Dog care - Feed your pug nutritious dog food

Feed your pug nutritious dog food and avoid feeding people food. This will help keep your pug from becoming overweight, which puts extra strain on the joints and spine.

Pug - Dog Lover

Dog care - Walk your pug often

Walk your pug often. Pugs are very sedentary dogs that often sleep more than 14 hours a day. Without proper exercise, pugs are prone to becoming obese, which can lead to many health problems. Use a harness, instead of a collar, to avoid putting pressure on your pug's fragile windpipes.

Pug - Dog Lover

Dog care - Study health problem

Pugs are a toy dog breed. They usually do not get larger than 12 to 14 pounds and have either a fawn or black coat. Like all breeds, pugs have certain health problems that are unique to them. Some of these problems include obesity, heat stroke, skin infections and tooth decay. These problems can all be avoided through a few simple precautions.

Pug - Dog Lover

Selection guide - Get references

Get references. A happy customer would be more than willing to leave his or her name to share the positive experience the breeder has provided.

Pug - Dog Lover

Selection guide - Your contact with the breeder will likely last for at least the first year

Your contact with the breeder will likely last for at least the first year because quality breeders continue providing you with information, support, and advice about many different aspects of your new puppy and his or her development. It's for just this reason that finding a good quality breeder, with a solid reputation, is very important to finding the puppy that will be right for you.

Pug - Dog Lover

Selection guide - Do the interview in person on the premises

Do the interview in person on the premises, rather than on the phone because you'll be able to meet the breeder and observe all the dogs and puppies. The premises should be clean and smell good.

These are some of the questions you'll want to ask the breeder:

When was the mother last bred? How many litters has the mother had total? Specific characteristics of the breed. Any genetic problems in the bloodlines?

Pug - Dog Lover

Selection guide - Meet the parents

Meet the parents. As with any puppy, the parents are good indications of what the puppies will be like. Good pug parents are very friendly, loving and playful. Be wary if either parent is hyper or aggressive toward you or the puppies.

Pug - Dog Lover

Selection guide - Examine each puppy closely

Examine each puppy closely. Look for a clean coat. It should be shiny and smooth, though possibly a bit coarse. The eyes should be big, bright and clear.

Pug puppies may have tear stains, but there shouldn’t be any red or pink areas. A pug’s legs should be short and the body should be stout. Look at the nose to see how big the nostrils are. It may not be a problem, but surgery can be done to widen them if breathing becomes an issue. Your breeder should be able to tell you if any of her puppies has had this problem.

Pug - Dog Lover

Selection guide - Observe each puppy you are looking to adopt

Observe each puppy you are looking to adopt. Determine their personalities within the litter and alone with you. If you have small children, now is a great time to see how a puppy responds to them. Does the puppy like to be held? Watch how he responds when you move him to another room away from its litter mates. Use different toys to check for dominant, timid or fearful behavior.

Pug - Dog Lover

Selection guide - Interview the breeder before you meet the puppies

Interview the breeder before you meet the puppies. You don’t want to fall in love with a puppy before you find out if the breeder is trustworthy. Find out how long the breeder has been in business and why he chose to breed pugs. Be sure to find out if there have ever been any health problems with the breeder’s pugs and if there is a health guarantee (usually a 24 to 48 hour time period for you to take the puppy to your vet for a full checkup.)

Pug - Dog Lover

Selection guide - Find a reputable breeder

Find a reputable breeder. Ask a vet or friends and family with a pug for recommendations. Contact a local kennel club and even the American Kennel Club for a listing of approved breeders. Note that reputable breeders don’t often advertise in newspapers unless they have to.

Pug - Dog Lover