Owner guide - Spay or neuter your Pug

Spay or neuter your Pug for a longer, healthier life. Spaying your female before the first heat period will prevent breast cancer and help eliminate uterine infections. Neutering your male before age 4 will eliminate the chance of testicular cancer, reduce the risk of prostate problems and curb aggression.

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DOG FAQ - Is the pug dog encephalitis a common disease for male pug dogs?

Pug Dog Encephalitis strikes adolescent Pugs usually between the ages of 2 and 3. It can occur in either male or female dogs.

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DOG FAQ - How much do pugs dogs cost?

Pug dogs are usually around 600 for a good one.

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DOG FAQ - How old are pug dogs when they breed?

A year to a year and a half is the earliest you should breed a female. 2 years is the perfect age.

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DOG FAQ - How big do pug dogs get?

Pug get about 14-18 lbs and 10-11 inches in height.

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DOG FAQ - What what is the extra care of Pug dogs?

Pugs have problems in hot, humid climates. Air conditioning in summer months in the south is essential. Brush their teeth often.

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DOG FAQ - How much should a pug dog weight?

Adult pugs vary in weight from approximately 17 to 24 lbs. An adult pug is only about the size of a big cat.

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DOG FAQ - Is it good for pug dogs to swim?

All Pug dogs will be able to swim purely out of a natural and inbred instinct to survive but this doesn't mean they enjoy it.

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DOG FAQ - Can pug dogs have allergies?

Yes, pug dogs can get allergies. They can get both internal and external pug dog allergies.

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DOG FAQ - I can really make some money if I breed my girl Pug, can't I?

That's very doubtful. The costs of raising Pugs are pretty high. Start with the breeding: Pugs should be at least two years old, and need to be tested for eye problems, hip problems, and brucellosis before they're bred. Your girl should be up to date on all her shots before you go into this, as well as wormed. Then pay the stud fee, which is usually the price of a puppy or more. If you ship your girl, add a few hundred more there too to get her to him and back. Then there's the waiting time, and hoping she's bred. If she is, consider that she may require a C-section. Many female Pugs have narrow hips, and with their big heads, Pug puppies can't fit into the birth canal.

If you're lucky, you'll have an average litter of four or five puppies. But if they were born by C-section, the dam may not be able or willing to nurse the puppies. So, you'll need bottles and formula, a way to keep the puppies warm, and round the clock feedings for the first few days at least. Will you have to take a week off from work to raise the puppies at first? Add that cost into the figures. Then being a responsible breeder, you will offer a health guarantee on your puppies, and take them back if anything is wrong with them, yes? There's much more than putting two dogs together. And rarely do breeders show a profit in doing so when they count up time and actual expenses.

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DOG FAQ - Do Pugs really like to dress up in costumes like I see in all the pictures?

Actually, they usually do. Pugs are very extroverted dogs, and do just about anything for a laugh from their people. If they discover that wearing a costume makes you happy, they'll do it. If it gets them laughter and applause, that's even better!

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DOG FAQ - Do Pugs make good watch dogs or guard dogs?

Not usually. Some pugs may alert you that someone is nearby by barking gently (Pugs don't bark loudly, in general, because it's muffled by the lips), but most Pugs are more interested in greeting new people rather than scaring them off. The look of the Pug often will scare people - especially if you have a Bullmastiff in the yard too. Then you can just say that the Pug is a puppy and it grows up into the Bullmastiff (sorry, that's Pug humor).

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DOG FAQ - How long do Pugs normally live?

Being a small breed, healthy Pug normally live from 12 to 14 years, but can live for many more. Becoming a Pug owner becomes a long-term commitment when you realize that you can have a Pug for as long as your children are going to school!

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DOG FAQ - Which is better for just a pet - a male or a female Pug?

In general, males are more laid back, loving and people oriented than females tend to be. Females Pug, on the other hand, make better alert dogs (they watch for strange things going on at "their" house) and are more aloof and independent. If you're looking for a couch-potato type dog, then a male Pug would be better suited. If you're wanting a dog who's pretty independent and not as demanding, then a female Pug is probably better. These are generalities, of course. There are some males who are independent and some females who are more people oriented - but for the most part the characterizations hold true.

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DOG FAQ - How much daily care do they actually require then?

Really not that much. On a weekly basis, you should brush their coat, keep their faces clean and check their eyes for problems. Must Pugs take about 20 minutes a week per dog. Monthly, you should also trim their toe nails, and maybe give them a bath if they need it. Many owners find using a shedding comb monthly greatly reduces the amount of Pug hair on their clothes and carpets.

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DOG FAQ - With all those wrinkles, what special care do Pug faces need?

Care of wrinkles in Pugs varies, as some dogs are prone to holding moisture in the wrinkles, while others do not. In general, wrinkle care is as simply as using a tissue (don't use a cotton swab as you can poke too hard with it) and wiping out the wrinkles on a weekly basis. Pugs, while having no-noses, are some of the nosiest dogs out there, and tend to gather a lot of grungy stuff (that's the technical term for it) in their wrinkles. If the wrinkles also trap moisture in them, then the moisture and grungy stuff combine and the wrinkles can quickly be infected. This is like having athelete's foot but on the Pug's face. It needs to be treated and watched for.

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DOG FAQ - Why do Pugs have flat faces and lots of wrinkles?

Because a long time ago someone decided that Pug faces should be as flat as possible. The wrinkles are there because the Chinese emperors wanted lucky symbols on the dogs foreheads, and wrinkles were the best way to get them.

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DOG FAQ - I don't want a dog in the house. Why can't Pugs stay out of doors?

Pugs cannot tolerate high heat and humidity for very long. Dogs cool off by panting and their long tongues and noses give them more cooling area. Pugs have virtually no cooling area for their bodies, so they can (and will) literally over heat and die in less than 30 minutes outdoors in high heat and/or humidity.

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DOG FAQ - Pugs have short hair so they don't shed very much, do they?

Pugs shed tons of hair! Pugs have both a top coat and an undercoat, with the top coat having long straight hairs and the undercoat having softer fluffy straight hairs. Normal hair length on a Pug is about 3/4 of an inch, although they can be longer. Don't let anyone tell you that Pugs do not shed - they are more interested in getting you to take one than telling you the truth.

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DOG FAQ - Do Pugs really snore that much, or that loudly?

In a word, yes. Almost every Pug snores, and usually it's not as loud as a person, but it can easily be mistaken for someone snoring. Pugs snort, snarfle and snore and often will pass a lot of gas too. Just expect them to be noisy dogs, but not barkers.

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