How to Choose a Pug

If you're thinking about adding a pug to your family, there are some things you might want to consider. A small but social breed, pugs have many things to recommend them, but the selective breeding that has resulted in a cute and affectionate pet has caused some maintenance challenges, too.

Instructions

1. Evaluate your current household. Pugs are good with children, but can't tolerate rough treatment. If your kids are boisterous, or want to ride their pets and wear them like fur stoles, pugs aren't designed for that kind of roughhousing.

2. Check your environment. Pugs suffer in high heat and humidity. If you live in an area that has year-round or seasonal hot spells that you can't control with air conditioning, reconsider keeping a pug as a pet. If the temperatures soar in summer but you have it under control with a good air conditioning system, be sure you can monitor your pug when he goes out in the heat.

3. Find sources of company during the daytime. Pugs are very sociable and need interaction during the day. If you work, consider ways to get your pug some company when you're not around. Pugs that are kept alone can develop behavior problems like chewing their fur or the furniture.

4. Learn to live with shedding. Pugs have short coats, but they still shed. Shedding doesn't seem like a problem when you're checking out the adorable pug in the pet store window, but they have dense coats that shed seasonally and need regular grooming. This can be a problem for allergy sufferers and require more vacuuming than you're used to.

5. Rethink quiet time. Pugs make noise. Their breathing is raspy and they snore and wheeze when they're sleeping. Although this is something you can get used to, be prepared for some adjustment to the new noise level when a pug is around.

6. Dial down the tricks. Pugs aren't good on-demand performers. They are smart when it suits them, but they aren't good at fetch, sit, stay, and the other standbys you may want to train a dog to perform. Part of it may be that they're stubborn and just don't understand the concept of doing something that has no purpose.

7. Get a checkup for the dog. Have any potential pet evaluated by a vet, and make sure that your new pet comes from a reputable breeder. National pug societies or those in your area can give you an idea about good breeders.

Tips & Warnings

• If you haven't already, spend some time with a pug at your local shelter or pug rescue organization. There's nothing like some hands-on experience with this breed to give you an idea of its nature, advantages and disadvantages.

• Understand the health problems that may affect pugs. Breeders usually catch congenital defects before pugs are put up for sale, but eye and breathing problems can crop up in early adulthood, some of which are serious. Pugs can also suffer from hip dysplasia. There are breeds that have fewer potential health risks, but if you're a pug person, the risk may be worth it.