and what you can do about them starting on page 17 of the The Pug Guide.

Here is a brief summary of some of the health problems you might run into:

Knee Problems – Pugs can be prone to Luxating Patella or “trick knees” which is a genetic condition that can be accelerated by obesity. It is not life threatening and dogs can live with it fine even without surgery.

Eye Problems – Pugs eyes are set wide on the face and stick out a bit which can make them be prone to damage so you want to be sure that your Pugs food and water dishes are wide enough to accommodate his face with some room left over. Pugs can also be prone to progressive retinal atrophy and pigmentary keratitis.

Breathing Issues – The Pug dog breed can have trouble breathing and due to their short muzzle are prone to elongated soft palette which obstructs their airway. This can be corrected so if you hear your pug snoring, honking or snorting, have your vet check it out.

Pug Dog Encephalitis – One important piece of Pug dog information is about PDE, a brain inflammation that is unique to pugs. This is a terrible condition that causes loss of coordination and seizures in your dog. It can be deadly and has no cure but there is medication that can control the seizures.

All in all, the Pug dog breed is a great breed for any family. If you want to learn more about health issues, pug care and how to feed and exercise your pug, then check out the The Pug Guide

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Pug Health

Due to the nature of the body of a pug, these dogs can often suffer from a number of pug health problems. This means that any owner of a pug should be prepared to always be paying close attention to their dog, making sure that they are well taken care of and always comfortable. The nature of the dog is one where many different maladies could end up hurting the dog.

One of the biggest problems that pugs often have is with their breathing. The shape of their head, with a very short snout, can often result in a number of breathing problems. These dogs will wheeze, sniffle, and try to catch their breath often. Too much exercise can overwhelm these dogs as they will not have the breathing capacity for it.

The eyes of a pug are also likely to become scratched or otherwise injured. They have large, protruding eyes. When these are placed over a very short snout, their eyes can come very close to a number of objects. This can easily result in a pug damaging their eyes, which can be very painful. This should always be paid close attention to.

Pugs are also often susceptible to Patellar Luxation, which is a condition which affects their knees. This means that sometimes their kneecaps might slide out of joint. Sometimes it will naturally slide back, while in other conditions a veterinarian will slide the joint back into place. In pugs where this commonly happens, surgery should be considered, as this can grow into a serious condition that affects pug health.

Hip Dysplasia is often the largest problem which occurs in pugs. This is a condition where the bones are not formed correctly around the hips, resulting in deformation. This will make the bones not correctly fit around the dog, often causing severe pain as well as problems with walking. This is a condition which will often manifest itself early, as soon as the puppy is 2 months old. Surgery is required to help these pugs suffering from this condition.

While most pug health concerns are minor, owning a pug will often require a great care of attention paid to their general health. Frequent checkups are advised to make sure that they are always in the best of health. Accidents need to be taken care of right away. The conditions of this dog will often require a number of medical treatments over the course of their lives, but most owners will agree that these are all well-worth the price.

Pug Problems

Pugs are terrific companion dogs, especially for apartment dwellers. They are sociable, good natured and generally very calm pets. However, prospective pug owners should be aware of some common pug problems with it comes to the health of these little dogs.

Pugs may develop Pug Dog Encephalitis (PDE), a fatal inflammation of brain tissue. PDE usually results in the death of the dog within 6 months. PDE has no cure and very little is known about possible causes. Symptoms include seizures, staggering, changes in temperament and the appearance of a stiff neck. PDE will typically manifest by the age two, but in rare cases can take as long as seven years.

Pugs may also develop hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is a very painful condition caused by abnormal development of the hip joint. Dogs will generally begin suffering from hip dysplasia between 2 - 3 years of age. Although hip dysplasia is a chronic condition there are several treatments available: surgery, pain medication, heating of the dog’s bedding, light exercise and careful attention to the dog’s weight.

Another condition affecting the joints is luxating patella. Luxating patella happens when the knee becomes dislocated. While uncomfortable for the animal, luxating patella can often be treated. A visit to your veterinarian will determine whether the joint can be put back into place or if surgery is required.

Like all short-muzzled dogs, one of the common pug problems is over-heating. It is very important to make sure your pug has lots of water and is never left unattended in a car during a hot day. Some owners have even taken to placing an ice-collar on their animal to maintain healthy temperature during hot weather. If your pug appears to be over-heating (panting, listlessness, etc.) you should submerge the dog up to their neck in a bath of cold water.

Due to the shape of the pug’s eyes, they are susceptible to several eye problems. Among these are dry eyes. If untreated the drying of the eye ball can lead to infection, retinal scarring and even blindness. Regular check-ups should catch dry eyes early enough to prevent this, as there are drops that can be used to add moisture to the eyeball.

Another common condition that affects the eyes is Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). At onset PRA manifests as night blindness in young dogs. As the degeneration advances, the dog’s eyesight will steadily decrease until eventually it is blind.

This sounds like a lot to deal with but there are ways you can lessen the chances of dealing with any of these pug problems. Purchase your puppy from a respectable breeder. Ask the breeder if you can see the parents to determine their level of healthiness. As long as you care for your pug, you will have a great companion for a long time. These little dogs have a lot of character and are great to have around.

Pug House Training

Pugs with their small curly tails and wrinkly face are among the cutest pet you could have. If you have given up on having a pug due to difficulty in pug house training, think again. Many dog owners have done it, only a little persistance is all you need.

The pug is also like a person who need privacy and their own place to go back to. The main aim of the training is that they should learn not to soil the place where they live or you live. So the end of the training, they know where to eat and the right potty place.

House training a puppy can start with a crate available in most pet shops. It may look very minimal, but its one of the best ways to get them trained. Make sure you get the right size of crate though so they can sleep and stretch in it. 

Words that you use in pug house training and your actions also play an importance part as your pug has to get used to them. So use the same expressions everytime and they must mean the same. Do not confuse the pug. Also be ready with a scooper to clean the mess.

If you have time to walk the dog, set up a routine and follow it strictly. If you do not have time for that, a good indoor solution is paper training. They are good for the cold months too. You train the pug to use a designated area of the house lined with newspaper.

If you have suitable surroundings, you can train them to let themselves out and return when finished. Here you do not to monitor them once they learn the trick. You could even fix a toddler gate and do not be surprised if they start going out every two hours, thats how they are.

Do not use shortcuts or change the steps during pug house training as it can be very disorientating. It will take time and you need to work with patience. Begin your training immediately after they have finished eating and use words like ‘potty’ or ‘walk’.

You also need to understand that the younger they are, the shorter is the time between pees and potties. So they have to put up with their body as well get along with your training. This is a real challenge for them. So it is for you too as they are not a breed who can be easily housetrained.

Always appreciate your pug with a pat or ‘good boy’ when the dog does exactly what he is told. Do not punish or abuse your pet during pug house training as this will actually backfire on you. Accidents will happen, so be prepared. Do not get carried away with their cute looks, be firm and stick to your training plan.

Pug Dog Breed Facts

The pug dog breed generally has a great personality. They are sociable and playful, but not susceptible to the hyperactivity that many small dogs exhibit. The most striking feature of the pug is its face. The face, usually black and covered with deep furrows give the pug a look of great age and wisdom. There is also a uniqueness to each dog, because of the facial wrinkles, making distinguishing members of the pack easier. Pugs are lap dogs, being short and compact. A healthy pug will have a squared appearance and be heavily muscled.

Although pugs are able to get along with other animals they prefer the company of humans. They will often follow their masters from room to room or attempting to get on their laps. Pugs are comfortable running and playing with small children, but are also suitable for adults without children. They are comfortable with new people, but will alert their owners if a stranger enters the home. Because of this, the pug has been used as a guard dog in the past.

Care has to be taken not to allow pugs to become overweight as obesity is a big problem in the pug dog breed. Being an indoor dog, they are prone to laziness if not exercising regularly. You will also want to ensure that you do not feed it any scraps from your plate. The diet of a pug should consist of a quality dry dog food suitable for the age of the animal.

Pugs crave attention from their owners. They enjoy being spoken to by their owners and patted. A pug will be perfectly content to curl up with its master on the couch and watch a movie. Since pugs are prone to shedding this quiet time with master is a great opportunity to brush out the coat. Pugs can overheat very quickly and therefore should never be left in a locked car or a home that is too hot. If your pug begins to overheat, fill a tub with cold water and submerge the dog up to the neck. This will prevent heat exhaustion.

Pugs are very smart dogs and can be trained easily. They do however, possess a stubborn streak. The best way to deal with this is to start obedience training as early as possible. Remember to always project the image of pack leader to the dog. Treat the dog, like you would a child. Pugs are highly attuned to tones, so harsh discipline should not be required to correct behaviour.

The pug dog breed has a long and storied history which stretches into the mists of antiquity. They were originally bred by the Chinese royalty, possibly as early as 700 BCE. They were imported to Europe by the Dutch merchant marines in the 16th century. Pugs became a popular pet of European royalty after a pug alerted William III of kidnappers in the home.

Pug Personality Traits

A little pug can be one of the warmest dogs that a person may ever own. A typical Pug personality is one that is fun and friendly, they can be extremely good natured, showing an abundance of affection to their owners and the people regularly in their life. Additionally, these little dogs can be very open and receptive to strangers and other dogs, showing a very open attitude toward meeting new people.

While a pug may have a mind of its own and be stubborn at times, with firm obedience training, this will no longer be a problem. The pug is devoted to its owner, often showering them with love at every opportunity. This breed is a great choice for people who have children who want a family pet which will be affectionate and gentle.

The energy level of a pug can vary greatly. These dogs are often praised for being both energetic and mellow as their attitudes will change depending on their surroundings. While in a high-energy situation, these dogs will be very energetic and playful, in a more subdued setting, the dogs will be more laid-back. The more that one of these dogs is around a certain type of setting, the more likely that this pug will turn out like that environment.

It is a typicaly pug personality traing to spend a great deal of the day sleeping. This will stop the dog from getting into too much trouble, which can be a great benefit to people who work often. Their dogs will be happy to see them during the times when they are home and will remain mellow in the other periods.

Like most dogs, pugs do like to chew things, which can be a problem. This can be easily solved, however. If a pug is given plenty of chew toys, their attention will be devoted more to those toys and less toward other items. With enough firm training, however, these dogs will know what items are off-limits to them and will grow into responsible pets.

A pug needs a lot of attention to stay happy, meaning that this is a dog which needs to be included as part of the family which is easy to do considering the friendly and loving pug personality. Failing to do this can result in the dog acting out and potentially causing problems. With enough attention, however, a pug can become a well-trained and enjoyable pet for any family. It will be an intensely devoted pet to its owners and will always be happy to show warmth and love to all the members of its family.

Use Firmness And Discipline When Potty Training A Pug

Pugs are the most adorable breed in dogs. As innocent as they look, potty training a pug is a real task. With determination and time, potty training can be completely successfully. You should however be planned and prepared for potty training a pug.

The oldest ways of potty training for the puppies is the Crate training. Get yourself a good size cradle and make them understand its for them to sleep in and have a bit of their own time. As the training begins take them away from the crate after a feed, to the potty place.

The crate should be neat and hygienic at all times. Leave your pug in it with a toy. Some people even use pet cages. Reward him with a small treat when he has been a good learner.

The potty place for potty training a pug could either be indoors or outdoors depending on your lifestyle and time on hand. Some dog owners prefer to get them trained one either first and once done after a year or so train them in the other. Its a bonus to do it both ways if you are going away or if its too cold to go out.

Again with outdoors, either you could train them to go out on their own through a dog hole or you could walk them. For indoor potty training, the newspaper is the best option. Once you decide on the spot in the house, just lay some papers and do your training around the same day everyday.

Pugs are animals who need to pee a lot. Its quite normal, but take him to a vet just to make sure things are fine. To tackle this problem you could limit his water intake.

Never get overwhelmed during the training, just stay calm and keep going. You may also see that once they turn 6 months, they have more control over their body.

Do not give away when they give those innocent cute looks. Be a disciplined trainer and make the food available only at food time. Be it snacks or water, once its goes into their body they come out in the next 15 minutes. So time your training accordingly.

Pugs are very focused on their owners words and actions. So use words like ‘go potty’ or ‘potty time’ or ‘walk time’, just to make them aware that its that time of the day.

Potty training a pug may take time and persistence, but do not give up.  They are not such a bad breed. Its worth having them as pets after all this. Probably talking to some potty trained pug owners will encourage you in the right direction.

What are the AKC Pug Standards?

AKC Pug Standards:

General Appearance - The appearance of the dog should be cobby and square. By cobby, we mean that the length of the dog is less than or equal to its height.

Head - The head of the dog is very large and round and will have no indentations. The ears of the dog should be small, soft and thin. The eyes of the dog should be very large, dark and globular in shape. The expression of the eyes should be soft and lustrous and when they get excited they should appear ‘full of fire.’ The wrinkles featured on the dog should be very deep and large and the dog should also have a short, squared muzzle. Finally, the bite of a Pug should be undershot.

Size, Substance and Proportion - The Pug should be proportionately squared and weigh approximately 14 to 18 pounds whether it is male or female. The dog should also be very muscular and compact.

Forequarters - According to ACK Pug standards, the front legs should be very strong, medium in length, straight and should set well under his form. When the elbows are viewed from the side, they should be directly under the withers. The foot should not be as round as a cat or as long as a hare. Toes need to be well apart and black nails. The pasterns of the dog should not be down or steep, they should be very strong.

Hindquarters - the dogs hindquarters should be very powerful and strong. When viewing the dog from behind, their legs are parallel. The feet should be as though they are in front and the buttocks and things should be muscular and full.

Neck, Topline and Body - There should be a straight arch to the neck and it should be very strong and thick as to carry itself proudly. The dog should be wide and well ribbed. The tail should have a very tight curl to it and be located over the hip and the perfect tail will feature a double curl.

Coat and Color - The color of the dog should be black, silver or apricot-fawn and the coat should not be hard or wooly, but soft, smooth, short and glossy. The hair should also be fine in nature.

Temperament - Dog should be even tempered and playful and posses a loving nature. It will have a charming personality and possess great dignity.

Gait - As you look at the dog from the front, it should show no weakness in the pasterns and its paws will sit squarely and straight ahead. The hind action of the dog should also be strong and free with not turning or twisting at the joints.

Markings - The markings of any Pug should be very clean and clearly defined. The mask of the dog should be black in nature and very intense. The black trace that extends for the dogs tail to the occiput should be the same.

The above are the AKC pug standards for a show dog - there are plenty of pet quality pugs that don’t necessarily meet these standards but still make wonderful, loveable pets!

Types Of Pug Dogs

What types of pug dogs are there?  The breed is really only one type but within that breed are all kinds of different dogs that are as unique as different people are. 

Pugs are popular dogs because they are probably one of the best toy dog companions for humans, if not the best. And the good news is, there are many different kinds of pugs which you can buy from breeders. The general classifications of pug are based on the personality and appearances. Here are some types of pug dogs based on these categories.

•    Personality. The personality of pug dogs depend on the gender. Female pugs are less likely to follow you around wherever you go, compared to male pugs. Male pugs are more dependent to the owner, and sometimes their dependence could get a little annoying. Females will do whatever they want to do, whether they are with you or not.

For both genders, they are very playful and active. They love taking for walks because they have to keep their muscular bodies in shape. However, pugs are still notorious for being overweight.

•    Appearance. Pugs have four types based on colors—black, fawn, apricot and silver. The two major types are black and fawn. Some people choose their pets based on colors, whether they will enter their pets in competitions or they just want to keep the pug as a pet. Pugs have short furs and a shiny and smooth coat. They also shed hairs which makes it important to consider this characteristic before you acquire a pug. Pugs have wrinkles on their faces, small noses, and huge, bulging eyes. Some said pugs are very ugly that’s why they are very cute.

These are some of the types of pug dogs you will run into on your search for the favourite pug.

How You Should Care for Pug Puppies

When you get a new puppy, you should always be prepared to provide the best care for your puppies, and this goes the same when you receive your new pug puppy. Caring for pug puppies can be a challenging, yet rewarding experience and as long as you know what you need to do and how to care, you will be in excellent shape!

The first thing that you need to do before you actually bring your new pug puppy home is make sure that you made the house "puppy proof" so to speak. Be certain that your house is clean and that you have a wide open area set aside for your new pug, this will allow you get to know your new pug puppy. Once you bring your pug puppy home, you want to take the time to look at the puppy’s actual behavior.

After you have your new pug puppy at home, you want to be sure that you have a decent sized cage for them. This will allow you to start potty training your new puppy, and you will not have to worry about where your puppy is or what your puppy is doing. When your puppy is ready to be potty trained, you will know and you will be ready to face the challenge!

If you work a full time job and you have to leave your puppy behind during the day, you want to make sure that you have enough clean water and fresh food put out every morning before you go. You also want to lay out some newspaper as well as some soft towels and chew toys. Having toys in the pug puppy’s cage is going to keep the puppy occupied during the day and will keep the puppy out of trouble.
 
Pug puppies, as we all know are adorable and incredibly fun to play around with. But with all puppies come responsibilities, and before you actually go out and start looking for your pug puppy, you need to make sure that you are ready to take on that responsibility. If you are ready, then start looking and get ready to bring your pug home! Pug puppies are incredibly easy to care for and fun to play around with. Always have everything all set up and ready to go before you actually bring your new pug puppy home and then enjoy!
 
The main thing that you need to remember when taking care of pug puppies is the amount of love that you need to give them. Show your new puppy that you care and that you want them in your life, from there, the two of you are going to share an instant bond as well as a wonderful life!

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