FlissPrideaux

I dont know that Mandalay has ever travelled that far for a show Bec- she comes from Albury!! Her tailer is a lot smaller!!!! for heavens sake dont be frightened to go and say hi to the steward early in the day and say you are new and that you are sitting where ever but that you are listening for your numbrs.. go up when there are about 3 dogs to go... That way you wont miss out! Also buying a catalouge is a great help - you can see where you are in the field and work on about 30 dogs an hour for toys!!!! just remember it is supposed to be a fun day out - some people take it all terribly seriously and think that sheep stations are carried on the back of a win or not - but really it is supposed to be a fun day with your dog - so enjoy!!

i have a very good friend with Irish Wolfhounds and they are all terrified of the pugs!! It is a riot!

lots of questions! As long as the house was cool in summer then yes, pugs are great inside! however it is pretty unfair leaving any dog locked up inside for 10 oor 12 hours a day... If you work part time then they think it is just great having to stay inside and sleep! Pugs are good for beginners - you dont need to learn to sculpt the coats or special techniques for stripping. They are pretty stubborn so training can be an issue!! :rolleyes: Not that they are dumb - it is just that they choose when they want to behave and often their choice of time doesn't line up with yours!! The name Pug - well it depends on what pug you read!! Several theories.. Pug as in pugalist - ie represents the closed fist of a boxer. the impish shakespearian character "Puck" - got shortened and changed to pug - as they both have the same nature!! Something also rings a bell about an old english word like Pug or puge meaning devilish ...

1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc) I have been involved in pugs for nearly 28 years. We own, very occassionally breed and I also am priviliged to judge this wonderful breed ] 2. Where and why was the breed first developed? The breed is one of the most ancient of breeds and is Chinese in origin. Alwasy bred to be house dogs (they were the loved and cherished companions of Emperors!) they have never lost the instinct to "be served by their humans 3. How common is it in Australia? They are becoming more popular, certainly not a rare breed. From memory there are over 1000 registered every year - but I am happy to be corrected on that figure! Unfortunately the breed's increasing popularity has also meant that they are now massive targets for BYB's and "designer mutt" breeding 4. What is the average lifespan? I always say 10 really good strong years, average around 12 to 14. I lost my eldest at 16 and know of one dear old boy who passed away at 19. 5. What is the general temperament/personality? Pugs are clowns - they generally love to be the centre of attention and they will do anything that they can to ensure that they are. I dont believe that they have any willingess to PLEASE - they have a great willingness and desire to BE PLEASED - and therefore there are times when the unsuspecting owner thinks that the darling little pug is trying to please them!! WRONG!! The pug is after something!!! People who have had other breeds and then have a pug always say - "they are just different from other dogs" and they are!! They are affectionate, absolute sticky beaks, they love to be involved in supervising what ever you are doing and they are also very very very set in their ways! 6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? Pugs do love a walk - but not in the heat of the day in summer - so early morning. They dont need a huge amoung of exercise - but they are supposed to be a muscly little dog - not a fat blob! 7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? As long as they want a dog who is going to be their companion and their mate, who lives inside and shares things, then yes.. 8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? Like most breeds they can but they are companion dogs and are much happierr with company - they just love to be involved in things and anothe small dog is a great idea 9. How much grooming is required? pugs shed hair - lots and lots and lots of it and they shed it every day! So whilst they dont require a huge amount of grooming, a comb every couple of days and the daily cleaning of the nose roll is about it... 10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? I dont believe that very small children and very little puppied get along at all - not with any breed, it can lead to heartache and disaster with pups being dropped (and I have heard countless stories about this) and that dreadful teething age can result in child reciving chew marks. Pugs will jump at humans and therefore with very small children it is recommended that an older dog be purchased - one that can a) get out of the child's way and b) will be more sensible and less likely to jump 11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of? Pugs are a faily healthy breed, but yes, things like HD, Hemi Vertabrae, Pigmentary keratitis, and of course Pug Dog Encephalitis 12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? (eg what health tests have been done (if applicable) and what is an acceptable result to those tests so the buyer has an idea of what the result should be). I certanly would be asking how long the breeder has been involved with the breed, is the puppy to be sold on the limited register, does the breeder show (doesnt make them better but you would at least hope that they are trying to improve their stock and not just breed for breeding's sake!), what health issues are there with any of the dogs involved in the breeding or their relatives, what support the breeder offers, how many dogs does the breeder have, how are the dogs kept, what involvement does the breeder have with the "dog world" (again doesnt make for a better breeder but it does help to determine if the person is a BYB or not, what contracts or conditions is the breeder asking for. Most importantly the breeder should be asking questions of the purchaser too!! I have a set list of questions that I ask anyone who calls me and it is amazing how often people just want a pug "because they are cute" !! they have no idea about the breed and then inevitably they dont want a house dog and it really does turn out that the pug is not the right breed. So any breeder who is just happy to sell for the sake of selling, then I personally have concerns - after all we are supposed to be promoting responsible dog ownership JMHO