Frequently asked questions about Pugs. Information about temperament, training, personality, feeding, health, buying, adoption. Where to find Pug breeders and puppies for sale.

Pug dog breed

Pug FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Pug Dogs

By Michele Welton. Copyright © 2000-2010





Are there any health concerns with their short face?

Yes. Some Pugs are more "normal-looking" than others. More normal-looking Pugs have a face (muzzle) that is a little longer and/or eyes that are smaller and less protruding.

Other Pugs have a very squashed face and large protruding eyes.

The more "normal-looking" a Pug is . . . the better.

The Pug can be a great little dog, but the reality is that his physical build is neither natural nor healthy. The Pug, in fact, is afflicted with a skeletal deformity called brachycephalic syndrome. This tongue twisting word comes from the Greek roots brachy (meaning short) and cephalic (meaning head). A rounded head and shortened face are skeletal deformities that cause a variety of health problems.

  • All short-faced dogs have some trouble breathing. They snuffle and snort their way through life, with their breathing difficulties becoming worse when they're excited.
  • Their nostrils tend to be slim and pinched and may have soft cartilage that cause the nostrils to collapse when the dog tries to pull air in forcefully.
  • The trachea (windpipe) tends to be narrow, restricting air flow even more.
  • The soft palate (a flap of skin across the back of the throat that prevents food and water from entering the windpipe) is often fleshy and elongated and tends to fall loosely into the throat. This causes noisy breathing, gagging and hacking (as though the dog has mucous in his throat), and sometimes spitting up white froth.
  • The eye sockets are shallow, which means the eyes could actually pop out if the dog bangs his head while playing or even pulls too hard on the leash.
  • The prominent eyeball is susceptible to scratches and corneal ulcers.
  • If the eyelid can't reach out far enough to fully cover the protruding eyeball, the eye can dry out, leading to a serious disorder called, appropriately, dry eye.
  • The teeth are crowded together and tend to grow at odd angles, trapping food debris and leading to dental disease.
  • Their loose folds of facial skin are dark, warm, and moist -- perfect breeding grounds for bacteria. The result can be raw irritated skin and chronic bacterial infections called pyoderma (skin fold dermatitis).
  • Eating and drinking can cause problems because when they put their face into a bowl and try to coordinate swallowing and breathing, food particles and water can get pulled through their nose and into their windpipe, causing gagging, coughing, or spitting up.
  • On a more delicate note, breathing through the mouth means swallowing air, which often produces excessive gas.
  • Short-faced dogs frequently can't deliver their puppies because the puppies have such large rounded heads. C-sections under general anesthesia are typically required, and short-faced puppies are exceptionally fragile and have a higher mortality rate than puppies with normal heads.
  • Short-faced dogs are risky to anesthetize, requiring extra-special precautions for neutering, dental cleaning, and x-rays.

Brachycephalic syndrome isn't a disease that your Pug "might get." It's a syndrome that ALL short-faced dogs are born with. Their respiratory system is structurally compromised, and they all suffer some degree of associated health problems.

That's why, from a health perspective, the more normal-looking your Pug is . . . the better.


Some things you can do to help your Pug:

  • Keep him slim. Extra weight means that he has to breathe harder to carry it around.
  • Wash and dry his face after every meal or long drink of water.
  • In hot or humid weather, keep him in an air-conditioned home as much as possible.
  • When he goes outside in hot or humid weather, don't let him get over-excited or over-active. Short-faced dogs have a high risk of heatstroke because they can't pant vigorously enough to lower their body heat.
  • NEVER leave him alone in a car. Even if it doesn't seem particularly warm outside to you, and even with the windows rolled down part-way, heat and stuffiness can build up rapidly and a short-faced dog can die.
  • Teach him not to pull on the leash, or else walk him with a harness. A collar puts pressure on his windpipe. Make sure the harness is shaped so that it wraps around his CHEST, not around his throat. A Y-shaped harness is what you want, not a figure-8-shaped harness.
  • Keep him away from chemicals that could irritate his respiratory system. This means no smoking in the house and no chemical cleaning products (buy natural cleaners from the health food store). Keep him away from freshly-cut grass, and indoors as much as possible during pollen season.
  • Make sure your vet uses only the most modern anesthetics (such as isoflurane). Insist on having his heart and breathing monitored by special equipment whenever he must go under anesthesia. Many vets are NOT careful enough with short-faced breeds.

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Can you help me decide whether the Pug is the best breed for me?

Yes, I offer personal consultations on choosing the best breed for your family and lifestyle. Learn more about my Dog Breed Consulting Service.


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Do male dogs or female dogs make better pets?

Ah, let the debate begin! Honestly, male Pugs have pros and cons, and female Pugs have pros and cons. Visit Male Dogs versus Female Dogs


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If I just want a dog for a pet, not for showing or breeding, does it matter whether he has AKC registration papers?

First you need to know what registration papers really mean -- and don't mean. You might THINK you know -- but you might be wrong! Find out the truth about AKC Registered Puppies: Are AKC Papers Important?.


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There's an adorable Pug puppy at the pet shop. The store manager assures me they only buy from responsible breeders. Could this be true?

No. There are no responsible Pug breeders who would ever place one of their Pug puppies in a pet shop for resale. To find out more about pet shop puppies, visit Pet Shop Puppies: Buying a Puppy From a Pet Store.


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How do I find a good Pug breeder?

It's hard! The sad truth is that the vast majority of people offering Pug puppies for sale are unknowledgeable, irresponsible, completely clueless -- or all of the above. Visit Dog Breeders: How To Find a Good Breeder.


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How do I pick the best Pug puppy from a litter?

You can do puppy personality tests. Visit How To Choose a Good Puppy.


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I'm interested in adopting a dog rather than buying from a dog breeder. How do I find Pug dogs for adoption?

You can find Pugs available for adoption from dog rescue groups or from the animal shelter. Visit Adopting a Dog From Rescue and Adopting a Dog From The Animal Shelter.


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I just got a new Pug. Which pages should I read first?

  • Pug Health, which includes my advice on feeding, vaccinations, and health care. These pages are very important, because if you start your Pug puppy off on the wrong foot, he will probably experience health problems later on. Starting off RIGHT is essential!
  • Training Pugs, which includes my advice on respect training, housebreaking, and socialization. Again, you must start your Pug puppy off on the right foot by teaching him what he needs to know and you must avoid doing the wrong things with him so that he doesn't develop bad habits that will be much harder to fix later on.

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What's a good training schedule for training Pug puppies? What things should I teach, and when?

Here's the puppy training schedule I use for Pugs: Puppy Training Schedule.


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How do I housebreak my Pug?

The key to housebreaking your Pug is confinement, confinement, confinement. Visit Housebreaking Your Puppy or Adult Dog.


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My Pug has some behavior problems I'd like to solve.

Respect training solves behavior problems much better than obedience training. Visit Respect Training For Puppies and Adult Dogs.


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What's the best dog food for Pugs?

Homemade dog food. Visit The Best Dog Food For Your Dog. If you can't feed homemade dog food, there are only a few (very few!) commercial dog food brands I recommend. Visit The Second-Best Dog Food For Your Dog.


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I have to take my Pug to the vet soon for shots. Which vaccinations does he really need?

The schedule of vaccinations that dogs really need has changed dramatically -- but most vets are not telling you the truth about this! Don't let your vet give your Pug any more shots until you've read my article on Puppy Shots and Dog Vaccinations.


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What are the pros and cons of spaying and neutering my Pug, and when should it be done?

Spaying and neutering are often recommended too early, which can lead to health problems later in life. Visit Spaying and Neutering.


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My vet doesn't agree with some of the things you've written about health care.

That just means he belongs to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). There are two competing veterinary organizations in the United States and they disagree on just about every aspect of canine health care. The health information on my web site comes from vets who belong to the American HOLISTIC Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA). In my opinion, AHVMA vets are better than AVMA vets. Visit Finding The Best Vet For Your Dog.


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I have a question about Pugs that I don't see answered on your web site.

It's probably answered in one of my books: