Video:Pug Dog Breed

Transcript:Pug Dog Breed

Hi I am Pam Donaldson of Highland Pugs, and today I am going to talk to you about pugs and the pug breeds.

History of Pugs

Pugs are one of the oldest dog breeds. It originated in China and came to the US by way of Europe and England. Pugs are a wonderful breed for families and children. They were bred to be companion dogs, and that is what they are best at. They want to be at you side all the time. They are very good with other pets and other dogs. You just have to be careful when you introduce the two together. Pugs are very gregarious so they can get into trouble because as soon as they see another dog they will go up and throw their face in their business, and it actually may offend some dogs. So you do have to be aware that they are lively in terms of their personality and gregarious like that.

Health Issues with pugs

The big issues with pugs is their eyes. So they can have some eye issues, and also be careful that they do not get eye injuries. They are a breakeocyphalic breed, meaning they are short faced and have forward facing eyes. They are very prone to injuries, eye infections, things like that. So every time you see a pug doing a little eye squint you want to make sure you take the dog to the vet and have the eye examined to make sure they don't get any ulcers. A lot of pugs end up losing an eye here or there. Inherent in the breed, sometimes you will see inverted eyelashes or dry eye, or they may get pigment on their cornea.

Exercising Your Pug

Pugs are pretty active. They do not require a lot of exercise, but my guys like a fenced in yard to run in. I highly recommend that if you are getting a pug you have a fenced in yard. They are not a dog that is going to go jogging. They cannot tolerate that kind of exercise, but they will enjoy a nice walk around the neighborhood.

Dogs cool themselves by panting, and because they do not have as much space on their tongue to do that, and because they have such a short face, they are very susceptible to heat problems. You can not leave them outside in the heat, and they will overheat and go into heat related crisis fairly quickly. Also in the wintertime they do not do great in extremely cold temperatures, but they will love a good romp in the snow.

Grooming Your Pug

They are big shedders. I use a comb with close teeth and that will decrease some of the shedding in the house. You need to wipe out their nose roll, and their wrinkles around their face a couple of times a week. I just use a baby wipe to do that. Their ears should be regularly checked and cleaned a couple of times a month. Because they are a breed where the ears lop over they are subject to having moisture in their ears so that is something you need to watch so they do not get infections. They do not like to have their nails done, so I usually use a grinder on their nails and you might need someone to help hold them. And if you use a grinder they are less susceptible to injury where you might nick the quick.

Training a Pug

Pugs are not known to be obedient dogs. They are very smart, but they also have a bit of a stubborn streak, and sometimes they need to be encouraged to do what you want them to do. Housebreaking with all the toy breeds is a little bit more of a challenge, but if you are consistent and stick with it they certainly can housebreak. I recommend spaying and neutering because that is really important and it will also help with the housebreaking.