"To assure that your mature Pug has a good ear set, it is recommended that when he begins to cut his 2nd teeth and his ears start to "fly" (fall back into a"rose" position) that his ears" be taped in the correct position. "This will train his/her muscles to hold the ear correctly. The method described here is a simple, painless way to train the puppy's ear muscles." (The Complete Pug by James W. Trullinger).
You will need to purchase this tape (you can buy it online or at any drugstore -- click the photo below to find on Amazon):
You will need to purchase this tape (you can buy it online or at any drugstore -- click the photo below to find on Amazon):
Here is a video on how to tape the ears. When you see one or both ears start to"fly" apply the tape and leave on for a week or so. Then check to see if the ear is hanging correctly. If not, give the pug's ear a couple of days rest then reapply the tape for another few days or week. It's worth the effort during the first year of the puppy's life to do this when necessary because you will end up with a pug who has a "show dog look" versus a "rescue, back-yard-breeder look'.
CARE OF THE EARS:
Toy breeds that travel close to the ground are frequently in need of having their ears cleaned. At least once each wek check to see that he ears are clean and the insides not red from scratching at any foreign matter that might have collected in them. If they have gotten dirty or wax has collected in them, wipe them out with an unscented bay wipe and (optional) long Q-tip. You might put a drop of hydrogen peroxide into the ar and then gently massaging the outside of the ear at the base to help work it out. This is the cleaning solution we use. We love it. (If a pug ends up with an infection or problem then we use the ear solution the veterinarian provides us). You only need to apply then wipe. If using peroxide, leave in the ear approximately 15 minutes and then try removing it with the wipes/Qtip. If there is any rash or redness, you can get a solution from your vet. If there is continued scratching or rubbing of the ears by the pug, there is the possibility of infection foreign matter, or ear mites. This requires a visit to the veterinarian. Here is a wonderful video that offers tips on cleaning the ears:
Toy breeds that travel close to the ground are frequently in need of having their ears cleaned. At least once each wek check to see that he ears are clean and the insides not red from scratching at any foreign matter that might have collected in them. If they have gotten dirty or wax has collected in them, wipe them out with an unscented bay wipe and (optional) long Q-tip. You might put a drop of hydrogen peroxide into the ar and then gently massaging the outside of the ear at the base to help work it out. This is the cleaning solution we use. We love it. (If a pug ends up with an infection or problem then we use the ear solution the veterinarian provides us). You only need to apply then wipe. If using peroxide, leave in the ear approximately 15 minutes and then try removing it with the wipes/Qtip. If there is any rash or redness, you can get a solution from your vet. If there is continued scratching or rubbing of the ears by the pug, there is the possibility of infection foreign matter, or ear mites. This requires a visit to the veterinarian. Here is a wonderful video that offers tips on cleaning the ears:
NOSE FOLD AND WRINKLES:
We use unscented baby wipes to clean the nose fold and wrinkles at each bath, (and more frequently in between baths for a few pugs who are more inclined to moistness and yeast). Here is a good video:
We use unscented baby wipes to clean the nose fold and wrinkles at each bath, (and more frequently in between baths for a few pugs who are more inclined to moistness and yeast). Here is a good video:
TOE NAILS:
All dog are extremely sensitive to having their nails cut. A dog is largely dependent upon its feet for survival, i.e. escaping predators, chasing its food etc., and this fear of anything endangering their feet stays with them no matter how domesticated they become. Many dogs wear down their own nails and never need to have their owners trim them. Other dogs requires a weekly check to make sure they stay as short as they should be to insure good feet. A simple guide is to see that when the dog is standing in natural position that none of the nails touch the floor.
If you hear ANY clickety-clackety on the floor, your pug's toenails are too long. If you see much nail they are too long.
If the nails are allowed to grow too long the pug eventually "go down" in the pasterns as well as presenting a danger the pug scratches its face. It is IMPERATIVE for puppy's toenails to stay short consistently so that they may develop correctly.
We recommend using Dremel Lite Cordless Rotary Tool Variable Speed Multi-Purpose Rotary Tool Kit - https://amzn.to/32xpfQt Clippers are fine but there is a greater risk of cutting into the "quick" which can cause excessive bleeding. If you do end up with "a bleeder", apply pressure with a swab, then a coating of petroleum jelly/vaseline, then touch with a "styptic pencil" or apply this powder (have on hand as a staple). You can purchase at local pet stores or online (click photo):
All dog are extremely sensitive to having their nails cut. A dog is largely dependent upon its feet for survival, i.e. escaping predators, chasing its food etc., and this fear of anything endangering their feet stays with them no matter how domesticated they become. Many dogs wear down their own nails and never need to have their owners trim them. Other dogs requires a weekly check to make sure they stay as short as they should be to insure good feet. A simple guide is to see that when the dog is standing in natural position that none of the nails touch the floor.
If you hear ANY clickety-clackety on the floor, your pug's toenails are too long. If you see much nail they are too long.
If the nails are allowed to grow too long the pug eventually "go down" in the pasterns as well as presenting a danger the pug scratches its face. It is IMPERATIVE for puppy's toenails to stay short consistently so that they may develop correctly.
We recommend using Dremel Lite Cordless Rotary Tool Variable Speed Multi-Purpose Rotary Tool Kit - https://amzn.to/32xpfQt Clippers are fine but there is a greater risk of cutting into the "quick" which can cause excessive bleeding. If you do end up with "a bleeder", apply pressure with a swab, then a coating of petroleum jelly/vaseline, then touch with a "styptic pencil" or apply this powder (have on hand as a staple). You can purchase at local pet stores or online (click photo):
The other option is to file. If nails are cared for on a regular basis they seldom if ever become too long to cause an actual cutting.
The best way to learn the technique of caring for your pug's nails is to have your veterinarian teach you. For show dogs, a little vaseline rubbed on the (hopefully black) nails will shine them up nicely for their appearance in the ring. If the pug's toenails are light, you can apply a little Black sharpie before the show. Black nails are ideal, even with fawn pugs.
Here is Lilibeth (CH Pickwick's Show the World How to Smile) getting her toenails done. She was raised using the "Diamond Bit" and dremel. It might be helpful to note, though, that Sebastian (who was not raised using the diamond bit) requires a towel placed over his head else he bite us. Sebastian is a 2 person endeavor for sure and he screams the entire time making his tongue blue. So, needless to say, some pugs are more sensitive and head strong however, the diamond bit truly, truly helps.
The best way to learn the technique of caring for your pug's nails is to have your veterinarian teach you. For show dogs, a little vaseline rubbed on the (hopefully black) nails will shine them up nicely for their appearance in the ring. If the pug's toenails are light, you can apply a little Black sharpie before the show. Black nails are ideal, even with fawn pugs.
Here is Lilibeth (CH Pickwick's Show the World How to Smile) getting her toenails done. She was raised using the "Diamond Bit" and dremel. It might be helpful to note, though, that Sebastian (who was not raised using the diamond bit) requires a towel placed over his head else he bite us. Sebastian is a 2 person endeavor for sure and he screams the entire time making his tongue blue. So, needless to say, some pugs are more sensitive and head strong however, the diamond bit truly, truly helps.
Shedding
All dogs shed but the pug dog generally sheds twice a year, Spring and Fall. Excess hair can be taken care of by daily brushing with a bristle brush during this time and finishing off by "drying your hands" on the coat. Literally, rubbing your hands dry by wiping them off all over the coat. This is a practice done with Siamese cats also! We have found that using a conditioner after the wash truly helps with the amount of shedding. A shampoo + conditioner is a joke. Use a gentle cleaning shampoo, rinse well, then apply conditioner and rinse well. You will notice as you rub in the conditioner that a TON of hair comes out. Click here to find the links for items.
All dogs shed but the pug dog generally sheds twice a year, Spring and Fall. Excess hair can be taken care of by daily brushing with a bristle brush during this time and finishing off by "drying your hands" on the coat. Literally, rubbing your hands dry by wiping them off all over the coat. This is a practice done with Siamese cats also! We have found that using a conditioner after the wash truly helps with the amount of shedding. A shampoo + conditioner is a joke. Use a gentle cleaning shampoo, rinse well, then apply conditioner and rinse well. You will notice as you rub in the conditioner that a TON of hair comes out. Click here to find the links for items.
Shampoo and Blow Dry:
We use a shampoo bar we make ourselves for regular washes and then closer to a dog show we use Isle of dogs. Here is the bar we use which has neem oil, cucumber extract, and all sorts of fabulous ingredients for 'maintenance'. Click the photo to order.
We use a shampoo bar we make ourselves for regular washes and then closer to a dog show we use Isle of dogs. Here is the bar we use which has neem oil, cucumber extract, and all sorts of fabulous ingredients for 'maintenance'. Click the photo to order.
We rinse thoroughly and then use a conditioner. Cheap conditioner. Show dog conditioner. Isle of Dogs Coature No. 50 Light Management Dog Conditioner - https://amzn.to/34JmHSi We rinse thoroughly again. We towel dry and blow dry using a hairdryer for dogs, (but before we purchased this we just used a regular hair dryer for humans which had a "cool air" option since you don't want the heat to be too high for a dog). We feel the blow dry is important versus a natural dry. They fluff up better plus don't get chilled and catch a 'cold'. On exceedingly hot July-August Alabama days, we do allow the non-show dogs to 'air dry' naturally.
On a daily (or almost daily) basis, each morning, we spritz lightly with this (you should never brush a dry coat) then we comb and brush with a bass boar brush. Before shows we spritz with this conditioning mist. This helps tremendously with shedding. It also keeps the coat healthy. If you are interested in grooming your pug so it looks like a show pug (including trimming the hair) here is a fabulous video made by our friends, long time pug breeders, and fellow exhibitors in the show ring. For this, you will need a pair of thinning shears. Personally, we do not recommend a furminator as it can strip a coat and we definitely never recommend shaving a pug. (Word to the wise: the breeder of our foundation bitch, KK, an AKC breeder of merit with decades of knowledge, used to shave some of her pugs in the summer. She lives in Atlanta area. One time, the hair never (ever ever) grew back on one of her pugs. A few small patches grew back but the rest remained bald. The pug looked like a holocaust victim for life. The thing is, it doesn't help the pug. The coat actually helps them remain cool during summer months and stay warm in winter. We never recommend shaving. There is no point and your pug will just look ridiculous. Just wash bi-weekly and brush daily.
On a daily (or almost daily) basis, each morning, we spritz lightly with this (you should never brush a dry coat) then we comb and brush with a bass boar brush. Before shows we spritz with this conditioning mist. This helps tremendously with shedding. It also keeps the coat healthy. If you are interested in grooming your pug so it looks like a show pug (including trimming the hair) here is a fabulous video made by our friends, long time pug breeders, and fellow exhibitors in the show ring. For this, you will need a pair of thinning shears. Personally, we do not recommend a furminator as it can strip a coat and we definitely never recommend shaving a pug. (Word to the wise: the breeder of our foundation bitch, KK, an AKC breeder of merit with decades of knowledge, used to shave some of her pugs in the summer. She lives in Atlanta area. One time, the hair never (ever ever) grew back on one of her pugs. A few small patches grew back but the rest remained bald. The pug looked like a holocaust victim for life. The thing is, it doesn't help the pug. The coat actually helps them remain cool during summer months and stay warm in winter. We never recommend shaving. There is no point and your pug will just look ridiculous. Just wash bi-weekly and brush daily.
Nose Care:
If your pug's nose seems to be getting dry, first make sure it is clean (wet a wash cloth with warm water and gently rub the crustiness off ... daily or regular wiping with baby wipes will prevent the crustiness in the first place, but life happens). Then, we add this balm. It is fabulous. You can also use it on dry paw pads. FYI: in case you accidentally forget to clean the nose fold and it gets moist and develops sores or redness, you can use hemorrhoid cream to help heal.
If your pug's nose seems to be getting dry, first make sure it is clean (wet a wash cloth with warm water and gently rub the crustiness off ... daily or regular wiping with baby wipes will prevent the crustiness in the first place, but life happens). Then, we add this balm. It is fabulous. You can also use it on dry paw pads. FYI: in case you accidentally forget to clean the nose fold and it gets moist and develops sores or redness, you can use hemorrhoid cream to help heal.
