Despite their extreme facial shapes and body modification caused by hundreds of generations of selective breeding, well-bred pugs remain basically healthy little dogs. Below you will find brief discussions of various pug health issues that you can help to prevent in your own pug. Ugly Mugs pugs come with a health guarantee listing a number of specific genetic defects that are covered if you have maintained your pug in good health. For a more extensive discussion of pug health issues, talk to your veterinarian or search the internet.
SPAYING AND NEUTERING
The most important thing you can do to protect your pug’s health is to spay or neuter your pet!! Contrary to a common folktale, spaying and neutering do not make dogs fat. Overfeeding makes dogs fat!
Unaltered pets are at far greater risk for cancer. They are also at far greater risk of ending up in an animal shelter. Why? Because unaltered dogs are inferior pets! Pugs can be challenging to house train in the first place. Unaltered pugs are almost impossible to persuade not to urinate in your home. Unaltered dogs can be moody when they are in season, in the case of un-spayed females, or obnoxious and hyperactive most of the time, in the case of un-neutered males.
Unspayed females come into heat about every six months. During this time, your pug girl can become extremely temperamental, and even snappy with her own family, children, and other pets. When in season she will drip blood for up to two weeks, staining and soiling everything she sits or lies on as well as all of your floors. She may even start peeing indoors, marking objects like an unneutered male! Unspayed females are vulnerable to various forms of cancer, which are often fatal.
Unneutered males often make very unsatisfactory pets. Almost all intact males can never be truly housebroken. They will instinctively mark new objects, indoors and out. Some unneutered males are hyperactive (especially in the presence of female dogs!) and many are far less loving, patient, and attentive than their neutered counterparts. They are prone to testicular cancer.
But what if we want to breed our pug?
Breeding pugs is not to be taken lightly, and generally is not a good idea for amateur or inexperienced breeders. The mortality rate of both mother and puppies in this breed is devastatingly high, even when supervised round the clock by experienced humans with all of the right training and equipment. If you are not home 24 hours a day and fully prepared for a Cesarean section, an entire litter of dead and/or brain damaged puppies, and even the loss of your very own pug girl, you should not even consider breeding your pug.
Obesity
Pugs get fat easily. Between their natural gluttony, cobby little bodies, and limited taste for exercise, it’s no wonder! It is our duty as pug owners to help them retain their figures. Do not expect them to thank you for your watchful care!
Overweight pugs can fall victim to a whole spectrum of illnesses and ailments. Please note that failing to maintain your pug at a healthy body condition will invalidate the health guarantee that come with Ugly Mugs pug puppies. Fat pugs are prone to heat stroke, hyperthermia, heart disease, arthritis, and back and joint problems.
Many adult pugs will require reduced calorie dog food. Feed a high quality brand – look for meat as the first ingredient listed. It is important to feed no more than is recommended. You should be able to see a ‘waistline’ looking at your pug from above, and feel the ribs fairly easily. Contrary to what your pug is sure to tell you, you are not doing him a kindness by feeding him people food or table scraps.