Pugs have been long known as wash and wear little dogs with the good fortune of having minimal grooming requirements. While these delightful little compact dogs may not need the grooming of a toy poodle, they still have their own grooming needs.
For the Pug the grooming includes keeping their nails trimmed, which I recommend you cut them once a week to keep them nice and short. Be careful not to cut the quick and make them bleed. You can use regular dog clippers or a nifty little tool called a Dremel, which uses sandpaper disks to grind the nail down. Use whichever your Pug is most comfortable with. However, don't expect complete compliance as I have yet to meet a Pug that enjoys having it's nails trimmed.
Another grooming requirement for the Pug is to clean the fold of their nose roll daily or every other day. I use a unscented baby wipe to do this. Simply, wipe out the deep fold and if this will help keep it clean and keep bacteria and yeast at bay. If you find that your Pug's nose roll appears slightly irratated you can sprinkle a little Gold Bond powder in it. Just be sure to avoid getting any in the Pugs eyes. If your Pugs nose roll has a foul odor or looks red and inflamed, seek counsel with your Vet as this could indicate an infection.
Pugs can be prone to having dry skin, so in order to avoid over drying their skin I recommend you not bathe them more than once a week. I prefer to bathe them every other week and use a nice coat conditioner made for dogs. Unless your Pug wallows in mud or comes in contact with something foul smelling, there really isn't a need to bathe them more often. After bathing try and minimize the use of a blow dryer as this will dry out their coat and skin even more. Instead hand dry them with a towel and if it's warm outside let them run and play afterward. Never let a damp Pug outside after a bath if it's cold.
Clean your Pugs ears at least once a week. If your Pug is prone to excessive build up in it's ears your Vet may recommend cleaning it's ears more often. Use a ear cleaning solution found at most pet supply stores or one provided by your Vet. Squirt the ear solution into the ear and rub the ear so it loosens any debri. Next take a unscented baby wipe and gently wipe out the debri.As part of your grooming regiment, it's important to check your Pugs eyes for any scratches. If you notice your Pug "winking" or one of his eyes is watering more than usual, it could mean that he may have scratched his eye. Some eye injuries are very obvious and you can see a milky white area on the eye, while others are not so obvious. If you suspect an eye injury take your Pug to your Vet immediately. Additionally, run your hands over your Pugs body daily to make sure you don't feel any unusual lumps or bumps. Since Pugs can't do self exams like women can, it's important that we do this for them. This is particular important for the Pug that is getting on in years so that we can watch for any benign or malignant lumps that may appear. While not all that common, it's just a good idea to check them over. In doing so, you will also be checking for burrs or ticks that may have attached themselves to your Pug during your last jaunt in the woods.
We are not Veterinarians, just fellow Pug owners ourselves. If you ever suspect a problem with your Pug, always consult your Veterinarian.
Kelle Arvay is owned by several show Pugs and writes about life with them on her blog: http://www.journeywithpugs.blogspot.com © Copyright 2008 www.ArvayPugs.com
You may reprint this article as long as the authors bio and links are included.
Showing posts with label Articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Articles. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
What is a Health Guarentee?
What is a Health Guarantee?
It’s actually a oxymoron when you think about it. I don’t know of any breeder that could, with 100% certainty guarantee the future health of any puppy they produce. It doesn’t matter how much health testing or the choosing of the best bloodlines, no breeder can guarantee a dogs health throughout it’s lifetime.The term “warranty” would be a better term. When you purchase a puppy it’s not the same as purchasing a new car where you get a bumper to bumper, 10 years or 100,000 mile warranty. Dogs are living, breathing beings and as such breeders can’t give you a guarantee that they will never face some sort of health issue.
With a warranty or as some breeders term it, a health guarantee what you are getting is an agreement that if the dog should face a genetic health problem, the breeder will do one of several things. Some breeders may offer to pay a limited amount of money toward the Vet costs associated with the health issue, though I believe this is rare. More commonly, a breeder will offer a replacement puppy if the puppy you purchased has a genetic health issue that warrants the need to euthanize it and the majority of breeders do not refund the purchase price.
Before buying a puppy I think it’s important to go into it knowing that there will always be the possibility that something may come up at some point during the dog’s life. Most issues will be minimal in nature. But there is always the chance that the puppy could develop some health issue during their lifetime. Those of us that have human children knew that we would not receive a guarantee on our children’s health. We love them all the same and are willing to take that risk when we chose to bring them into the world. It’s really no different when it comes to puppies. Granted, breeders chose to breed and in doing so they do have the responsibility to breed as responsible as possible. But none of us are genetic scientists and even if we were, genetics aren’t infallible. Even the best genetics can produce a puppy that faces health issues.
Buying a puppy from a show breeder that breeds responsibly is you’re best chance to purchase a puppy that will not face major health problems during it’s lifetime. While this isn’t a guarantee, it does increase the likelihood of obtaining a healthy, happy and well bred dog.
Kelle Arvay is a show breeder of AKC champion fawn and black Pugs.
http://www.ArvayPugs.com
You have permission to reprint this article online or offline as long as you include the author's information and website link.
It’s actually a oxymoron when you think about it. I don’t know of any breeder that could, with 100% certainty guarantee the future health of any puppy they produce. It doesn’t matter how much health testing or the choosing of the best bloodlines, no breeder can guarantee a dogs health throughout it’s lifetime.The term “warranty” would be a better term. When you purchase a puppy it’s not the same as purchasing a new car where you get a bumper to bumper, 10 years or 100,000 mile warranty. Dogs are living, breathing beings and as such breeders can’t give you a guarantee that they will never face some sort of health issue.
With a warranty or as some breeders term it, a health guarantee what you are getting is an agreement that if the dog should face a genetic health problem, the breeder will do one of several things. Some breeders may offer to pay a limited amount of money toward the Vet costs associated with the health issue, though I believe this is rare. More commonly, a breeder will offer a replacement puppy if the puppy you purchased has a genetic health issue that warrants the need to euthanize it and the majority of breeders do not refund the purchase price.
Before buying a puppy I think it’s important to go into it knowing that there will always be the possibility that something may come up at some point during the dog’s life. Most issues will be minimal in nature. But there is always the chance that the puppy could develop some health issue during their lifetime. Those of us that have human children knew that we would not receive a guarantee on our children’s health. We love them all the same and are willing to take that risk when we chose to bring them into the world. It’s really no different when it comes to puppies. Granted, breeders chose to breed and in doing so they do have the responsibility to breed as responsible as possible. But none of us are genetic scientists and even if we were, genetics aren’t infallible. Even the best genetics can produce a puppy that faces health issues.
Buying a puppy from a show breeder that breeds responsibly is you’re best chance to purchase a puppy that will not face major health problems during it’s lifetime. While this isn’t a guarantee, it does increase the likelihood of obtaining a healthy, happy and well bred dog.
Kelle Arvay is a show breeder of AKC champion fawn and black Pugs.
http://www.ArvayPugs.com
You have permission to reprint this article online or offline as long as you include the author's information and website link.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
So you want to breed Pugs?
I received a question from someone today who has an interest in breeding their Pug. They will remain anynomous of course. But I really appreciate getting questions like hers because it gives me a chance to share the realities that breeders face. I thought I would share my reponse with all of you as well.
Her Question:
We have a 14 month old male Pug. We are looking to breed and have questions and concerns about this. This is the first pug we have ever owned and would love to talk to an experienced Pug owner.
My Reply:
Breeding Pugs isn't easy and there is quite a bit involved that the adverage Pug owner wouldn't be aware of. For starters you would want to have an ideal Pug that conforms to the Pug standard set forth by the AKC and PDCA (Pug Dog Club of America). Also a healthy Pug. Otherwise, you wouldn't be bettering the breed.
You also have to ask yourself why you want to breed. If you have a passion for this breed and want to work towards the betterment of it as far as health, temperment and conformation then you are on the right track. If it's because you want to make extra money, then you'd be very dissapointed. As breeders we take losses when we breed most of the time. There is a lot of costs involved such as:
1. Show expenses
2. Travel expense (hotel, gas, food)
3. Handler fees
4. Health testing
5. Brucellosis
6. C-sections
7. Stud fees
8. Puppy check ups
9. Vaccinations
and the list goes on. A stud dog needs to have health testing done and should be a AKC champion. Unless a stud dog is a champion and/or a top winning show dog, stud service request are few and far between. A reputable breeder wouldn't breed to a non champion or one that doesn't conform to the standard. As far as the actual mating, unless you have experience in this it area, it can be dangerous for both the stud and bitch. The male can get injured if the bitch is not cooperative or if she tries to wrench free once they are tied in copulation. It's also important that both the stud and the bitch have a recent Brucellosis (Canine venereal disease) test done.
For breeding a bitch, there is even more involved as far as testing, showing and finishing her to her championship, finding the right champion stud that is the best match for her, paying a large stud fee to breed to him (upwards to $1,500 or more), preparing for time off from work for 2 weeks to watch her and the puppies so that she doesn't lay on them or one doesn't get off the heating pad and get cold, etc., Pug bitches often need C-sections and it's important to be there at least a week before their due date as they are known to have their babies early. If no one is home when this happens it could be a disaster and she could die without assistance. Pug puppies have large heads and often get stuck in the birth canal, thus the need for a C-section (which at a emergency vet at 2am can cost up to $2,000). Pug bitches have also died on the operating table during C-sections, so there is risk involved.
When you have puppies, the real work begins. Pug moms have been known to not want to feed their babies. So you have to learn how to tube feed them if she won't. You also can't leave her alone with them or you risk that she will accidently sit or lay on one and smoother it. This means also that you have to get up around the clock every 2 hours for the first 2 weeks and supervise their nursing off Mom. This can be exhausting and thus one of the reasons you'd want to take time off if you work. You also have to watch for eclampsia and mastitis in the dam. Eclampsia if not treated quickly is deadly. Mastitis complications can turn into severe infections. Also bitches who have heat cycles can be prone to a condition called Pyometrius which is where their uterus fills with pus and the infection quickly poisons them. This also can be a deadly situation.
If you are considering breeding in the future my best recommendation is to attend dog shows and talk to some of the exibitors that are showing their Pug. If the Pug you have now is the one you are considering using for breeding take him with you and ask several of the exhibitors to give you their opinion on his conformation. If you bought him from a non-show breeder, the chances are quite high that he won't come close to the standards as people that are breeding their pets, only produce pets and that means they aren't bettering the breed and most of the time they are doing it for monetary gains. Start with the best Pug possible. This can be done by studying the standard and buying the best possible bitch you can. Having a mentor is also very helpful and the breeder you choose to purchase your show puppy from should be willing to offer you sound advice.
I hope that helps. I probably sound quite blunt about most of it. But in all honesty that is the reality when breeding. It takes a lot of dedication, time and a lot of money to breed. It's definitely not for the faint of heart and I can tell you first hand that over the years I've had my share of heartache from losing puppies ): Which is emotionally difficult. But the love of the breed and my goals to continue to improve my breeding program keeps me striving forward.
Her Question:
We have a 14 month old male Pug. We are looking to breed and have questions and concerns about this. This is the first pug we have ever owned and would love to talk to an experienced Pug owner.
My Reply:
Breeding Pugs isn't easy and there is quite a bit involved that the adverage Pug owner wouldn't be aware of. For starters you would want to have an ideal Pug that conforms to the Pug standard set forth by the AKC and PDCA (Pug Dog Club of America). Also a healthy Pug. Otherwise, you wouldn't be bettering the breed.
You also have to ask yourself why you want to breed. If you have a passion for this breed and want to work towards the betterment of it as far as health, temperment and conformation then you are on the right track. If it's because you want to make extra money, then you'd be very dissapointed. As breeders we take losses when we breed most of the time. There is a lot of costs involved such as:
1. Show expenses
2. Travel expense (hotel, gas, food)
3. Handler fees
4. Health testing
5. Brucellosis
6. C-sections
7. Stud fees
8. Puppy check ups
9. Vaccinations
and the list goes on. A stud dog needs to have health testing done and should be a AKC champion. Unless a stud dog is a champion and/or a top winning show dog, stud service request are few and far between. A reputable breeder wouldn't breed to a non champion or one that doesn't conform to the standard. As far as the actual mating, unless you have experience in this it area, it can be dangerous for both the stud and bitch. The male can get injured if the bitch is not cooperative or if she tries to wrench free once they are tied in copulation. It's also important that both the stud and the bitch have a recent Brucellosis (Canine venereal disease) test done.
For breeding a bitch, there is even more involved as far as testing, showing and finishing her to her championship, finding the right champion stud that is the best match for her, paying a large stud fee to breed to him (upwards to $1,500 or more), preparing for time off from work for 2 weeks to watch her and the puppies so that she doesn't lay on them or one doesn't get off the heating pad and get cold, etc., Pug bitches often need C-sections and it's important to be there at least a week before their due date as they are known to have their babies early. If no one is home when this happens it could be a disaster and she could die without assistance. Pug puppies have large heads and often get stuck in the birth canal, thus the need for a C-section (which at a emergency vet at 2am can cost up to $2,000). Pug bitches have also died on the operating table during C-sections, so there is risk involved.
When you have puppies, the real work begins. Pug moms have been known to not want to feed their babies. So you have to learn how to tube feed them if she won't. You also can't leave her alone with them or you risk that she will accidently sit or lay on one and smoother it. This means also that you have to get up around the clock every 2 hours for the first 2 weeks and supervise their nursing off Mom. This can be exhausting and thus one of the reasons you'd want to take time off if you work. You also have to watch for eclampsia and mastitis in the dam. Eclampsia if not treated quickly is deadly. Mastitis complications can turn into severe infections. Also bitches who have heat cycles can be prone to a condition called Pyometrius which is where their uterus fills with pus and the infection quickly poisons them. This also can be a deadly situation.
If you are considering breeding in the future my best recommendation is to attend dog shows and talk to some of the exibitors that are showing their Pug. If the Pug you have now is the one you are considering using for breeding take him with you and ask several of the exhibitors to give you their opinion on his conformation. If you bought him from a non-show breeder, the chances are quite high that he won't come close to the standards as people that are breeding their pets, only produce pets and that means they aren't bettering the breed and most of the time they are doing it for monetary gains. Start with the best Pug possible. This can be done by studying the standard and buying the best possible bitch you can. Having a mentor is also very helpful and the breeder you choose to purchase your show puppy from should be willing to offer you sound advice.
I hope that helps. I probably sound quite blunt about most of it. But in all honesty that is the reality when breeding. It takes a lot of dedication, time and a lot of money to breed. It's definitely not for the faint of heart and I can tell you first hand that over the years I've had my share of heartache from losing puppies ): Which is emotionally difficult. But the love of the breed and my goals to continue to improve my breeding program keeps me striving forward.
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