Pugs are brilliant. They have fun personalities, crazy little mannerisms and are full of character. They are perfect dogs for families or for people on their own, simply put they are one of the most loving and gentle dog breeds out there.
Pugs were originally bred to have flat faces, they are a brachycephalic breed. With this level of breeding specialism comes some common traits and also potential health problems. Among all food is the most common cause of allergies in pugs so it becomes important to feed your puppy the healthiest food.
Pugs are naturally a little bit lazy and are known to happily sleep up to 14 hours a day. They are also very keen on their food and definitely have the ability to play on the heart strings when they want some more. So here the question arise is how to put a pug on a diet? With this in mind, it is really important to make sure that pugs eat fresh food and get regular exercise.
They aren't able to go for runs or do strenuous exercise with you, but regular walks around parks and ensuring that they get out and about is perfect for them. The next thing to consider is portion sizes. Many pugs will happily eat what is put in front of them (and more), with this in mind you need to be strict about portioning their food. A good way to check if they have a bit of excess weight is to feel around the ribs.
If you feel you need to help your puppy lose some weight or put your pug on diet then do it gradually. First reduce the portion sizes you are feeding your dog, and then combine this with regular exercise. Any changes to diet and portioning should happen over weeks, not days, so it should be a gradual process to make it as painless and healthy as possible.
The best way to spot health issues with your pug is to look at their movement, eyes, skin, breathing and stools.
Generally speaking there shouldn't be any signs of a limp or clicking in pugs when walking or trotting. Tell tale signs include not using all four legs or shifting weight from side to side.
Watery eyes or squinty eyes can be a sign of poor health. Because pugs have big exposed eyes, a large part of their corneas are exposed so any form of trauma or rubbing can potentially cause ulcers or even in turned eyelids. If you spot any irritation in the eyes just see your vet.
A puppy pug shouldn't have any problems breathing when resting. For adults, just listen out to breathing or snoring when asleep. If it is particularly loud this can be a sign of BOAS (brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome). Likewise if you hear a gasping sound when your pug is excited, this may also be a sign of problems with breathing. When the weather is hot, be very careful to avoid your pug overheating as often they can struggle with breathing in the heat.
Pugs often suffer from allergies and skin irritation is sometimes a direct result of a food allergy. It is very important to go through the ingredients list while choosing your pugs favorite food. It is worth checking with your vet or trying an elimination diet to see if this helps any irritation.
The final point is to always check your dog's stools. They should be consistent and regular (one or two a day). Poor stools are often a sign of the food your dog eating not being digested properly.
Many dog food brands contain ingredients and additives that can be very detrimental to a pug, causing anything from a simple allergic reaction (skin problems, wheezing, runny eyes, loose stools) to long term health problems including cancers.
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Drop us a message with any information about your pug's situation. We'll ask our in house experts if we can help.
To help speed up the process, please let us know what you are currently feeding your dog, as well as age and activity level.
Vets will often recommend 'exclusion diets', so please do let us know if you have been through this process so we have a clear idea on how sure you are about the any allergies or illnesses.
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