Pug Life

When I first decided to adopt a fur baby I wasn’t really overly fussy about breeds. I was more than happy to rescue an animal from the humane society. But my boyfriend of the time, really wanted a Pug. A male, fawn pug. So that’s what we went with. I tried to do some research on the breed beforehand but I found the information that was out there wasn’t entirely accurate. Here’s a brief list of things to know before picking a Pug:

1. Pugs are not lazy.

They are quite the opposite. They are hyper, curious, and mischievous. The reason so many believe they are lazy animals is because of how many of them are overweight. It’s incredibly easy to over feed your animal, which then, just as with humans they become lethargic. Ideally a pug should weigh around 16-18 pounds.

2. They don’t understand personal space.

You know how wonderful it is to sit on the couch with your feet up, a coffee in hand, watching Netflix comfortably. Only getting up to grab a snack & another coffee? I don’t. Every few seconds I need to be moving due to a pug butt on my head from him sitting on the back of the couch, moving my coffee so he doesn’t snort in it. Juggling any food I have so that the latter doesn’t happen.

Need to use the restroom? Better be prepared for an audience.

3. Pugs need constant grooming.

A lot of people believe since Pugs are short haired animals that they don’t require much grooming but thats incorrect.

Pugs have the same amount of teeth as any other dog but instead of a long snout to space the teeth out properly, Pugs have their teeth smushed together to accommodate their lack of face. This makes dental hygiene incredibly important. You should be brushing your pugs teeth everyday. Add in a dental diet dry dog food & a water additive and regular cleanings at the vet shouldn’t be required.

Pugs also have folds of skin on their face which require regular cleaning as well since tears & dirt can nestle in and cause infection. Wiping out your pugs facial folds every other day is always a good practise. Make sure to dry the folds as well since moisture can lead to bacteria build up & again, infection.

4. Health Concerns

Pugs can develop several health problems. Cherry eye happens generally in dogs under the age of two. It’s when the gland protrudes outwards. Now this isn’t normally a serious issue & can be easily resolved but always contact a vet before trying anything. Especially since many other more serious health problems can be mistaken for Cherry eye.

Collapsing trachea is another health concern to be aware of. This is when the rings of cartilage around the windpipe begin to collapse. This causes the airway to be obstructed & a honking type of cough to occur in pugs and other small/toy breeds. Try to avoid collars & use harnesses when walking & taking your pug outside.

Now for the gross part. Pugs like many other breeds can end up with impacted anal glands. This occurs when the sac (gland) doesn’t drain properly. When your dog has a bowel movement the liquid within the sac should drain but sometimes this doesn’t happen. The liquid then becomes a solid and impacts the gland. So what does this mean? It means as a loving pug parent you need to drain these glands yourself. What this entitles is squeezing the glands until they empty from your dogs rear. It’s gross but it’s better than the alternative, which is one of two scenarios. The first is that the gland ruptures & the fluid/solid can drain through the hole it just made. The second is it becomes septic & poisons your furry baby. So it’s always a good idea to bring your animal to the vet if they are acting at all different from there usual selves.

5. They love you unconditionally.

I guess this one is true for any breed but I had to put it out there. They are loving animals and it will never be a dull moment with them.