Pug Puppies Blog

Is it normal, anyway?!

Yes, it is. Just imagine the situation from the point of view of your Pug. He is part of the family, often treated as “the kid”, and then, suddenly, a new creature arrives and takes all the attention of his beloved family. It is quite similar to what older children feel, when a little brother/sister arrives. One of the differences is just that the dog can’t speak English

Actually, if we are aware of this ‘problem’ in advance, the situation can be handled, but it needs consciousness and to be started in time, long before the baby’s arrival. Let’s see how we can prepare our Pug for the new family member.

If your dog’s daily routine has to be changed with the baby’s arrival (it probably will), you should start changing the rules much earlier, giving him plenty of time to get used to the new set up. This way it isn’t going to be so sudden and shocking. If your Pug hasn’t really been trained before, it’s high time to start. He should learn at least a few commands, like sit, stay, etc. This way, he’ll be easier to handle.

Many families worry about their dog endangering the health of the child, so the best thing to do is to take your pet to the vet, get him checked and get some advice. Get your Pug used to the new smells, sounds in advance (blankets, lotions, toys). It’s also a good idea, that just after your baby was born, send home a blanket that the baby had been in, so your dog can experience the child’s smell in advance. It is very important to know that your  Pug will get a lot less attention from the mother, so when taking the baby home for the first time, the mother should greet the dog, so it is better if someone else is carrying the baby.

It is also a good idea not to leave them alone together at the first times, until your Pug feels comfortable with the baby, because, for example, it is very possible that the dog won’t tolerate the child’s crying very well in the beginning. You have to teach him that this is a normal sound, and you should motivate him not to bark (with treats, for example).

And the most important rule for last, maybe it seems too obvious, but it’s still worth mentioning: try to give as much attention to your Pug as you can. The point is that he has to feel that you do care about him. If you keep this in mind, most probably there will be no problem. You could also try Preparing Fido, which is an amazing collection of Baby sounds designed especially to get your dog ready for the arrival of the new Baby!

The narrow line between training and abuse

Many dog owners think that their Pug is the smartest in the world. There’s no problem with this, up to certain a point. This point is when the owner expects as much from the dog as if it really was the most intelligent creature the world has ever seen. They expect them to learn everything right away, whereas dogs need time to learn things, the same way as we, humans do. Just in a different way Well, the point is, that training requires time and patience. It can be different for all dogs, but we do have to keep this in mind and take the time and energy to train our Pug.

Another common mistake (also because of the lack of patience) is to give up. Many people think that they have already tried everything but the dog doesn’t want to learn. In this case, maybe the methods are not the best, or they need more time. There are no dogs who wouldn’t be able to learn at least a few commands. Giving up is never a solution.

So, if we have the time and the patience we can avoid the next, and maybe the biggest mistake: to turn training into abuse. Probably you expect me to tell you where this line is. I can’t. This is something the owner should know. Training is all about communication. If you know your Pug, if you pay attention to him, you see how he feels. Unfortunately many dog owners don’t have this ability, because they only keep pets for entertainment, while a dog is much more than that.

Going back to training, a very important rule is that your goal should be that your Pug obeys to commands because he is keen to do so. NOT BECAUSE HE IS AFRAID. Many-many owners forget about this, and feel the training successful, but actually they are making their dog unhappy. How can someone live happily in fear? No way. These owners are only keeping a dog to make themselves happy, and don’t feel the responsibility they should.

So the point is, that ‘positive training’ is possible. Actually, that’s the only way.

The first difficulties most Pug owners face is potty training their puppy. As with general training, the main principles remain the same: a positive, rewarding approach and a lot of patience is required. There are, however a few tips and tricks that will make the whole process faster and easier for both puppy and owner. Find out what Sharda Baker has to say on the topic, who has developed her best practices by years of trial and error.

Please comment if you have something to add.

Why spend money on vet bills, if you can do it too?

Even if their balance will improve, the pugs will stay just as playful and active as they are on this video! If you want learn more about buying a Pug puppy, click here.

Pug Dogs are suitable for children because even if they are strong willed, they are rarely aggressive. Majority of this breed are very fond of children and sturdy enough to play with them. Pug Dogs can be very quiet and docile, but vivacious and teasing at the same time, and this depends on their owner’s mood. They can be very good watchdogs as they are always alert but never yappy. Their owner can be very fond of them as they are known for providing comic relief as they are clowns at heart.

Pay attention to this breed’s health and take care of them as much as possible. They love to be comforted and you can do that by giving them The Pug Dog Micro Fiber Blanket, which can be used by kids as well. This blanket is made of 100% polyester and is machine washable, very soft and warm. This can surely give comfort to your Pug Dog or the kids who will be using it.

Pug acne is similar to zits, pimples, blackheads that people experience. For the Pug puppy, it happens when they are quite young but will vanish after 8 months. One of the causes of pug acne is the infection of the hair just at the base of the skin. Pores will contain the infection and shortly, pus will be present, making it discomforting to the dog as well as to the owners when they see it. This is considered to be the main reason while others such as food allergy are secondary causes for pimples and blackheads.

For curing this acne, it is best to consult with the vet as to which ointments can be used. Sometimes changing the diet is an option. But what is important is that the Pug be clean through regular bathing, but make sure to consult a veterinarian as not to dry out the skin. If there are infections, then bath them using Benzoyl peroxide filled shampoo. Just like the zit tells us our children are growing, so does Pug acne!

Avoid unnecessary vet bills! Do your dog’s basic health check!