Pugs are tiny, funny, fluffy like mascots. However, not everyone knows that this is an aristocratic race, one of the oldest we know. How to care for a pug? What is the best diet for dogs of this breed? What diseases are especially dangerous for pugs?

Pugcomes from the Far East. This breed is known for 400 years BC (some sources even say 3000 years BC). Dogs of this breed are highly valued as companion animals. Pugs appeared at the side of many famous people, once at the royal courts of Stanisław August, Marie Antoinette and Józefina Bonaparte. Nowadays, they accompany celebrities, actors, showmen and singers.

Pugs - appearance

It is very characteristic that the appearance of the pug has not changed much over the millennia. This is probably due to the fact that it has always been an aristocratic race, not subjected to crossbreeding. In ancient China, the breeding of these dogs was reserved exclusively for representatives of the imperial court. Breeding outside the palace walls was punishable by death. Although pugs belong to the group of molossers, they do not have much in common with the most typical molossers. The Molossoid is a type of shepherd or guard dog, usually of large size, such as a great dane, boxer or mastiff. The pug, on the other hand, has a strong body structure, but is a small dog. Adults reach 30 to 36 cm high at the withers. The weight, on the other hand, is around 6.3-8.1 kg.

The head of the pug, compared to the rest of the body, is quite large, round, and the muzzle is short, wide and angular. Her wrinkles are strongly marked, her eyes are dark and very large, with a rather characteristic, gentle and somewhat melancholic or concerned expression. Maybe it is because of this sad look that awakens a lot of tenderness and prompts you to hug.

Both the front and rear legs of the pug are very strong, straight, of moderate length. Also the torso is short, compact with a wide chest, the silhouette fits more square than rectangle. The pug's coat is fine, smooth, soft and short. When it comes to the color of the coat, there are dogs of black, silver, fawn and sometimes peach colors. Regardless of the color of the coat, face or mask, ears and dorsal ridge, in a purebred pug should be intensely black.

Pug - nutrition

The most important commandment of a pug owner is: nooverfeed. Overweight is by far the most common disease of this breed. Therefore, before we think about quality, let's consider the amount of food served to the pug. An adult dog should eat 2 meals a day. It is also important to refrain from feeding your dog between meals, such as offering leftovers from your own table.

Dogs are carnivores. It is worth remembering about this when choosing food. Good-quality, well-balanced feeds do not require supplementation or additional meals. They can form the basis of nutrition. Regarding obesity problems in this breed, they seem to be the easiest in terms of the appropriate daily food intake and weight control. If you want to prepare your own meals for your dog, you should properly combine meat and plant ingredients.

According to an expertdr inż. Jacek Wilczak, nutrition expert in the Noteć Valley, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences

Due to the racial predisposition to obesity, physical activity should play an important role in the life of a pug. Its intensity, however, must be adapted to the capabilities of a dog such as a pug - a strongly muscled, medium-sized dog with a predisposition to respiratory problems (due to the specificity of the skull structure).

In such dogs, with very intense physical exertion, the so-called oxygen debt, a state of "overload" of the body, followed by a period of recovery. During this period, the most important thing is an easily digestible but complete diet containing easily absorbable energy sources.

When choosing home nutrition, provide an adequate amount of protein with high digestibility (preferably animal protein, not vegetable) and the content of unsaturated fatty acids, which will support the tissue regeneration process. When choosing a commercial feed - wet feed is preferred, pay attention to the type of raw materials used in its production and the amount of digestible energy that will quickly supplement energy deficiencies and provide energy for the metabolism of protein components. It is also important to give the daily ration in smaller amounts, but at shorter intervals.

In the period of post-workout regeneration, it is important to provide antioxidant ingredients (vitamin E, C and plant compounds with known and confirmed properties). Their sources are vegetables, fruits and vegetable oils. Using a properly balanced diet, it is not necessary to use substances that support muscle development or help lipolysis of adipose tissue (amino acids orL-carnitine).

Pug - care

Pugs are not a particularly demanding breed. They have a short coat that should be washed from time to time. And not more often than once a month, unless they take part in exhibitions. The pug's hair takes quite a long time to dry, so it is better to wash it in the evening, after the last walk. It is very easy to brush your dog, and the short hair is unlikely to form tangles. What is troublesome is the quick and relatively frequent molting.

Important

There are two things a pug owner should keep in mind. The first is systematic tooth cleaning. This particular breed has a tendency to build up of tartar. The second thing is cleaning the nasal fold. The guides recommend a weekly cleansing treatment. This place under the fold is a collection of germs and dirt, so neglecting to care for it can lead to various types of inflammation, infections or skin lesions. The cleaning operation itself is easy, it is done with lukewarm water and a make-up remover pad.

Pug's reproductive cycle

Due to the specific structure of the pug's body, pregnancy, and above all childbirth, is a rather troublesome matter, both for the animal and its owner. Puppies with a relatively large head can cause a lot of problems for the birthing female. Complicated births and frequent deaths mean that professional breeders of this breed usually decide that a veterinarian should attend the delivery. Not infrequently, childbirth ends with a caesarean section, and thus a few weeks of caring for the dog's mum undergoing treatment. So, if someone is considering buying a purebred pug, when considering the possibility of breeding and breeding, they must consider all the difficulties associated with it.

As for the breed maturation and reproductive cycle itself, it does not differ from the standard terms. Pugs, as small dogs, reach physical maturity fairly quickly. Therefore, a female over a dozen months old, in the second or third heat, may become pregnant. Gestation lasts about 2 months and may go unnoticed by the owners for a long time. Often its only symptom is a decrease in the bitch's activity, sometimes also a lack of appetite. Of course, if the breeder deliberately mated the bitch, he may notice such symptoms early and interpret it properly.

According to an expertEwa Korycka-Grzegorczyk, a veterinarian

Racial predisposition to diseases

  • Pug owners spend their sleep over the pet's frequent problems with the organ of vision. The curling of the eyelids inside the eye socket ( entropium ) predisposes to corneal damage which may result incorneal ulcers.Shallow attachment of the eyeballs in the eye socketmay cause themto fall out . It usually happens as a result of injuries, accidents, and it can also happen while playing. Insufficient tear production, to which this breed is also predisposed, leads to the so-called"dry eye syndrome",or inflammation of the conjunctiva and cornea manifested by purulent-mucous discharge, conjunctival redness and blinking of the eyes.
  • Serious genetic disease isencephalitis of pugs and m altese.Symptoms of the disease appear from 6 months to 7 years and are manifested by seizures, disorientation, sometimes blindness and stiffness neck. The prognosis is cautious or unfavorable.
  • As a result of the breed's development, the head and tail have been shortened, but in some individuals this is done at the expense of spine deformation. An example of such a deformation is the so-called"half vertebrae",the occurrence of which leads to asymmetry and curvature of the spine.
  • As a breed with short skulls, pugs are burdened with therespiratory syndrome of short-skulled dogs.Due to partial airway obstruction (at the level of the nose - narrowing of the inlet openings to the nostrils, at the level of the pharynx - too long soft palate, at the level of the larynx and trachea - collapse of these parts of the airways), hypoxia occurs. This entails high blood pressure, myocardial hypertrophy, gastric problems caused by breathing air from obstructed breathing, and secondary respiratory infections. Treatment includes both the surgical correction of structural defects and the fight against current infections.
  • Pugs often have skin inflammationsbetween the numerous folds (mainly on the face and around the tail)associated with difficult breathing and cleansing of the skin, which allows bacteria and fungi to grow. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly wash the folds with appropriate cosmetics.
  • Other predilections include: congenital hydrocephalus, congenital elbow dislocation, allergies.
About the authorMałgorzata Wójcik The editor in charge of the website. Journalist with 25 years of experience. From the beginning, she was associated with the subject of children and he alth - she worked, among others. in the magazine "M jak mama". At mjakmama.pl, she specializes in pregnancy and childbirth. Privately - mother of three adolescent children. He is eager to read and walks in the woods with his dog.

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