How to Raise a Pure Bred Pug Puppy

While pug breeds are cute and cuddly, they are high maintenance. Unless you take good care of your pet, a pug is susceptible to various kinds of infections, especially in their eyes and nose.

Things You'll Need

• Baby wipes
• Dog toothbrush and paste
• Dog brush

Instructions

Spay, Neutering, or Breeding

1. If you intend to breed your female pug, make sure she is mature before attempting breeding. Since pugs are a small breed, breeding can be stressful and difficult for females.

2. Wait at least 2 years for a female to become mature before trying to breed.

3. If you don't breed your dog, neuter or spay your animal. It's not necessary to breed your pet if you do not intend to care for the young or become a pug breeder.

Health Concerns

1. Take good care of your pug. If you pay attention to your pug's health needs, you can expect him to live 12 to 14 years. Keep his vaccinations up to date. Pugs need to be indoor dogs, because they cannot stand extreme temperatures for long periods of time. If it's extremely hot outside, keep your pug inside. Pugs cannot regulate their body temperatures, so they can overheat.

2. Groom your dog by brushing his coat to minimize shedding. Pugs shed, even though they have short hair, so grooming is an essential aspect of your pug's overall care.

3. Clean your pug's eyes when they become dirty. It is important to keep his eyes free of debris and dirt. Because their eyes bulge, the eyes can become susceptible to infections.

4. Occasionally use baby wipes to clean your dog's wrinkles. The wrinkles can become a host to all sorts of bacteria, if you do not clean them out. Clean out the wrinkles once a week.

5. Feed your pug a healthy diet, not scrap food. If your pug eats the wrong food, he can gain weight quickly, which can often lead to hip dysplasia. Walk your pet, as pugs need exercise to keep them toned.

6. Pay attention to your dog's breathing. While pugs snore and sneeze, if her breathing becomes more labored than usual, or if she begins to have a discharge, or sneeze excessively, take her to the vet.

7. Brush your pug's teeth. Just like humans, dogs need their teeth brushed. Make a nightly routine of brushing your pug's teeth. To get her used to the sensation of a toothbrush, apply paste to the brush and let her lick the paste before brushing. You can also use finger toothbrushes, since pugs are smaller.

Tips & Warnings

• Never use cotton swabs to clean your dog's wrinkles. You can hurt them by doing this. Other good resources are "The New Pug," by breeder-judge Shirley Thomas, "The Pug: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet," by Edward Patterson, or "How to Raise & Train a Pug," by Evelyn Miller.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Raising a pug
• Pug health