Thread: What do I need to know about buying a Pug?

maybe I am being a scrooge here, but I think dogs are just a lot of trouble, and I used to raise them.

Originally Posted by cathych

maybe I am being a scrooge here, but I think dogs are just a lot of trouble, and I used to raise them.

That's a horrible thing to say.

what is horrible about it? A lot of ppl don't care for dogs.

Originally Posted by cathych

maybe I am being a scrooge here, but I think dogs are just a lot of trouble, and I used to raise them.

You raised them for selling you mean? See now I am the one not wanting to be mean but thats exactly the sort of person I will not buy a puppy from. I am hoping that I can find someone that is truly an animal loving person and one that takes very very good care of the dogs they have not just because of the money but because they love them. To be honest I could go buy a pug all day long from across the street BUT they are not nice people and they are only raising them for the money.........they are the very neighbors that shot many neighbor's dogs (including 2 of mine) a few years ago. Now they have all these pens set up for just raising dogs and and we HAD to tell them last week their horse was dead had they looked out the window they would have known that already. They dont freaking give a rats behind about any of their animals so I wouldn't buy anything from them just because of the type of people they are.

Hey on the bright side I just showed Lexie the Puggles and guess what she said??? OTIS PUPPIES I even showed her some of the old ones so I think Puggle is the way for us to go I was also thinking since it is a mixed dog that maybe the breathing problems wouldnt be nearly as bad.......fingers crossed

Originally Posted by Thamlet

Okay.... I have a Pug and he does not smell but our French Bulldog has a distinct odor, lol. Also, it depends on the food you feed them. That makes a difference in smell, gas, etc. The Pug never has gas but the French bulldog clears the room on a daily basis. Pugs in general do NOT smell BUT they are HUGE shedders. Did I say PUGS SHED????? Because they SHED!!!!!!!!! Pugs are very friendly, ours rarely barks but he's playful and drives the Frenchie (who is not) crazy biting on his ears and jumping on him alot.
If you don't like to deal w/ dog do NOT get a Pug, they SHED. Our pug and other pugs I have encountered are really good with children and people in general, they like to please.
If you have any questions, ask and I'll try to help. Just remember each dog is different and even tho each breed has specific characteristics the dog you get may not have ANY of those traits, lol.

oh my you should smell my Spazy lol he always has terrible gas and drives everyone out of the room lol I am very much an animal lover as is my 4 yr old that wants the dog and she really is a big helper on the farm

ok I have LOTS of questions lol
1) I was reading that they if they dont get exercise they tend to get fat,you should see my black lab everyone calls her the whale So I am wondering what their overall energy level is?

2) Do most of them have some sort of breathing problem? I know someone said make sure it is vet checked first and some of the site I have been checking say the pup comes with vet approved papers so I guess that has to do with the sinuses.

3) I was reading a lot on the pug rescue sites where they adopt out the older ones that nobody wants anymore many of them have heart worms and of course will require treatment for life.............Are heart worms a big problem in Pugs?

and you know me I will think of more later lol

Originally Posted by PrincessArky

You raised them for selling you mean? See now I am the one not wanting to be mean but thats exactly the sort of person I will not buy a puppy from. I am hoping that I can find someone that is truly an animal loving person and one that takes very very good care of the dogs they have not just because of the money but because they love them. To be honest I could go buy a pug all day long from across the street BUT they are not nice people and they are only raising them for the money.........they are the very neighbors that shot many neighbor's dogs (including 2 of mine) a few years ago. Now they have all these pens set up for just raising dogs and and we HAD to tell them last week their horse was dead had they looked out the window they would have known that already. They dont freaking give a rats behind about any of their animals so I wouldn't buy anything from them just because of the type of people they are.

Hey on the bright side I just showed Lexie the Puggles and guess what she said??? OTIS PUPPIES I even showed her some of the old ones so I think Puggle is the way for us to go I was also thinking since it is a mixed dog that maybe the breathing problems wouldnt be nearly as bad.......fingers crossed

My family used to raise dachsunds. And yes, I did love them, a lot But, I also saw the type of care that goes into raising a dog, and it is not for the faint of heart, it is like raising a child. And if you are 100% positive that you want that kind of commitment for many years, then go for it. I think that just because a person does not care for a certain type of animal for a pet does not make them a horrible person. My gosh, there are people who can't stand cats and I love them.

Originally Posted by cathych

My family used to raise dachsunds. And yes, I did love them, a lot But, I also saw the type of care that goes into raising a dog, and it is not for the faint of heart, it is like raising a child. And if you are 100% positive that you want that kind of commitment for many years, then go for it. I think that just because a person does not care for a certain type of animal for a pet does not make them a horrible person. My gosh, there are people who can't stand cats and I love them.

oh gosh I hope you dont think I believe you are horrible for not liking dogs just I want to find a puppy that comes from a home where the ppl do like dogs. We do know what all is involved in raising doggies since we have 3 already along with many other animals.

Hey I love cats too we have 2 that live here and 2 that live at my moms next door so we have 4 on the farm total. And you dont even want to know how many my oldest brother and his wife have lol

Originally Posted by Thamlet

1)Pretty much every dog needs exercise BUT I think the problem w/ smaller is dogs is that people tend to overtreat them, lol. Cause theyre so cute and irresistable. But I've learned not to fall for the sad eyes. We do not free feed either of our dogs, they would eat until they exploded. So we measure out their food. Also we limit their treats. (I will take a picture of Deebo later today and post it for you. I feel good about their weight, they're both trim.) Not sure I answered your question but if anyone says pugs tend to be overweight it's because the human is overfeeding and/or not exercising them in my opinion.

2)Any of the flat-faced breeds can have potential breathing problems. Alot depends on family history too. If you can see the parents that helps. This is just my experience but my pug and the others I've been around do not have breathing issues in general. However, with any flat-faced breed you need to be very careful about overexerting them in warmer weather. That is when you run into trouble. When it gets above 65 then I limit both mine's outdoor time to early morning or late evening so they don't get too hot. Deebo and most pugs do snore and he snorts sometimes but can breath fine unless he gets worked up playing, running, etc.

3)I think the heartworm issue really depends on where you live. We give our dogs a monthly dosage of a HW preventitive because in NC heartworm is an issue. I don't think, and I'm no expert, but if Pugs get heartworm more than other dogs its not because they are Pugs.....if that makes sense. I think any breed can get it as easily as any other depending on where they live, if they take a preventitive, etc. (Hope that made sense, lol).

And the above is just my opinion, ideas and experiences!!! lol I've got to leave but will be back later to check in! Good luck deciding. It's always a good idea to research the breed.

oh you have given me some great answers, pretty much how I felt but to have someone else feel the same makes me think thats pretty good. I think in the end we will try to go with the Puggle instead of the Pug because lex thinks they are Otis Puppies too and they are so darn cute lol

I didn't read all of this so if this is a repeat, sorry about that

don't buy from a back yard breeder, a puppy mill OR a pet store. Look at adopting one through a shelter or finding a reputable breeder in your area. (also craigslist or www.petfinder.com or www.petharbor.come) and once you have it, love love love I'm sure that won't be hard.