Our Goals, Philosophy, and Hopes for the Future
Thoughtfully Preserving the Pug for a Lifetime

At Pickwick Pugs, our work is guided by an unwavering commitment: to breed Pugs that are joyful, vibrant, beautifully sound, and an absolute pleasure to live with. As AKC Breeders of Merit, we do not view breeding as a casual hobby, but as a high-level preservation mission. Our goal is to give every puppy the absolute strongest genetic, structural, and neurological foundation possible.

We pour our hearts, our resources, and our decades of experience into every single litter. We choose this breed because we adore their charming personalities and distinct heritage, and our greatest joy is watching our puppies bring endless laughter to their new homes. This lifelong vitality is what we actively strive for with every generation.

The Pickwick Difference:  Our Foundational Title & Brain-Development Program
We do not simply raise puppies; we cultivate their minds. Every Pickwick Pug is raised using a structured curriculum that fuses elite neonatal enrichment protocols with targeted cognitive conditioning. Because of this intensive, early-stage labor, every single companion puppy graduates from our home with an official AKC Novice Tricks Title already under their belt before Gotcha Day.

What This Means for Your Family:

• We Install the "Learning Software": Through positive reinforcement and introductory clicker training, we teach your puppy how to learn. They arrive at your home already understanding focus, engagement, and the joy of working in partnership with a human.
• An Unmatched Head Start: While we are installing the ultimate foundation, please remember they are still wonderful, living puppy toddlers! They will still need house-training consistency and standard boundary redirection in your home, but because of our program, you will be working with a puppy who is exceptionally eager to please and primed for success.

The Path to Excellence: Step-by-Step Development:
We believe that who a pug is matters just as much as how they look. To achieve the high-level focus and brain development of our program, we utilize a strict, milestone-based timeline:

• Days 3–16 (Early Neurological Stimulation): Beginning at just days old, our puppies undergo specialized ENS and Early Vascular Stimulation protocols. This early physical and mental conditioning enhances neuroplasticity—shaping a braver, more structurally resilient adult dog who can navigate the real world with calm confidence.
• Week 6 (The Socialization Expansion): The puppies enjoy their first formal social milestone outside the whelping area—a specialized Puppy Party designed to introduce new sights, sounds, and positive human interactions.
• Week 7.5 (Professional Evaluations): A professional behaviorist joins us for formal temperament evaluations. Each puppy engages in a series of mapped activities to help us understand their unique personality and thoughtfully match them with the right home.
• Weeks 8–11 (The Title Curriculum): This is where we bridge the gap between socialization and performance. Puppies are introduced to new environments, textures, and obstacles in a safe, structured way, completing the exact training loop required to earn their official AKC Novice Tricks Title.

Health screening

Health-Testing
We believe strongly in the importance of health-testing and utilize every tool possible when choosing our breeding stock. If any of our breeding stock, including those who have completed AKC Championships, do not satisfactorily meet our high standards and pass important health tests, they are spayed or neutered and not part of our breeding program. If a pug does not sufficiently pass an important test, they are out of the breeding program and spayed or neutered. We include all the tests recommended by the Pug Dog Club of America (the AKC parent club for pugs) plus additional ones such as:

• Hip Dysplasia - OFA Evaluation (Imaging with Blue Ridge Veterinary Imaging)
• Patellar Luxation - OFA Evaluation
• OFA or CERF Eye Examination - by ophthalmologist
• Pug Dog Encephalitis (PDE) - DNA test for Necrotizing Meningoencephalitis
• Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (PKD) - DNA based PKD test results from an approved lab
• DM (Degenerative Myelopathy) ​
• Spine Xray
• Cardiac Evaluations with a board-certified veterinary cardiologist
• BOAS testing

Some of these health tests must be completed after a pug is 2 years of age thus usually long after they have completed their AKC championship. However, no matter how beautiful a pug may be, or how many championships he or she may have earned, we will not breed a pug who did not satisfactorily pass health testing. We will not breed a pug who has a very poor hip score (moderate or below and the pug is out of the program). We will not breed a pug who is S/S. We will not breed a pug who has any sign of luxating patellas. We will not breed a pug with hemivertebrae. We will not breed a pug who is not a good breather. We will not breed a pug who does not have an appropriate temperament. We will never breed a pug who has not been deemed by our board-certified veterinarians to be in good health and worthy of being bred. ​

The Science of Health & Partnership
True ethical stewardship demands absolute honesty with our families. Biology is a living, dynamic thing, and no breeder can entirely engineer a living creature against the unpredictable nature of genetics. Rather than selling a fantasy of a maintenance-free pet, we believe in partnering with owners who appreciate the real-world care of a unique breed.
To give our puppies the ultimate advantage, every dog in our program completes the full panel of health testing recommended by the Pug Dog Club of America—along with advanced screenings for genetic and structural soundness. We work hand-in-hand with board-certified veterinarians and specialists to ensure our adult dogs meet the highest standards of breathing, vision, and joint health before ever being considered for a litter.
However, Pugs are a unique, beloved brachycephalic breed. Even with generations of excellent parentage and pristine clearances, individual dogs may still encounter standard environmental allergies, minor eye sensitivities, or respiratory variations at some stage of their lives.

Because we are fully committed to your puppy's lifelong well-being, we don't just hand you a dog and a contract. We provide the Pickwick Puppy Package—a comprehensive system that pairs a beautifully started, titled puppy with a lifetime of breeder mentorship and pre-funded foundational nutrition. We ensure you are fully armed with the exact tools and supportive community you need to keep your Pickwick Pug thriving, active, and bursting with personality for life.

Socialization

Behind the Scenes: How We Build a "Bomb-Proof" PugThe period from 3 to 16 weeks of age is a puppy’s critical "sensitive period." During this brief window, a caretaker literally has the power to influence the physical size and complexity of a puppy's developing brain. Because we take this responsibility seriously, we don't just hope for a good temperament—we actively engineer it.
Having studied directly under world-renowned behaviorists and trainers like Dr. Ian Dunbar and Victoria Stilwell, we apply advanced behavioral science to safely introduce each puppy to the world. We don't just want a puppy who is smart; we want a companion with a stable, inquisitive "so-what?" attitude toward novelty.
The Pickwick Socialization Curriculum Includes:

• The Sound & Music Protocol: Beginning on Day 14, the puppies are exposed to specialized sound-conditioning protocols and a custom puppy playlist of classical music, seamlessly blending into early startle-response conditioning to prevent sound sensitivities later in life.
  
• The "Baby Stroller" Safaris: Long before they are fully vaccinated to walk on public ground, our puppies hit the road! They are deeply accustomed to car travel and exploring the world from the safety of a specialized puppy stroller.
  
• Real-World Novelty: We intentionally design outings to expose the puppies to a vast tapestry of human life. They regularly interact with our piano students, choir members, drive-through bank tellers, and shoppers at Home Depot. They safely meet toddlers, elderly individuals, people in uniforms, and friendly adult dogs.
  
• Solo Graduation: To ensure your puppy doesn't rely on "littermate courage," we transition them from group sibling outings to solo adventures after their 7.5-week behavior evaluations. This deliberate step ensures they are fully confident, independent, and secure when standing entirely on their own two feet.
  

By the time a Pickwick puppy steps into your arms at 12 weeks, they have spent months learning to problem-solve, prevent resource guarding, and confidently dismiss sudden surprises. You are receiving an affectionate, resilient family member built to thrive in the real world.

Training

A Pickwick pug puppy does not simply hang-out in a puppy pen all day with a few toys for entertainment. Every day, beginning day 1, each puppy is given individual sessions and clicker training actually begins as soon as they can swallow gruel! They are clicker-trained, potty trained, loose-leash walking trained, trained to leave it, drop it, sit, stand, down, spin, crate trained, and socialized with car rides, outings, and multiple novel experiences. Each litter of puppies is a part of our life -- they hang out in the den with us while we watch TV, they help us in the kitchen when we prepare dinner, they go to restaurants and stores and work with us (at the appropriate age after vaccinations), they encounter a novel experience, object, scent, and adventure every single day of their life. From day 3, with the ENS protocols, to Week 4 and 7 puppy parties, to outings, to daily training sessions. Clicker training in earnest begins as soon as the puppy can swallow soft mushy food (gruel). Pickwick Puppies are trained so much that they will actually have worked on enough tricks to earn an AKC Novice Tricks Title by the time they go to their forever homes at 12-24 weeks of age. We believe these fun 'games' like spin, sit, down, bow, jump through the hoop, go through the tunnel, get on, get in, play the piano etc. provide a wonderful chance for the puppies to quickly bond with their new family which is why we provide a clicker and plenty of training treats with each puppy basket along with a checklist of all the skills we have worked on and suggestions of things to continue to improve upon. Here are some of the things each puppy practices/experiences at the appropriate age:

• watch me (attention)
• touch
• manding
• barrier challenges
• novel textures
• leave it
• drop it
• take it
• resource guarding
• bite inhibition
• sit
• down
• stand
• wait
• stay
• come when called (recalls)
• shaping games
• under
• over 
• get in
• get on
• through 
• spin
• twist
• bow
• fetch
• give paw
• shake
• hi-5
• paws up
• fit paws balance discs
• wobble board
• tunnel
• play the piano
• paint (yes, each puppy paints a canvas painting before leaving for his/her forever home which is included in the puppy basket)
• show dog (stand for examination or "stacking")
• litterbox (Each puppy is litterbox trained starting when it is just 2 weeks old! Puppies also work on crate-training and potty outside at the appropriate age upon completion of vaccinations)
• loose-leash walking
• crate-training games
• potty-training (every puppy is litterbox trained as early as just a couple of weeks of age; after the completion of the 2nd round of vaccinations, each puppy also works on potty-outside and crate-training)
• loose-leash walking
• crate-training
• puzzles
• car rides
• outings
• restaurant dog (sitting outside) as weather allows
• meeting strangers
• experiences new environments 
• pool (with shallow water)
• swimming (in very shallow wading pool)
• scent work (a novel scent each day)
• toys (a novel item or toy each day)
• misc. experiences (a novel experience each day ... seeing a goat? chicken? woods? etc. ... always from safe view, being held or in stroller)
• trips to Home Depot, Bass Pro, and other stores
• trips to work (piano studio, meeting students of all ages or church, meeting parishioners and choir members)
• luring through obstacle courses and/or mazes
• wearing costumes, jackets, sweaters
• training with strangers (at 6 week Puppy Party and at 7-8 Week Temperament Evaluation)
• meeting a SAFE, stranger dog (at temperament evaluation and sometimes other opportunities)
• clippers and dremel for nails
• baths and blow-dry
• being combed and brushed
• having ears cleaned
• visiting vet (always receiving CERFS -- we bring beef and such for treats so very often they never even notice the needle or fecal swab etc.)
• vacuum cleaners, fridges, watching tv etc. as puppies "help" us in our home​
  

Beauty with Purpose
Our breeding dogs are carefully selected not only for their health and temperament, but also for their ability to represent the pug breed at the highest level.
Our program includes AKC Champions and Grand Champions, recognized with awards such as Best of Breed, Best of Winners, and Best in Show. Our pedigrees reflect generations of thoughtful breeding, including some of the most respected lines in the world. But titles are never just a goal—they are a reflection of doing things the right way, from the conformation ring to our early performance and tricks training.
A Life Well Lived
We believe pugs should be more than companions—they should be capable, joyful participants in life.
Our dogs thrive across a rich spectrum of activity, from conformation and performance sports to hikes, stroller safaris, and everyday family life. This philosophy guides our breeding program toward producing pugs who are not only beautiful, but vibrant, engaged, and full of personality.
A Lifelong Commitment
Our responsibility doesn’t end when a puppy goes home—it’s just the beginning.
We provide ongoing transition guidance to every Pickwick family and remain a structural resource for the life of each dog. Because we utilize an ironclad AKC co-ownership safety net, should circumstances ever change, every Pickwick pug will always have an undisputed, permanent place back with us.
Because to us, they are never just puppies. They are part of our family—forever.

Breed Standard and AKC Championships - The pugs in our breeding program have been proven to be a beautiful example of the pug breed standard having received such recognition as "Best of Breed", "Best of Winners", "Best in Show", "Best of Opposite Sex", "Best Bred By", "Best Puppy in Show", and of course AKC championships.

• AKC Breeders of Merit
• AKC Registrations - We register and pay for the registrations of every puppy we breed with The American Kennel Club (AKC).
• Microchip - Our vet implants every Pickwick puppy with a microchip which we register and pay for through AKC Reunite. No puppy leaves us without being microchipped.
• Puppy Culture Raised pups. You can read more about these extensive protocols here.
• Extensive training and socialization of puppies - Puppies receive daily positive clicker training sessions and even master enough skills to earn an AKC Novice Tricks Title. Puppy Culture Protocols start as early as Day 3 with the Early Neurological Stimulation Exercises.
• AKC Novice Tricks title and certificate
• Litterbox trained - Puppies are trained to use the litterbox before they are even 4 weeks old
• Temperament Testing - Every litter of puppies is evaluated at approximately 7.5 weeks by a professional animal behaviorist/trainer.
• Conformation Evaluation (performed at 8, 10, and 12 weeks by master breeders of champion pugs from around the world) to ensure our pick(s) of the litter are superlative examples of the breed standard.
• Dew Claws are removed when they are born (or within the first day of life) making it easier to trim nails and prevent any risk of the dew claw becoming caught, ripped out, and injuring the toe or foot or leg.
• Vaccinations: Every Pickwick puppy receives all age-appropriate vaccinations (by 12 weeks = first 2 rounds of puppy shots; 16-24 weeks or older =3 rounds of puppy shots plus rabies)  
• De-worming: Every Pickwick puppy has been de-wormed regularly using Strongid and heartworm prevention begins around 10 weeks of age and monthly thereafter.
• Diet: Pickwick pug puppies eat high quality food (PawTree) and supplements including fish oil, joint support, raw goats milk, and daily NuVet Vitamin We do not feed 'pet store' quality dog food.
• Ongoing support - Pickwick pugs offers unlimited, ongoing relationships with our puppy families. Any Pickwick pug, no matter the health or age or circumstances, has a forever home with us. The Pickwick family is a very special community of amazing pug owners and people!

Thoughtful Breeding
Our program is intentionally small and carefully curated.
We seek out exceptional pugs from around the world—drawing from proven, health-tested lines in the U.S. and abroad, including pedigrees rich in AKC Champions and Grand Champions, as well as some of the most respected kennels and influential pugs in the breed’s history. These thoughtfully selected lines help strengthen health, structure, and temperament for future generations.
But just as important as pedigree is how our dogs are lived with.
Our pugs are part of our daily life. They share our home, our routines, and our attention—allowing us to truly know each dog as an individual. This close relationship helps us make thoughtful decisions about temperament, trainability, and overall well-being.
We breed with purpose, always looking toward the future of the breed—not simply producing puppies, but thoughtfully raising the next generation.

Diet
As a PawTree Pet Pro, we place a strong emphasis on thoughtful, high-quality nutrition from the very beginning. Pickwick puppies are raised on carefully selected, premium foods—including PawTree Freeze-Dried Raw—along with supportive supplements such as probiotics, fish oil, and essential vitamins.
We believe that proper nutrition plays a vital role in lifelong health. Diet can influence everything from digestion and immune function to more serious concerns—such as pancreatitis, which is often linked to inappropriate or overly rich foods. Because of this, we are intentional about what our puppies eat and how their diets are introduced.
To help make the transition home as smooth as possible, each puppy goes home with a supply of their food, treats, and supplements, along with guidance to support continued health and well-being.

Amy at the Pug Dog Club of America's National Specialty in Indiana

Ongoing Support
Pickwick pugs offers unlimited, ongoing relationships with our puppy families. Any Pickwick pug, no matter the health or age or circumstances, has a forever home with us if ever needed.