Pug

[kathryn2104]

I've recently had clients come into work with pugs and of course i tell them about my own special little guy, they always ask "is he fawn or black? We've owned both and they're *completely* different" Are these people just inexperienced, bought one of each, they have different personalities so they decide it is because of the colour? Or is there actually some kind of genetic reason that follows both colour and temperament in pug lines?

I've only got Hugo and met a few (stunning) black pugs briefly, so i have no idea.

I've recently had clients come into work with pugs and of course i tell them about my own special little guy, they always ask "is he fawn or black? We've owned both and they're *completely* different" Are these people just inexperienced, bought one of each, they have different personalities so they decide it is because of the colour? Or is there actually some kind of genetic reason that follows both colour and temperament in pug lines?

I've only got Hugo and met a few (stunning) black pugs briefly, so i have no idea.

I have two pugs, a black male and a fawn male. I am only very new to the pug world, as I only got my little terrors a month ago (they are now 12 weeks) but whilst researching the breed, I did notice a few forums and sites that stated a difference in personality types between the two. and i have found that my two seem to fall under each type. My fawn is a bit couch-potato-ish, sensitive, and cuddly, and my black pug is quite skittish, much more energetic, less cuddly, and pretty naughty but as i said, i am very new to pugs myself, so I would like advice on this matter too!

Yes there is generally a big difference between the two colours.

When I was first getting into pugs I asked a breeder and she said "blacks are special, out of this world kind of special"

After owning a couple of each colour I definately lean towards the blacks. They are incrediabley naughty when babies and are extra crazy, they are double the crazy strength of a fawn. When fawns mature they just become snuggy couch potatos which is great but blacks still seem to have the same "fire" or "full on character" as they did as a baby.

I've been trying for a while to put my finger on what it is that draws me to the blacks maybe its their very special way of bonding with and loving their owner. For example, my first black who is sadly no longer with us used to sit in bed at night and stare at me, abit freaky and stalkerish especially if i woke up and saw him sitting there staring and my current girl does this weird slow motion thing when she doesn't think I'm looking and she literally creeps closer and closer to me in slow motion. Maybe its actually that they are way smarter and cuter than fawns I'm not sure what it is but it has me hooked!

I'm not sure if I am making any sence the best way for someone to understand it is to eventually own one of each colour! Owning a black pug is definately an experience every pug lover should have! But be warned everything you thought you knew about they way pugs are will fly right out the window

I notice my black pug stares all stalker-like too!! funny the fawn and the black are getting more different every day. At the moment, and it might be because he is so young, but the black one is less affectionate with us, and the fawn (Lloyd) loves cuddles and being held. Hopefully Seven (black) will become more loving toward us in time. Either way, he's hilarious and keeps us very amused and on our toes

[~Anne~]

I've recently had clients come into work with pugs and of course i tell them about my own special little guy, they always ask "is he fawn or black? We've owned both and they're *completely* different" Are these people just inexperienced, bought one of each, they have different personalities so they decide it is because of the colour? Or is there actually some kind of genetic reason that follows both colour and temperament in pug lines?

I've only got Hugo and met a few (stunning) black pugs briefly, so i have no idea.

They're are different in attitude most definitely.

When I was first told that there was a difference, my first reaction was 'Pfft, how could a colour gene affect personality!" I have known a few blacks and have rescued quite a number them now, the last of which I just re-homed the other weekend, and I can guarantee that the blacks certainly appeared to have more spirit and zest than the fawns.

They have a sense of wilfullness and fun which seems to be more amplified than what the fawns do.

[OSoSwift]

Okay - the Pug fits everything my hubby likes in a dog (we have researched a few, but always come back to the Pug) He likes Braccy breeds, like a solidly built dog, smaller, fun loving, medium exercise, inside lounge hog etc - except the coat. That is the only thing that is of concern - Just how bad would a Pug be if it was washed say fortnightly and brushed with a Zoom groom every second day/weekly etc?

[Nevafollo]

Okay - the Pug fits everything my hubby likes in a dog (we have researched a few, but always come back to the Pug) He likes Braccy breeds, like a solidly built dog, smaller, fun loving, medium exercise, inside lounge hog etc - except the coat. That is the only thing that is of concern - Just how bad would a Pug be if it was washed say fortnightly and brushed with a Zoom groom every second day/weekly etc?

Honestly it is very hard to say, especially now I'm so used to the hair LOL! Our guys are groomed once a fortnight (if we have a show if not its once a month) and hair gets blown out with the dryer and I have also started using and old school stripping brush that seems to get alot of the hair out.

Even with all that they still loose hair just not as much as some. Would be more hair lose than a whippet but far less than a husky LOL!

Edited September 9, 2009 by sammy_ballerina

[OSoSwift]

Okay - the Pug fits everything my hubby likes in a dog (we have researched a few, but always come back to the Pug) He likes Braccy breeds, like a solidly built dog, smaller, fun loving, medium exercise, inside lounge hog etc - except the coat. That is the only thing that is of concern - Just how bad would a Pug be if it was washed say fortnightly and brushed with a Zoom groom every second day/weekly etc?

Honestly it is very hard to say, especially now I'm so used to the hair LOL! Our guys are groomed once a fortnight (if we have a show if not its once a month) and hair gets blown out with the dryer and I have also started using and old school stripping brush that seems to get alot of the hair out.

Even with all that they still loose hair just not as much as some. Would be more hair lose than a whippet but far less than a husky LOL!

Thank you for your reply!

I am a little worried I might have base ball sized fluff bunnies running around the floor like My British Shorthair cat likes to leave behind!

I never notice Rommi's hair, if I get some on my clothes I attack her with a zoom groom outside in the sun. I have never noticed her hair on the floor.

The good thing is a fawn pug's hair ia about the same colour as my tiles, and I have a leather lounge so no concerns there. We are planning to try and visit some breeders soon so as to get a better idea, oh and to get snorted at and sneezed on as well!

[~Anne~]

You'll notice a Pugs hair even if you wash and brush. I wash mine weekly and I brush them weekly and use my hands against the coat during the week. It helps, but it doesn't stop it obviously.

At times like this, when the weather is changing in particular, you can not pick up a Pug without being smothered in hair. The amount of hair never ceases to amaze me to be honest.

I do have one lad who has a very fine coat compared to the others. This is a 'single coat' Pug and although there aren't many, I have had a couple come through. They loose only a 1/10th of what a normal coated Pug loses.

[Nevafollo]

Okay - the Pug fits everything my hubby likes in a dog (we have researched a few, but always come back to the Pug) He likes Braccy breeds, like a solidly built dog, smaller, fun loving, medium exercise, inside lounge hog etc - except the coat. That is the only thing that is of concern - Just how bad would a Pug be if it was washed say fortnightly and brushed with a Zoom groom every second day/weekly etc?

Honestly it is very hard to say, especially now I'm so used to the hair LOL! Our guys are groomed once a fortnight (if we have a show if not its once a month) and hair gets blown out with the dryer and I have also started using and old school stripping brush that seems to get alot of the hair out.

Even with all that they still loose hair just not as much as some. Would be more hair lose than a whippet but far less than a husky LOL!

Thank you for your reply!

I am a little worried I might have base ball sized fluff bunnies running around the floor like My British Shorthair cat likes to leave behind!

I never notice Rommi's hair, if I get some on my clothes I attack her with a zoom groom outside in the sun. I have never noticed her hair on the floor.

The good thing is a fawn pug's hair ia about the same colour as my tiles, and I have a leather lounge so no concerns there. We are planning to try and visit some breeders soon so as to get a better idea, oh and to get snorted at and sneezed on as well!

This is your best bet...give them a big cuddle (the pug not the breeder) and see if you can cope with the ammount of hair that sticks to your clothes!

[Puglodge]

I was hoping to get a name of a good vet in Shepparton that knows the Pug breed.

Thanks in advance

[Simply Grand]

Heehee, just had a funny moment reading about Pug shedding!

Saxon(my Poodle x)'s little Pug x friend came to stay with us yesterday, I was just sitting here reading about Pug hair getting everywhere, went to move the (computer) mouse and noticed spiky fawn strands all over the table... looked down and they're all over my clothes too Saxon doesn't shed but my cats leave fur all over the place, it's not like spiky Pug hairs though!

Anyway, I was re-reading the Pug breed thread because new puppy decision time is getting close for me now and I just keep coming back to a Pug!

[Shazzapug]

I was hoping to get a name of a good vet in Shepparton that knows the Pug breed.

Thanks in advance

If you dont mind travelling down to Bendigo...excellent Pug vet at the McIvor Rd Vet Clinic.

[RuralPug]

Puglodge are you a member of the Pug Club of Victoria? If so, contact the Secretary and ask if there are members in Shepparton - she would be able to ask them and report back to you where they take their pugs.

If not a member perhaps you might consider joining? The Secretary is active on DOL and might dob herself in with luck! Right, Jane?

Edited January 6, 2011 by RuralPug

[Puglodge]

Puglodge are you a member of the Pug Club of Victoria? If so, contact the Secretary and ask if there are members in Shepparton - she would be able to ask them and report back to you where they take their pugs.

If not a member perhaps you might consider joining? The Secretary is active on DOL and might dob herself in with luck! Right, Jane?

Hi

I have been a member for a number of years but did not rejoin last year. I may look at the website and get the application to rejoin. The vet was for one of our puppy buyers who lives in Shepparton but had a bad experience with one there.(first time ever at a vet)

She emailed us at the time asking for any names of vets. I think she has since found a lovely one.

Thank you both for your help.

[petri]

Can I have opinions on how much a day my pug should be eating and what? I adopted her 2 weeks ago, she is 5 yrs old NOT desexed yet. She is......10kg and its clearly visible she is overweight.

Would love to now the perfect amount to be giving this guts of a dog. I have only had her for 2 weeks and her new diet is raw roo or chicken with zuchinni, carrot, brown rice, raw egg, potato, peas and small amount of sardines, all mixed together.

I want to have her desexed but obviously I cant until she has thinned down.

I have been giving her NO treats since I have had her. She is such a guts the other day i dropped a large piece of garlic on the floor and she gobbled it up without a second thought.

One more question, if im standing still she walks circles around me......anyone else experience this?

Thanks

[RuralPug]

Can I have opinions on how much a day my pug should be eating and what? I adopted her 2 weeks ago, she is 5 yrs old NOT desexed yet. She is......10kg and its clearly visible she is overweight.

Would love to now the perfect amount to be giving this guts of a dog. I have only had her for 2 weeks and her new diet is raw roo or chicken with zuchinni, carrot, brown rice, raw egg, potato, peas and small amount of sardines, all mixed together.

I want to have her desexed but obviously I cant until she has thinned down.

I have been giving her NO treats since I have had her. She is such a guts the other day i dropped a large piece of garlic on the floor and she gobbled it up without a second thought.

One more question, if im standing still she walks circles around me......anyone else experience this?

Thanks

When working out how much to feed a dieting adult pug, I always decide what I want their correct weight to be, which will depend on their height and body shape.

Let's say her ideal weight is 8 1/2 kilos, then divide by 100 to get meal size of 85 grams (assuming you feed twice daily). That would be about 3 tablespoons twice a day. Then when she gets to her ideal weight add another tablespoon.

You might want to replace one or two meals a week with raw chicken necks or chicken wings so she's getting some more digestible bone.

And the circling - tee hee - you have a marching pug! I bet she does this sometimes carrying a toy, too! I have had one too and know of others.

It is an attention getting thing and she will probably eventually grow out of it, although it may take a few years....

[petri]

WOW your right, sometimes she just walks around the house for 10 minutes with a toy in her mouth!!! She is 5 years old so im not sure if she will grow out of it LOL!!!

Thanks for the advise!

Edited June 14, 2011 by petri

[sandgrubber]

I love pug temperament. I noticed that pugs are worst and second worst (of ~160 breeds), respectively, for incidence of OCD (53% dysplasitic!!!) and HD (64/3% dysplastic ) on the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals database http://www.offa.org/stats_hip.html . A couple people noted that the breed does get HD. No one has mentioned OCD. Just wondering whether pug people are ending out with a lot of arthritis.

Edited June 16, 2011 by sandgrubber

[Poochies]

Has anyone fed Royal Canine pug formula I know it is only new just wanting to see how it compares to the other premium foods.

[RuralPug]

I love pug temperament. I noticed that pugs are worst and second worst (of ~160 breeds), respectively, for incidence of OCD (53% dysplasitic!!!) and HD (64/3% dysplastic ) on the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals database http://www.offa.org/stats_hip.html . A couple people noted that the breed does get HD. No one has mentioned OCD. Just wondering whether pug people are ending out with a lot of arthritis.

You have to be careful when relying on databases from other countries. Of the several large audits by breed done in this country, to my knowledge none of them have listed Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) as endemic or even common in Australian pugs. Nor have any come to my attention in more than 35 years involvement with this breed. There are also other problems that seem endemic to the breed in other countries which are unknown in Australia, for instance Pug Dog Encephalitis.

On the other hand I do know of more than one pug fitting the category of OCD as in obsessive compulsive disorder...it is an extreme of the bell curve of the pug personality!

[Merci]

Loooooong time lurker here. I had a Couple of questions. We are getting close to getting a house soon and want to get a pug pup but there is soo much conflicting information, on one hand people say a pug is not for you if you work 8 hrs a day and others say its fine. The being alone at home factor is probably the main sticking point for us.

We DO want to get two in the mid-term so they can be buddies but the question is whether we should get one puppy then wait 12 months before getting another or get two closer together. Or do you think a couple of house cats would be enough? Thoughts? I think getting a part time pug sitter until we have two would be doable.

Also, to a lesser extent I am worried about their health, in regards to the defects/illesses that pugs get, are they the treatable type or the PTS type?

Thanks in advance

[puglvr]

Hi Merci,

Two pugs definitely- you'll end up with two anyway!!!!!

Maybe get an older rescue or rehomed dog and then get your baby once you've adjusted to having a pug insorry ruling your life.

Also www.pugclubvictoria.com has some useful info.